VA racing tips and tricks

[Escapee..]

Cool thread 

[Jensie]

We sometimes train with the PRO's or  the young guys and you **** bricks just to hold their wheel and their mission is to drop you. So train with stronger guys and you will become stronger. Sticking it longer and longer till they give up or relax. Afkak works for training.

[Paulst12]

Oh a nice tactic that is used is someone who is in the running for a win will break... not to far up the road and will then wait to see if any other "decent" guys come across. If its only a unknown, they will ease off and come back. The teams in the group will do this frequently until a decent group is formed... hence the importance of knowing who to watch, and not being to far off the front.

['Dale]

To add to this, it's not just how much w/kg but when. If you can pull that rabbit out of the hat 2.5 hrs into a race...

True true

I know of several 'strong' riders, but their racing mentality or decision-making is poor.

And, racing is, as you might know, often like throwing the dice and a few made the right call at the right time, only with hindsight. That's the beauty of racing.

[eddy]

Will investigate whether somebody is prepared to coach me on the softer/tactical skills.,

V12man gave you the answer earlier in the thread......

[milky4130]

At 70kg your numbers are low, threshold intervals & some vo2max intervals should do the trick.

['Dale]

At 70kg your numbers are low, threshold intervals & some vo2max intervals should do the trick.

Slipstreaming and overall bunch riding can skew the numbers big time.

 

And, yeah, one can never get enough time in threshold and vo2 zones

[Patchelicious]

Slipstreaming and overall bunch riding can skew the numbers big time.

 

And, yeah, one can never get enough time in threshold and vo2 zones

Sadist!

[JA-Q001]

So how did everyone go?

[Leg breaker]

Great thread 

 

I'm 19 and racing the Cape. 

 

For my last 3 races, which has been out of the B group my NP power has been over 255watts at 67kg/ 174 cm ( I should lose some weight but i don't see the point if i'm not producing the same power as the front guys are now so it won't help me stay with them). 

 

I find that i often get dropped when i'm producing more power than riders in the bunch, just because i have bad bunch riding skills ( I have only been riding for 2.5 years, with little experience). 

 

Looking at other riders data who weigh the same as i do, that do stay in the bunch, i always average more watts than them when i get dropped because i'm riding alone. 

 

I also have trouble with my 10 min power average, which is using around 305watts max, which is basically always the cause of me getting dropped on climbs. 

 

I don't know if this helps or not. 

[Frosty]

Close call at the finish today for VA... 4 in the break having to contend with some clown that refused to follow instructions from the EMPD.

 

Had to stop him a metre before the line only for him to panic and stall his car 50m before the line while reversing to "safety".

 

But these same four caught and passed the Elite convoy (twice).

[Ryinc]

Great thread 

 

I'm 19 and racing the Cape. 

 

For my last 3 races, which has been out of the B group my NP power has been over 255watts at 67kg/ 174 cm ( I should lose some weight but i don't see the point if i'm not producing the same power as the front guys are now so it won't help me stay with them). 

 

I find that i often get dropped when i'm producing more power than riders in the bunch, just because i have bad bunch riding skills ( I have only been riding for 2.5 years, with little experience). 

 

Looking at other riders data who weigh the same as i do, that do stay in the bunch, i always average more watts than them when i get dropped because i'm riding alone. 

 

I also have trouble with my 10 min power average, which is using around 305watts max, which is basically always the cause of me getting dropped on climbs. 

 

I don't know if this helps or not. 

 

Thanks for the info Josh. Given your age i am sure that you will be dishing out the hurt in a year or two.

[Patchelicious]

Perhaps we can get this thread active again, as there was quite a bit of conversation around tactics and teams in the Emperors thread.

 

How do we get more "teams" taking part in the VA group?

[milky4130]

I find that i often get dropped when i'm producing more power than riders in the bunch, just because i have bad bunch riding skills ( I have only been riding for 2.5 years, with little experience)

So the reason for this as was told to me by my "coach" (the one who analyzed my race data) my threshold was still too low, the remedy was 2x20min threshold intervals.

[Nibali]

Perhaps we can get this thread active again, as there was quite a bit of conversation around tactics and teams in the Emperors thread.

 

How do we get more "teams" taking part in the VA group?

 

I wanted to comment in the Emperors thread, but it is probably more appropriate here. My question is rather, why should I as an individual work in the front of the group (not a break or group trying to bridge back to the main group) when there are teams present? I'm not going to get involved in their tactics and I feel it is a good tactic for me to sit behind them and conserve energy for when the break goes. Smart racing or wheel sucking?

[Patchelicious]

To those guys who ride for teams.....

 

What have you found "works" for teams, both logistically and from a fit perspective?

 

How often do you guys ride together? Are you from very different walks of life? What is needed in a team from a support point of view etc.

 

I'm just interested in hearing what works and doesnt......