Momentum 94.7 Cycle Challenge 2014

[Marijan]

Is anybody seeded in the K group? I need someone to bunch with and move upfield into the faster bunches :-D

 

I am in a funny situation. My seeding is K group, which, had I to continue at K seed pace, I assume will never hit the sub 3 hour time that I want. I need to close a 5, 4 and 4 minute gap to the faster bunches of the H/I/J seeds respectively. This is an epic task, but I can do a 47km cradle loop at 31kmph solo and double loop solo in 28kmph (and that speed is the second time I did such distance so this weekend training I'm sure Ill average 29kmph after my body "breaks in" to such distance). So my performance is good but I need to catch up to the faster bunches to break the sub 3.

 

Im in K seed because Ive only done one event before and it was a 54km race with less competitive leader times.

 

Anybody in the same situation?

[Ozzie NL]

Is anybody seeded in the K group? I need someone to bunch with and move upfield into the faster bunches :-D

 

I am in a funny situation. My seeding is K group, which, had I to continue at K seed pace, I assume will never hit the sub 3 hour time that I want. I need to close a 5, 4 and 4 minute gap to the faster bunches of the H/I/J seeds respectively. This is an epic task, but I can do a 47km cradle loop at 31kmph solo and double loop solo in 28kmph (and that speed is the second time I did such distance so this weekend training I'm sure Ill average 29kmph after my body "breaks in" to such distance). So my performance is good but I need to catch up to the faster bunches to break the sub 3.

 

Im in K seed because Ive only done one event before and it was a 54km race with less competitive leader times.

 

Anybody in the same situation?

Sound like mission impossible. J bunch last year rode average of 28-29 so for you to catch up, you will have to go well over 30. New route is not gonna help either as it will break up bunches before you hit the M1

 

Let us know what happened

[sdaghers]

Precisely...I think this year the elevation is just a bit more STEEP...but as far as I heard a few guys mention the last few years being between 1250 and 1300 meters...but I can not confirm that.

 

Just take it as it comes...

 

Just checked my Strava from last year and the elevation was 1271m

[Bianchisti]

I will be riding with 3 "noobs" how can I flag myself or them for others to know, they are first timers and just to be a bit more careful around them?

http://www.bicycling.co.za/training-nutrition/survive-first-94-7/

[Rotiringer]

Is anybody seeded in the K group? I need someone to bunch with and move upfield into the faster bunches :-D

 

I am in a funny situation. My seeding is K group, which, had I to continue at K seed pace, I assume will never hit the sub 3 hour time that I want. I need to close a 5, 4 and 4 minute gap to the faster bunches of the H/I/J seeds respectively. This is an epic task, but I can do a 47km cradle loop at 31kmph solo and double loop solo in 28kmph (and that speed is the second time I did such distance so this weekend training I'm sure Ill average 29kmph after my body "breaks in" to such distance). So my performance is good but I need to catch up to the faster bunches to break the sub 3.

 

Im in K seed because Ive only done one event before and it was a 54km race with less competitive leader times.

 

Anybody in the same situation?

There will always be faster breakaway groups coming through all the way from X. Just stick at the front of K and get your legs warmed up and then jump onto a group that comes by. I managed a 2.51 from M last year and didn't even win the batch

[bmw1za]

I rode the route today, from Jan Smuts (hyde Park) all the way to Steyn City entrance . At 12 this afternoon it was 35 degrees(ouch for the late starters). Rather enjoyed the new stretch, the bump just before entrance of Steyn City in Cedar Road is steep!!!!  But damn fast roll-in..swishhhhhh. Road surface is stunningly smooth on that part.

 

Anyone have any ideas as to what the route is like once you physically enter Steyn City ?

[bmw1za]

http://www.bicycling.co.za/training-nutrition/survive-first-94-7/

 

Great info ... Noobs and all . Thanks Bianchisti

[Marijan]

Sound like mission impossible. J bunch last year rode average of 28-29 so for you to catch up, you will have to go well over 30. New route is not gonna help either as it will break up bunches before you hit the M1

 

Let us know what happened

 

 

There will always be faster breakaway groups coming through all the way from X. Just stick at the front of K and get your legs warmed up and then jump onto a group that comes by. I managed a 2.51 from M last year and didn't even win the batch

 

Thanks guys, much appreciated.

 

My strategy is to bridge the 5 minute J seed gap by attacking the 20 to 23km mark and bridging the I seed gap mark by attacking the 34mark -  39km mark. I choose these in particular because they have the steepest course gradients where drafting counts for nothing and where I wont have to rely as much on bunching. On 40km and onwards the race should be fragmented enough for me to just push and catch each successively faster batch. What I cannot do is rely on catching on faster bunches on the latter half of the race as it is an averaged downhill from there. Check the gradient picture I attached.

[GrantRH]

I have just been reseeded from VV starting @ 10h18 to group X starting at 07h50. That feels better

Who did you speak to? I emailed the cycle challenge email address and racetec a week ago and no reply yet!

[tombeej]

Thanks guys, much appreciated.

 

My strategy is to bridge the 5 minute J seed gap by attacking the 20 to 23km mark and bridging the I seed gap mark by attacking the 34mark -  39km mark. I choose these in particular because they have the steepest course gradients where drafting counts for nothing and where I wont have to rely as much on bunching. On 40km and onwards the race should be fragmented enough for me to just push and catch each successively faster batch. What I cannot do is rely on catching on faster bunches on the latter half of the race as it is an averaged downhill from there. Check the gradient picture I attached.

 

Just a word of caution. We've discussed at length already the fact that the racing basically starts with 24 km to go (when you turn on to Witkoppen after the long downhill). The first 70 km are just the warm up.

 

If you go too hard in the first 70 km you won't have the legs when it really counts: those last 5 climbs in the final 20 km.

 

If I was you I'd listen to Rotiringer and wheelsuck at the front of your group and wait for fast guys to come by (there will always be very fast okes in late batches who will motor through).

 

Save your legs for the final 20 km. Anyone wanting a good time needs to be fresh enough to hit each of those 5 hills strongly. 

 

This new course is going to see a long line of riders strung out along that last 20km stretch. The bunches will all fall apart on those hills and the strong riders will just ride away from the rest.

 

Little chance of bunch sprints this year: it's a climb up to the finish line (which is a couple hundred metres beyond the summit).

 

This really is a lekker course: much more like a 1-day hilly classic where the final km's really force selections in the bunches, allowing the cream to rise to the top.

[Wyatt Earp]

Just a word of caution. We've discussed at length already the fact that the racing basically starts with 24 km to go (when you turn on to Witkoppen after the long downhill). The first 70 km are just the warm up.

 

 

Please don't soil his plans .

[Nibali]

This really is a lekker course: much more like a 1-day hilly classic where the final km's really force selections in the bunches, allowing the cream to rise to the top.

 

Quietly sneaks out the office to do some hill training

[ScottCM]

 

 

Very wise words my friend

[Skubarra]

 

If you go too hard in the first 70 km you won't have the legs when it really counts: those last 5 climbs in the final 20 km.

 

If I was you I'd listen to Rotiringer and wheelsuck at the front of your group and wait for fast guys to come by (there will always be very fast okes in late batches who will motor through).

 

Save your legs for the final 20 km. Anyone wanting a good time needs to be fresh enough to hit each of those 5 hills strongly. 

 

 

     

 

Heed to the wise tombeej's advice or fizzle like a wet firecracker in the last few km's....

 

I have made the mistake of pushing hard on my own a few times... You will just unnecessarily waste a lot of energy and end up being caught by riders that you thought were weaker than you, find other stronger riders and stick with them.

[StevieL]

Thanks guys, much appreciated.

 

My strategy is to bridge the 5 minute J seed gap by attacking the 20 to 23km mark and bridging the I seed gap mark by attacking the 34mark -  39km mark. I choose these in particular because they have the steepest course gradients where drafting counts for nothing and where I wont have to rely as much on bunching. On 40km and onwards the race should be fragmented enough for me to just push and catch each successively faster batch. What I cannot do is rely on catching on faster bunches on the latter half of the race as it is an averaged downhill from there. Check the gradient picture I attached.

 

I can guarantee you that you will not be the fastest oke in K group.

Why not just wheelsuck until 10 to go and if you feeling strong, try and win the group.

I'll bet that if you finish in the top 10 of K group, your time will be well under 3hrs.

(Bear in mind the first 40 finishers in K group last year managed a sub 3)

[Wez-O]

Precisely...I think this year the elevation is just a bit more STEEP...but as far as I heard a few guys mention the last few years being between 1250 and 1300 meters...but I can not confirm that.

 

Just take it as it comes...

Actually, correction yes... Last year my GPS gave me 1,300 elevation gain... 

So you are probably looking at an additional 100m elevation gain this year but instead of the "kind rolling hills" of the N14, you will have the steeper gradients of Cedar and so.