[Event] Medallion Tour De Stellenbosch

[Reece_Rower]

I think it's pretty similar... Around 1100m but the difference is that the majority of the Argus ascent is towards the last third of the race ( Chappies and Suikerbossie)

And the Argus ascent is mostly in actual climbs not rollers.

[Tiny K]

Unlike Skistar15, I had a great race in A-C. Being a heavyweight does bring the challenge of climbing with the lightweights, but I take it in my pedal stroke. Crested with the lead riders and worked well together. Initiated a 'blast of speed' after the fruitsellers 4-way. Think I overcooked myself there... Turning towards the pig farm and R44, it was difficult to sit in the bunch as we were moving so slow (damn wheel suckers), that I was taking turns up front just to get the speed going. Paid the price on the R44 with a 2 man break going off and as hard as I tried, just couldn't bridge the gap. Kudo's to the Hotchillee rider who was awesomely strong and consistent. He pulled the chasing bunch to catch me just before the Fairview turnoff. From there it was head down, watching the wheel ahead of me and rolling through when it was my turn to. Towards the finish, 500m to go banner, all of a sudden there are riders in our group who I hadn't seen for the entire race... Damn wheel suckers. Anyways, had a good race but just didn't have the legs at the finish for the sprint.

 

Note to those reading this: if you aren't riding league (where it's seen as tactics), being a wheel sucker isn't cool. Period. If you want to be in a bunch, contribute to the bunch effort, and if you can't, just stay at the back.

[Wannabe]

I pretty much had the same experience.

Bonked at 90. Stopped at every water stop to get a ice water shower then. As my body temp came down I was able to push hard and strung a whole load of people along. But the cooling effect only lasts a couple of min then you back to scratch looking for that ice again.

Found Wannabe hiding under one of the water point cars. I convinced him to get back into the Sahara with me.

I must say that the last 5 km felt longer than the whole race. I saw 37 deg on my Garmin early this morning, I will upload the ride later to see where it got to.

This was probably one of my hardest races ever. I just can't take that heat.

If it wasn't for that it would have been a awesome race though.

 

Hey nooit Woofie, you make it sound Like I was flat on the ground under the bakkie. I was only sitting on the ground with my back against the wheel, trying to get some life back into my legs (but to be truthfull, if there was proper grass there, you would had to do a lot more sweet talking to get me going again)

 

Thanks for shepherding me home from there on.

[MariusL]

My first PPA event since the Argus last year... started in F&G, lead the bunch over Helz (that hasn't happened in ages), four of us got away after guttering it a bit on the R304, TankMan and me dropped to guys and caught a few bunches ahead of us... Ran out of water and had to stop for a top up...

 

Kind of enjoyed the tough conditions... Finishing by catching the shorter and medium routes did cause a fe nervous moments thou.

[Breezer]

Tiny k, you're a machine! Always at the front and working. I really hoped that you would take the win, but as you said, at the end the sprinters was just to much.

[nuge]

Well now I dont feel so bad then, I dont even do that speed down a hill never mind on the flats. Well done the 2 of you really made the deciding factor during the race with that move.

think you had a rough day? Try riding away with 3 others with 30km to go only to be caught at the 3km to go sign. I was already preparing my speech for the podium when I heard the whir of wheels behind me. Finished nowhere.

 

Oh well, next time I'll make it count!

Edited February 16, 2014 by nuge

[Wannabe]

Results is up!!

[DMC007]

....

[Tankman]

My first PPA event since the Argus last year... started in F&G, lead the bunch over Helz (that hasn't happened in ages), four of us got away after guttering it a bit on the R304, TankMan and me dropped to guys and caught a few bunches ahead of us... Ran out of water and had to stop for a top up...

 

Kind of enjoyed the tough conditions... Finishing by catching the shorter and medium routes did cause a fe nervous moments thou.

 

Great riding with you again Marius, we gave it plenty, just like the old days. We started that break at the precise moment. Sorry you had to stop for that water topup, you deserved a top spot in our bunch today.

 

Yea I also enjoyed the suffering and the conditions, wind, heat, plenty of rollers with no major climbs ... bring it on! :thumbsup:

 

 

[milky4130]

Unlike Skistar15, I had a great race in A-C. Being a heavyweight does bring the challenge of climbing with the lightweights, but I take it in my pedal stroke. Crested with the lead riders and worked well together. Initiated a 'blast of speed' after the fruitsellers 4-way. Think I overcooked myself there... Turning towards the pig farm and R44, it was difficult to sit in the bunch as we were moving so slow (damn wheel suckers), that I was taking turns up front just to get the speed going. Paid the price on the R44 with a 2 man break going off and as hard as I tried, just couldn't bridge the gap. Kudo's to the Hotchillee rider who was awesomely strong and consistent. He pulled the chasing bunch to catch me just before the Fairview turnoff. From there it was head down, watching the wheel ahead of me and rolling through when it was my turn to. Towards the finish, 500m to go banner, all of a sudden there are riders in our group who I hadn't seen for the entire race... Damn wheel suckers. Anyways, had a good race but just didn't have the legs at the finish for the sprint.

 

Note to those reading this: if you aren't riding league (where it's seen as tactics), being a wheel sucker isn't cool. Period. If you want to be in a bunch, contribute to the bunch effort, and if you can't, just stay at the back.

ah that would be craig edwards, he is a freakin strong animal :-) just check what he did to the VA bunch in the Burger Race 2013.

[Tankman]

....

 

Those results for podium spots aint right.

[lucmccann]

Those results for podium spots aint right.

 

Those would just be for riders wearing the Racetec chip...many league riders wouldn't have been riding with one.

[Lucky Luke.]

Well now I dont feel so bad then, I dont even do that speed down a hill never mind on the flats. Well done the 2 of you really made the deciding factor during the race with that move.

 

We just trimmed the bunch down trying to make life easier for our GC guy. We were not keen for a big bunch sprint down that narrow road. I put it in the gutter, then when I came off the front Moolies attacked and a small group of us rode an echelon off the front. About 10 to 15 guys came across to us after that.

[Lucky Luke.]

think you had a rough day? Try riding away with 3 others with 30km to go only to be caught at the 3km to go sign. I was already preparing my speech for the podium when I heard the whir of wheels behind me. Finished nowhere.

 

Oh well, next time I'll make it count!

 

We asked JP to let you guys go, and at first Aurecon let it stretch out, but I think he realised he needed the points. Having done the maths myself he did the right thing as it looks to me like Andrew Payne is still winning this thing by 4 points.

[DJR]

I really enjoy hearing the reports from all the snakes at the sharp end of these races. (For the "what if" kind of day dreaming that it inspires )

Edited February 17, 2014 by DJR

[MissyT]

You guys are all machines. Us novices at the back (W) only got away at 7h15 - and keeping in mind that Novice = Blerrie stadig - we were DYING back there. We stopped at every water stop and bought coke at the now famous Perdeberg Mall! It saved our lives!! Sadly we got to 80km and they told us the race (I use this word lightly) was over. People were dropping like flies. We pushed on till 90 (the final water point) where we had to accept defeat. By then we had been at it for over 4 hours and the one guys thermometer was registering 44!

 

My worst tho was that once we had finally arranged a lift out and were heading home they had pulled the marshals off and there was a guy who had missed the turn off at the last 4 way before the final water point and was thinking he was on the right road home! We turned back to give him the news and desperately needed water. I keep wondering where he would be now if no one had stopped him. I can't understand how the marshals and sweepers missed him.