SERC Falling Leaves Classic - August 22

serc

The South East Road Club announce details of the inaugural Falling Leaves Classic, which is to be held on Sunday 22nd August 2010 at 12:00pm. There are two races planned, a combined race for A2 and A3 riders, and a separate A4 race. Both will take place on an exciting new, but tough, course, which includes multiple ascents of the “New Line” hill, a climb which has featured recently in the Shay Elliot.

EUR1300 prize money on offer including EUR400 of KOH and Sprints primes.

See www.southeastroadclub.com for more details.

Route details.

Directions to race HQ.

Ryaner

Thanks. This wasn't on the CI race calendar.

fondriest

This is gonna be a tough one i know most of that route and its fairly tricky,nice touch bringing the route into the top of the main street.

Diarmuid

Ryaner wrote: »

Thanks. This wasn't on the CI race calendar.

It is on the one I have in Google Calendar?
Love the look of that course. Will have to skip the Etape Hibernia

fondriest

Diarmuid wrote: »

It is on the one I have in Google Calendar?
Love the look of that course. Will have to skip the Etape Hibernia

Should suit you anyway Diarmuid judging by the way you went up the hills in dunlavin. I'll be bringing the tow rope

Michelin

sounds interesting, fair play for puttin a new race on the calender, but just one question looking at the map, from recolection of working in arklow on occasions is the bit where it goes tru arklow not a desent with a fair few speed ramps and I remember the road to woodenbridge been of poor surface, has that been resufaced?
How long is the hill btw?

serc

Yes, its true that some of the section going through Arklow is a descent with some speed ramps (the wide flat type), but its the only option if we want to use this particular hill, which we felt was worth it when designing the route.

The drag is about 5k, but its not steep (not as steep as Dunlavin). The profile feature on MapMyRide doesn't seem to be working at the moment. I expect the race to be won and lost here however. First over the top in each race on a certain lap (to be confirmed) will receive EUR100, just to spice things up. There'll also be a EUR100 sprint prime on the finish line in each race. Again, which lap is to be confirmed at sign-on.

Regarding the road surface, its good in the direction the race will go on the Vale Rd from Arklow to Woodenbridge. Its the side of the road when going in the opposite direction that is poor. The finishing straight however is wide, straight, has a good surface, and is very slightly uphill.

n-dawg

I've been wanting to do a road race all summer and this one finally falls on a day that I'm free. Would you recommend it for a complete beginner? I don't mind hills at all so that wouldn't be a worry but would be more concerned about high speed corners in a big group... Obviously I expect to be dropped early enough but in races I'm a fighter and won't give up. Normally in training I could manage 30-35km/hr or with a group a little faster.

serc

Hey n-dawg, I'm certainly not going to discourage anyone from turning up to our race. If you're comfortable on hills, then you'll have no problems on the drag. The descent to Arklow is fast and technical in places. If you're less experienced racing in large groups, you might want to take that into account and ride accordingly. I cant think of a better race to kick off your season with though

BTW, 35km/hr on your own is a decent pace. I've done A3 open races this year with average speeds of only 37-38. If you can sustain 30-35 for any decent period alone, I wouldn't be expecting to be dropped in this race.

Anyway, hope to see you there.

tawfeeredux

I presume you'd need a licence to take part in this race? Would you have to have it arranged before-hand or is it possible to arrange something on the day? I'm not in a club yet, but was thinking of doing this unattached.

Ryaner

Diarmuid wrote: »

It is on the one I have in Google Calendar?
Love the look of that course. Will have to skip the Etape Hibernia

CI had an excel spreadsheet with all the races and that is what I've been using to pick out races but thanks for the above link.

serc

tawfeeredux wrote: »

I presume you'd need a licence to take part in this race? Would you have to have it arranged before-hand or is it possible to arrange something on the day? I'm not in a club yet, but was thinking of doing this unattached.

You can apply for a one-day license on the day when you sign on.

serc

The course route has been added to the new MapMyRide site, where the profile function is working. See here. Don't worry, it looks tougher than it is in reality. The 3D view is very cool, its a pity the area hasn't been fully imaged by Google yet.

tawfeeredux

serc wrote: »

You can apply for a one-day license on the day when you sign on.

Thanks serc, is there an race entry fee also? What sort of sum am I looking at altogether?

serc

tawfeeredux wrote: »

Thanks serc, is there an race entry fee also? What sort of sum am I looking at altogether?

The usual entry free, EUR10. I think a one-day license also costs EUR10, although I'm open to correction. You may also have to pay a refundable deposit for a race number. The commissaire will help you with all of this on the day. Alternatively, if you live in the area, why not consider joining one of the many clubs based in the south east. The SERC website has links to all of these.

tawfeeredux

serc wrote: »

The usual entry free, EUR10. I think a one-day license also costs EUR10, although I'm open to correction. You may also have to pay a refundable deposit for a race number. The commissaire will help you with all of this on the day. Alternatively, if you live in the area, why not consider joining one of the many clubs based in the south east. The SERC website has links to all of these.

Thanks serc, i'll be joining a club in Dublin soon enough I think. Just want to have a go at one race on my own first for a laugh!

paddymacsporran

so it's a A2/3/4 race- are there seperate races for the different cats. or will it be staggered?

Diarmuid

paddymacsporran wrote: »

so it's a A2/3/4 race- are there seperate races for the different cats. or will it be staggered?

Details are in the first post!

serc

Bump. Just a gentle reminder that this is taking place this Sunday. Hoping for a turnout as good as Dungarvan last week, and some of that sunshine would be welcome too. If anyone wants any details on the route or other information, feel free to contact us using the details on our website.

serc wrote: »

The South East Road Club announce details of the inaugural Falling Leaves Classic, which is to be held on Sunday 22nd August 2010 at 12:00pm. There are two races planned, a combined race for A2 and A3 riders, and a separate A4 race. Both will take place on an exciting new, but tough, course, which includes multiple ascents of the “New Line” hill, a climb which has featured recently in the Shay Elliot.

EUR1300 prize money on offer including EUR400 of KOH and Sprints primes.

See www.southeastroadclub.com for more details.

Route details.

Directions to race HQ.

fondriest

Just did a couple of laps to check out the circuit. The hill is pretty tough not so steep but the gradient is constant with no place for a breather so don't think there will be any big bunch sprints. Good long decent also but a couple of bad potholes on the left when it flatens out. Should be a good race though.

Diarmuid

Let's hope the forecast picks up

serc

Just noticed that the MapMyRide site calculates the gradient, 3.2% in this case. As Fondriest says, not steep, but long and steady at 5km.

I agree that 3 or 4 times up this should not result in a bunch sprint.

paddymacsporran

Weather forecast looking handy on here -

http://www.accuweather.com/ukie/forecast.asp?partner=accuweather&traveler=0&postalcode=arklow&metric=1

I'm a V4 and have ridden this hill, in a bunch it would be grippy, but nothing savage. Perfect for all you young whippersnapper racing snake types.....

SERC put on an excellent event, they have got the RAS coming to Gorey over the next few years hopefully - All down to the excellent organisation for the finish this year.

Should be a good event, well worth giving it a go in my view!

serc

Looks like we'll have sunshine in the south-east tomorrow.

Check here for the results tomorrow evening and on the SERC website.

Diarmuid

Looking forward to it!

Diarmuid

Congrats to The South East Road Club for running a great event today. The route was excellent. A tough long drag that would suit not just the climbers and a very safe descent. The marshalling was good and the event was well organised. I'll definately be putting it in my calendar for next year and would recommend it to others.

The A4 race was won by an unattached rider (John?). I think he's on boards. Dave from Wexford got 4th, I got 5th and I don't know the names of the others riders. However I did hit the jackpot winning a €100 sprint prime. There was a €100 for the KOH too which the winner took.

A lad from Bray won the A2/A3 race. Someone elsewill have to fill in the rest of the details.

tawfeeredux

So I headed down to Arklow this morning to have a go at racing.

I didn't really know how it was going to go, whether I'd be competitive, hang in there or get blown out the back as soon as things got serious. Felt I was going well during the last few sportives, but figured racing could be a completely different story.

As it turns out, it went well. I signed on for the A4 category, and rolled out with about 25 guys. First time up the New Line hill was at a fairly sedate pace, with things only picking up a little as we got towards the top of the hill. After an awkward turn at the bottom of the descent in Thomastown pace picked up again for a while, until it settled coming into Arklow & back out the road to Woodenbridge.

The pace dropped considerably approaching Woodenbridge, so I went to the front and had a go at stretching thing out a bit. Just as we're coming to the left turn before Woodenbridge to go back up the hill, Diarmuid from Orwell goes flying past, and after a second's panic, I remember how to change gears again & set off after him. Eventually get on his wheel about a km up the climb, and soon we're joined by a guy from Barrow Wheelers. Diarmuid takes on organising us into a quick rotation, but it takes me a while to figure out what i'm supposed to be at & I end up coming through late too often & messing it up.

So we're reeled back in, and a guy from Slaney (i think) plus Diarmuid lead us up the rest of the climb. Four of us, including a guy from Dan Morrisseys (again i'm not sure, pace was fairly high now so I was struggling to focus on anything other than hanging on), manage to put some distance between us & the main group, so we power on. I drop my water bottle at the top of the climb (note to self, 2 bottles next time...), and I sit in for a bit of the descent while I curse myself, before helping out as best I can on the run-in to Arklow. We're caught by a bunch of eight the far side of Arklow, and Diarmuid takes the sprint prime at the finish line.

Third & last time up the hill, & I find myself at the front. I stand on the pedals & without really meaning to, launch an attack. About 200 metres up the road, I begin to regret it as the legs feel heavy, but the thought of the embarrassment at giving up so soon spurs me on & when I look around, I've opened a gap & the group don't seem to be making an effort to catch me. I push on as hard as I can, & with the road getting twisty here, the group loose sight of me even though I don't think I'm pulling away too much. With a KOH prize of eur100 at the top of the climb, I keep the hammer down as much as possible, but the climb seems to be about 5 times longer than it was the first two times we went up it! I get to the left turn where I can see the last stretch ahead of me & with a little tailwind now behind me, I get out of the saddle & make it to the top. Petrol paid for at least.

My water bottle is still lying on the road where I dropped it the last time around, & I gratefully pick it up, take a few slugs & with still no sign of the chasers, start into the descent. It's only when I get to a small climb around halfway to Arklow that I see the chasing group, & as I struggle up the couple of short climbs on the outskirts of Arklow, I figure I'm going to get caught. But, on the twisty road out of Arklow, I look around a few times & they're nowhere to be seen. So I put it in the biggest gear I can cope with, put the head down & force my cramping legs to keep going.

The group come into sight a couple of times on the longer stretches, but at the 1km to go sign, I can't see them & I start to think the win could be on. 300M to go sign & still can't see them, look up the road & see the finish line, look back around & they're behind me! Holy sh*t! But then realise they're too far back, I'm going to make it. Barely manage to get my arms in the air for a victory salute at the line & can only manage a grimace of exhaustion for the cameras. The guys in the sprint behind catch up with me less than 50 yards past the finish.

Waited at the finish to help with taking places in the A2/A3 race & chatted with some of the guys (Eamon & Mark are the only names I can remember now) from the chasing group. They thought they had me when they saw me looking around a few times outside Arklow, but possibly nobody wanted to take it on enough & I just sneaked away. 3 lads had broken away in the A2/A3 group with a guy from Bray Wheelers taking the sprint.

So back over to Woodenbridge where coffee & sambos were laid on in the hotel prior to the presentations. I'm kicking myself that I didn't start doing this before now, but as it could well be the first & last time I pick up some winnings, I'm going to indulge myself now with some carbs & alcohol. Mite be wrecked at work tomorrow, but it'll be a contented type of wreckedness.

Congrats to the South East Road club for putting on a great event. Marshalling was superb & using the hotel as the HQ worked great. Not sure how it compares to other races, but if they're all like that, I can see how you'd get hooked on the racing. Nice to talk to Diarmuid after the race, hopefully we'll renew rivalries again next season! And to anyone still thinking about racing, I'd say go for it. It's great craic (ok, i would say that now), you'll meet some cool people & see some nice parts of the country (though you may not have time to admire scenery much:rolleyes:).


Edit: apologies for the long post, got a bit carried away with myself!

serc

Hi Diarmuid,

First of all, well done on your 5th and your sprint prime. A nice little earner for 2 hours work.

I'm glad you enjoyed the course. From where I was sitting (in the lead car) it looked damn tough. I'd say there wasn't much chat in the bunch during the climbs. Thanks for the feedback. I'd be interested to hear from others who rode today. We already know what we need to fine tune for next year to make it even bigger and better but if there's any other feedback, we'd welcome it.

The feedback from the commissaires was that it was a great course and I think that made for high quality racing today. Its definitely a race that will be (and was) won by the best there on the day. The A2/A3 break rode a clever race in sharing the primes. Fair play to them for staying away, especially with the bunch thundering down on them in the last 2k.

The results are:

A2/A3

1……Derek Cunningham – Bray Wheelers
2……Wes Murphy – Dublin Wheelers
3…….Brian Hallissey – Dungarvan CC
4…….Richard Hooton – Kanturk CC
5……..Anthony Doyle – unattached
6…….Thomas Lavery Comeragh CC.
First unplaced A3 – Maurice Dore – Bray Wheelers
First unplaced SERC….. Anthony Mills

A4:

1……..John McCormack – unattached
2……..Brian Cullen – Barrow Wheelers
3…….Mark Gunning – Waterford Cycling Club
4…… Dave Allen- Wexford Wheelers
5……..Diarmuid Collins – Orwell Wheelers
6……..Denis O’Brien- Barrow Wheelers
First unplaced SERC – Stephen Furlong

Race report is on the SERC website.

John.

Results now posted on Irish Cycling too.

serc

Hi tawfeeredux,

First of all, well done on the victory. I was with the A2/A3 race but heard on race radio of the legend who stopped on top of the climb to pick up a bottle then powered on for a solo victory. That must be a great feeling to win a race in that manner.

Thanks for the feedback on the race, now enjoy the sweet taste of victory for a few days.

Congrats and see you again next year.

John

King Kelly

Well done tawfeeredux.

Great ride - epic when you add stopping in a break to collect your water bottle!

I've posted some pictures on http://www.slaneycyclingclub.com/ Should be on Irish Cycling later.

tawfeeredux

serc wrote: »

Hi tawfeeredux,

First of all, well done on the victory. I was with the A2/A3 race but heard on race radio of the legend who stopped on top of the climb to pick up a bottle then powered on for a solo victory. That must be a great feeling to win a race in that manner.

Thanks for the feedback on the race, now enjoy the sweet taste of victory for a few days.

Congrats and see you again next year.

John

Cheers serc. It's a good feeling alright. Definitely I'll be back next year. Should be an even better turnout next time, the race deserves it. Well done on the inaugural edition.

fondriest

Well done tawfeeredux on a good win and well done to south east road club for putting on an excellent event.

serc

Photos of yesterdays races, courtesy of James Forde, are now available on the SERC website.

velo.2010

Well done Tawfeeredux. Cracking effort in your first race. Beats my 4th place up Sally Gap on my first race. Shamed I didn't get to this but lacking own transport ATM.:(

See you next year!!!
BTW that was you was it with Dirk up front at the Orwellsportive?

tawfeeredux

velo.2010 wrote: »

Well done Tawfeeredux. Cracking effort in your first race. Beats my 4th place up Sally Gap on my first race. Shamed I didn't get to this but lacking own transport ATM.:(

See you next year!!!
BTW that was you was it with Dirk up front at the Orwellsportive?

Thanks velo.2010. I think I was in the second or third group at the Orwell, never got to the front due to falling off my bike at one stage:rolleyes:.

Going by your result on Sally Gap, I'd say you'd have relished this one. Lovely climb in the middle of it. I had spare capacity on the bike rack heading down to Arklow on Sunday, possibly should have posted here beforehand offering a lift if anyone was interested. Though if you had got a lift & then beaten me in the race, you'd have been cycling home!

Michelin

Someone was telling me yest that at the presentation, while many others where sitting around, sipping their recovery drinks and and toppin up their lost litres of water, the winner of the A2 could be seen downing pints of bulmers! Is sipping rec drinks and behaving like ur a pro really nessesary in irish amateur races or are we takin to too seriously? Maybe we should be celebrating like this lad.

campag

Hi. Long time lurker here, but registered to leave my feedback on this race:

Positives:
Super course, good mix of terrain, safe, but still tough. Some thought was definitely put into the route. Long drag, fast descent, urban section, flat super fast safe finish
Great start location at Woodenbridge. Beautiful scenery, ample parking, toilets. Spectacular view of Arklow and the coast on the descent if you were brave enough to take a glimpse.
Well marshalled, with marshalls are most of the major junctions. Felt safe on the bike, especially on the descents.
Great prize money for a one day race. Primes were a nice touch and would like to see more of this.

The only very small problem was with traffic at the roundabout in Arklow. Could probably have done with a few extra marshalls there.

Having said that, the overall result of the A2A3 race would not have been affected by anything that happened here.

Well done to the south east rc. Great effort for the first running of the event. I'll definitely be back next year.

campag.

Slideshowbob

Michelin wrote: »

Someone was telling me yest that at the presentation, while many others where sitting around, sipping their recovery drinks and and toppin up their lost litres of water, the winner of the A2 could be seen downing pints of bulmers! Is sipping rec drinks and behaving like ur a pro really nessesary in irish amateur races or are we takin to too seriously? Maybe we should be celebrating like this lad.

Hmmmmm maybe he was not setting the best example if this is the case

Anyway you making it sound like he has a booze problem. He could have just been enjoying a refreshment

Arnt protein shakes supposed to be good after a race anyway?