Course: Volcano Flat (8 Laps)
Distance: 100km/62 mi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGAQnmRqPhQ
So with my Bushcombe Party ride a wash out today, Zwift was Plan B. My girlfriend came off nights at 6am and said it was pouring with rain. I still had 3hrs before I got up so I went back to sleep keeping my fingers and toes crossed it would clear but when I went and had a look at 8am I think it was probably worse.
grim
I’m not a fair weather cyclist but 130km in that, on my own, was plain daft, so a quick scan of Zwiftpower for an event and I found a ZHR 100km Audax at 9.15am. Perfect.
I got up and tip-toed around the house getting my gear and jumped on to pick up some Team CRYO-GEN team mates doing some training on the Jungle Circuit. I spent 15 mins with them and dropped into the start pen for the Audax. Its not a race, its an Endurance ride but with A’s expecting to average 3-3.5w/kg it was going to be tough one.
Steel bikes and an orange kit for this event
The ride started off pretty steady with a largish group of A’s and B’s establishing themselves at the front. The first lap was fine, the pace was high but comfortable. I made the mistake of playing with my Youtube chat while riding and I wasn’t paying attention and drifted some way off the back just after the start of Lap 2. I had to go deep to get back on with a sustained 5+w/kg effort. As I got back in the wheels I decided to just settle down and recover for a few laps. Each lap I was getting the featherweight power-up which I used to temper the spike in effort required on the short sharp climb into the Volcano. If you go too hard here it can fatigue you.
There was plenty of banter but you can tell when riders get tired because they go very quiet and gaps occasionally appear in the group when riding out of the tunnel or into the Volcano. With 30km left 3 went clear. One dropped back with 2 laps to go and the leaders maintained a lead of around 30-40secs until the finish. I tried to put in some big efforts with 15km to go but I kept drifting off the front and having to wait a bit. Everyone was tired. Things kicked off into the Volcano for the last time but the group came together and the inevitable sprint happened where I came 5th over the line I think. It didn’t say but it didn’t matter really. It was good work out.
Ride On!
