VCL Calendar - 2012

[gab]

Hey, I'm new to racing, keen to participate, and happy to be fodder

Gabriel.

[katew]

<blonde>

I am *so* confused.

</blonde>

[Lund]

The conversation so far has been all about B.

Peter has cajoled and browbeaten me into racing A with him. Anyone else out there with an appetite for pain and humility?

Remember: "There are defeats more triumphant than victories."

[Lister Farrar]

<blonde>

I am *so* confused.

</blonde>

This might make it worse.

Tactics are complicated, but they require a few fairly simple things that need practicing before you can do them in races.

One, is to appreciate that tactics don't work like the explanations and TV commentary. Attacks, with riders jumping then smoothly working together and going away are rare. Usually it's many jumps, and counter attacks, and a mad scramble of pulls and resting for a few seconds to establish a break. Sorta like a Burnside ride.

But it is easier if you have had some practice accelerating, then working very hard but cooperatively with 2 or 3 others for 5 minutes. Then resting up and trying it again. Novices attack off the front like crazy, but never settle down, so they blow up after a minute and can hardly pedal.

Likewise, novice chasers overlook that 6 riders might want to help chase, but that another 3 don't want to chase at all, and in fact might want to interrupt the chase. So, you have to learn to read who's going to pull and who's going to block. And, er, assert your way into the line in front of the guy NOT chasing so you can keep the chase going. Otherwise it's stop and go and the break will pull away.

So, it's helpful to learn to jam very hard with a couple others, on the limit but without dropping them. (And much more motivating with the hounds of hell, aka the other team, 30 s back.)

And it's helpful to learn to get a chase going without blowing your brains out and making it impossible for other like-minded riders to help you. If you (new verb) David Brown off the front in a solo chase, you usually wont get far. But do a fast but steady, followable (word?) pull, swing over and look for help from a guy you didn't just shred, you just might get it.

[AndreaR]

Is there anyone else out there who is more of a C rider who's interested but nervous about racing? I'm interested in racing on the 11th in C but would like to see some friendly faces by my side.

[wonger]

Is there anyone else out there who is more of a C rider who's interested but nervous about racing? I'm interested in racing on the 11th in C but would like to see some friendly faces by my side.

By the number of people on this thread who regularly ride the TS "A" ride yet profess to be "new" to racing and therefore planning to ride the VCL B races, I'm thinking more and more about racing "C"...

[katew]

Does it go down to about "Q?"

[beegull]

Does it go down to about "Q?"

It does, but you have to ride backwards.

[JohnT]

The A vs B thing in the VCL is something that's come up before within the club. Two years ago (or maybe it was last year) several of us moved to A, largely so that others in the club would be enthusiastic about racing B. This included Peter, Gavin, Roland and I. Josh too, but for him the decision was much more obvious right from the start. Things went well for a few races and then it seemed that the real A racers showed up and we (except Gavin who, like Josh, made the transition with success) found ourselves off the back all the time. I went back to B because I want racing to be fun and it wasn't.

So here we are again with several TS A riders contemplating racing in VCL B and at least one TS B rider (and no doubt more) others concerned that they'd be wasting their time racing B when they can see on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, how things are going to go.

The difference now, however, is that VCL awards upgrade points. That's a big change. If people like Brian (who showed on Tuesday that he can sprint around anyone) and Greg, who never fails to finish with the lead A's and me (who really suffers along the waterfront at least twice a week, but gets up Island View faster than most) do well, we'll be bumped up.

Gotta run (I think I meant to write more), but the main point is, come and race. Don't be discouraged by the fact that you already think you know who is going to beat you.

JT

[JohnT]

You need a licence to race in the VCL. The online thing is easy and, the VCL people will (at least they did last year) accept a hard copy of the e-mail reply you get immediately when you sign up, so don't let a delay in registration stop you from coming out.

There was talk of a meeting - an effort to partially organize the race strategy. Thursday? I could host it, but if lots are interested, a large venue might be best - The Fernwood Inn? Rather than a set team plan, I suspect this will be a set of 'if then' statements that we can all try to follow: E.g., If a team mate makes a run for it, then don't drag the whole peloton back up to them in your effort to break away with them. If a non-team mate makes a run for it, then it is XXX's job to jump on their wheel first and YYY's job to jump on the wheel if it happens a second time. etc. Lister, might, on the other hand, encourage us to execute something a little more specific.

Also, the C race. It would be really good to have as large a C group from TS as possible so that the VCL people take it seriously. Not that they plan otherwise, but when only three arrive, mixing those people with the B's ends up making the most sense (but kinda defeats the purpose).

Finally, if you don't know if you are A, B, or C, the first few races is the way to find out.

JT

[Stéphane Tran]

I could attend a gathering of the minds on Thursday as long as it is after 7:30pm.

[beegull]

I'm up for a Thursday evening racing discussion as well.

Brent

[AlW]

I'm good for a Thursday pm discussion as well.

[JohnT]

Heidi finds this funny. She wants to contribute - Her advise for the race: "Pedal harder". Anyway, my house is available (2534 Eastdowne Road (near Pure Vanilla) and I can try to find a race online to play through the TV while we're chatting. Or, public venue where we can get a burger, I mean whole grains and pasta, is good too. Suggestions?

John

[Stéphane Tran]

I'd rather meet at your house and watch cycling than at the Fernwood and watch hockey. It'll probably be noisy there anyway.

[esilnarson]

Sadly, I won't be able to make it on Thursday due to family commitments. Perhaps, you can fill me in on how things went at coffee on Friday

[barton bourassa]

I cannot meet on Thursday but I do plan on being part of the B pack on Sunday! I will galdly follow any directions/advise given!
Barton.

[Paul C.]

Discussion at coffee on Friday sounds good..
I plan to do some of the VCL races as a C or B minus!! And plan to do 2 or 3 masters races , with a bunch of other TSHOT riders[or should we say racers?] I know there are 5 or 6 of us in the 55 to 59 mens group..Norm, Barton, Markus, a couple of new guys?

?? And it would be good to try to organize a plan for some races as Lister and others are suggesting. If it works out as the race unfolds, great....if not hopefully we all have fun, even whoever comes in last..[may be me]

And just think how great we will all look at the races in our Baby blues or, Black racing kit or, our new Baby blue,black and other colors .. Go argyle guys and gals.

[JohnT]

There are a bunch of clips (some long, some short) of Paris-Nice on SteepHillTV. I'll connect the computer to the TV and play them from 7-8pm. An hour should be enough for the first meeting. Lister, it would be great to have your input. I'll have snacks and drinks.

2534 Eastdowne Road (a connector between Landsdowne and Cadboro Bay)
250-598-5949 (if you need directions). No need to RSVP by phone, though it would be good to leave a note here if you are coming. Come if you just want to watch the race - showing up won't commit you to a team strategy.

On the other hand, those who don't show might get a surprise Friday morning

JT

[esilnarson]

If it runs from 7:00 -8:00 I'll be able to make it. I will just have to scoot out at 8:00. Looking forward to it.