henco Posted October 21, 2011 Posted October 21, 2011 Henco, say hi in the starting blocks. I will be wearing Speke kit (Blue with Pink stripes) Cool, will be on the lookout. We'll be on the black raleigh with cyclelab kit. ( Looking like MTB'ers with our hydration packs )
The Bike Vendor Posted October 22, 2011 Posted October 22, 2011 What a great race! Have to say! Got up @ 03:30 and left from Montana @ 04:00 on bike... It was 46km trip, did the 116km race with the Elites and then had to do another 46km ride home I suffered on my way back on the N4... Total trip was 208km's Maybe someone saw me between 04:45 and 05:30 on the N4 and between 10:30 and 11:15 on the N4? Was wearing my Team HVAC kit! Was very hard! Must say the start finish was poor but overall
Joe Low Posted October 22, 2011 Posted October 22, 2011 Was very hard! Must say the start finish was poor but overall Big respect to you GB - tho' after a while you'll find you don't need 90kms of warm up and warm down; and the events will seem that much easier. You'll also get more time in bed ;-) Jeez - if only us middle-aged fellas had that energy, now that we know what to do with it!
gripen Posted October 22, 2011 Posted October 22, 2011 What's up with putting this finish on a hill? Why not just have the finish line at the bottom of the road? I don't get it. Was a bit ridiculous. Overall a good race (not for me personally) apart from the 100% lack of any kind of lane or road closure. Some close calls with motorists who clearly didn't realise there was actually a cycle race on the go.
jmaccelari Posted October 22, 2011 Posted October 22, 2011 Parking was chaotic. We got waved through the Pelindaba Road/Tracking Station Road intersection 5kms from the end by one marshal just as another was waving a big ****ing Audi through across our path. We missed him by the skin of our teeth... Otherwise a good race, apart from me falling to bits up Hekpoort. I nearly died on the the final climb to the finish.
WR 1.0 Posted October 22, 2011 Posted October 22, 2011 That uphill finish was a bit overkill! :-)Did not expect that headwind as we turned off to the satellite station too, ouch! Had no issues with cars but was almost taken out by another cyclist who assumed her bike is smaller than everyone else's, and would fit between 2 of us, not even a sorry afterwards, and then as I passed her she did the ostrich trick, if I don't see you, you can't see me!
The Bike Vendor Posted October 22, 2011 Posted October 22, 2011 Big respect to you GB - tho' after a while you'll find you don't need 90kms of warm up and warm down; and the events will seem that much easier. You'll also get more time in bed ;-) Jeez - if only us middle-aged fellas had that energy, now that we know what to do with it! Haha thanks Joe Warmup? No I am doing base atm so no need to do good, just need to get the hours ticking Yes, a bit more time in bed would help... That's why I go to bed @ 21:00. Haha middle-aged you say? Don't let that get you down
Zoo Cookie 1 Posted October 22, 2011 Posted October 22, 2011 should have done a little bit more training on the road bike. Hekpoort on a bike just looks so much different when riding on a bike.
slowpoke Posted October 22, 2011 Posted October 22, 2011 Damn, I wasn't quite last! ;-P Start/finish sucked, marshalling sucked, parking sucked. I chose to do this cos back when I last did it it was well organised, but alas it seems to no longer be so. Hekpoort/vrekpoort definitely got me and I ended up walking up most of the way. If there's a clash with the Spring race next year I'm doing that one rather than Satellite.
henco Posted October 22, 2011 Posted October 22, 2011 I'm quite happy with the way the race was organised. The start was maybe a bit hectic and the end was a challenge, but the water points were well managed and we had no problems with the marshals.One thing I will never do again is to switch to some other sports drink for a race. I won't mention the product, but I wasn't feeling well at 40km's! Still managed a 3:21 after emptying this stuff from my bottles just before hekpoort and switched to plain water!
smurf_ryder Posted October 22, 2011 Posted October 22, 2011 Holla... it was my first satellite today, did the 97...it wasn't that bad...hekpoort isn't as bad as its' made out to be....lovely lovely race though...just the last uphill stretch to the finish that isn't necessary really!!!got in under 4 hours though...
Rob K Posted October 23, 2011 Posted October 23, 2011 My first long event (to see if i could actually DO 97km) in preperation for the 94,7. Very happy that I beat my best likely time of 4h30 and that I actually made it all the way up Vrekpoort. It's so tempting to join all those walkers when you sweating your way up and at each "summit" you see another long climb. Never done it before so don't have any reference but in general I thought it was well organised. Thanks to all the volunteer marshals, water point manners and organisers. Also thanks to my creaky knees for surviving the ordeal. I'll be back (hopefully)
cat-i Posted October 23, 2011 Posted October 23, 2011 ouch. that hurt. will have to do this more often; hekpoort on a bike with roadie-gears must be good for ... something?
Prozac Posted October 24, 2011 Posted October 24, 2011 What a race . . . did the 97km , stayed with AM until hekpoort pass where a few guys "broke away" or maybe I just struggled on. On satellite road (Left turn to sat station) a nice group formed (12 or so)and managed to stay and work with them until the end where a taxi almost run us over (last 2 km stretch) Picked up alot of cyclists on our way back . . . Hope the 2 okes that crashed at the right turn 11.5 km into the race are okay. I was behind the oke with the white kit. The oke on the left dodged a cone and crashed into the other. Fell on his head(helmet) hope they are okay. The MTN Qubeka rider who lost both his bottles a few km into the race. RESPECT ! and thank you for helping me up hekpoort and helping our group keeping pace the last 30km . The oke with the mtb , well done staying with us roadies. I haven't seen your fast cadence for a while . . . sure I saw smoke coming from your crank . . . Managed a 2h33 and finished with a oke called Carlos ! (thanks for your motivation up that last hill) Very happy with this time
The Bike Vendor Posted October 24, 2011 Posted October 24, 2011 What a race . . . did the 97km , stayed with AM until hekpoort pass where a few guys "broke away" or maybe I just struggled on. On satellite road (Left turn to sat station) a nice group formed (12 or so)and managed to stay and work with them until the end where a taxi almost run us over (last 2 km stretch) Picked up alot of cyclists on our way back . . . Hope the 2 okes that crashed at the right turn 11.5 km into the race are okay. I was behind the oke with the white kit. The oke on the left dodged a cone and crashed into the other. Fell on his head(helmet) hope they are okay. The MTN Qubeka rider who lost both his bottles a few km into the race. RESPECT ! and thank you for helping me up hekpoort and helping our group keeping pace the last 30km . The oke with the mtb , well done staying with us roadies. I haven't seen your fast cadence for a while . . . sure I saw smoke coming from your crank . . . Managed a 2h33 and finished with a oke called Carlos ! (thanks for your motivation up that last hill) Very happy with this time Wjat bike was he riding? Pinarello Dogma with Bruce kit?
Falco Posted October 24, 2011 Posted October 24, 2011 It was an enjoyable race, a bit tougher than I thought it would be but still a good day in the saddle. Pity about the start being very disorganised, heavy traffic from time to time (especially at the finish), and just like Sun City not enough toilets near the start. The finish on the hill was hectic, but I made up a few places there so I'm not complaining.I'll do it again next year.
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