Results !

Posted: May 19, 2013 in goals, results, worldwidecycles
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I was asked recently how someone should go about getting a result in a normal Sunday race. I put my thinking cap on and this is what I came up with. This will be more applicable to those racing A4 or A3 races but certain points are consistent amongst all levels.

Long term Preparation :

Cycling is the ultimate ‘pay it forward’ sport. Experienced riders are always willing to give help and advice, sometimes when it is asked for and other times without it even being requested. Soak it all up and ask plenty of questions. Almost every club or training group in the country has a few riders who were good in their day, and many who still are. They all have something to offer and whilst some will be more subtle than others in how they impart their knowledge take it all on board in the spirit that it is meant and process it later to see what might be of benefit to you. The long steady group spins during the winter are great for building up a base but are also a fantastic place to ask questions and learn.

Plan for success :

Write down a list of your goals for the season. It might sound a bit airy fairy if you have not done this before but all top riders begin planning for the season ahead by identifying what their goals are and working towards them. This is applicable in everyday life too.

Success leaves clues. This is a shortcut :

Those who have won races before have done so in a particular way. Find out how they did it and you will save a huge amount of time on the learning curve. You could just go up and ask them what training they did and how they approach the races or you could look at their Strava or Garmin connect account. If you are already racing against a rider who has won races or who is consistently getting results watch how they place themselves within the bunch, where and when they attack. How often do they eat and drink and how do  they conduct themselves within the bunch.

Short term preparation :

Get your bike in ‘as new’ condition .

50 % of punctures are caused by underinflated tyres that get pinch flats, tyres that have pieces of glass or flint imbedded from a previous days training ride or just plain old worn tyres.

A spotlessly clean bike with a smooth running chain and nice crisp gear changes runs better and is good for morale too.

All your clothing, shoes and helmet should be fresh and clean too.

Pin your numbers on your jersey and pack your bag the night before. All you should have to do on the morning of a race is eat your breakfast and travel to the race. This cuts down on the stress level when you might be feeling a little edgy anyway.

Training :

Train to race not to ride a 100k time trial at 30 kph.

In a race you will be sprinting out of corners, sprinting when attacking, sprinting across to breakaway groups and sprinting at the finish. You must do sprint training !

Find a quiet straight stretch of road with a flat section of at least 2oo meters. Warm up for 20 minutes then sprint from a standing start at least 4 or 6 times. If you are fit enough and doing it right you will almost puke at the end and the ride home will only be possible in the lowest gear on your bike.

If at all possible you should also incorporate the finish straight of your Sunday race into a training spin and work out where you can launch your sprint from and be able to maintain your effort all the way to the line.

In a race you will be riding at 8/10 and 9/10 effort for anything from 3 to 20 minute periods of time. Trying to close a 30 second gap to a breakaway group, attacking the bunch or the breakaway group alone in a solo bid for glory or in a small group requires the ability to endure sustained periods of pain and suffering. This has to be trained for. You must do interval training.

It can be very hard mentally to hold a long timed effort alone on flat road training spins. Find a 20 minute climb that you can climb out of the saddle and another not quiet as steep that you can ride in the saddle in a big gear for power training.

Another good one is to find a 1 kilometre straight and ride it flat out as if attacking in the final kilometre of a race. This too should be repeated 4 or 6 times and you should be in a world of pain afterwards.

A top domestic rider once told me that his training sessions were harder than his Sunday races which he won a large amount of.

Train for pain.

When training picture yourself in your mind’s eye experiencing race situations. Sprint for the win with an imaginary bunch hot on your heels rather than just galloping for that lonely yellow signpost. Attack all out and give 100% effort to hold off the chasing bunch as you enter the final 3k of a race. This helps to push yourself that little bit more and also trains your brain too.

It’s all in the mind !

Bike racing is 70% mental and 30% physical. In general the strongest most physically talented rider will not win more than 20 to 30% of the races that they are capable of winning.

If 100 riders line up at noon on any given Sunday, 10 will genuinely believe that they can win the race. They will have the training and preparation done and will be confident in their abilities. Another 20 will believe that they are capable of finishing in the top 6. The rest is made up of those aiming to just finish the race and others who have fingers crossed for some miracle to occur which lands them across the line in the placings.

If you are one of the 30 who are actually racing what can you do to improve your numbers further ?

If it is a very cold or wet day and you have not let the weather have any effect on your training programme you are now in a group of 20 who are there to race. Those who don’t train in the rain will  never race to their full potential in the rain, and often it will be the naturally talented riders who avoid training in the rain as they will still be fit enough to actually race. However they will feel uncomfortable and less motivated.

Now you are down to a race against just nineteen or twenty other competitors what can you do to improve these odds even further ?

Start the race at the very front right behind the lead car if possible. Stay in the top 15 to 20 of the bunch at all times. You will see all that is going on and also avoid many of the crashes that can occur in the middle of the bunch.

Eat and drink enough. Don’t arrive at the finish in a great position only to have the first stages of ‘the bonk’ deprive you of a good result.

Don’t waste your efforts. You have only a certain amount of matches in your matchbox. Every time you light one that’s one less for later in the race. The race is won in the last hour not the first. Do your fair share but no more than is necessary.

Ask yourself ‘Who here can beat me?’ and follow their moves. Do not let them get up the road in a breakaway group without you, but take any opportunity that comes along to leave them behind.

Know that if you are suffering so too is everybody else and don’t give up. An extra 20 or 30 seconds of hanging on when others throw the head can be the difference between winning and loosing a race.

Be positive and do not get involved with either negative tactics or criticism of other riders within the race. This will only distract your focus and leave a bad taste when the race is over.

You do not need to be talented to get results in cycling !

I was born with a severe club foot and my parents were told that I would probably never be able to cycle a bike. They ignored the diagnoses and I was operated on when I was 2. My left foot and leg never developed fully and I now basically cycle on one and a half legs. I am also asthmatic. On paper I should not be able to compete but cycling is unlike other sports. Those without natural talent or ability just have to train more and work a little harder but can still set goals in cycling and achieve results. I was able to win a few races underage and as a junior. My friends were much more talented and won a lot more races but by working hard and being inspired by Sean Kelly to suffer like a dog I was able to be competitive. I raced for two months as a first year senior and won a stage of the Blarney 3 day, my last race for a long, long time. 14 years later I decided that I wanted to ride the Ras and set a 15 month goal to be in good enough condition to compete for the senior B category in the 2005 Ras. I won that category and once again put away my racing license.

This year, 8 years later, in my second year as an eligible Veteran having put in a decent winter which was mainly based around cycling to and from work, I decided to ride a few races and see what happened. Having had only a club competition license for a few years I had an A4 license for the past 2 years with a vague notion of riding a few races. I could have availed of an amnesty this year to upgrade to A3 but felt that if I were good enough I would score enough points to upgrade and if not A4 was where I belonged. Looking at A4′s in training groups over the past few years who were very strong I wondered if I would be fit enough to race against them. I wasn’t too serious about racing a full season but still set a few goals and trained purposefully towards them, rode 3 races as an A4 and won 2 of them. There were at least 10 riders who were stronger and fitter than me in each race, but I had a goal and tried to use my head and was willing to suffer. I rode one race as an A3 before concentrating on my next goal for the season. 2 Weeks ago along with 9 others of all abilities I cycled from Malin head to Mizen head in 2 days, a total distance of 595km. If I can win a race or cycle 595k in 2 days pretty much anybody can !

Cycling is a sport for everybody and any result is possible on a bike !

Barry

http://www.worldwidecycles.com

Malin to Mizen in 2 days

Posted: May 8, 2013 in malin to mizen
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Many cyclists have a ‘bucket list’, a back of the mind list of challenges that they would like to undertake and complete before they ‘kick the bucket’. To cycle from one extremity of Ireland to the other extremity is well up there on plenty of those lists. Whilst the record for the cycle from Malin to Mizen is just 19 hours and 3 minutes, most cyclists tend to undertake the challenge in 4 or 5 days. Last weekend a group of 10 of us set out from Malin head shortly after five am with the aim of reaching Mizen head the following evening.

With a prevailing south-westerly wind the normal route tends to be from South to North which lends itself to a high probability of a tailwind for the journey. Our trip went from North to South, against the normal trend but with the benefit of a much shorter drive home when the cycling part of the journey was complete.

Our group of ten was a great mix of a cross-section of cyclists. Kevin, Noel, Mick and Sheamus from the famous Ronde van Cork club were joined by Bernard, Paddy, Ken and Liam from the newly formed and ever expanding South Tipp Cycling club. Legend of Irish cycling Robert Power took time out from a busy photography business in Dungarvan to join the challenge and I rounded out the ‘Tenacious ten’.

(Liam, Noel, Mick, Sheamus, Ken, Kevin, Paddy, me, Bernard and Robert)

With ages from late twenties to early sixties and experience levels ranging from one member of the team who only took up cycling last July to another who is a former Olympian and multiple National champion it was amazing over the two days to see how remarkably similar all cyclists are when push comes to shove.

(A photo of our photographer Catriona in Malin Head at 5 am )

We set off from Malin at a very windy and icy cold 5.20 am. Within the first 100 meters we had one foot clipped out to avoid falling on the short icy descent from the tiny car park. The sun was rising in the blood red sky as the wind whipped up waves along the bay as we headed back towards the village of Malin itself. On through Carndonagh as the cold wind buffeted our momentum we had our first puncture. Noel quickly changed the tube and with a shot of Co2 he was back up and running by the time the rest of us answered a call of nature. Amazingly this was to be our only puncture for the entire journey.

Through Muff with the obligatory photo stop at the sign welcoming visitors to the village and we were on to Lifford for the first refuelling stop of the day after 80k. On a journey like this it is so important to stay well hydrated and well fed.

After passing through Castlederg with the signpost for Pettigo I was reminded that Lough Derg was nearby. A place of pilgrimage where people go without food and sleep to clear their heads. Chances were that our heads would be pretty clear by the time we reached our destination too.

We hit the 200k mark near Longford and realised that with such a strong headwind it was going to be a real slog for the next 110k to Birr, but to a man we all ploughed on together. Through the midlands past Athlone the road dragged on and on. Bodies were tired and heads were weary. The straight bog roads that seemed to go on for ever on the road to Birr were soul destroying. Eventually we came to a signpost for a bend in the road and soon after came a junction onto the main road into the town. The Garmins were now over the 300k mark and with over 12 hours of saddle time, not including stops bodies were tired and weary. The County Arms hotel was an oasis in the desert and we were all relieved to finally arrive. How we were going to be able to do this all over again in less than twelve hours was beyond comprehension at that point.

As we ‘walked’ from the lift towards our room Robert remarked that the day had been his hardest ever on a bike. This, coming from a guy who has raced at the very highest level against many of the best in the World put into perspective the achievement of the entire group.

The hotel looked after us very well and Bernard’s niece Aoife and her colleague Carmel drove the long journey up to give us all a very welcome massage. The recovery process was under way.

The 5.30 wake up time the next morning was almost like a lie in. Breakfast was consumed but underneath the surface the question remained, how could we possibly manage another 300 odd kilometers into a block headwind ?

It was almost 7.30 when we rolled out of Birr. On the road to Nenagh we met two groups coming against us. The first led by Gerry Murray were doing a 32 County Challenge whilst a second group were doing Mizen to Malin in the opposite direction to us and were joined by a large contingent from North tipp Wheelers to get them on their way towards Athlone. We were envious of the tailwind both groups seemed to be enjoying as we slogged our way along.

We went over some of the climbs used in the Visit Nenagh classic as we rode on to Newport where we had a welcome food stop. Then on towards more familiar roads as we passed through Kilmallock and on to Charleville for the next stop. The sun came out for 20 minutes and spirits were lifted as we set off again towards Kanturk where the Corkman 3 day was in full swing. The 10k approaching the town was unbelievably rough. Robert remarked that if Dan Curtain comes up with a rider that goes Pro Tour he will be straight into the bookies to back him for Paris Roubaix.

Turning Left in Rathmore heading towards Glenflesk gave a stark realisation of just how spectacular the Kerry scenery truly is. After trudging through the midlands on flat straight roads with very little to observe, the rugged beauty of the Kerry countryside was like a tonic. The 500k mark saw us on the Healy Rae motorway to Kilgarvan where we headed left up and over the Boren Valley. The biggest climb of our journey was a steady slog but the reward of a nice descent made it worthwhile.

Bantry and Durrus saw an air of anticipation as the finish loomed ahead in what was now turning to darkness. The final few hilly kilometers provided our only heavy rainfall which was compounded by the darkness.

Finally at 9.45 pm we reached our destination with a feeling of relief. The long steady 200k training spins were now worth the effort and time. We had cycled the full length of the country in 2 days against the wind. A feat that not many have done before and we all started and finished together.

We could not and would not have been able to get there without the encouragement and help of our support crew. Mick’s wife Ger, Noel’s wife Nora and son Shane, Paddy’s fiancé Maura and South Tipp club secretary Catriona all put in a huge effort to help us through. Kevin and Paddy did a fantastic job on the logistics.

Cycling and suffering build character and respect. To set a goal that seems slightly out of reach and to get there in the company of a great bunch of people lends itself to a sense of satisfaction that will be long remembered.

Now, what next ?

Barry

http://www.worldwidecycles.com

Ryaner

Posted: April 5, 2013 in tony ryan
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The year I started cycling Joe Lonergan brought myself and his son Bernard down to Carrick on Suir for a cycling coaching weekend run by Tony Ryan and Carrick Wheelers. Young cyclists had come from all over the country to learn and many hoped to follow in the pedal tracks of his most successful protegé, the great Sean Kelly.

At the time Tony was into his forties and still racing at the highest level in Ireland. He was also the top coach in the country and I was enthralled by every word he spoke.

There was no waffle or preamble. He just got straight to the point and was very informative about what had to be done to succeed on the bike and inspirational when telling anecdotes about Kelly.

kelly and ryan

( Tony Ryan and Sean Kelly ride side by side )

A few weeks later I went for my first training spin with what was known as ‘Ryaners gang’ and was just as awestruck to be cycling alongside Tony Ryan as I was to be cycling with the great Sean Kelly who was also there that day.

Over the years I was privileged to get to know Tony and must have cycled alongside him hundreds of times. On each and every occasion I learned something. Whether it was your position on the bike, how to ride over the top of a climb, where to get shelter from the wind or how to bend your elbows, Ryaner was always passing on his knowledge to younger, less experienced riders.

For a number of years I drifted away from the bike. Then one Sunday I headed back out with the group. Tony rolled up beside me, gave me a warm hello and said ‘good to see you back’. That, coming from Tony made me feel at home and made me want to be back out again the following Sunday.

CIMG0023

( Tony at the centre of things keeping us all in order )

Tony and Sean Lally were the first two ‘super vets’. Men who used their strength, experience and ability to beat others half their age at the peak of their powers. One of Tony’s most famous victories was in the Harding Grand Prix in Cork. As one of the most prestigious races on the domestic calendar at the time a quality field was always in attendance but when that years full Irish Olympic contingent with the likes of Stephen Spratt, Philip Cassidy and John McQuaid lined up at the start line the race was almost decided before it had begun. But not in Tony’s mind. When the break established itself, Tony was alert enough to spot the danger and jumped across. As the strongest riders in the country piled on the pressure up the climb lap after lap he was still there and on the final lap when they were all looking at each other Tony seized the opportunity and attacked. With perfect timing he established a gap and buried himself to make it to the line and take a huge victory.

I remember standing at the side of the road that day on the Carrigrohane straight and it felt like the Champs Elysees such was the level of excitement of all those watching when they saw the legend from Carrick showing the young guns how it was done.

Tony was always a great man for time . 9 o’clock was 9 o’clock never two minutes past. It was often said that he would leave his back gate in O’Mahoney avenue at eighteen seconds to nine and roll past the ESB offices where the gang would be gathered at exactly nine o’clock and just keep on rolling. If you were two minutes late you had a hard chase up the Clonmel road ahead of you. This was always a great life lesson for all cyclists, both young and old.

In recent years since Tony stopped coming out with the Sunday morning group there are often times when confusion erupts as the group approaches a junction in the road. Some will shout ‘right’ others might shout ‘left’ but there will always be someone else who shouts ‘Bring back Ryaner’ .Tony always decided the spin on the evening before and even when Kelly himself was around it was still Tony who decided the spin. Everyone would know exactly where the spin was going. There would also be no letting wheels go, half wheeling or riding three and four abreast on the road. He ran the group with subtle military precision.

I remember him racing on a gleaming 753 Raleigh and he always looked like a ‘pro’ with tanned legs and immaculate gear. He was always a great man for equipment and was ahead of his time when it came to bike fitting. Hundreds of young cyclists came from all over to be fitted by Tony on their new bikes. If he could get you set up right he would, but he would also tell you straight if you were after going off and wasting a load of money on a shiny new bike that was the wrong size .

In the winter time he ran a gym on Tuesday nights in the Foresters hall. I used to travel down with Anthony in the green beetle and arrive for seven to do the thirty minute warm up run around the park in Carrick. Then it would be in to the hall where everyone was supposed to put their pound in the biscuit tin inside the door. There would always be a discrepancy between the number of coins and the number of bodies and Ryaner would always let everyone know that he knew. There were occasions when a pound or two were omitted just for the reaction. The hall would be full of local cyclists and even Sean Kelly would be there.

When he stopped going out with the Sunday group he continued to ride his bike three or four times per week. If Peggy was in Clonmel shopping Tony would call in to Ray and myself in the shop then over to Anthony and Dick in the bakery. It was always a pleasure to see him walking in the door. He had a 22 mile loop around  Faugheen and he was always able to tell you exactly what time he was doing the loop in, usually around 1 hour 14 minutes or so. He was never one for looking in over ditches when out on the bike.

Tony Ryan was a straight talking Carrick man who would look you in the eye and shake your hand when he met you off the bike. On the bike he would generously share his vast experience and knowledge with any cyclist who showed an interest in learning. Tony was more than a great coach or a top class cyclist. To many of us he was a trusted friend that you always look forward to meeting and looked up to. He will be sorely missed for a long time to come but for as long as there are cyclists in Carrick ‘Ryaner’ will never be forgotten.

Rest in Peace Tony,

Barry

The Ups and Downs of bike racing !

Posted: March 25, 2013 in carlow, des hanlon
Tags:
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Just after 10 this morning Fitzy stormed up the driveway in the Subaru. Today was a going to be a long one and families were left behind as we headed off on a lads day out. Whilst other Lads days out might encompass mini busses, matches, pubs, clubs and maybe a little lycra, our Lads day out would encompass a van, 2 bikes, 4 hot legs and a lot of lycra.

The straight forward trip to Carlow takes almost eighty minutes but with Fitzy in the passenger seat it often feels more like Jules Vernes ‘Around the World in eighty minutes’ . First stop was a trip to France and ACBB, then on to DCM in Belgium, a quick trip home for the Ras before heading off again to Langkawi and then on to Australia.

Fitzy has raced with the best, fought with some and thought something to the rest. Petacchi, Taffi, O’Grady and McKewan have all felt the pressure of Fitzys breath down their necks. An eighty minute drive to a race with him in the passenger seat flies by as I am entertained and educated in equal measures, along with having a pain in my side from laughing. The day was starting well.

Today was the day of ‘The Des’ if your from Carlow or ‘The Hanlon’ for those beyond the county boundary. One of the toughest one day races on the Irish racing calendar. Well placed sign posts brought us to the sign on. Hopping out of the van it was cold but dry. A good day for a hard race. We got changed and lashed on a good bit of Hot embrocation to the legs.

The A1′s and 2′s headed off first and then the A 3′s were next. This was my first day as an A3 but I still lined up as close to the front as possible. My morale was good and I was ready to race. During the week I was hearing all about how strong the current crop of juniors are so had a slight plan to try to get up the road ahead of them before we hit the climbs after Castlecomer.

From the gun George Doyle from Tralee BC attacked and I rolled up after him. We did a few turns and got a gap. A guy in a red Gillet came across and was soon followed by Ian Redmond from Fermoy. We all worked well together and the gap began to grow. This could be a good move as the reputation of the difficulty of the race could discourage many riders from mounting any concerted chase at this early stage which could allow us to open a decent gap before the climbs.

After 10k we had 35 seconds and hit a few drags where we lost the guy with the red gillet. Then just after Pedigree corner Ian was distanced which just left 2 of us ahead. With a group of about 8 seemingly coming across and the bunch not far behind we kept the pressure on. Then two riders did make it across and as George said ‘the cavalry are here’. Four was much better than two and the gap began to stretch out again as Brian McArdle from Orwell and a strong guy with a Rocky Mountain jersey both rode 100%.

After turning into the hill in Castlecomer we were joined by Shem Cullen from Iverk and Shane Scully a mountain goat from Visit Nenagh. The gap still hovered around thirty to forty seconds until we hit a good twisty section and the bunch stalled. Suddenly the gap was up to over 2 minutes and with all 6 of us rolling through nicely there was now a good chance we could stay away to the finish.

Then on the descent before the final climb of the lap disaster struck for me. I clipped a stone and immediately felt my rear tyre go flat. I may have been overheard to emit a phrase similar to ‘well duck’ quiet forcibly.

No time for theatrics. With no service car behind I pulled over as I dropped the chain into the smallest sprocket on the rear, stopped and pulled off the wheel. I fished out the tube and tyre levers from my pocket which were held together with some insulating tape. My fingers were too cold to open the tape so I ripped it off with my teeth. Then years as a bike mechanic came in handy as I popped the tyre off without having to use the levers. I pulled out the old tube, gave the new one a shot of air and fitted it into the tyre, and popped the tyre back on. I was just beginning to pump it up when the bunch came screaming past. I was tempted to just lash in the wheel with just about 20psi in but knew that would only spell disaster further on.

By the time I had the tyre hard enough the bunch were well out of sight and gone for the day. I pedalled on and Joe Hahessy pulled up alongside in the Iverk team car which had a full house. I leaned lightly on the passenger door whilst garnering some important information as the car drifted up the hill. I soon caught up to Dave Butler from Comeragh and we rode in to the finish together. I didn’t want to chance the extra lap on my own with no spare tube and the morale ship had taken on a lot of water too.

A quick change was followed by the sight of a few kind ladies in the clubhouse serving nice strong hot coffee, sandwiches and whisky cake, all of which were gladly sampled.

The long wait for Fitzy who was doing the three laps of the A1,A2 race passed quickly with time spent catching up with the lads after the race and meeting the lady who captured many of my exploits this year on camera Karen M Edwards.

Fitzy arrived in battered and bruised after a hard day and a fall, or bounce as it may be referred to seeing that he is always back up on the bike so quickly after a crash.

Then it was time for home along with our new passenger ‘The Greene Machine’ who had taken a CIE bus to the race like the men of old would have done.

Another entertaining journey followed during which I’m sure that wherever in the World Jean Francois Bernard might now reside his ears were surely burning.

Barry

http://www.worldwidecycles.com

Carrick and What I learned as an A4

Posted: March 18, 2013 in carrick on suir, carrick wheelers
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St. Patrick’s day in Ireland is all about Parades, Mass, Shamrocks and hang over creation, but in Carrick on Suir and within the cycling community for the past 59 years St. Patrick’s day is all about ‘The Paddy’s day race’. Over the years many of the country’s top riders have been first across the line and many more have finished the race with a much clearer picture of where their form is at.

As usual Iverk Carrick Wheelers put on a fabulous days racing for all the competitors with super slick organisation thanks to the ever-present team of volunteers headed up by Paul Lonergan. The Tea, Coffee, sandwiches, home-made cake and malteasers were in abundance after the race thanks to Tara O’Donnell and her team and there seemed to be a full buffet to choose from no matter how many people kept coming back for more.

Last year it was Irish professional Stephen Halpin who took the spoils whilst this year it was former An Post sprinter and all round hard man Paudie O’Brien now the team leader of Planet Tri, who once again had the opportunity to display his famous one hand victory salute. Simon Ryan of Visit Nenagh made Paudi fight hard for the win whilst Michael Lucey gave the promoting Iverk Carrick Wheelers something to cheer for by rounding out the podium.

The A3 race was won by the very impressive Dylan Foley who soloed to another fantastic victory. His Nicholas Roche performance team manager Philip Finnegan must be really delighted with how well this new development team is able to consistently deliver results. The one and only Dennis O’Shea of the big little bike shop in Killarney was next home followed by Eoin ‘The greene machine’ Greene who once again came up with the goods by rounding out the podium for the promoting club.

The A4 race turned out to be my third and final race as an A4. Starting the race I only needed 2 more points for the upgrade so a target was set. The pace was fast and furious from the gun with many riders trying their luck but the headwind combined with the eagerness of the chasing peloton meant that no breakaway was allowed to stick. Strong riding by the likes of Donncha Galvin, Steven Vauls, Shane Power, Paul Smith and Graham Loughman amongst others never managed to split the field by very much and it looked to be coming down to a bunch sprint as we passed the 5k to go sign. That was when a few Clonmel CC jerseys appeared near the front which was great to see with the likes of Brian Dennehy and young Jamie Blanchfield riding their first race and being well up in the action.

Rounding the final corner facing the hill up to the finish as the bunch wound up for the sprint I waited until a point that I had picked out on the previous Tuesdays training spin to launch my sprint and kicked as hard as I could. That morning 5 year old Kate had asked me to try to finish the race as fast as I could so that we wouldn’t miss the parade. I promised her and her big sister Laura that I would try my best. With both of them standing right at the finish line I went as fast as I could and managed to make it to the line first and give them a two-handed wave.

Mick Crowley from Blarney riding for Planet Tri took a strong second and Killarneys’ Patrick Clifford took a very stylish third which he seemed to enjoy, just ahead of Waterford racing clubs classy Paul Smith in fourth. Kevin Sheehan from Bandon CC took fifth ahead of Shane O’Neill of the professional set up that is Team Aqua Blue. Iverk Carrick wheelers had two riders up in the placings with young Conor Hennebry aka ‘Phillipe Gilbert’ edging out Paul Bourke whose father Billy I raced with many moons ago.

I was delighted and the kids were delighted. Them on two counts, I won the race and they would get to see the parade.

As I move on from A4 looking back at what I  learned from what some riders do and what others don’t could be summed up as follows ;

1 – Wash your bike (helmet and shoes if necessary) the day before the race.

2- Shave your legs. Not because it will be easier to clean cuts if you fall, or to make it easier to get a rub from your masseur after the race. Do it as a sign of how serious you are about racing not touring.

3- Practice sprinting. To get out of a corner quickly you have to sprint. To make an attack and escape the bunch you have to sprint. To get in the results at the finish you have to sprint. Being able to do a 140k training spin will never win you an A4 race but being able to sprint might .

4- Don’t shout. Some riders in any A4 bunch will not have been in a bunch at speed before. Shouting at them if they switch or wobble will only make them more nervous and wobble even more. Everyone who pins on a number deserves respect !

5- Keep going right to the line. Don’t look around during the last 200 meters of a race. Focus only on that thin white line up ahead and get there as fast as you can. Every week places and points are lost by riders looking around too much.

6- Know the last 3k. If possible do a few sprints on the finish straight before race day and find out what point you can launch your sprint from where you can keep it going right to the line. This can also be done during your warm up on the morning of the race.

7- Go up hard and over easy. If you are in a breakaway or just going up and over at the front do your turn and as soon as you pull over start lowering your speed. The guy coming up behind wants to help, don’t try to kill him. Also as you start to head back up the line call  ’last man’ to the guy ahead as you pass him on the way back up so that he can jump straight onto your wheel and keep the momentum going .

8- Enjoy the race. Try your best, leave nothing on the road and be satisfied heading home knowing that no matter what position you finish in you gave it 100% !

A fantastic addition to modern racing is the selection of photos that are available each week. Some of which can be found at ;

blackumbrellaphotography on Stickybottle,  facebook and flickr

Karen M Edwards on facebook, twitter and irishcyclingphotos.com

John Troy on facebook 

Roll on Carlow and the A3′s

Barry

http://www.worldwidecycles.com

My Week in Cycling

Posted: March 10, 2013 in caherconlish
Tags: , ,
9

Monday : Cycled the 2.5k to the shop in the morning. Spent the day catching up on repairs from the weekend. Cycled home in the evening by the riverbank and through the Town park 3.5k

Tuesday : Cycled to work. Built a few bikes which had customers waiting on them via the cycle to work scheme. Cycled home for lunch and then popped on speedplay flat adaptors onto my new Orbea Orca and cycled it back down to the shop with my gear on my back so that I could go training after work. Closed up the shop at 5.30, got changed as fast as superman and headed out to do some sprint training. 20 min warm up, then a 2 min effort on a Strava section. 10 more minutes and it was down to business. 6 x 200m standing start sprints with 5 on the flat and 1 on a hill similar to what I am expecting for the race in Limerick on Sunday. By sprint number 4 I could taste the bile in my throat and was close to throwing up but a thought struck me – Sometimes you have to do the training that you hate in order to be able to ride the races that you will love – and so I finished out the last 2. Really struggled to get up the hill home with two jelly legs, but felt satisfied with my evening. Was also really impressed with the stiffness of the new bike when sprinting. At first I was concerned that it was a bit spongy as it really soaked up much of the harshness on a rough road, but as soon as I put full pressure in a 53 x 15 from a standing start I was amazed how well it transferred the energy to propel me forward. I went from liking the Orca to really loving it.
2013 Orbea Orca with 9070 Di2

Wednesday : Cycled to work. Busy day in the shop with repairs but still managed to get out the door by 5.30. This time still in my work clothes on the hybrid complete with carrier and mudguards. Headed up the mountain road and turned right up by the lay-by. Another Strava segment and I pushed it on to see how I could do in my work clothes. Ended up 5th fastest by the top just as the rain got heavier and darkness bagan to fall. Dropped down Powers the Pot and turned right for Rathgormack as the rain continued to fall. My work cargo pants were getting heavier and heavier as they soaked up the water. Pitch dark turning left at Daruas cross headed for Carrick on a Hybrid in the lashing rain and I was happy. If it rains on Sunday it won’t be any worse than this. Through Carrick, out passed the Circus and headed for home with the wind on my back. Even the rain began to ease. Passed Ray on the way into Clonmel as he was heading home after his cross-fit class. Put my cargo pants on the scales when I got home to find that they now weighed 1.4kg. Slept well that night.

Thursday. Busy all day in the shop and had to stay on late to get repairs and new bikes ready for collection at the weekend. Had planned to do some interval training but then as time passed I changed the plan to the turbo. By the time I got home and did a few jobs along with a few chapters of James and the Giant peach and Bears big day out I was too lazy to head out onto the turbo. Hoped that this wouldn’t cost me on Sunday but did do 30 mins of stretching and foam roller.

Friday : Spent the morning in Dungarvan at committee meeting for the Sean Kelly Tour. The organisation of the event goes on all year round not just the two days of the event itself but everyone on the committee is great to work with and that makes it very enjoyable. Be sure to pencil it in on your calendar August 24th for the family 10k cycle and August 25th for the 50,100 and 160k events. Managed to get a 40 minute window in the afternoon to get out to test wheels on my new bike. As the Dura Ace 9070 Di2 groupset is so new I wanted to find out which of my current wheels would work with it. I was delighted to find that my Fulcrum Racing 1 two-way fit with an 11 speed campag cassette worked perfectly. The Dura ace 11 speed cassettes are just shy of €300 so the fact that the groupset works with campag 11 speed opens a huge range of options for both training and racing wheel set ups at budgets to suit all needs. Drove to Limerick on Friday night to stay with Ciara’s family for the weekend.

Saturday : Wanted to do a 2 hour spin so where better to do it than to ride the 10k out to tomorrows race course in Caherconlish and do a lap to check it out. Took note of corners, wind direction and where it could change enough to affect the race. Did 2 sprints at full gas up the to the finish and found exactly where the sign on was going to be located. I even checked where would be a good place to park the car. Saw the unmistakable Ritchie Clifford of Limerick CC out marking pot holes and sweeping the corners along with Shane O’Hara’s dad. Being in Limerick when Ireland were playing France in the Rugby necessitated a trip to a pub to watch the match. 2 pints of Guinness were followed by a sparkling water.

Sunday : Won the race !

Some photos of which can be found on www.irishcyclingphotos.com taken by the very artistic Karen M Edwards

Sure I can’t just leave it at that :-)

Arrived an hour before the planned start time with enough time to sign on and get ready without having to hang around too long. It was very cold and raining but all I was thinking was that it wasn’t half as bad as Wednesday night plus there was daylight !

Lined up at the front and stayed there for the first 6k which was neutralised. Met Billy Reidy from Athea who raced against my buddies Anthony and Dick O’Gorman in the past. Another man on the comeback trail.

When the flag dropped I launched a bit of an attack to get things going. Today was not a sportive. I looked around to find Neil Power from Dungarvan on my wheel who told me that his brother Ronan from our local Skoda dealership had told him to watch me in the race today. Those Car dealers know everything.

We had a crosswind from the left heading out towards Bruff, then a block headwind over to Herbertstown before turning back in the direction of Caherconlish where it was a crosswind from the right and I had noted this part of the course the day before as a good place to attack. After 4 or 5 k lined out in the gutter with the wind coming from the right legs would be getting a bit dull. Attacks were coming and going and I tried a few but about 5k out from Caherconlish I saw a guy from Visit  Nenagh opening a gap and jumped across. He was strong and we worked well together but only had about 100m as we approached the village at the end of the first lap. At the left turn there was a slight backlog of lead cars and in the confusion I looked back passing the Church to find my visit Nenagh companion being replaced by a Limerick CC rider, Owen O’Donoghue who was looking strong. We drove on up passed the finish line and with the tailwind on the twisty road opened up a gap of about 15 seconds. Owen was strong and seemed experienced and whilst we worked well together the bunch was never  far behind. After Ballyneety another Visit Nenagh rider Kevin Moyles jumped across to us.

Three was much better than two as we turned into the headwind section with the bunch still very much chomping at our heels. We were managing to hold off the bunch as we came out onto the main road at Herbertstown again and Kevin did a few strong turns. On one drag with about 5k to go if he had put us in the gutter and gone 2k faster I knew that I could not have held on, and wasn’t sure about Owen either. Luckily Kevin did not realise this and we were still together as I led into the final corner with the bunch now just a matter of meters behind us. Coming out of the corner Owen attacked and I jumped straight onto his wheel. I was expecting this move as a local rider will always be very keen to win their home race. Passing the school I glanced left and to my horror saw John Brosnan from Killarney. We were caught almost in sight of the line. My plan had been to launch my sprint 200 meters out which was doable considering the tailwind but that had to change now. 250 meters out I decided that it was time to go and to try to hold off as much of the bunch as possible. I took off in a 53 x 15. 150 meters out I saw Ciara and the girls along with more family and I dropped it down from the 15 to the 14. If I was going to lose this race in front of my kids it wouldn’t be for the want of trying. 50 meters to go and I couldn’t stay out of the saddle any longer. I had to sit and try to keep the gear going. I glanced around expecting to see a few riders coming passed but was delighted to see a gap of about 10 bike lengths. I was ecstatic. I was going to win a race in front of my kids. This moment was what all the dark wet nights spent flogging myself up and down the back roads of Clonmel and Carrick was all about. I threw both arms high in the air and savoured every second of it. I had forgotten how good it feels to win a race but now it all came flooding back.

5 year old Kate ran up and gave me a big hug and said ‘I knew you were going to win Daddy’. I’m glad that I proved her right.

On down to the millennium hall for the nicest warmest bowl of hotel style vegetable soup that I have had in a long time. Plenty of soup and delicious sandwiches were on offer for not just the riders but all the families too. Local people giving up their Sunday afternoon to feed a bunch of weary cyclists and their families is something that should never be taken for granted and I thought that it was a really nice touch when Limerick CC presented the local ladies with a fine big bunch of flowers.

I was presented with the M.Fogarty Ras Luimni perpetual cup by Liam Hickey who had a few uncles who lived around Clonmel and raced against Tom ‘Chops’ Kiely and Don Clarke.

The A3 winner Cathal Moynihan was presented with the David Hourigan perpetual cup by Davey’s brother Ger. The last time I raced in Caherconlish was as a junior when the late great Davey and myself ended up in the race winning break. The biggest gear a junior could ride at the time was a 52 x 15 and that was the only gear that I saw Davey use that day. Two up sprints can be a bit of a lottery and that day I managed to get by him to take it by half a wheel on the line, the only time I ever beat him in a race. It was great to see his memory being honoured today and anyone who wins that cup in the future can be proud to have their name etched on a cup bearing David Hourigans name.

Sean Lacey won the A1/A2 race in fine style once again. He is up each morning at 5 am to drive to work where he gets two hours training done before work and 1 hour after. There are no short cuts to cycling success !

Limerick CC pulled out all the stops today to run a great race and their team of volunteers who stood out in freezing rain for the day were very much appreciated by all the riders.

Barry

http://www.worldwidecycles.com

If Carlsberg did bike races – The Lacey Cup 2013

Posted: February 24, 2013 in lacey cup
Tags: ,
7

For many years now The Lacey Cup in Tralee on the last Sunday of February has been the season opener for Munster riders. A hard circuit with two tough climbs it always manages to blow out the cobwebs of the winter training regime and also gives people a good gauge of where their true fitness is at. With the idea of riding a few races this year after an eight year sabbatical a chance conversation with Vinnie Maher in Carrick convinced me this would be a good place to put my name on a sign on sheet for my first one back.

It wasn’t the talk of two good hard climbs, nor the chance for A4′s to pick up a very well compensated prime along the way that convinced me but rather the whole arrangement that Tralee BC have with their club and race sponsor, the Manor West hotel that made my mind up for me. The Hotel was offering a special discounted rate for participants along with a 4.30 check out and full use of the Leisure club facilities for all the family. I could bring my gang along and they would enjoy it too which is important to anyone with a young family.

So off we set shortly after lunchtime yesterday (Saturday) and arrived at the Hotel around 4pm. The staff in the hotel could not have been nicer to the kids and I was delighted too to see a secure room with cages for individual bikes where my other baby could spend the night safe and warm. On into the leisure centre, where the Tralee BC framed jerseys take pride of place, and there was Vinnie and his gang too. The kids were enjoying the pool so I hopped into the sauna. Soon a conversation developed and there were the locals all chatting about the Lacey Cup. Everyone seemed to do a bit on the bike and by the time I left all were wishing me well for the race. Cycling and the Lacey Cup in particular is a big deal to the people of Tralee and Kerry in general.

This morning as we strolled out of the dining room after breakfast there was the sign on right alongside so over I went before heading upstairs to get changed. A more relaxing way to spend the morning of a race I could not imagine. I also had my own toilet which can be a big deal before a race !

Now on to the main  event itself. We rolled out from the front door of the hotel at 11.45 towards the official start out near Blennerville. I was in the group of 111 A4′s who were left off 2 minutes ahead of the A3′s and so on. I was expecting a hammer drop from the gun but as I looked down at the Garmin to see us doing 28 to 30kph I thought that in the Carrick training group someone would be shouting to ‘drive on’ at this speed with the slight tailwind. I was thinking of how soon the A3 group would be up to us and then how quickly the rest would follow.

There were a few attacks and a group strolled up the road and got a decent enough gap. Then a Frenchman from Killarney took off 20 meters ahead of the bunch for a k or two. The reason that I know he was French is because he spent that whole 2k stuck to the ditch on the wrong side of the road, around blind bends with double white lines, the whole lot. Eventually his croissant repeated on him or something and he was back in the fold and I didn’t spot him again. Perhaps he went off in search of Kerrygold butter or something.

The disadvantage with not having raced for 8 years is that you don’t know who the strong guys are and when ones and twos started drifting up the road at the bottom of the climb up Gleann na Gealt I convinced myself that they would be caught when the hammer went down. I also wasn’t paying enough attention to which were A4′s and which were A3′s and soon there was a considerable gap open as we were now over half way up the climb. I tried a few attacks to bridge the gap but didn’t have the legs to drive all the way across. The cup on offer at the top would have impressed the kids and was targeted but I just ended up going over the top between the break and the bunch with a Tralee CC (not BC on this occasion) rider who looked strong on a nice Giant TCR.

On down through Annascaul and the break were doing a fine job up ahead as were the A1′s who were closing in rapidly behind. Just past Inch strand and there they were. The posse had arrived and were intent on doing some damage. Now the serious attacking began. I was looking around and now saw some familiar faces from before. Howaya Robin, Howaya Paudie, Howya Rory, Howaya Timmy, Howaya John. These guys I raced against before and now something in my brain switched on. Instead of being a good sensible A4 and sitting in trying to save enough energy to get over the final climb  there I was attacking off the front. Whenever I saw a gap or there was a slight stall my brain would say attack ! and off I’d go while my legs would just shout up at me ‘what the hell are you at you eejit ?’ I couldn’t help myself, sure I knew that I didn’t have the power to launch a proper decent attack but I was racing and not just being a bit of bunch fodder and I was loving every second of it.

There was another thought floating around too. To get good at anything you must do it again and again. To get to the stage where I will be able to launch proper attacks I have to launch plenty of the ones that I’m capable of now and everytime I do that, it will make me stronger for the next race.

I saw a strong looking break head up the road and then noticed Iverk’s Rory Wyley bringing John Dempsey to the front where he took off and managed to get across. One of many good examples of teamwork in action that I noticed today along with impressive cohesive riding by Aqua Blue and Planet Tri.

On through Castlemaine and to the foot of the final climb of the day up Slieve Mish. I was convinced that all hell would break loose here and hoped to just try to hang on. I slotted in about 8 back from the front on Barry Twohig’s wheel to give myself some sliding room when needed. Paudie O’Brien went to the front with Barry Meade and they set a very strong tempo which discouraged any attacks and began closing the gap to the break up ahead. I was digging in holding on waiting for the onslaught of attacks which didn’t seem to be happening. 2k to the top and I was feeling a little more confident about holding on. Then about 500m later there was an attack which was closed down pretty quickly when a gap opened in front of me. Sure what could I do but have a go. I was closed down again pretty quickly but when I looked behind the group was pretty lined out and the guy who brought me back looked under a bit of pressure so I went again. I got about 50 meters and going over the top was praying for someone to jump across and see if we could lash it down the descent. My prayer was answered when Eoin Whyte from Youghal came along. A junior international in the past and a good strong rider, if the group ahead started messing around before the sprint and the bunch stalled behind who knows what could happen. Sadly nothing happened and we were swallowed up half way down the descent now only 3k from the finish. I tried to hold a good position and with just 1k to go I was on Robin Kelly’s wheel with his aqua blue train in front and Barry Meade on my wheel. Then low and behold after all jumping around the road going nowhere my legs when introduced to the twelve decided to cramp up. That’ll teach you they said, so I just had to roll across the line chatting to Timmy Barry who has grown a bit of a beard since that last time I raced against him. That was something I wasn’t expecting.

Ciara and the girls were at the finish line and of course the first question 5 year old Kate asked was’ Why didn’t you win Daddy ?’ Now, she thinks that I’m like the Superman Daddy on the new Toyota ad so ‘I just wasn’t good enough’ wouldn’t cut the mustard and instead I had the chance to go through the ‘I didn’t win but I did try my very best and gave it 100% which is what’s really important’, conversation and that seemed to get a good response.

Back to the hotel for a lovely shower under one of those rainfall shower heads, the only type of rain that I saw all weekend. Downstairs where a great spread of tea and sandwiches was laid on for all and finally checked out just after 4pm which was just so handy.

The organisation was superb with every junction and obstacle well marshalled. Photographers on Motorbikes patrolling the race giving it a real professional feel. Most of the photos are available from www.blackumbrellaphotography.com

Sean Lacey won the race today and if anyone had a ‘Carlsberg day’ it was him. The Lacey cup in honour of his grandfather and organised by his father and uncle is now the biggest one day cycle race in Kerry. To win it once would have been fantastic but today Sean Lacey won the Lacey Cup for the fifth time in a row. In Kerry that’s as good as 5 All Ireland football medals and in Irish cycling it’s just incredible.

Barry

www.worldwidecycles.com

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