Prudential Ride London 2015
Discussion
j00pY said:
I'm trying to work out if this is going to be of any use, but I will have moved by then and can be close to the Leith Hill area. I'll be limited by a backpack but could hand out some stuff if people need it or have a track pump etc.
A water bottle handoff here would save carrying the best part of a kilo up Leith Hill and could also make the difference between stopping at the feed station or not for some people (#marginalgains). We could add you to Live Tracking and you'd be able to see riders approaching. 
Rolls said:
kiethton said:
I'm in the 6:06 wave, being dropped off at the Blackwall tunnel some time before...happy to meet up en-route?
3 mins before me!You're based orpington way right? (i seem to remember?)
Happy to plod down with me if you like : i'm riding to the start : from sidcup
Sounds perfect to be honest, nutritionally speaking.
I'm 2.5 hours before the start, which is kind of ideal. I'll smash some yoghurt, honey and granola down first thing and then some malt loaf about 90 minutes out. Then nothing until the initial madness has died down - probably 30-40 minutes in.
I'm 2.5 hours before the start, which is kind of ideal. I'll smash some yoghurt, honey and granola down first thing and then some malt loaf about 90 minutes out. Then nothing until the initial madness has died down - probably 30-40 minutes in.
Thanks Dizeee. We both did the lion's share of the work at the front after Boxhill so we wouldn't have managed the time we did without the teamwork. Also big thanks for sharing water after losing my bottle on the bizarrely enormous timing strips and for nursing me up the climbs. Apologies for going mental on the way down Leith Hill.
I think we got the best out of the circumstances. We pushed on at the start to try and bridge to a faster group. Then we caught the neutraliser bike we were told not to pass. Followed that at a pace that was a bit too relaxed for about 10-15km before it finally picked up. I don't think it was possible to bridge to any groups ahead. It'll be interesting to see the fly-by once people have uploaded to Strava but I suspect they'd put a decent chunk of time between us by then.
Some of the faster riders from slightly later waves came up and I'm glad they did because they were prepared to put some effort it and the tempo lifted for the 2nd quarter.
https://www.strava.com/activities/359269995
KOM off Newlands. Final sprint was very cool. Some big big crashes as the bunch wound things up through Westminster and Whitehall. Cramping hard by then and was in agony when I launched it but very chuffed with the result.
I think we got the best out of the circumstances. We pushed on at the start to try and bridge to a faster group. Then we caught the neutraliser bike we were told not to pass. Followed that at a pace that was a bit too relaxed for about 10-15km before it finally picked up. I don't think it was possible to bridge to any groups ahead. It'll be interesting to see the fly-by once people have uploaded to Strava but I suspect they'd put a decent chunk of time between us by then.
Some of the faster riders from slightly later waves came up and I'm glad they did because they were prepared to put some effort it and the tempo lifted for the 2nd quarter.
https://www.strava.com/activities/359269995
KOM off Newlands. Final sprint was very cool. Some big big crashes as the bunch wound things up through Westminster and Whitehall. Cramping hard by then and was in agony when I launched it but very chuffed with the result.
Edited by Gruffy on Sunday 2nd August 11:33
Dizeee said:
Yes it did feel fast. The first 8 miles or so from the start we furious, it was a classic case of lets push on as much as we dare but try and hold something in reserve for later etc. I had said I wasn't going to go mad until the last 30 miles, and although I didn't go nuts up any of the climbs, there were a fair few full on sprints throughout the first half to bridge gaps, get past groups and later to catch up PH's very own master descender 
I agree there was some very iffy riding and as I said to Gruffy a bit of a learning curve for me. I didn't really feel confident in any corner until the end and felt very defensive.
Saw Rolls on his Parlee - nice bike.
That bridging move at the start was funny, looking back. Made the decision to go and then, like idiots, one went left and the other right and we both soloed past the long line of riders. It felt like it was quite a bit faster too. You may have had reserves but that was 175bpm for me I agree there was some very iffy riding and as I said to Gruffy a bit of a learning curve for me. I didn't really feel confident in any corner until the end and felt very defensive.
Saw Rolls on his Parlee - nice bike.
In our bunch of 200 or so there was a broad mix of abilities and discipline. It was only among the 20 or so that rotated around the front that I felt confident in the standards. If you dropped back behind that it was dicey and then all the more risky trying to move back through them to get forwards again. Aside from that select group I found people slowed way too much for the corners so everything concertina'd up, giving lots of opportunities for things to go wrong but also making for a lot of unnecessary work to speed up again and recover the ground to the front 20 who took the corner properly.
Dizeee, you didn't go nuts up the climbs because I was sand-bagging you. It was clear you had plenty more. I appreciate the sacrifice but I'm fairly sure we were faster for it in the end. It was nice to ride with somebody of a very similar ability rather than too much faster/slower. Added another dimension to the ride.
I do love the buzz of close racing, especially the longer stuff, and I will get around to proper racing more regularly. I'm not sure when though. With hopes of riding the TCR next year I'll have different training goals. Then kids are likely the following year which will probably put racing on hold for a time.
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