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Easter 3 Day

Surrey League Easter 3-Day

My first stage race in two years is just around the corner and I’m feeling pretty apprehensive because you never know how well you are going do or how strong the other riders are. My training has been going well, but I know that I need to put in more hours on the bike to be more competitive, but unfortunately life does get in the way. With work being very busy and plenty of decorating to finish off, mainly our kitchen which has been completely gutted as my fellow work colleagues know, finding the time to train properly is hard.

Getting the balance right is tricky and you have to find the right balance to suit your circumstances.

Stage One

Well, the day has arrived, Saturday 11 April, and the start of the Easter 3 Day Stage Race.

This event comprises 3 stages all 60 miles in length and using well known Surrey League courses, which are Milland – Petersfield area, Cutmill – Guildford area, and Alford – Dunsfold/Loxwood area.

Driving from home to Rake, the race HQ for the first stage, on Saturday morning I felt a little nervous. Riding a stage race is hard work and today was no exception. After signing on, checking the bike over and preparing myself by applying various potions and lotions like my Windose Warming Up Cream and Windose Skin Protector Cream, I was ready. With a full field of sixty riders, all with expensive bikes and at least four riders riding Lightweight Wheels, the race began.

The race was going to be interesting as the Milland course travels over minor and in some parts narrow, bumpy, country lanes. Coupled with the damp conditions, riders had to be careful on the slippery roads, especially on the bends as a couple were covered in mud, noticeably the left turn after the finish hill.

The race started briskly with riders trying to force the pace and taking their chances to escape the field. I was quite happy near the back of the field, trying to find my racing legs, which was just not happening. I’m not sure what other roadies out there think, but sometimes your legs just don’t want to work no matter how much you will them to. As the race proceeded up the climb for the first time everyone was altogether. As we approached the climb you could hear the changing of gears as riders shifted from the big ring to the small ring – myself included.

As we climbed this 25% hill the bunch was together and the majority of riders were now in the small ring using their smallest sprocket. The speed had now gone from 20+ mph to around 10+ mph and the bunch slowly climbed the hill altogether. After the climb you then descend very slightly to the muddy left bend which leads onto the main road linking Petersfield to Liphook. The last part of the circuit is then all downhill to Rake and the fast left turn which completes the circuit.

The next lap was the same again, but I did start to suffer on the second ascent of the finish climb. Being in a tight bunch means that it’s very hard to manoeuvre around a rider who has a problem with his gearing, or is riding slower than the rest. I did come across this situation further down the climb and I did lose ground, but made that up nearing the top. This time the pace over the top was much faster than the previous lap and the bunch started to thin out heading towards that muddy bend.

My recovery was not that good and again I lost ground coming into the bend. With the pace staying fast going up the slight rise the gap got larger and, coupled with dead legs, the gap became too great for me to close. I was trying hard to close this gap as we descended into Rake, but for me I was just not strong enough to close it completely. Turning left at Rake I was now off the back and had the hard job of completing the course on my own. Instead of giving in at this early stage,

I just carried on at a steady tempo trying to keep my time deficit to a minimum. For a further 4 laps I was cycling on my own, but on the fifth lap I was joined by three other riders who got dropped before me. We all carried on until the finish just before the rain decided to make an appearance.

The stage was tough and not what I was expecting. I knew it would be a challenge, but my aim was to finish in the bunch and not get dropped. After returning to the HQ I caught up with other riders all relieved that the hardest stage was now over. For me I was glad not to pack it in on the first day as I always believe that tomorrow is another day and you never know what might happen.

After returning home the first job was to clean the kit and wash the bike down, not forgetting to clean the brake pads by removing the bits of alloy in the pads and the brake dust that accumulates around the brakes. Cleaning the chain is another important task to complete when maintaining the bike if you want trouble free shifting, especially for the next stage.

Stage Two

After a good night’s sleep, I awoke with the help of our alarm clock to the sound of rain hitting our conservatory roof. As I climbed out of bed and starred out of the window I thought that by 9.30am, our race start time, the wet weather was not going to clear. Anyhow, as this is a stage race you must carry on regardless of the weather conditions, so I packed the car, said goodbye to Nikki and started the drive to Elstead just South of Guildford.

The course at Elstead uses the tough circuit known as Cutmill. The Cutmill circuit has a couple of hard climbs with the finishing climb around 1 mile in length and varies in degrees of steepness. Not only are the climbs tough, but the road surface is very rough with some sharp left turns and climbs straight afterwards. Cutmill can be a hard circuit if you’re not on form -if there are ascents, then there are descents, and this course has a long and fast descent leading back into Elstead completing the circuit.

The trip from Denmead to Elstead only took me around 45 minutes so this gave me plenty of time to prepare and warm up, if at all possible, before the start. I applied my Windose Skin Protector Cream to help prevent chaffing, which can occur easily when it’s wet in those delicate areas and also applied my Windose Warming Up Cream. I applied the warming up cream liberally on my legs, even though I was wearing my new dhb Knee Warmers, to further keep the elements and cold wind off my knees and thigh muscles.

With 5 minutes left to the start all the riders were called into the HQ to hear comments from the Chief Commissaire who told us what he expected from us as riders once out on the open road.

Basically he was telling us to keep on our side of the road, show caution on the bends/turns, and be aware of horses that be on the course.

Once he was ready we were asked to line up on the road behind the lead car to await the ‘all clear’ to leave Elstead for the circuit.

The peleton had about a 1 mile neutralised section before joining the circuit. The reason why we had this neutralised section was because when we came out of Elstead we had to negotiate a narrow bridge before turning right against the traffic to join the circuit itself.

Once on the circuit the race commenced and the pain began. With wet roads the peleton took it steady on the tight bends, but the pace remained high on the climbs and descents.

Soon after the start some riders had problems and thanks to the heavy rain overnight washing debris onto the circuit, a puncture claimed its first victim. With the pace high, getting back on is a tall order and usually means that the rest of the race is a solo effort until you catch other riders.

The first ascent of the finish climb went ok for me. I felt fine and kept with the bunch without too much of a problem. After the finish climb you then descend on narrow roads through a village called Sands and soon after take a very sharp left, followed by another tough drag. Again I was sitting comfortably completing the first lap. On the third lap climbing the finishing climb, a rider in front of me lost his chain causing him to stop dead in the road which then meant the riders behind either had to stop or almost completely slow up to avoid the rider’s misfortune. When this happens you can easily lose your position within the bunch and more importantly your rhythm.

With a gap opening up and riders attacking off the front it was now a chase to regain contact with the bunch. After the descent I and a few others got back on, but only to lose contact again soon after the sharp left turn. I overtook a rider who could not close the gap and just got on before the long descent heading towards Elstead. As I got back on to the bunch, a rider on the front of the bunch sprinted off causing a hard chase which then thinned out the bunch causing a long line of riders.

With gaps opening up a few riders in front of me and with tired legs having chased to get back on, I did not have the strength, or speed, in my legs to close another gap, so disappointingly for me I was now off the back and with a very tough job ahead of me to get back on again. I have to say that I tried my hardest to get back on for the next 3 miles before the left turn, but with the high pace in the bunch it just meant that I had no hope now of regaining contact. For the remaining 4 laps I carried on riding eventually teaming up with a couple of other riders, one being a friend – Mike Leonard from the Brighton Mitre.

With two laps to go the leading break of four riders and the remnants of the bunch lapped us, but we quickly decided to rejoin the race staying at the back keeping out of the way of the race so we could recover and get shelter from the wind. As we approached the finish we (3 of us) decided to leave the bunch and pull up at the finish so not to confuse Glyn and the other judges when the race finished next time through.

The original four leading riders were now three and the time gap to the main bunch had come down to a few seconds. If the race was further up the hill, the three leaders might have been caught, but thanks to their hard work they managed to hold off the bunch sprint for 4 th place. Once the event was over it was a slow cycle back to the HQ for most, but I managed to get a lift back as by the time the race came through to finish I was very cold. Once at the HQ, it was soon apparent that everyone involved in the morning’s race was completely covered in muck, totally wet through, and quite cold. To help the muscles recover and to aid the massage of my tired legs I also applied Sportique Cooling cream (see picture)

After a couple of cups of tea and a slice of carrot cake it was time to say goodbye, pack the car and set off home to clean the bike – the first priority, as it was covered in sand and mud. It was a tough day in the saddle for me in horrible conditions losing out to the lack of strength on the fastest part of the circuit. That’s racing though. Some days are good and some not so good.

Stage Three

After the wet 2nd stage around the tough hilly circuit of Cutmill I, as well as many other riders, were glad to see that the 3 rd and final stage of the Easter 3 day was going to be raced on dry roads and in warm sunny conditions. The 3 rd stage used the relatively flat circuit known as Alford, which is based around the Villages of Alford, Dunsfold, Plaistow and Loxwood, with a couple of small climbs and one long drag to make the racing slightly difficult. All three of these climbs are not as tough or as physically demanding as in the last two stages, but when the pace is high these smaller climbs can take its toll on you as the race nears its end.

Once the alarm clock rang, it was the usual morning routine for me to get ready and drive myself to Alford. The drive from Denmead to Alford took around 1 hour travelling up to Hindhead on the A3, through Haslemere, then to Plaistow and Dunsfold before arriving at the race HQ in Alford. Once at the HQ the first job was to sign on. All riders wanting to race the stage have to sign on each day. If you don’t sign on then you are deemed to have abandoned the event. You will be classified as DNS (did not start) for the day with your name removed from the GC (General Classification) result.

When travelling to races, I prefer to arrive well in advance of the start. This allows me plenty of time to prepare myself for the event. Sometimes, if the race is local, I like to arrive partially changed (bib shorts already on), but if further afield then it’s far more comfortable to get changed at the race HQ.

Once at the HQ it is then the usual routine of applying any muscle rub to the legs, Windose Warming Up cream, checking the bike over, placing your bottles on the bike (unless you are using Camelbak’s Racebak), pumping up the tyres, pinning your race numbers to your jersey, and finally warming up either by using a turbo trainer or riding on the road near the HQ. I believe that warming up before the event is vital if you want the best possible start to the race.

It helps prepare the muscles by allowing the lactic acid to move around the body and also as a final check of your bike. In the past I have seen plenty of riders who turn up late, get changed, then assemble at the start only to discover, when we roll out of the car park, that something is wrong with their bike.

After the customary debrief by the Chief Commissarie, who explained to us the route and any possible problems that the race could encounter on route, we vacated the hall and assembled behind the lead car with the support cars, ie chief comm.’s car, the ambulance crew and the service vehicle, driven by Ray Betts, assembled behind us.
The motorcycle marshals who help stop any traffic on potentially dangerous parts of the circuit led the riders and following cars onto the circuit effectively starting the race. The race had a neutralised section of about 200 yards which negotiated a tight left bend and once we had turned the corner the race was on.

Soon after the turn several riders tried their luck and an early break quickly formed braking free from the peleton. The group soon picked up a healthy lead and looked like staying away, but the circuit of Alford, with its many flat sections and long fast descents, is a fast course and it takes a well motivated and determined break to stay away. For the first ¾ of the lap the break had around 40 seconds on the peloton, but this soon stretched to about 1 minute. When the race passed through the finish area, the peleton had 4 further laps to complete and the break was well and truly established up the road.

As this was the final stage of the Easter 3 day, many riders fancied their chances of a stage win. With a very fast approach to the finish line the sprinters and dare-devils had their chance of a win, but this only could happen if all the riders were together. By the second lap the break’s lead had come down thanks to the ongoing work at the front of the race and by the end of lap two the break had around 15 seconds. My previous two stages were pretty poor for me personally, but today I felt a lot stronger, so up the long drag I decided to venture to the front and help with the chase. Working with various riders the pace was steady and the combination of our efforts brought the break back.

As with any race, bringing the break back is part of racing, but so are the counter attacks. These are attacks made by riders who have been sitting on the wheels of the guys doing the chasing and once the peleton eases up just before the break is caught these guys attack. The guys who have worked their butts off either chase these guys down or let them go as they are unable to chase due to the heavy work they have just done. A lot of winning breaks form this way, but not today.

Laps three and four basically mirrored the first two laps. Several attacks going off the front, but were caught later on. As the race continues you can get a sense of how the race is going to end. Today, the peleton was very active and I had a good idea that the race was going to be a bunch sprint. Several riders tried within the last 10km’s to get away, but with the pace in the peleton getting faster these guy’s hopes of a solo victory were not going to be. The Alford circuit has a very fast run into the finish and nerves of steel are required if you want to be part of the mad gallop to the line.

Apart from the odd pot-hole, a fast descent followed by a very sharp right turn could be a possible problem for the bunch in the closing stages of the race. As we descended towards this bend the brakes went on. The smell of burning rubber was in the air and with shouts of “Car”, “Car” you could feel the apprehension within the bunch. Once safely through this only problem area it was now going to be a fast run in to the finish on a straight road with a couple of slight turns. The fast pace increased also thanks to the slight downhill before the final straight.

With the finish just under 1 km away we were travelling around 35mph and with riders moving all over the road this can be a dangerous time for the riders. I was poised in the middle of the bunch looking for gaps as we approached the last slight bend before the straight, when a 4×4 drove past the bunch. Now with no road closures for our level of racing, riders have to abide by the Highway Code and should stay on our side of the road, but when the smell of victory is in sight riders do fan out across the other side of the road as well. Usually, riders tuck in when cars approach, as happened in this instance, but unfortunately at that particular moment in time, a rider on the inside moved to avoid a pot-hole.

With the rider squeezing in from the outside and another rider squeezing in from the inside something had to give. Then it was “crash” and the smell of brake blocks heating up as riders braked furiously to stop or by taking avoiding action to miss the unfortunate pile up on the road. All this happened in front of me at a speed of 35mph and with nano-seconds to look for an escape route, I pulled on my brakes, turned sharply to the right, narrowly avoiding a London Dynamo chap who hit a rider full on and flew like Superman through the air before hitting the tarmac road, and I somehow managed to get through.

It’s only after a lucky escape that it feels like your heart is in your mouth, and you thank someone that you got through it unscathed. For the last 200m I just ambled across the line because if a crash occurs within the last km of the race all riders are classified with the same time as the winner, apart from the riders off the back or who have been dropped or lapped. I have seen many crashes and been part of a few myself and believe me it’s not a nice sight to see and/or hear. It’s a sound you can’t really explain and when you hear it you hope it does not come your way.

As I crossed the line, my partner Nikki clocked me and I could see her delight that I was riding my bike and in one piece. It’s funny what you think when you are approaching such an incident. My thoughts were “oh my god, here it comes – Paul I’m coming to work with a broken bike”, but I lived to race another race.

Even with the crashes, bike racing gives me much enjoyment. I suffer sometimes, like many others, but you can always see the same faces year after year and with the risks involved we still come back for more. It’s a great sport and as long as you are aware and except the dangers, as with any sport, bike racing can have its rewards.

Photographs used with permission of the Surrey Cycle Racing League.