Cycling in a Toque: 2011 Canada Track: Diggin In

Sneaky Sound System- We Love (FireFlowerz rmx) by FireFlowerz Courtesy of WetBandits @Wetblog

Day 1:

Back in Bromont today for another stab at track racing. After forgetting to switch my warmup gears for my race gears, (there was no warmup today because of dew so my first lap on a velodrome since last August was a racing speed in sprinting fashion = zippy do dah!) I raced the flying 250 metre (1 lap) in a very small gear and subsequently went quite slow. Placing 9th out of the 11 omnium contenders, I now have a nice little handicap for the rest of the week.

But I made up for it with some aggressive racing in the Points race, taking a lap early. However another group of riders took a lap (albeit over the course of more intermediate sprints) and ultimately bumped my points total to that of 3rd overall. But hey! my first national track podium! Not bad for just clicking in!

However I needed to show that I can use tactics better so in the elimination race (where the last rider across the line every two laps is eliminated) I needed a strong race. After finishing 13th out of 20 riders last year, I was very focused. I decided to move up earlier that I would have otherwise on the sprint laps and thus made it to the final two riders, up against Cam MacKinnon (International level sprinter on the track in 2008 and 2009). Instead of 2 laps, the final two riders get three laps. I was now in my first ever match sprint! I started ahead and moved up and down the track banking to maintain my speed while confusing both him and me....""what was I going to do? I know he will attack with 1.5 laps to go like how he won the final sprint in the points race. Is it 2.5 laps to go now? Oh no, I don't think that's right, it's 1....oh crap! He is going! Push push push but he is gone and I roll across a few seconds later to go second, moving way up in the omnium to 4th overall. Solid.

Day 2: Another good day here in Canada.

After what was thought to be just a wash with heavy rain in the forecast, we woke up to clear skies and a drying track. The day started with the 4km individual pursuit. I actually started the day 4th overall (not 5th like I estimated last night). To move up to the podium, I would need to pull out 5 points on my BC cycling comrade Jacob Schwingboth.

After a poor start from the automatic release machine, I got up to speed and held very consistent pacing. This is good as consistency in the pursuit is critical, saving that extra for the final kilometre is critical. I was able to clock the 5th fastest time. Happy with the ride, I went 3 seconds faster than last year, 3.5 seconds off the top time. This moved me farther away from an overall podium as Jacob went 3rd.

Omnium Points are calculated by the summation of your placement in each event: 1st place gets one point and so on, lowest score wins the omnium.

In the 10km scratch race, I needed to find a way to get a large points advantage over Jacob and Jean-Michel (overall 2nd place). Very early in the 40 lap (13 minute race), a three man break formed of riders out of overall omnium contention including Erik "Sleepy" Mulder of CyclingBC. With 22 laps remaining they almost had lapped us after the top riders marked one another. None willing to work too hard in case there was a counter attack. From laps 22 to 9 to go however we worked as a group and brought the breakaway back to a half lap. At this point the pack slowed and I took my big chance. I had to lap. My attack came just as everyone was looking around and I quickly established a large gap. By the time I settled into the effort and realized that they had let me go, I had 6 laps to get all the way across. With 2 laps to go the 3 man break up the rode caught the main field just as I reached the "almost" draft. Erik attacked immediately under the field (who very sportsmanly rode high on the track as the break and I came through. I followed Erik's attack and his breakaway companions quickly dissappeared from view. With a 1 second time gap on me, only 1.5 laps remained for the Scratch Championship and a chance to put at least two riders between myself and Jean-Michel (who was back in the group of lapped riders). Erik held strong and I faded with a half lap to go, the main bunch sprinting by for 5th. Fortunately I held on for 2nd though and moved way up in the podium after Jean-Michel finished 8th, Jacob, 6th.

The final event was delay due to rain and will be run early Thursday morning, a 1 kilometre time trial.

Current Standings (1 event remaining)

Cam MacKinnon: 12 pts

Jean-Michel: 19 pts

Jacob Swingboth: 20 pts

Ben Chaddock: 21 pts

Erik Mulder: 28 pts

All Results

Cycling BC Camp