FTP and cycle racing.

dahat

InTheAttic wrote: »

I dunno. I've been (I'm sure like many in A4 in this day and age) coached for months and have not peaked through coaching. In fact, my fitness has gone backwards as I spent too much time training on the turbo instead of out on the roads. Nothing compares to getting out on a long endurance ride with a few hard drags where you are willing to put the hammer down. Just remember to keep the power on when you come down the drag. If you can do that, it's a good start. I think data analytics is a bit overrated in the cycling game. I'll leave that stuff to the pros.

Weekday turbo as work and winter don't allow me to train outside but I always do my Sunday spin of 100k and there is always hard efforts involved.

Mixing the two forms of training is the way to go but as you said it's all opinions.

harringtonp

InTheAttic wrote: »

I dunno. I've been (I'm sure like many in A4 in this day and age) coached for months and have not peaked through coaching. In fact, my fitness has gone backwards as I spent too much time training on the turbo instead of out on the roads. Nothing compares to getting out on a long endurance ride with a few hard drags where you are willing to put the hammer down. Just remember to keep the power on when you come down the drag. If you can do that, it's a good start. I think data analytics is a bit overrated in the cycling game. I'll leave that stuff to the pros.

Interesting, I'd usually be an advocate of short turbo and HIIT but still usually get one good 3hr+ spin in at weekends. At the race in Broadford while I was ok first time up the hill I felt there was no endurance and suffered after. Due to holidays, icy conditions and other reasons I saw that the last time I did a longer endurance spin was 5 weeks previous (even though I had been doing 3/4 good turbo sessions a week). As my endurance is usually one of my stronger areas this was a crystal clear sign that you ignore it at your peril. I do think however that once you do have a base one good endurance spin every 1-2 weeks will suffice.

837897

Any tips for a newbie to ras lumni a4 race on Sunday?

Inquitus

837897 wrote: »

Any tips for a newbie to ras lumni a4 race on Sunday?

Don't fall off, and cross the line first if possible!

Seadin

837897 wrote: »

Any tips for a newbie to ras lumni a4 race on Sunday?

Stay out of trouble and go up the road. I don't want to scare you but the circuit is lethal for crashes etc A4 field. In the 2015 race there was about 10 crashes in the race and good few of them happened in the last 1km of the race.

dahat

Seadin wrote: »

Stay out of trouble and go up the road. I don't want to scare you but the circuit is lethal for crashes etc A4 field. In the 2015 race there was about 10 crashes in the race and good few of them happened in the last 1km of the race.

I'm also heading here for my first race and have been warned about crashes here so hopefully all goes well. Probably should have picked another race but so be it.
I'm not expecting to be in the hunt at the end so I may back off if that's the case..

dahat

837897 wrote: »

Any tips for a newbie to ras lumni a4 race on Sunday?

I'll meet ya there and we will.go up the road away from all the crashes!!!

InTheAttic

Seadin wrote: »

Stay out of trouble and go up the road. I don't want to scare you but the circuit is lethal for crashes etc A4 field. In the 2015 race there was about 10 crashes in the race and good few of them happened in the last 1km of the race.

That's enough to put me off this race so! Being in the bunch for the first few kilometers at newbridge last weekend gave me a sense for how lethal being in the bunch is. But damn... it was fun!!

ht9zni1gs28crp

InTheAttic wrote: »

There is no handy setting off. These races go from the gun and you'll be sawing your nuts off. If you're not, then you're straight out the back. It's a shock to the system. Just checked strava there and the first 21km of cycleways, I averaged 40km/hr and 276 watts and I couldn't get on to the breakaway. I tried. It mustve been that TCR numpty from earlier driving it at the front!

No one in that break on a TCR :cool::D

dahat

Seadin wrote: »

Stay out of trouble and go up the road. I don't want to scare you but the circuit is lethal for crashes etc A4 field. In the 2015 race there was about 10 crashes in the race and good few of them happened in the last 1km of the race.

That bad a circuit? Is it narrow or just on bad surfaces?

Stevieg2009

InTheAttic wrote: »

That's enough to put me off this race so! Being in the bunch for the first few kilometers at newbridge last weekend gave me a sense for how lethal being in the bunch is. But damn... it was fun!!

And that turned out to be a safe race because the bunch split so quick not always the case I'm afraid

harringtonp

dahat wrote: »

That bad a circuit? Is it narrow or just on bad surfaces?

Haven't done it in a few years but from memory surfaces were good and it wasn't too narrow.

Section I never liked was the last one which is the R513 from Hospital and this is mainly because it is a busy road and with riders not staying on their own side of the line there is a lot of the concertina effect.

May well do it this Sunday

dahat

harringtonp wrote: »

Haven't done it in a few years but from memory surfaces were good and it wasn't too narrow.

Section I never liked was the last one which is the R513 from Hospital and this is mainly because it is a busy road and with riders not staying on their own side of the line there is a lot of the concertina effect.

May well do it this Sunday

That is likely the crashes section then maybe? I don't know the area so i may get there earlier than I planned and try get a proper look at the circuit.

Seadin

dahat wrote: »

That bad a circuit? Is it narrow or just on bad surfaces?

I found it narrow and you have a lot of riders taking part in the race. I did it twice as an A4. I guess all races are dangerous though and there is always the risk of crashing in any race no matter how safe it is. Ras luimni is pretty flat race though, very little climbing with it. I always remember that last part of the circuit where you take a left and up the final drag before finish line was the most dangerous of it all.

dahat

Been looking at the circuit on a a map and yes that looks very tricky. Anyone well.placed tjereust have a chance overall if the bunch is together.

Miklos

This might seem like a dumb question but if you've got your numbers pinned on and it starts raining can you stick on a gilet or jacket if they're covering up your numbers?

sullzz

Miklos wrote: »

This might seem like a dumb question but if you've got your numbers pinned on and it starts raining can you stick on a gilet or jacket if they're covering up your numbers?

No your numbers must be visable , if you wear a gilet or jacket you must make sure you have it pulled up over your numbers .

Seadin

Miklos wrote: »

This might seem like a dumb question but if you've got your numbers pinned on and it starts raining can you stick on a gilet or jacket if they're covering up your numbers?

Make sure you keep jacket up over the numbers.

sullzz

InTheAttic wrote: »

But damn... it was fun!!

And once it stops being fun you know its time to give it up .

dahat

So today was the day I made my A4 racing debut at Ras Luimni and boy was it hairy at times.

An early crash maybe 5km in then a few more through out with one particular nasty one very near the line, hope the lad is ok as he was motionless when I skipped past.

At 40km of 62km I had enough of a stop start pace in head and crosswinds so I went up the road with another lad for mayne 10-13 km which I enjoyed and if we had maybe one more it may have lasted longer. Overall a messy race with 137 A4 around narrow roads.

Normalised power came back at 323 watts from a Stages power meter, a bit shocked tbh.

CramCycle

Well done dahat, that is what A4 racing is meant to be all about, giving it socks and going off up the road. Staying away for 13km with only one other person, has to be said, a good start.

Inquitus

dahat wrote: »

Normalised power came back at 323 watts from a Stages power meter, a bit shocked tbh.

Watts/Kg is a big deal, if you can hit close to 4W/Kg then you'll do very well in A4 and end up in A3, don't know what you weigh.

dahat

CramCycle wrote: »

Well done dahat, that is what A4 racing is meant to be all about, giving it socks and going off up the road. Staying away for 13km with only one other person, has to be said, a good start.

Thanks, really enjoyed it and looking forward to more. Carrick next week but that's a whole different ball game, lumpy 80km and no one day allowed so it might be a bit more sensible.

dahat

Inquitus wrote: »

Watts/Kg is a big deal, if you can hit close to 4W/Kg then you'll do very well in A4 and end up in A3, don't know what you weigh.

Ah fat as a fool in cyclists terms, at best I'll hot 3 watts/kg as I'm 15st 9 currently but not a fat man at that weigjt if ya get me.
Once I can race respectably and be in contention somewhat this year I'll be happy, any thoughts of race wins or placing will be for 2018 I'm afraid.

Kaisr Sose

CramCycle wrote: »

Well done dahat, that is what A4 racing is meant to be all about, giving it socks and going off up the road. Staying away for 13km with only one other person, has to be said, a good start.

Second that! You are a man of your word. You don't happen to have a TCR attached to that Stages...?

harringtonp

dahat wrote: »

So today was the day I made my A4 racing debut at Ras Luimni and boy was it hairy at times.

An early crash maybe 5km in then a few more through out with one particular nasty one very near the line, hope the lad is ok as he was motionless when I skipped past.

At 40km of 62km I had enough of a stop start pace in head and crosswinds so I went up the road with another lad for mayne 10-13 km which I enjoyed and if we had maybe one more it may have lasted longer. Overall a messy race with 137 A4 around narrow roads.

Normalised power came back at 323 watts from a Stages power meter, a bit shocked tbh.

Good stuff. I remembered today why I decided to give the race a skip. Nobody hit the deck in the A3 as far as I know but on the last leg of the first lap the speed suddenly picked up over 50 km/hr. Something happened further up the line and there was mad braking and skidding. Went into the rear of the bike in front and even though somehow managed to stay on the bike, bust 2 spokes and that was end of race. The same happened a foreign (polish) guy further up the line in the same incident: he bust a front wheel spoke but also stayed on his bike.

dahat

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

Second that! You are a man of your word. You don't happen to have a TCR attached to that Stages...?

I do indeed....

dahat

harringtonp wrote: »

Good stuff. I remembered today why I decided to give the race a skip. Nobody hit the deck in the A3 as far as I know but on the last leg of the first lap the speed suddenly picked up over 50 km/hr. Something happened further up the line and there was mad braking and skidding. Went into the rear of the bike in front and even though somehow managed to stay on the bike, bust 2 spokes and that was end of race. The same happened a foreign (polish) guy further up the line in the same incident: he bust a front wheel spoke but also stayed on his bike.

Nasty little circuit tbh, A2A1 race was held up after the carnage on the A4 race.

That's a messy way to end a race but as you said at least you stayed on the bike, cross and headwinds didn't help either.

Seadin

Good power there. I Normalised at 288w in the A3 race I weigh about 76kg.

crazy_kenny

dahat wrote: »

So today was the day I made my A4 racing debut at Ras Luimni and boy was it hairy at times.

An early crash maybe 5km in then a few more through out with one particular nasty one very near the line, hope the lad is ok as he was motionless when I skipped past.

At 40km of 62km I had enough of a stop start pace in head and crosswinds so I went up the road with another lad for mayne 10-13 km which I enjoyed and if we had maybe one more it may have lasted longer. Overall a messy race with 137 A4 around narrow roads.

Normalised power came back at 323 watts from a Stages power meter, a bit shocked tbh.

Well done today. Didn't travel today but sounded like a fairly nervous a4 bunch. Pity a few others didn't join the break, may have stayed away all race.