[Event] Tshwane Classic

[Spinnekop]

Yeah, the climb was brutal. From the start of the concrete I averaged 3.8w/kg at 62rpm to go at basically 10km/h. Didn't have any more in my legs after sitting on the front for almost the whole way back in on the freeway.

Had a quick look.

Managed to go over the top with the VB ladies.

We did 6.25w/kg over the last minute.

 

Nearly died.

[Dirkitech]

Big Shout out to the organisers of Tshwane Classic 2018 - 2 years in and it ticks many of the critical road racing boxes like:

 

1. Cost - with prices going up for road races it was awesome to see this one nice and affordable.

2. Route - the new way out to the freeway was a great improvement - 

3. Safety - full road closures is a huge win (only 3 other road races i know do that)

4. Finish - bolting up freedom hill to the finish line nice and tough for those that are still left.

5. Marshalling - top draw ensuring safe and fair racing within each group.

 

In time this could rival the others - thank you Tshwane - what an absolute blast

Now to be fair, I wasn't at the race (due to the price coincidentally), but it has been pointed out that the "full road closure" was a false claim after all. Why do you say it was full road closure?

[Opc_danny]

I would of just hit some serious cramps and died right there at the end.

 

 

Yeah, the climb was brutal. From the start of the concrete I averaged 3.8w/kg at 62rpm to go at basically 10km/h. Didn't have any more in my legs after sitting on the front for almost the whole way back in on the freeway.

[GaryvdM]

Now to be fair, I wasn't at the race (due to the price coincidentally), but it has been pointed out that the "full road closure" was a false claim after all. Why do you say it was full road closure?

 

To be fair - it was *almost* full road closure. There was on coming traffic on 1st Ave and the R511, and in the CBD, police allowing traffic to cross when there were gaps.

 

It's so nice to not have cars overtaking you with just 25cm between you.

[Pieter-za]

Yip,  the R55 - R511 stretch is approx a 35km stretch and you are bound to have some local traffic (residents etc) on route.

 

The half-a-dozen vehicles passing me on the R511 kept totally to the right-hand side of the road and were driven very cautiously.  

Edited November 6, 2018 by Pieter-za

[peetwindhoek]

Now to be fair, I wasn't at the race (due to the price coincidentally), but it has been pointed out that the "full road closure" was a false claim after all. Why do you say it was full road closure?

 

Price was less than last year... (Think ASG not involved anymore)

[Mountain Bru]

I do agree pushers should perhaps walk on the left hand side, but it wasn't THAT bad to get through?  (I could only see maybe 2 or 3 'blockages'? )  I didn't listen to the sound on the clip but a 'passing left/right' might have been suffice to alleviate the situation?

Yip it wasn't too bad. A few times I asked the people in front of me to please give me a gap, and that was sufficient, but I think there's definitely potential for a problems and frustrations, and it does break your rhythm a bit to have to weave your way through people. Maybe that's an advantage though cos you can focus on choosing a line through the crowd rather than your legs. 

[Mountain Bru]

Had a quick look.

Managed to go over the top with the VB ladies.

We did 6.25w/kg over the last minute.

 

Nearly died.

 

I'd need an e-bike and some special juice from Lance to do that   

 

[Ozzie NL]

Yeah, the climb was brutal. From the start of the concrete I averaged 3.8w/kg at 62rpm to go at basically 10km/h. Didn't have any more in my legs after sitting on the front for almost the whole way back in on the freeway.

Now that ^^^^was mot very clever was it?????  

 

Did 4.5W/kg on Tom Jenkins

[Jehosefat]

Now that ^^^^was mot very clever was it?????  

 

Did 4.5W/kg on Tom Jenkins

 

Got a puncture on the on-ramp so I lost the group. At first I was trying to catch the group that passed me while I was changing the tube but that wasn't happening by myself so then I decided I would just go until I was caught by the next group. Picked up a bunch of stragglers (and some of the AM riders) but managed to stay ahead of the (I think it would be EL or FL) group all the way to the end. Problem was none of the stragglers or AM riders wanted to do a turn on the front with the exception of one guy who would hop on the front for 30 seconds to 1 minute then pull off and leave me on the front again. Then half the bunch attacked as we came back into the city (bastards).

[JCA12]

I don't know which groups you guys were in, only seeing a few cars coming from opposite direction on the R511.

I was near the middle of LL. We had cars and motorbikes coming both directions, and a few of them were far to close for comfort, we had to ride left of the yellow lane.

Cops obviously opened up for them to come through, which they did at speed, some hooting to force us over to the left so they can get through.

[nelian]

Not a race for laggards or newbies... R511 was hairy to say the least with the cars and bikes... and no shoulder to ride on. I do get that full road closure is difficult... but at least have some indication that there is a cycle race on... the only indication was at the 45km mark... a lady with a board... i certianly felt alone out there with the laggards. Every now and then a marshall would pass... in all honesty, the reason for doing this race was because of road closure...

Not to mention that when i did finish.. organisers were busy packing up... had to look for the guy that was handing out medals...and I know there were a few guys still out on the road...

[s14phoenix]

Not a race for laggards or newbies... R511 was hairy to say the least with the cars and bikes... and no shoulder to ride on. I do get that full road closure is difficult... but at least have some indication that there is a cycle race on... the only indication was at the 45km mark... a lady with a board... i certianly felt alone out there with the laggards. Every now and then a marshall would pass... in all honesty, the reason for doing this race was because of road closure...

Not to mention that when i did finish.. organisers were busy packing up... had to look for the guy that was handing out medals...and I know there were a few guys still out on the road...

 

There was quite a few incidents in our group where the shoulder would just end and no alert from the front. At the time we were traveling at  around 60+kmh

 

I do believe some in the group went off-roading - hope they where all ok.

 

Incidently the whole AL group results look very gappy - testament to a tough race I think.

Edited November 7, 2018 by s14phoenix

[MudLark]

Not a race for laggards or newbies...

Oh, I wouldn't quite agree with that. On Friday I bought my first road bike ever, on Saturday I took it for a short 10 - 20k spin and on Sunday I rode my first road race ever - the 98km (91?) one - and found it very enjoyable. [emoji4]

 

And to be clear, Saturday was the first time in.my life I rode a road bike. Well, since I was a kid 40 years ago, anyway.

Edited November 8, 2018 by MudLark

[Spinnekop]

Oh, I wouldn't quite agree with that. On Friday I bought my first road bike ever, on Saturday I took it for a short 10 - 20k spin and on Sunday I rode my first road race ever - the 98km (91?) one - and found it very enjoyable. [emoji4]

 

And to be clear, Saturday was the first time in.my life I rode a road bike. Well, since I was a kid 40 years ago, anyway.

Impressive.  

 

How was it?  Fun going fast on thin wheels yes?  

[nelian]

I referring more to the support from the organizers, not the fact that you cant or shouldn't ride it. I was on a MTB... and it is somewhat slower that road bikes…

 

Oh, I wouldn't quite agree with that. On Friday I bought my first road bike ever, on Saturday I took it for a short 10 - 20k spin and on Sunday I rode my first road race ever - the 98km (91?) one - and found it very enjoyable. [emoji4]

And to be clear, Saturday was the first time in.my life I rode a road bike. Well, since I was a kid 40 years ago, anyway.