[Event] Velddrif 222 Velddrif

[WaldoZ]

1 minute ago, Jewbacca said:

I'm in the first batch. After my only seeding ride since this one last year was a 5:30 CTCT, I am not surprised

I look forward to a chatty, chilled 30kph group.......

Don't eat all the pies before I finish please!!!

[Jewbacca]

3 minutes ago, WaldoZ said:

Don't eat all the pies before I finish please!!!

I can't promise anything but I will definitely do my best!

[Mamil]

I'm in Batch 2 - Giving me a 45 minute headstart on Jewbacca - I might have a fighting chance - pah we'll see who's not competitive - If he does catch me at least he won't be on a BMX

 

Oh shermet I see now actually that Jewby starts in the first grop which is the lowest seeded.

I have to catch him!!!

Edited August 24, 2023 by Mamil

[bleedToWin]

1 hour ago, Mamil said:

I have to catch him!!!

He has the head start but you (theoretically) have the stronger support riders around you...

[bleedToWin]

2 hours ago, WaldoZ said:

With batches emailed I went and made a whole lot of popcorn so I can come read comments... now I have a whole lot of popcorn but no comments here yet 🤦‍♂️

We've fired off our emails for the mis-seeded riders, so no drama needed. 😄

[Jewbacca]

1 hour ago, Mamil said:

I'm in Batch 2 - Giving me a 45 minute headstart on Jewbacca - I might have a fighting chance - pah we'll see who's not competitive - If he does catch me at least he won't be on a BMX

 

Oh shermet I see now actually that Jewby starts in the first grop which is the lowest seeded.

I have to catch him!!!

I'm 100% sure you will catch me!

Hopefully I can jump on your wheel and stay there for a few km

[WaldoZ]

1 hour ago, bleedToWin said:

We've fired off our emails for the mis-seeded riders, so no drama needed. 😄

I forgot, Friday is only tomorrow

[bleedToWin]

@WaldoZ you guys rocking up with XCO fatigued legs?

[WaldoZ]

31 minutes ago, bleedToWin said:

@WaldoZ you guys rocking up with XCO fatigued legs?

I'm stil recovering from Transbaviaans 🤣
#oldballie

[Akon]

17 hours ago, Jewbacca said:

I'm in the first batch. After my only seeding ride since this one last year was a 5:30 CTCT, I am not surprised

I look forward to a chatty, chilled 30kph group.......

Not wanting to play into @WaldoZ's popcorn-eating fetish, but how does a this year 3:20 CTCT lands one in the same group with a last year 5:30?!

You have a rep around here though @Jewbacca, so I'll be glued to your back-wheel until B catches us 😎.

[bleedToWin]

6 minutes ago, Akon said:

Not wanting to play into @WaldoZ's popcorn-eating fetish

You waited till Friday though... 😆

[Jewbacca]

29 minutes ago, Akon said:

Not wanting to play into @WaldoZ's popcorn-eating fetish, but how does a this year 3:20 CTCT lands one in the same group with a last year 5:30?!

You have a rep around here though @Jewbacca, so I'll be glued to your back-wheel until B catches us 😎.

hahaha

I think my grammar was bad. The last 3 bike races I've done have been a 3:40 ish October CTCT on a BMX, this race last year and a 5:13 2023 CTCT.... It did involve at least 3 lengthy coffee/food and family leisure stops. It was great.

I reckon there will be a few guys pushing watts out of the 7:00 Batch. You are welcome to find my wheel, but I think a number of guys will be up for sharing some time in the wind early on.

I will be the really short, funny shaped, black haired, bearded, hook nosed fellow with really long ape arms on a purple girls bike.

 

[Mamil]

I see from the official results that I was about 15 minutes shy of catching @Jewbaccaon Sunday - OK he did have a lie down and a chat for 20 minutes at Redlinghuys where my SO and @lechatnoirgave him peanutbutter sandwiches (not laced with laxatives or sedatives as per my suggestion)  - I'm still simmering from that non-competitive comment.

It was my competitive spirit combined with my weak flesh that got me into trouble on this ride - my own Redlinghuys stop was a frantic grab and dash effort where I thought the main group had left me behind. I smashed along as fast as I could with what I thought were the stragglers until cramps struck at about 160km and there followed a succession of groupettos whose wheel I made vain lunges at before accepting my solo fate. 

I aimed for 7:30 - got 7:50 something and the only reason it was sub 8 is that it was 219 and 222km.

@Jewbaccaobserved that it's harder than 2 Arguses -- and it is. My intervals.icu tells me I freewheeled for only 9% of the ride. Interminable stretches of .8% gradient into a headwind.

Most memorable moments - feeling pleased with myself for chasing back onto the group at Picketberg (although I paid for it later) and being overtaken by the race leader hotly pursued by 2 others. They were doing about mach 3 while I tootled along at 170 watts slapping my left adductor to stop it from cramping.

Hope they run this event next year - it's a blast.

[City Cycling Athletic Club]

a few images from the V222V - https://www.facebook.com/WPCycling/posts for more images

[MongooseMan]

Needs a caption 🤣

[Mamil]

2 minutes ago, MongooseMan said:

Needs a caption 🤣

Something about the tension between the enjoy on the vest and the expression on the face