[Event] Winelands Cycle Race 2025

[ChrisF]

13 minutes ago, Dri said:

D batch on some EPO today from what i could tell 🤯

 

 

H caught us, few of dropped from G, ever so slowly .... okay, I made them work for it ... 😋

 

As I looked back I realised about 10 riders of "I" was MOVING !!!!!  They caught H just after the turn to Botmaskloof.

 

Then the climb scattered the groups, from there is was small groups.

[mikkelz]

Lekker race. 1 minute slower than last year, but one minute faster up the climb segment which I'm happy with.

Held onto A for about 1h45 and then decided to call it a day and roll in around 2h45 with the last of the As and a few Bs. The heat and headwind was tough this year. Last year was easy in comparison from what I remember. 🔥

Looks like about 200 more finishers this year compared to last. Hopefully the sign of some growth for road cycling. 🙏

[dexterdent]

Started in C, thought we were holding good speed until some D-pros came past at which point the group got less fun. Just at the start of the climb I dropped my chain, which then got caught between the crankset and frame and was seriously stuck. Eventually got it loose, but now the one link was bent 90 degrees - which I then managed to bend mostly back with my multitool. At that point I'd lost 10-15 minutes (and more importantly half my water that dripped out) so decided to give up on my time and rather try and pace a few groups in to work on my own fitness while jumping between gears every second revolution.

Please note, if you are not intending to go to the front, then don't join the paceline. Makes it much harder to get back to the front when every time you have the only other person doing some work go to the front, there are 4 people behind him not letting you back. Wheelsucking is fine, just don't make it harder for the person doing the pulling.

Anyway, managed to meet some cool people and have a few good chats. The heat was horrible even by 9am, I can't imagine how bad it would have felt later in the day.

[ChrisF]

2 hours ago, dexterdent said:

Started in C, thought we were holding good speed until some D-pros came past at which point the group got less fun. Just at the start of the climb I dropped my chain, which then got caught between the crankset and frame and was seriously stuck. Eventually got it loose, but now the one link was bent 90 degrees - which I then managed to bend mostly back with my multitool. At that point I'd lost 10-15 minutes (and more importantly half my water that dripped out) so decided to give up on my time and rather try and pace a few groups in to work on my own fitness while jumping between gears every second revolution.

Please note, if you are not intending to go to the front, then don't join the paceline. Makes it much harder to get back to the front when every time you have the only other person doing some work go to the front, there are 4 people behind him not letting you back. Wheelsucking is fine, just don't make it harder for the person doing the pulling.

Anyway, managed to meet some cool people and have a few good chats. The heat was horrible even by 9am, I can't imagine how bad it would have felt later in the day.

 

I spoke to a rider with a dropped chain at the foot of the climb, briefly as a I passed.  Time wise probably another rider though.  Glad you got going again.

 

 

At 9:00 I was at the 80km water point.  Dumped a bottle of water over my head, then pushed hard to get home before the heat hits me hard ....

[Kom]

21 hours ago, Dri said:

D batch on some EPO today from what i could tell 🤯

 

Gotta love it when seeding sees this happen

https://results.finishtime.co.za/results.aspx?CId=35&RId=4976&EId=1&dt=0&PageNo=2

At least 20 riders from D that ranked directly after $

[ChrisF]

I see Finish Time updated the timing.

 

My 3.24 is now 3.09, just a few seconds of Garmin.

[babse]

1 hour ago, Kom said:

Gotta love it when seeding sees this happen

https://results.finishtime.co.za/results.aspx?CId=35&RId=4976&EId=1&dt=0&PageNo=2

At least 20 riders from D that ranked directly after $

Think this was @Skubarra and mates that dropped back in D? 

 

Reminds me of the old blue train (outriders). that used to do this a multiples races 

[Skubarra]

53 minutes ago, babse said:

Think this was @Skubarra and mates that dropped back in D? 

 

Reminds me of the old blue train (outriders). that used to do this a multiples races 

Other bunches doing racing tactics, while we ride for time as you are supposed to do at a funride.... 🤫

[andydude]

8 minutes ago, Skubarra said:

Other bunches doing racing tactics, while we ride for time as you are supposed to do at a funride.... 🤫

So why not ride for time in your actual seeded start group 🫣

Doesn't this mess up the seeding system?

[BuffsVintageBikes]

D bunch was hauling ass because the local Brackenfell chain-gang decided to have some fun. There's a number of very strong guys who train out this way lead by Arno van Wyk. The group is more commonly known as the Arno Pain Train 😄

[JeffK]

Why fight in a ring when you can fight in a bar...

[Skubarra]

1 hour ago, andydude said:

So why not ride for time in your actual seeded start group 🫣

Doesn't this mess up the seeding system?

Idea is to give team mates the opportunity to improve their seeding (like Pure Savage, Outriders etc have done in the past as well). But it isn't a free ride, no hands were held and you had to be able to keep up (not all could), also a number of other D & C riders were taking their share of turns in front.

I don't see how this could mess up the seeding system. If you can ride a strong time in a bunch your seeding should reflect that. If you happened to muck around in a bunch that was slow, its only a missed opportunity, not a penalty against your seeding because someone else went faster.

[andydude]

4 minutes ago, Skubarra said:

Idea is to give team mates the opportunity to improve their seeding (like Pure Savage, Outriders etc have done in the past as well). But it isn't a free ride, no hands were held and you had to be able to keep up (not all could), also a number of other D & C riders were taking their share of turns in front.

I don't see how this could mess up the seeding system. If you can ride a strong time in a bunch your seeding should reflect that. If you happened to muck around in a bunch that was slow, its only a missed opportunity, not a penalty against your seeding because someone else went faster.

I get you. And I can see where you are coming from. And a few counter points:

- Just because person A robbed B doesn't mean it's ok for C to rob D

- You are basically saying they can't lift their seeding on their own, and they need help from stronger guys. Which means they shouldn't seed up

- Guys can still sit in the bunch and not work

- And follow the conclusion if many of the bunch sticks, and B and C and D ride same time. Now the seeding index is concentrated, so not sure how you can say the seeding is not impacted?

- Not trying to be the old guy, but I think when I started it took me a year to move up from Z to the seeding I am at now

- Throws actual category guys' funride out, because now competing people that's too strong

[ChrisF]

3 hours ago, BuffsVintageBikes said:

D bunch was hauling ass because the local Brackenfell chain-gang decided to have some fun. There's a number of very strong guys who train out this way lead by Arno van Wyk. The group is more commonly known as the Arno Pain Train 😄

 

Roadie or a MTB'er ?

 

 

There is a MTB'er on Bottelary that is insanely strong !!!!

[DieselnDust]

On 1/26/2025 at 3:28 PM, ChrisF said:

All considered, excellent race day.... for those that made it back by 10 ...

 

 

That lady on the Le Jeune!! 😍

pure class , steel is real 💐

[Skubarra]

3 hours ago, andydude said:

I get you. And I can see where you are coming from. And a few counter points:

- Just because person A robbed B doesn't mean it's ok for C to rob D

- You are basically saying they can't lift their seeding on their own, and they need help from stronger guys. Which means they shouldn't seed up

- Guys can still sit in the bunch and not work

- And follow the conclusion if many of the bunch sticks, and B and C and D ride same time. Now the seeding index is concentrated, so not sure how you can say the seeding is not impacted?

- Not trying to be the old guy, but I think when I started it took me a year to move up from Z to the seeding I am at now

- Throws actual category guys' funride out, because now competing people that's too strong

I would love a seeding debate but I suspect we would bore the rest of the hub to death. 

Will just say I dont particularly like the robbing analogy 😀, what we did is perfectly within the rules and imo not at the expense of anyone else. At the end of the day we are all just having fun participating in the sport we love and should not take ourselves too seriously. Some days I prefer a fast ride while helping my fellow club members over trying to negotiate the negative tactics in A (on Sunday) bunch.

When you & me started out cycling we had a road race every second weekend to improve our seeding, now there are 2 or 3 seeding races over a whole season, so times have changed and opportunities to improve seedings are limited.

I am sure anyone that wheelsucked from D at a 39km/h average for 100km in the heat and on a route including Bothmas, would be fine wheelsucking in B & C bunch at 35km/h at the next funride - so you really don't have to worry about loads of weak cyclists suddenly being over-promoted.

Edited Monday at 06:52 PM by Skubarra