BVC Friday NIght racing - 4th and 3rd

Improving ... slowly.

The B Group did three races: 5x5 Win and Out, 30 Lap Scratch and 5x7 Points.

Surprisingly I managed to snag a 4th in the Win and Out. I was just hanging out at the back of the pack when I saw 7 laps to go... was already nice and high on the blue, well rested and the pace was a not terribly fast 45kph... Just dug in, went over and dived down in my old favorite, corner 3... big gap, just cruised to the start finish... :-)

The 30 lap scratch race DID NOT go to plan... about half way in Dave Stevens and Bart Ludbrook ramped the pace way up and the entire field fragmented into multiple small groups... I had to work my way up bridging from small group to small group. At one point having to do a almost a minute at > 50kph to bridge a big gap. To no avail. I was lapped by Dave in the last lap. With the rest of the group he was with finishing with just behind me (almost but not quite a lap up.) So I was out of the top five entirely.

In the 5x7 Points I moved to the front to get the pole position out of the neutral lap. There was some quick laps and I (luckily) ended up behind Dave Stevens at the front of the pack. After about one lap at 45 Dave just put the hammer down and started to move away from us off the front. I followed and just barely manged to get on his wheel. We got a good initial gap which grew quickly as Dave lead me around for about four laps at > 50kph... By which time we had about a half lap, he took the first sprint with me as second.

Carried through to the next sprint, I manged to nip him at the line for that. About then we where joined by Bart Ludbrook. I thought he was a lapped rider so didn't worry about him. We kept going, trading places for the next two sprints. With a couple of laps to go Dave and Bart finally finished lapping the field.

Because I thought Bart was lapped I didn't think I needed to follow and just hung back, I would have a lock on second and nothing could get me first. Bad move. Bart had actually bridged up to us. So both of them got 20 points for lapping the field while I took only 5 for being first in the final sprint. If I had just followed into the field I would have taken second. Instead I ended up with third... Moral never assume you know what you know is correct ... this of course assumes I was not so utterly whacked by that time that I could have followed... of course I could have... :-)

At least I can look forward to is Dave and Bart getting some more B races under their belt so they can move up to the A's... clearly they are already strong enough.

BVC Friday NIght racing - B Group 2nd in scratch

Well the Computrainer and weekly track interval sessions seem to be paying off.

Last night we had three races in the B Group. Elimination and then a 4x5 points race. It was a huge 21 rider start, and I just didn't really get going in the Elimination. And the 4x5 just started with an immediate acceleration to +50kmph, before I could get my heart rate up and my legs moving I was spit out the back :-) Just for fun I jumped back in and managed to stay between the breakaway riders and the rest of the field till the end of the race...

The last race was a 40 lap scratch. Much more my type of race. Started easy and built up speed. Just stayed at the back of the big field as attrition worked to my favor. Was near the front with about 14 laps to go.. David Stevens and Adam Barlev jumped off the front, I followed and got on their wheel. We had about 12 laps to go with almost a half lap gap. We took half lap pulls staying well off the front. With two laps to go we jockeyed about a bit. With David Stevens getting the best position behind and above while I was leading out (bad planning on my part...) I moved him up track by going to the blue. He went, I followed. I almost got it at the line, missed by a few centimeters.

Final sprint was about 25 seconds, 600 watts average, speed started at 43kmh, hit 59.4 and averaged 51.6.. Still not quite back to my best results last winter. But definitely an improvement of the dismal and best forgotten 2009 Fall series :-)

There was a bad crash in our first B race. With Scott Jutson, Jasmin Glasser and a couple of other people going down hard coming out of turn one. Almost taking out some bystanders as they slid across the Cote d'azur. Email from Scott today say's he is in hospital waiting to get a pin or plate for a broken collarbone. Sounds similar to my break two years ago.

BVC Friday Racing - A/B again - fast....

More AB fun... 

First was an Elimination, I got stuck at the back and didn't feel like fighting for a hole and took an early trip to the infield...

Next was a 4x10 Points race... fast.. I sat at the back and let the young guys duke it out for the

 first 30 laps, at one point about 10 laps average speed about 49km/h, then moved towards the front for the final 10 laps, average speed about 48km/h, then final sprint up to 58km/h for the finish. I think I was lapped several times by Kirk Obee and a couple of other A's and I was in the main field. The last 10 laps was fun. The main field had thinned out so there was room to move around and do something.

Last was a 25 lap Point-a-lap. Started out with a couple of warm up laps at > 50km/h... Then slowed down to a more sedate 46km/h for a few laps, then back up again... Did I mention that Kirk Obee (and one or two other A's) passed me in lap 4... my average speed until then was 48km/h. From that point it was more or less impossible to tell who or what or where the actual front of the field was... I just kept sucking it up and trying to find someone to work with to try and bridge back to what appeared to be the main field... well at least it was the next biggest group on the track.. About 6-7 laps average speed 49km/h. At that point I (me!!) started to see some lapped riders but with only a few laps to go with Kirk Obee passing by for about the 4th time I found a wheel and rode home on Anthony Kings wheel for the last two laps. 

BVC Workout - 5 minute intervals

Was supposed to do 5 minute intervals at 345 Pavg, but just couldn't get near that. Did four at about 315 or close... Really can't get the high numbers on the track (compared to TT...). Finished with a 2 minute Pavg 333.

Ran out of time, should have done at least another 2 minute and cool down.

Track closed until next Thursday. Then we get a few days before the 6-day starts on Dec 31. I don't have to race until Jan 1, and may skip that day (sprints and keirins) and just do the mass start racing starting Jan 2. I think 9 races over three days. Then a final separate Olympic event series on the last day (Saturday.)

BVC Workout - 10 sets 6on/6off

Straight forward workout today.

Six sets of 6on/6off using 51x15 (~89"). then four more sets using 51x14 (~95") gearing. The target for the "on" was 43-44kph, or L5.

I noticed while doing the first sets on the 51x15 that I my breathing was labored by the end of the set. So after doing the first four I stopped and put on my HRM. Then did two more on that gearing.

Then switched up to 51x15 and did four more sets.

There was a definite difference. The overall Pavg for the first six sets was 322 watts, and for the last four, 329 watts. Subjectively the first six where also "harder" with my breathing more labored and (I think) heart rate higher.

The difference in cadence is not huge, about 95 for the bigger gearing and 101 for the smaller.

In theory, assuming I could maintain the same force, the higher cadence should have meant higher wattage. Since wattage went down, it means that I loose a fair amount of force as cadence moves up from 95 to 100.

This may also explain to some extent the difference in wattage between the TT bike and on the track. On the TT bike I maintain a cadence around 88. If there is a similar drop (in force) from 88 to 95 that starts to explain why I find it hard to maintain the same power output on the track.

I'm hoping that I can get my leg speed up, with appropriate force, and without pushing the heart rate up, as of course that would make my track results better. As it is I can do well in the local B group as I have just enough jump, speed and endurance in the 51x14 to be competitive.

But I would get crushed by the A group. To get up their speeds would require jumping up another notch (say to 97"), but that would leave me in the dust... But on 95" I would be spinning out (due to leg speed) when they lead out 58-60kph.

BVC Workout - 3 sets 3onx3off

Track was open today, so was able to workout there instead of outdoors (cold, wet, cold, dark, cold) or on the computrainer...

Started with a good high pace warmup (dodging the guys doing motorpaced madison training...)

Did three sets of 3 laps on (> 400Pavg, L6) and 3-4 laps off. First set was on 91x14, did the reset on 91x15 (effectively 95" moving down to 89".) Trying to see if I can get leg speed up a bit (a weakness.)

Then 20 minutes L3, and cooldown.

BVC Friday - final night for Fall series

Who knew a head cold for a week equals tapering :-)

The last night of the BVC IWE Friday night series for fall 2007... double points for the last night. In strong 2nd place but trailing Tony Zachary by large amount, with a strong third place contender (Mike Sidic) snapping at my heels...

Tony Zachary 73
Stuart Lynne 47
Mike Sidic 38
Nick Berry 29
Jacob Swhingboth 28

But if I managed 1st, 7 points, times two, in all three races, that would put me past Tony, assuming he didn't finish well.

Three races:

Elimination to 15 lap Scratch
30 Lap Scratch
5x10 Points

With 17 people showing up....

I decided on the 51x14 as that has been my most successful gearing so far this year. And managed to get a good 20 minutes warmup on it. Because of my cold last week, I effectively have been tapering for two weeks. Current TSB is through the roof...

Elimination, standard tactics, get to front so I don't have to burn any matches sprinting ... had a minor problem when someone else got ahead of me after about 4 eliminations, and I got boxed in. Got to the back and went over the top to get back to the front. I can easily deal with 42-44kph leading the group. Much easier than trying to contest the back ...

The scratch portion was easy, just got to the front and on the blue with a half dozen or so laps to go, waited, Mike Sidic (I think) jumped with about 3-4 to go, went 2 laps, I just went the rest and took it easily.. Legs felt absolutely marvelous...

Next was the 30 lap scratch. Just stayed at the back for the first 20+ laps.. The front group kept trying to push the pace up, doing little sprint efforts. But the rest of the field was strong enough that it didn't split, so I was safe at the back and not doing any work. After one of those sprint efforts, when the group bunched up again I just moved over the top to the front and took over on the blue line. Waited for a lead out.

Nobody wanted to try anything, preferring to follow me when I went. With a little over one lap to go I jumped, and again easily kept ahead of the field (only 230m, 16 seconds, not long enough to fade.)

The 5x10 points race was harder. I was starting to notice some fatigue. And my bronchitis was hurting my breathing a bit... But I made an effort to contest every sprint. Figured even if I just placed in all of them, that would keep me in the top 3 as it was unlikely that anyone would win more than two..

First two where hotly contested. I only (barely) managed 3rd in each. In the next two the field was slowing down a bit and I was able to get 1st both times. But at a cost, I had little or nothing left for the last sprint, a group of about six riders took off with about a lap and a half to go and I just couldn't hang on. But 2 1sts and 2 3rds still was enough to get me 1st place.

Which in the end managed to get me enough points to get 1st in the fall series. By about 4 points. I missed it last year to Mike Roethengaler by (if I recall correctly) about 2-3 points so that was nice. And getting three 1sts on the final night was fun as well.

So, it appears that a head cold that keeps you off the bike for a week doesn't affect your legs... They just treated it like a bit taper. It wasn't until the final sprint of the final race tonight that I really had any problem keeping up. That was after contesting the first four sprints (and winning two!) Normally in a 5x10 I contest the first and possibly the second, then alternate more or less. Try and do well in at least 3. That allows me some rest between the ones I contest. But tonight I just didn't need to rest until after the first 4... And that absolutely has to do with big TSB...


Now, a little more than two weeks to go to the 6-day... and my CTL has plummeted... I think the plan is to see if we can punch in some good workouts with some intensity over the next week or so, get ATL/CTL back in line, then see what we can do for the 6-day.

For us B-Riders the 6-day is actually 8 races over 4 days for the Ominium, then a one day series for Olympic events (500m TT, Flying 200, kierin etc.) So it's hard to taper for. But still the Ominium is 1 less race than the last 3-day. And the Olympic series is at the end so doing it won't interfere with the Ominium.

BVC Workout - L2/L3

Easy workout, cold is gone but the after effects are a case of Acute Bronchitis. So no intensity to make me breath hard.

BVC Friday - 1st, last, 2nd

Strange evening... I did well in the races I don't normally do well in, and bad in my usual good races...

First race was Elimination to 15 lap scratch, 14 starters, with 7 being eliminated. I managed to get to the front. Then stayed there for the first 4 eliminations. Another young guy then went over me and I just followed him with no real competition from behind for the next 3 eliminations. Then just sat at the back until about 8 laps to go... Went to the front, stayed on the blue line to see if anyone wanted to go for it... With two to go was still leading the bunch around the blue line at 42kph... :-) So I jumped and easily took first...

Second was a 20 lap tempo race. This was tough, the dry air had given me a bad cough from the first race and everyone just opened up and pushed the pace way up... So I ended up just following around at the back the entire race... Tempo races are fun, but only if they are 30+ laps, so that the young guys get tired out (mind you there are some young girls in there as well who are pushing the pace up as well...)

Finished with an Unknown distance race. Which is really just a crap shoot. Although you can optimize your chances by sitting out for whatever time you figure is the minimum time they would ring the bell... and then move towards the front and try and stay there.. Tonight seemed to go forever... typically it's about 5-7 minutes... Tonight we where going on 8 minutes or so ... and then someone managed to do a solo crash in the home straight away... We sort of neutralized for a lap or two. I was on the front, on the blue line... Then Mike Sidic jumped, I caught his wheel and they rang the bell.. Didn't manage to get over him though. And Tony Zachary got on my wheel for third.

Finished with a cooldown just to get some TSS points... Keep ATL up...

Hopefully I'll be able to get out this weekend. But the forecast is for snow starting tomorrow afternoon.

BVC Workout - L2 for an hour

Felt the blahs all day, almost skipped going out to the track..

Went and did solid hour of L2. With a bit of up and down getting in and around the other people on the track (who where mostly doing sprint drills or at least that what it felt like...) Kept running into small bunches which slows you down waiting for a good opportunity to get around them.

One hour:

Duration: 1:01:13
Work: 865 kJ
TSS: 63.1 (intensity factor 0.786)
Norm Power: 244
VI: 1.03
Distance: 40.402 km
Elevation Gain: 105 m
Elevation Loss: 102 m
Grade: 0.0 % (3 m)
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 750 236 watts
Heart rate: 0 0 0 bpm
Cadence: 25 107 88 rpm
Speed: 11.6 49.3 39.6 kph
Pace 1:13 5:10 1:31 min/km
Altitude: 98 104 101 m
Crank Torque: 0 88.6 25.5 N-m
Temperature: 17 20 18.1 Celsius

I'm glad I went, felt much better after and now. Still feel like maybe a cold might be starting... but overall better for getting out and doing some work instead of sitting at home.

BVC Structured Workout - six on, six off, times six

Reasonably easy drill today, six laps at an easy pace, then six hard.

But felt a bit off. Either from the two days on the weekend (not long as such, but long enough compared to recent riding...) Or possibly a bit of a cold. I've had a bit of a sniffle since Sunday night and today have some unexplained back pains (I have chronic back pains, sometimes worse from riding, but these pains are in different spots...)

If I feel the same tomorrow I'll just do an easy ride.

I did the warmup on a 52x14. But just couldn't get comfortable on it. So did the workout on 51x14. That felt better. But still couldn't really get going. Did the cooldown on 50x14... I'm not going to draw any conclusions though...

BVC Friday - relegated..., 5th

Tonight was a kierin. Got first, but was relegated for coming out of the sprinters lane in the last lap. Not sure why, but I was getting a large amount of "wobble" from the front wheel... So drifted up.

Still from a power perspective it was good, felt comfortable. Was on a 51x14.

Final Sprint:

Duration: 0:40
Work: 22 kJ
TSS: 4.1 (intensity factor 1.917)
Norm Power: n/a
VI: n/a
Distance: 586 m
Elevation Gain: 0 m
Elevation Loss: 1 m
Grade: -0.2 % (-1 m)
Min Max Avg
Power: 68 825 544 watts
Heart rate: 0 162 16 bpm
Cadence: 97 126 115 rpm
Speed: 44.7 57.9 52.8 kph
Pace 1:02 1:21 1:08 min/km
Altitude: 127 128 127 m
Crank Torque: 5.9 72.2 45.1 N-m
Temperature: 20 20 20.0 Celsius

I have a Zipp 404 front wheel that I have been meaning to glue a track tubular onto.. I suppose that this gives me a good reason to get that done.


The last race was a 50 lap Scratch race. I was not really warmed up, so got to the front in the first lap and just warmed up by doing 10 laps at about 43kph. That got the heart rate up and the legs moving. But still left me 30 laps to recover.

I went back to the front with about 10 laps to go. And ended up with the race behind me as I circled around on the blue line. No one else seemed to want to go, so I made the tactical error of going... with 5 laps to go.. Which apparently was about 1 lap to early :-)

The main field kept up, and four riders went over me in the finish straight... I *almost* had enough power, but not quite enough. :-(

Final Sprint (5th):

Duration: 1:21
Work: 36 kJ
TSS: 4.4 (intensity factor 1.394)
Norm Power: n/a
VI: n/a
Distance: 1.125 km
Elevation Gain: 1 m
Elevation Loss: 2 m
Grade: -0.1 % (-1 m)
Min Max Avg
Power: 227 711 446 watts
Heart rate: 0 177 20 bpm
Cadence: 97 125 109 rpm
Speed: 44 57.4 50.0 kph
Pace 1:03 1:22 1:12 min/km
Altitude: 124 126 125 m
Crank Torque: 21.2 67.9 39.0 N-m
Temperature: 20 20 20.0 Celsius

I normally just wait for someone else to go, and then just stay on *their* wheel. I really can't figure out why I thought it would be a good idea to try it... I can do 5-6 laps and win, but only if I can get a good gap. And you just can't get a good gap if you are at the front, even going from the blue line, because everyone else is on the blue too..

BVC Structured Workout - Points-Race-Drill

Points-race-drill today. Small groups, do six laps, leaders sprints with everyone following his wheel, for one lap, he then goes to rear. Repeat.. Two sets, we had three riders, did two times through, rest and then three times through.

Finished with 10 minute L5 workout, Pavg 339.

BVC Friday - 1st, 2nd, 1st

Good night, carried through the momentum from last week. Three races, 30 lap Scratch, Elimination and 5x10 Points race.

Mandy Pointras and Jason Manning where not there tonight. Did have Alex Pope and Mike Sidic to contend with (Mike took 1st in C group last weekend, strong up and coming rider.)

Managed to keep towards the front in the 30 lap scratch and then take the win over Alex Pope.

For the Elimination burnt a match contesting Mike Sidic for the "honour" of leading the race after the neutral lap. That meant I could sit in for about the first 6-7 eliminations, just cranking over at about 45kph.. Which for me is a lot easier than sprinting at the back for each elimination (every 40 seconds or so...) Mike went over me and I had to contest one sprint from the middle, then pushed over and went to the front for the remaining (3?) eliminations.. That left Anselmo Rossielmo and (I think) Andy George for the final sprint. Anselmo had the reserves to go over me with one lap, and while I could (more or less) stay on his wheel, I simply didn't have enough to get past him. Second better than not placing (being eliminated...)


The 5x10 Points was last. And unfortunately (:-)) most of the other 18 riders spent last weekend following me around, so where mostly interested in marking my wheel.

Mike Sidic and I did manage to take 1st and 2nd in the first sprint and got a good gap. Mike is quite strong so I yelled at him to keep going and take half lap pulls. We kept off the front four about 15 laps (taking 1st for me and 2nd for Mike for that sprint) and where then joined by Alex Pope who bridged up.

The three of us then enough to contest the next sprint (I think I got another 1st) and where caught by the field about half way to the next (2nd last) sprint.

I then spent most of the rest of the race riding around on the blue, waiting for someone, anyone, to try something. A few riders did, I caught their wheel, brought the field back up. Alex got a good jump with just under 2 laps to go. I caught his wheel, but couldn't get over. Only needed a 2nd though to take 1st overall.

The 48x13 felt good. I have ordered a 52 ring, will move up to 52x14 (96.5 to 97.1).

BVC Structured Workout - Take-a-lap, 48x13

BVC Structured workout, Take-a-lap. Three sets of about ten minutes. Two "laps" in the first two sets, four in the third (we went two up, and where down from 8 to 6 riders in our group.)

Finished with a SST (Sweet Spot) session of about 10 minutes.

Peak 10min (327 watts):

Duration: 10:00
Work: 196 kJ
TSS: 18.7 (intensity factor 1.061)
Norm Power: 329
VI: 1
Distance: 7.207 km
Elevation Gain: 8 m
Elevation Loss: 10 m
Grade: -0.0 % (-2 m)
Min Max Avg
Power: 141 725 327 watts
Heart rate: 0 181 172 bpm
Cadence: 83 105 93 rpm
Speed: 37.9 49 43.2 kph
Pace 1:13 1:35 1:23 min/km
Altitude: 56 60 58 m
Crank Torque: 14.6 70.6 33.6 N-m
Temperature: 17 17 17.0 Celsius

Getting a bit better at getting out of the saddle when taking a jump. The bigger gear (lower cadence) helps.

BVC Workout - L2/L3, 48x13

Easy workout today, trying out 48x13. Mostly just L2/L3 with one hard L5 5 minute interval. Also did some practice out of the saddle easy sprints (I need to get more comfortable sprinting out of the saddle on the track...)

Burnaby Velodrome Fall Challenge 2007 - Sunday 2 1sts

Three races today. A 3x20 Points Race, Unkown Distance and 50 Lap Snoball.

Jason Manning who was killing me Friday and Saturday wasn't racing today. He had a crash late last night doing a Kierin and didn't feel up to racing today. I can say that if he had showed up today, he only needed to get a couple of 3rd/4th place finishes to maintain his lead in the Omnium points total. I would not have been able to catch him EVEN with two 1sts... and if the past two days are a guide, it's likely we would have split the two for a 1st and 2nd each again.

The 3x20 Points race was a toss up for tactics... Long enough to be good for me, but only three sprints... I needed to get two sprints so could not count on a single big effort. I worked up the group at about lap 15, then managed to lead out for the sprint... and got it. Let the second sprint go, the field was frustrated and wanted to hammer, I just sat at the back. Then for the final sprint started moving up towards the front, at which point the field started to panic as they thought I was going over the top... fat chance with 15 laps to go..

But the panic worked, as it got someone to pickup the pace, then with with about 6-8 to go and I just go on their wheel, followed and went over, I think with 2 laps to go, with a nice gap.

Unknown distance races are always just a crap shoot... you do your best, try and crack the field apart, and when the bell goes (for B groups 6-9 minutes) you hope you have a position that you can win from... The problem is that it is too short to tire everyone out, and when the bell goes everyone tries to go.... I didn't need to win it so just stayed safely to the rear. Good call as there where two different crashes, the final was two riders going down just after the bell rang and everyone tried to sprint at once.

The final race was a 50 lap Snoball. In this race you get one point for going over the line in the first lap, two for the second lap, three for the third, until finished. This makes the final laps the best as they give you the most points. There are something like 1200 points available, and in the last few laps you get 40-50 points per lap.

Snoballs, like Tempo or Point-a-Lap tend to go fast. snoballs are just faster as you get farther along. Long ones like this, suit my power profile to a T... I'm just getting warmed up and ready to do a big push when everyone else is cooked...

I hung around at the back for about the first 25 laps, then moved towards the front. Got into the pace line and just waited to get to the front. Then picked up the pace to get a small group at the front, and just swapped laps with anyone who was able to get to the front. I was happy to get every 2nd or 3rd lap as even though the pace was high, that meant I wasn't pushing enough power to be burning any matches, leaving me able to do the big jump at the end.

At about lap 42 I jumped over the top, got a gap and took 5 laps, and then got pipped at the line for the final one by Mandy Pointras who managed to bridge up and out sprint me for the final lap. I could hear her coming, but after being out there for 6 laps couldn't get much over about 430 watts for the final sprint. She was tired too after bridging and catching me.. But that was a two lap effort so she had just enough to tag on, get her breath and then come over at the finish. Very nicely done on her part.

Burnaby Velodrome Fall Challenge 2007 - Saturday night, 2nd and 1st

There where two races in the Omnium series tonight. A 40 Lap Tempo and 8x10 Points Race.

I managed a 2nd in the Tempo and 1st in the Points race. Both of these races required different tactics from yesterdays races. They where too long or had too many points that a single jump over the top would get a top placing.

In the Tempo race I managed to get 28 points versus Jason Mannings 35. There where 2 points for being first for each lap, 1 point for second. I think that was about 10 1sts. I was careful to keep my effort down to a level that I could recover from, stay with the lead group and then re-attack. I did manage to get away for a set of about 4 1sts round about lap 25. Then Jason Manning caught up and we swapped laps while lapping dropped riders (catching a dropped rider in the sprinters lane going 30ish while you are doing 48-50kph is NOT as much fun as it sounds....)

With about 3 laps to go Iona Wynter Parks and another girl bridged up and about the same time as we hit a group of lapped riders. Jason was in front and managed to find a hole through them low down, I couldn't get through the same hole and had to go over top. By the time I got over the rider I was forced to go around, Jason with Iona and partner in tow where about 6-8 bike lengths away and accelerating... I was reasonably sure at that point that a) I had a lock on second, and b) Jason had a lock on 1st, and c) that most likely the girls would get most of the remaining points anyway... so just coasted to the finish.






The Points race started with (for me) a good position at the front. I managed to control the pace and keep group down to a slow 41-42kph for about 6 laps with the rest of the pack pacing behind me, wondering when/if I'd pull up (the answer is. at that pace, only if I get bored). Eventually, as I was hoping, a strong young guy jumped over me with about 3 laps to go to the first sprint. Which of course is what I was waiting for. I just jumped onto his wheel and let him drag me to the sprint, then went over him to grab the points and then pulluped up.

A small group went by, I just jumped onto their wheels, followed and again went over to get the next sprint as well. I then rested for one sprint, but still stayed well up with the lead group. Almost got 1st for the 4th sprint (Jason Manning pipped be at the line). Then got the 5th.

Rested for the 6th and 7th. Then got to the front behind a relatively fast young guy with about 8 laps to go, I think we had a smallish gap. He managed to keep up a good pace, but was slowing significantly after about 5 laps. Then with 2 laps to go help arrived in the form of Alex Pope who went over us both with just the right speed that I could jump and catch him, but that we gapped the field. He lead me out and I went over him to take the last sprint.

Unlike the shorter races last night, which could be won with a single or perhaps two long efforts, both of the races tonight had have multiple shorter efforts, again staying within the power ranges that I could absorb and come back from quickly. Also choosing when to make an effort (get the early sprints in the points race so that I could then take a rest etc) where what made the difference.

So the end result was to put a good lock on my 2nd place overall Omnium position.

Unofficial totals:

1 - Jason Manning - 69
2 - Stuart Lynne - 54

Not entirely of the totals below that. Mandy Pointras got two thirds, and Alex Pope two fourths. Which I think gets them both up to about 30 points.

There are three races tomorrow. 3x20 Points, Unknown distance and 50 lap Snoball..I think Jason has a lock on 1st (as long as he shows up and places at all). Any of Mandy, Tony or Alex could still catch me for 2nd overall.

Burnaby Velodrome Fall Challenge 2007 - Friday night update

Just got an email from Rob McMurty who is doing the (unenviable) work of tracking all of the points, schedules etc.

The commissaries had minorly screwed up the results, but after the dust settled I was (correctly I think) placed as 2nd for the 5x10 points race.

Which gets me 2nd in the Omnium points standing going into Saturday nights races.

1 - Jason Manning - 42 pts
2 - Stuart Lynne - 27 pts
3 - Tony Zackery - 18 pts
4 - Alex Pope - 17 pts

Burnaby Velodrome Fall Challenge 2007 - Friday night 1st and placed

First night of the BVC Fall Challenge.

I did two of the three races in the B group, the feature race - 30 lap scratch; and the final 5x10 Points race. I skipped the Miss-and-Out.

There was a huge field with 21 riders lining up in the B group. In the 30 lap scratch the pace was set high from the beginning. The average speed for the first 24 laps was 46kph. Everyone was duking it out at the front and pushing the pace with really no effective result as the race kept coming back together. More than a few laps where averaging over 52kph.


I didn't want to get involved and just hung out at the back.. At about lap 20 I started moving up the field. At lap 24 I went over the top with a big jump. Got a about a half a lap gap, rode past Alex Pope who had just spent more than a couple laps off the front to get the third sprint and just rode it out to the finish 1st. I was running out of gas on the last lap, but still had a reasonable lead, so moderated my speed a bit, still maintained about 5-6 bike gap over the 2nd place rider (I'll get his name and update later from the results.) Final race speed average was 46.4kph (47kph if neutral lap excluded.)

I skipped the Miss-and-out. With 21 riders that would have meant 18 sprints (21 riders down to 3) over 36 laps.. or a sprint every 45 seconds or thereabouts.... Which is just not something I'm good at and it would mean burning too many (18!) matches... which in turn would leave me with nothing for the final race, the 5x10 points race.

The points race again started out stupidly fast with everyone wanting to get to the front and take the sprint... I again retired to the back where it was much safer and a lot less work. Dave Kosick and I kept each other company at the back. The first sprint averaged 52kph over two laps.. The second 52kph over a little over one lap. The third sprint showed that the group was getting tired, only 50 for less than a full lap!


At that point I made my way up the field. And simply went over the top to easily take the fourth sprint, getting a big gap at the same time. Iona Wynter Parks (Team Colividis) bridged up to me over two laps. And then lead me around for about five laps. I went over her with two laps to go.

Not sure what my final placement was, I took 1st in 2 of the 5 sprints. I'll update this tomorrow once the official results are in.

These results where I think my best in two years of track racing. And doubly so as I was also the oldest rider on the track tonight. I don't think any of the A riders have anything to worry about though... :-)

Tomorrow night there is a 40 lap Tempo and 8x10 Points. They should be interesting.