Maybe the fact the top times were recorded on TT rigs are just because those that are good at TTing own TT bikes? (or have some form of triathlon background and own one from that..)

Getting close!! :)

Be good to know who from here is going to be at the SKCC boot camp. Should organise a hello/beer.

anyway it’s gonna be some wicked fun!

I’m down to 60kg now, so it’s all useful.

Your comment about A graders really confirms something to me. ALL races raced under a CA race license MUST go to a central scoring / rating repository and at open races like this, you are forced into your rated category, of course taking into account people who have been sick etc.

Interesting re: 81kg and finished top 10. I’m 60kg/5′7″ so we’ll see I suppose.

We got screwed last year by transfers and ended up parking in Maulacene, riding into Nyons, backward along the course (I’ll never forget everyone looking at us like “What le hell is going on” and gendarmes trying to whistle us to stop) then ride with L’Etape to the top, then descend down into Maulacene and drive to St Bourg Maurice for S16. Crazy times.

The Marmotte sounds AWESOME. Thanks for the heads up.

Result: down to 60kg. Bam.

We’ve been musing over where/how to attack. The false flat in the middle is interesting and a climber could lose time here IF there is a headwind. I think if you take off and take 2-3 with you and roll turns, you can win it in the first third easily.

I’ve taken off up the first 1/3 before, and been able to pace myself to the false flat and maintain a 30-35km/h speed through here to the entry gate.

It will be an interesting test of will and endurance to ignore heart race and race purely on will and body-feel, to keep up with those better, or dust off and sort out the lead group. I’ll be honest and say I hope to be in that lead group, but I could be over-judging my ability. Who knows. Depends how many solid B graders drop down I guess.

Of course, all strategy counts for nought in that one moment when your instinct must rule your actions.

It’s going to be fun, I’m getting nervous typing this!! :)

If you’re up there, we should grab a beer after. Are you racing with SKCC?

I’ve been to that point before, but never been able to quit.

In L’Etape last year up the Ventoux, I was in serious trouble as I’d done it twice in the previous two days, and we’d just done around 150km at race pace in 35 degree weather. Serious pain.

But it was a case of looking down and just pedalling. And pedalling.
The final couple of kays into the summit were horrible, and the only thing that kept me going was the horror at the thought of getting off, plus the fact I was still passing people.

The mind and your own will: are marvellous things.