BVC Friday - 4th and 3rd

Three races tonight: 4th in 30 lap Scratch, 1st eliminated in Elimination to Scratch and 3rd in 4x10 Points race.

In the 30 lap Scratch race I hung out at the back for the first two thirds of the race and then bridged up to the lead group with about 6 laps to go. Just got on when they ramped up the speed (52kph avg) for 2 laps. I think that was a premature move and the leaders couldn't keep it up, they slowed down to a (relatively) modest 46kph avg with 2 laps to go. I was able to get underneath and follow the fast group make their move into the last 1.5 lap sprint, got over top the slowest rider to get 4th.

Next was an Elimination to Scratch. I wasn't aggressive enough and got locked out on the first sprint...


The final race was a 4x10 Points race (40 laps, 4 sprints). My goal was to hang on for the first two sprints and see if I could do anything in the last two after the other riders started to tire out.

But beggars can't be choosers :-) After 8 laps, with 2 laps to go for the first sprint, the field (pretty much the entire group, 10 out of 14 riders..) slowed down and to a man went up to the Blue line. I was at the back of this group, just above the sprinters lane, just at the beginning of the straightway, about 40m from the finish line. So I jumped from the back underneath everyone. Weird move. But totally unexpected.

And it worked, I got a good gap (apparently about 5m). And just rode it out. Thirty seconds, average power 614 watts, max 841 watts.. Someone actually tried to get around me at the finish line with one lap to go (stupid move on his part) but lacked the power to pull over top, and I maintained the lead to get 1st in the 1st sprint..

That was several matches burnt though. I was off the back for the next two sprints. But managed to get back into the front group (3 other riders) with about 6 laps to go. We gapped the field and maintained that until the final lap. The field did bridge back up and catch us with exactly 1 lap to go, but didn't manage to get around us. I was able to get up and over one other rider and take 3rd for that sprint. Which gave me 3rd overall.