Glencoe Grand Prix

This weekend started with a drive to Glencoe to our Host family to drop our gear and then for Jeannie and I to make a school visit to South School, Glencoe to have a talk with the kids at 12.25 then again at 2pm.

After we went for a ride to Lake Michigan for my first view of the Great Lake since arriving here a month ago.  Also house spotting some Frank Lloyd Wight homes, very nice to see.

So good to get the kids involved, so many of them planned on doing the kids race the following day. Record number of 228 kids lined up on Saturday noon to race the same circuit we raced.  
Having a chilled out day was really good and not having to drive to far as it was only an hours drive from Crystal Lake to Glencoe made it good. Having the Kelbers as a host family was awesome and being 1.5km from town and the race circuit made it so easy to chill out. Having the basement area to use when it was 22 degrees at night allowed us to stay cool, the difference from downstairs to     the ground floor the next day was staggering, hit 33 degrees in the afternoon.   Our Host family have this amazing dog called Simba, a Bernese  mountain dog that was 2 years old.

  So onto the Glencoe Grand Prix. I was entered in two racers and Jeannie in one. First race was at 9.35am being Masters 45+, made my day very hard by eating breakfast way to late, 8.30 was to close, to chilled, oh well, school boy mistake. It did do what I was meant to be able to do and that was to use this race as a warm up for the Masters 35+ Held later in the day.
I like to race and when I tried I felt sick. Legs good but felt sleepy, body trying to figure out what's more important, digesting food or supplying energy. In the end I got beaten into 5th place by not getting far enough forward when it mattered and also not fully committing myself in the sprint. So I was a bit peeved at first but turned that round making sure I would race hard in the 2nd race of the day. Mornings course was a short course with no real challenges while the afternoons course added on another circuit which had some dynamic corners and a hill to contend with.                                                                                                                                                          
The race started fast and I had to move up which took a few laps, I could see it was going to be hard as there was lots of attacking. I rode myself into the race and tried a few moves but everything was chased down. Towards the end with 5 laps to go 3 of us got away for a lap but reeled in then I went again using the downhill and corners taking Tim with me, by the time we got round and up the hill we had 10 seconds so we gave it full gas hoping to break the bunch which we did but man did I suffer, with two to go I had adjusted to the effort but could feel my legs where a little tired from racing in the morning, just pushed on. Tim was riding very strong and in the end he just had a more powerful sprint than me at the end. Still was happy with the result. Masters racing is hotly contested here in the States, well organised and supported by the riders, family's and the towns we race in, making it a family fun day out. Having a rest from racing for a week, get some steady riding in before racing 11 days in a row at The Tour of America Dairyland (T.O.A.D) phew!!

  

 

Racing the Snake

The snake I refer to is in Burlington, Iowa. Snake Alley criterium is famous as it involves a fearsome climb up Snake Alley each lap with switchbacks up the hill on cobbles no less, at a max gradient of 12.5%.
This is both daunting and exciting at the same time as I know I can climb, but am also afraid of the course as this is my first time here at this iconic event and being unsure of my competition as I line up looking at some pretty fit master riders.
Our race was 12 laps long which appears to be quite short but this is how the Snake bites as I was to find out. I had a great start sitting 2nd wheel on the approach to the climb but was swamped by the bunch sprinting to get a good position so this put me back in the field watching the rider in front and once the climb was over finding that 3 riders had a gap, this kept happening to me but less aggressively until the 5th lap when I made sure I hit the bottom first and using some power that I had saved by not sprinting each lap I managed to exit solo at the top and work on building a lead which I did, so for a couple of laps I was thinking I had this race in the bag and had the measure of the snake but how wrong was I, as on the 7 th lap I was caught by Daniel Casper, took me a moment to realise he had caught me as I had been lapping riders already, this is when I payed for my early effort and started to struggle up the climb.
As we counted down the laps I was trying to figure out my best plan of attack to get rid of Daniel as he looked like he could sprint but the course decided for me, I was really grovelling on his wheel up the climb with 3 to go and was having searious doubts about even challenging when with 2 to go he wanted me to lead up the climb, which I took straight away as I knew I could set a pace and block so I had something for an all out attack on the last lap, and that is what I did but to no avail as he gave it everything to stay glued to my wheel, I could tell by the way the crowd was cheering it was for him to stay opposed to me getting away.
So we both had finished the snake totally maxed out, looked at each other and rolled down the hill back towards the downtown part of the course, had 6 corners to sort a plan, and my plan was to recover as much as possible by not even pedeling until we had to, I was relying on him thinking he was going to beat me in the sprint so I made sure he was on my right shoulder and I up against the curb, let it slow right down till the last left turn when I moved to look like I was starting my sprint but all I wanted was for Daniel to start coming round on my right which he did then I took a tighter line and opened up my sprint to the line on the smooth section of road in front, up shifting once and willing myself to the line to win by half a bike.
I was pretty much tired up in knots after as I had maxed myself but was more than happy about that as I had the result I was after, so glad to have had the chance to do this race, nothing like I have ever done before.
My prize amounted to a real brick with a plaque on it, a toy snake and some cash.

Urbana Grand Prix back to back racing

PSIMET riders Jeannie Kuhajek and Warrick Spence headed south over the weekend to race the Urbana Grand Prix, organized by Scarlet Fire Racing. Urbana GP features a 1.6 mile windy, rolly course around picturesque Crystal Lake Park in Urbana IL with a punchy power climb heading into the start/finish. Jeannie and Warrick arrived in Chicago from New Zealand less than two weeks ago. Fresh to the US crit scene, Warrick had his first go at a multiple race day. Warrick’s Race Report Urbana Grand Prix was my first chance to try out my new PSIMET wheels, as well as have a go at racing multiple races in one day. My plan was take it easy in the Masters 123 race, and then go hard in Pro123. Well, that plan went out the window on lap two of the Masters race. I followed an attack, thinking it best to be near the front of the race. We quickly established a sizable gap to the field in a two rider break. Soon I found I was spending a long time on the front, with maybe a 20 meter pull from my breakaway companion each lap. I put some effort into encouraging him to do a turn, which he did, but he then promptly sat up, leaving me with more than half the race distance to cover on my own. I considered sitting up but then decided to just keep riding one lap at a time. I was very glad to get time checks from Team Mack rider Gary Doering. With two laps remaining I upped my pace coming in for my first win in America. Yay! After a quick podium celebration, I did my best to recover and prep myself for the Pro123 an hour later. I made sure I drank plenty of electrolytes and ate what turned out to be way too much food. Three cookies and a couple of bars left me feeling a wee bit in the middle of the next race. The Pro123 was a much larger field with lots of young, strong looking riders and multiple teams. The race started fast (30 mph) but felt easier than the Masters123, with the large field for draft and the high speed providing momentum up the hill. Ignoring protests from my sore legs, I positioned towards the front. About 10 minutes into the 70 minute race, attacks started. The field strung out and a group of three riders separated from the field. The field splintered as chase groups formed. Putting in a huge effort (and nearly repeating all the food I had just eaten), I managed to bridge to the front chase group. I sat on for a while to recover from the effort then started rotating with the other four riders in pursuit of the three up the road. With about 15 minutes left in the race, two strong Bissel riders joined us, interfering with our rotations to protect their two teammates up the road. The last nine laps I was really starting to fade. With two laps to go everyone started looking at each other. I just wanted to get the race over so I attacked. Another rider countered and I was completely maxed out. In the final sprint up the hill, my legs were empty, about to cramp, and me dry and out of drink. I hung on for 10th place. Phew! I got in some great training, learnt a bit about food intake between races, and figured out that I am better off saving my legs for the bigger race as I am a racer and will race hard in any race I am put into. Thanks to Scarlet Fire for putting on a great event, Gary Doering for organising a place to stay on a Friday night with Mike and Lori Ozment, Mike and Lori for excellent accommodation, Jeannie for all the driving and support, and PSIMET for the wheels and team kit. Looking forward to Fox River Omnium.

Final Race in the 2013 Benchmark series, Hell of the South.

Friday we left for the drive down to Christchurch with most of our team mates finding there own way down I got a ride with our manager for this event John Reid and his 2nd in command Matt Black in the good ole Holden Commodore work car of Brendon Matthews with its permenant check engine light and other warning beeps from the car. Nice stress free drive. I was staying at a long time cyclist friend of mine Scott McDonnell and his family on his sofa. Arrived at 6pm and settled in for the evening. The day of the race started with a lift with Team Thule to the start of the race at the Farringdon Estate in Rollston, 20 minute drive away on a brand new motorway. The final days racing was a split day with a short 7km Team time trial that only counted for the teams points and then the main event at noon which had us doing 3 circuits with a section of gravel of 1.3 km long each lap then another section on the final run home of 1.7km, total race distance of 127km. We needed to do well in the TTT as we were holding 2nd overall in team catagory but only a few points in front of 3rd and 4th. The time was for the 4th rider across the line which was fine as we had 5 in our team, well we did for at least a kilometer. Meant our overall contender in the points Brendon and I had to do most of the work, I did not feel that we where going that hard but these events quickly compound those feelings as I started to tire quite badly which meant I had to dig deep to keep up the pace. We managed to just get in 3rd place with a 11.18, 2secs in front of next team. So that was job done. I just needed to have a sleep after which I did on the grass verge by our team car. Felt quite sleepy most of the day as had not had the best sleep the night before, sofa was good, just hard that first night in a new place. Anyway I needed to recharge, drank energy drink and at a couple of pieces of food before the main event. We rolled out with me right at the back during neutralized section of about 5km, Once the race was under way I went up to the front of the race, there where a few moves that came back, I just followed the wheels knowing it was going to be a long day and most riders where going to wait until the gravel. 2 riders managed to slip away and started opening a gap quicly, a rider managed to sprint across so that was 3 up the road, no drama I thought as it was a long way to go, 3 more riders went in pursuit, bunch was content to just keep cruising so both groups of 3 got out of sight quite quickly. I felt it was hard to let the bunch just roll along but without doing alot of work this early I would be no good later so just held back. the first section of pave came at 42km so set about making sure Brendon was up near the front which was easy, ended up riding next to Team thule as they where protecting there rider as he was the overall leader of the series. I followed into the gravel in 3rd wheel but straight away felt unsettled, I was trying to ramp up the pace but found the gravel was like marbles with deep patches, hard to see a line to ride so ended up off line not able to corner so got out of postion, I was shaken quite alot as I love this stuff normally, managed to stay in the top ten as alot of riders where far worse off than I, we came out onto the road with a split in the bunch, pace hovered at 50 plus but with no real structure or desire by our bunch to keep driving it the rest of the field caught back on. I took shelter and to check on team mates, Brendon was in front half, Chris, bruce and Andy managed to get back in after a short chase. At this point we got a time check to the front group of 3 where out at 4.50mins with the second group of 3 2mins behind, so I decided to see if doing a few hard long pulls on the front might make a difference and also spur some action into the bunch. managed to get 4 other riders to help, able to sit on 40 km/h into the wind, next time check at the end of that lap and we had taken 2 minutes out of the leaders and could see the 2nd group in front of us. The 2nd lap through on the gravel I lead in so I could chose my line and set the pace which I did well, also felt alot more at ease this time, came out onto the road with the bunch intact but we had a few more teams interested in chasing, although also had some teams doing a good job of blocking as well, this time into the wind I bought the pace up to 45km/h and simply rode of the front with one other rider on my wheel so kept going, we opened up a good gap and closed out the 2nd bunch which had imploded by then but then we also started to see the folly of this move as it was bloody hard out there, managed to get the gravel in front of the bunch so knew we could get through at our own pace which was not that slow, I came out in front of the bunch, all the camera men and crowd had gone, makeing there way back to the finish. we know had 25km to go, I felt I may have burnt to many matches but sat in near the front. Time check to the front was 2mins at this point, at this point I had a chat to Brendon about our finish plans, he wanted a lead out train for the sprint, still had two team mates with us at this point. I said I am going to work on the front to see if we can bring the break back as I felt I could do both this and still help lead out if it came to that. We started to get more regular time checks, we where taking time back in chunks but not quick enough, I managed to ride of the front again and lead into the fiial section of pave at 1.7km long, got caught on the 90 degree left turn that was all dirt, this section was narrow with some grass showing down the middle so that is where I rode, had a team thunder pass but managed to match them on the right, very fast for a gravel section, we came out with a bunch of 8 and a good gap but no one wanted to drive it which was interesting as how hard these guys did the gravel. Buch was getting tired but not letting anything go either, well that was until one rider launched from the back and rocketed past, i took up the chase, had another rider right on my wheel, bunch only a coulpe of bike lengths but then no one could close the gap so the 3 of us held in front then slowly started pulling away, By know we could just see the lead car, 1.20 up the road with 10 km to go. The 3 of us kept rolling at 38-40 km/h, I was waiting for the right time to punch it up to 42-44 but as it turned out i had nothing left to do this but we where still pulling tme, down to 50secs and 38 secs in front of bunch, knew it needed one of us to drive it but we where all at the exact same point, seemed stuck on 38km/h, I started to inform them how far to go, 2km and it was 30 secs to the 2, or thats right one rider had blown to bits, lasted 100k though. We had a two more right turns to go, I lead the first and started ling up the 2nd with a nice wide arch and then one of the guys cut in at an angle that took me right into the gutter so I thought stuff you and sprinted for the line which gave me a 3 bike length gap but then I had no more and was willing my body to keep going, legs had run out of everything, lucky for me the other two had the same thing happen so was able to roll over the line completly exhausted, whole body had pins and needles, not sure if heart was beating or just vibrating, managed to make it back to team car then just sat on the ground for 10 minutes. So that is my account of the race. Brendon finished 10th with Bruce Heron and Chris Heywood in the bunch as well. Well done to the whole team, John Reid, Matt Black, Brendon Matthews, Bruce Heron, Chris Heywood, Andy McDonald, Brian Grant, Jim Black, Glenn Bussell, Mike Anderson and all the help that has made it what it is. Next Target is the Masters games next weekend. phew, wonder if I can recover in time.

Pics from the road, NZ

Tuesday blast

Last night was the 2nd of the Tuesday night blasts held from Richmond. We meet at 6pm and start racing at 6.30pm on a route that takes an hour or less of very fast and hard racing. We had about 20 riders in A/B grade last night, good to see early on everyone doing through and off, that stopped on the first hill though as the attacking started, I did a big pull, all that did is separate me from the front before we turned into Maisey Road, eased back into the bunch, wanted to see if anyone was going to attack the climb as it is short and steep. We all went over in a bunch so had to start stretching it out again down Redwood straight, we could not get a gap, but was making it hard for the rest. I am just staying on the gas all the time. Had another go along Wamai West, as did a few others. Did get away with a young lad for about 5 minutes, he is one rider not afraid of giving it some. He was also in the break on Saturday with me.
We got caught just after Burkes Bank, Robin Reid rolling a big gear, but looking smooth as he went away from the bunch, I gave myself about a seconds rest then held his pace until someone could come round me, all came together with a 100 meters to Ranzua corner, came in third wheel, aiming to whind it up for the bunch, started then felt the wind was to much so sat up thinking I had the whole bunch on my wheel, when in fact only had 4 riders then a gap back to the bunch. I had done enough blasting so let everyone else charge to the line. I came in at the back, happy that I started the days racing hard and stayed riding hard till the finish.
Overall there was about 80 riders there last night, good turn out. What with the New Zealand Club Nationals to be held here in Nelson next week, it is bringing on the form so early in the race calender.
I feel good and strong, had my back sorted by Osteopath Richard Carruthers in 3 sessions, forgot that I had crashed and hit my head earlier in the year. Moving here took up alot of my time, makes a massive difference as before I could only manage 3 hours at the most as the discomfort was not nice, since I have done some of my longest rides this year. 6 1/2 hours last Thursday, mixed in with 2 over 4 and a 5 1/2 hours last Sunday, all last week, very big week but feel fine, well a little tired.
I am doing the 178km senior road race on the 24th of Oct, hence all the miles. The course is a honest one and is going to hurt going up Old Coach road on the 11th lap, 16km laps.
Will try to get some pics up soon.
later Warrick

Living in New Zealand

Well on the 12th of August my wife and I arrived back in my home town of Nelson, New Zealand to be greated by my Mum and daughter, had a nice moment at the airport. My daughter and I caught the airport shuttle with my bikebox and two suitcases, while my wife went with my mum. Meet at my mums apartment and hand a simple lunch of sandwiches. Warmer than I thought it would be considering it is winter here. Had a busy afternoon, took my daughter for a bike ride through town which was a first for her. Got caught in a little bit of drizzle, very light rain, made it back without getting wet.
After a good long nights sleep, first in 3 days, as the flight from London to Nelson is over 24 hours of flying time, phew.
Yesterday I took my wife into town and had a nice lunch at a cafe called Lambrettas, steak sandwich for me and rice risotto for my wife and sweet hot chocalates for both of us. Food is fantastic although at a cost, but $40 is still cheap.
After opened a new bank account and got an Eftpos card, so can get some cash, allways handy.
Had put my bike together in the morning so went out for 2 hour ride in the afternoon, roads where wet and covered in mud, so bike is filthy, nice and mild for riding.
This morning I spent an hour washing bike and know have it sitting in the living room ready for me to go out riding, although the sun is shining so more likely to borrow mums car and go to the beach with my wife.
Must go as lunch is all ready and we have guests.
The riding scene here is very strong so will report on that once I get involved, racing every weekend at the moment.