Amashova 2018

[Owen]

But you were fortunate to have your team pay for the entry?  And your team was about 10 of those 34 entries?  

 

Test yourself on 160km?   Come on Owen.  We know you do this route almost 9 times a year if you look at your strava rides.  No testing there.  Just spending cash on coffee along the route.    

 

Enjoyable.  Sure.  I get that.

 

But forking out that entry fee for bragging rights.....I don't get it.  Rather then just do the normal route and brag with comparable results.  

As organisers the guys need to show the value or the "want factor"

They did not.

34 entries can't be good for future hopes.

Easy tiger. You can't be bitter all your life. There are special places for people like you.

 

Yes I own a cycling team, I am a weekend warrior. I don't wear the same kit as my team for a reason. I don't race.

 

Maybe you follow me on Strava, please check again where I rode the route 9 times. That's impossible because part of the route goes on a national freeway.

 

Regarding forking out money for bragging rights. So anyone who enters a race, is doing it for bragging rights. Really. You can't fault an organisor for giving us the opportunity to take part in a well planned event, with full road closure. I have not heard of any bad crashes during yesterdays Amashova.

 

I think you need to respect those people who want to enjoy cycle events. 

[Fruity]

Cramps suck! Sorry to hear about you experience. 

 

I always pop CrampEaze pills throughout my races, but this time round I thought I would be fine to go without it. Mistake!

 

Luckily it wasn't as bad as yours, but definitely cramped up on that finish straight and after receiving my medal.

 

I then popped a CrampNot gel and everything settled down.

 

Lesson learnt, don't forget the CrampEaze!

 

I think I figured out that it’s just over exertion, it’s not even the salt or magnesium etc as I took slow mag and some other magnesium supps for 1 month before, chowed bananas, kept hydrated, I will try crampeaz for next weeks macsteel race. Thanks mate.

 

Danny

I find my left calf muscle threatens to cramp from time to time on the Wattbike at gym, and I take magnesium tablets. Must be old age creeping in.

[HdB]

Questions. I see that just 34 people entered/finished the 160km! They had hoped for 250 entries. Do you think:

1. The sub-3/seeding index of <1 excluded too many people?

2. The cost was too high?

3. The pros/teams stuck to the 106 for the win?

4. We just don't have enough people keen/able to do 100milers?

5. Any other thoughts?

Probably a combination of cost and the unknown of the new route (Road closure, how difficult is the extra bit, etc.)?

There are many people with sub 3 times at the Amashova or equivalent. Cost on its own... Nah, look at the bikes people ride - the many many people with top-end bikes should be able to afford this entry fee with ease.

 

I think it would be cool if the elites do the 160; the SA champs is even further, I believe, so this one should be fine for them. However, congestion on the road with the slower 106 groups would be a problem then - for our small group it didn't seem much of an issue, for the most part they kept to the left lane.

 

Not sure yet if I would do it again, but that's due to other reasons, not the cost. It was bloody hard (my furthest ride ever), but worth it.

[mecheng89]

2015 - 2:59

2016 - did not take part

2017 - did not take part

2018 - DNF

 

WhatsApp Image 2018-10-21 at 07.42.24.jpeg

 

But, what I can say is that the cycle tour we had coming down was second to none. As we passed some of the other groups cycling down, the stronger riders decided it was go time, so we caught everyone in sight! 

 

Day 1 - Cool weather, fortunately flat. 

Day 2 - Warmer weather, even flatter and much faster       . Oh, and even a police escort into Ladysmith!! We believe he mistook us for another bunch riding into town. 

Day 3 - Bacon Hill, Warthog Hill, in a killer cross wind (Frosty was putting out 320W, going at 8kph). But a SWEET downhill section coming into Howick. Reminded me of the infamous LeTapé 2016.

 

Day 4 - 2 riders finishing in sub-3, in weather which the announcer kept referring to as PE weather. 

 

I hope to come back next year, and pray to the weather gods to just for one day keep the wind away. 

Edit: Monday morning, no wind! How cruel. 

[mecheng89]

exactly what happened and why I DNF last year. Mine happened at the police station at camperdown. Sorry buddy. It sucks... mibe took out a Zipp 303 rear wheel also.

Holy poo. I'm fortunate enough to have not been that unfortunate. 

[s14phoenix]

Holy poo. I'm fortunate enough to have not been that unfortunate. 

 

Lucky - on my unfortunate incident the RD pulled 3 spokes through the carbon rim. broke the Dura Ace RD carbon cage and chipped and smacked the frame a few shots.

 

Hope you get it sorted bud!

[Zamorano]

It was terrible man! I really enjoyed the race and the atmosphere. Had a good strong ride, but the wind killed me

 

Race report follows…
WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND

[Frosty]

Me, after 4 days and 704km in the legs.

[Jase619]

Race report follows…

WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND WIND

 

My thoughts exactly, my father-in-law insists he has ridden in worse in Cape Town. This is undoubtedly true, but it's the worst I have ever experienced.

[bmw1za]

racing against an E Bike was actually tough... verry bloody tough 

 

Limping like Frosty 

[HdB]

Me, after 4 days and 704km in the legs.

 

The announcer seemed to think the whole group did the impressive 4-day trip, I think most of the riders in the group were looking around awkwardly or shrugging; he should really just have asked for a show of hands.

 

Very well done to everyone who did the 4-day ride!

[Danger Dassie]

Me, after 4 days and 704km in the legs.

 

Ditto   ..... sorry I didn't stay and chat at the finish. Eyeballs were rolling around like pinballs still and had to find our hotel to shower and eat before going home. 

[Danger Dassie]

Edit: Monday morning, no wind! How cruel. 

 

That wind! If you lost your group it was tickets!

[jimmycool]

So by my calculations, comparing 500th place, 1000th place and 2000th place to last year's times it would seem like everyone was around 12 to 13 minutes slower than last year for the same finishing position.

[Vetplant]

So by my calculations, comparing 500th place, 1000th place and 2000th place to last year's times it would seem like everyone was around 12 to 13 minutes slower than last year for the same finishing position.

Thanks, that is a relief and brings my adjusted finish time closer to the time I was hoping to achieve.

 

-I Produced 10% more power during first 90min

-I am 4kg lighter than last year,

-Started 2 groups higher

 

Yet I finished 5 mins slower than last year.

 

But I instinctively knew my result was actually a better performance than last year. Went from top 11% finish position to top 8.8% finish position.

 

So weather can really negate all the other gains made in a given year in terms of finish time, but your position relative to your peers is what really counts.

[jimmycool]

Thanks, that is a relief and brings my adjusted finish time closer to the time I was hoping to achieve.

 

-I Produced 10% more power during first 90min

-I am 4kg lighter than last year,

-Started 2 groups higher

 

Yet I finished 5 mins slower than last year.

 

But I instinctively knew my result was actually a better performance than last year. Went from top 11% finish position to top 8.8% finish position.

 

So weather can really negate all the other gains made in a given year in terms of finish time, but your position relative to your peers is what really counts.

Yup. One can't just go on time alone.

I don't have scientific numbers to confirm my own performance but this was my 6th time and I know I am at a similar fitness level to when I did my fastest time based on strava times etc and yet I was 13 minutes slower than my previous best.