Hugh Trenchard

Also known as the “hilly crit” (criterium), this course of about 2km in length features one steep, painful and unforgiving 500m hill in the middle. I won this race once a few years ago, but have also been spat out the back and sat on the sidelines dejectedly. It is a race that does not allow one to hide a lack of climbing fitness, fatigue or overtraining. Good climbers will generally do well, but a mediocre climber with good anaerobic fitness and recovery can also do well.

Originally slated for 20 laps for the A group and 16 laps for the B group, this was reduced to 18 for the A group and 14 for the B group, given the fairly small turnout. There were only about 10 of us in the A group, and about 15 in the B group.

The first lap was comfortable, but by the second lap the pace had quickly become quite uncomfortable. On lap three I took a pull up and over the top and could feel my rear tire becoming squishy. The course road surface was recently chip-sealed and is now very rough. Others also experienced flats. When my flat occurred, the group had already been reduced to five and it would have been disappointing to have to quit due to a flat so early in the race. Fortunately I was able to ride the flat with the front guys until the start line where I was able to take a free lap, and a nice fellow loaned me a rear wheel.

Jumping back in a few seconds after the leaders went through, and chasing back to them, the next few laps saw the lead consist of me, Andrew McCartney (who also rode the A race on Sunday), Kenyon Campbell, a young up-and-coming guy – light, very light, and a great climber, but who also held his own in the criterium on Sunday. For a short time a fourth fellow was there, but he dropped off at about lap 10.

After we lapped the B group, and with two laps to go, Kenyon attacked up the climb. I struggled to stay with him, as did Andrew, it seemed. However, that effort put me over my lactate threshold and, while I stayed with them until the last climb, I was not able to match their last effort to the finish. Andrew took the win, showing some fantastic strength on the hill, while Kenyon was second, to my third. Brett Boniface (Campione-Ratcliff) came in 4th and David Hilhorst (Schwalbe) in 5th. Full results at www.duanebc.com

Most of the Victoria Cycling League (VCL) races occur on Wednesdays. Occasionally there are exceptions, and yesterday was one of them. Oak Bay Bicycles hosted the Windsor Park criterium in the heart of Oak Bay on a sunny Sunday morning. The course around the park is about 1km in length, is pan flat and fast.

The format of VCL races is for two groups to race separately: A group and B group. Licenced Category 1, 2 and 3 riders generally comprise A races, although strong Category 4 riders may ride them. Category 4 and 5 and unlicenced riders comprise B races. The A race was 50 minutes plus 2 laps in length, a fairly standard length for a criterium. I believe the B race was 35 minutes.

Lacking top-end speed and technical pack savvy, I’m generally a poor criterium rider, although I have managed the odd top 5 result in criteriums, in VCL or even the odd B.C. sanctioned race (B.C. Cup or equivalent), but they are few in number. While top end speed and pack savvy are important in criterium riding, criteriums are also about the ability to recover rapidly between repeated over-the-threshold efforts. Good criterium riders possess that very fast recovery. Occasionally I discover that I have it as well.

The A race of 15 to 20 riders included the likes of Bob Cameron (IRC), Scott Martin (Oak Bay), Vaughan Hildebrandt (IRC), Maurice and Chris Worsfold (Glottman Simpson), Alistair Howard (Kona-Adobe), Don Gilmour (Schwalbe), Emile de Rosnay (Organic Athlete), Matt Dilay (IRC), Dave Shiskoff (Organic Athlete), Andrew McCartney (Pacific Sport), Kenyon (Fort St.), and others. It was a small field, but all accomplished racers with impressive lists of provincial, national and international results over the years.

Breakaway attempts began nearly immediately, each one threatening. Different combinations were tried: Bob was off on his own for 2 and half laps, Don Gillmore (my team-mate) and another were out; Vaughan and another, and other combinations. I also found myself at the front a few times early on, chasing or keeping the pace high.

Two thirds into the race, after Scott Martin and another were off the front on a very dangerous breakaway and some high-speed chasing with gaps opening everywhere, I counter-attacked just as those two were brought back. The efforts were taking their toll on the riders; my attack well-timed. Very quickly I put nearly 30seconds on the group. I was twisting myself to hold the pace into the difficult headwind along the backstretch, but that was where I was going to make time if anywhere, I knew.

After over 10 minutes out front, holding the 30 second gap, I could hear people from the side shouting that someone was chasing and that he and I should work together. Alistair Howard, whose brother Malcolm is off to the Olympics as a member of the mens-Eight rowing team, was crossing the gap. With about 7 minutes to go, he caught me. We worked together: he pulled up the windy stretch, I pulled down the long tailwind straightaways. Somewhere behind the pack was bearing down on us.

With two laps to go, just after my pull, Alistair attacked up the windy stretch. I was nearly spent and couldn’t grab his wheel. He opened 5- 10 seconds through the last lap and to the finish for a well-deserved win, and I was elated with my second place effort. My recent racing, as well as my recent training in Whistler is paying off with some good fitness for me.

Emile de Rosnay took third, the day after a 5″06 4km pursuit time on the track on Saturday. Raising his hands at the finish, he thought he’d won, as had not seen Alistair or me slip away earlier. Don Gillmore was unfortunately out with a mechanical in the last few laps — although I understand he made up for it by decimating the entire field in the Deep Cove masters race in the afternoon, which I missed . Chris Worsfold took fourth with Bob fifth.

[May 21 update - Peter Kerklaan in the 60-64 age group won the Deep Cove Masters race, while Don was second, but Don had made up nearly 15minutes on Peter]

The Canadian paralympic downhill ski team is presently in Whistler for a dryland training camp, from last Wednesday to this Sunday. As cycling is one of their main training activities, Carly Grigg, 2010 Whistler bound, and visually impaired, had asked if I could pilot her tandem bicycle, as her regular pilot was unable to attend.

With my travelling and accommodation expenses covered, I thought it would be a great opportunity to learn about the elite levels of paralympic skiing, as well as to get some of my own training in addition to the tandem riding, and to enjoy the Whistler experience. So here I am.

The skiiers had all taken two weeks off after the completion of their season, and this training camp is designed to build some aerobic fitness and basic muscle strength. The athletes have arrived from various locations across the country, with a large contingent from Quebec, and so I am adjusting to being surrounded by plenty of Quebecois French. I am rooming with Arnoud, from Montreal, who is the ski guide for Vivian, visually impaired and from Edmonton, though also originally from Quebec.

Three coaches, one physiotherapist/trainer, one nutritionist and an intern are assisting the athletes, about a dozen in number, all of whom are being monitored very closely for weight changes, blood lactate levels, and heart-rates.

On the first day I attended the group weight-training session to get a sense of the group’s routine for the week, and in the afternoon was their first training ride.

Carly and I had ridden together only once before and did not have an opportunity to test ride the bike before arriving, so some adjustments were required to the bicycle set up. The first few pedal strokes were awkward and the first 180 turn saw us go up onto a curb onto a dirt boulevard where Carly scraped her leg against some bushes. My fault! Fortunately the riding has gotten better since then.

In any event their first ride was a 1.5 hour easy ride on the flats near Pemberton, about 35km north of Whistler. The Pemberton valley area is stunning, with horses and cows scattered among the valley flats and a backdrop of majestic mountains.

That day, Wednesday, I managed to get another hour in on my own bike after we returned. Later was dinner, and the group seems to prefer communal dinners rather than going out – understandable on tight budgets and after fatiguing training.

Yesterday, Thursday, rather than attend their morning weight training session, I chose my own ride from the hotel/condo unit called Legends, where we are staying, into Pemberton, past a village called Mount Currie for a few more km before turning around for the ascent back to Whistler and about 100km in total.

In the afternoon the group did 7X45 second sprint intervals on the bike (some on wheel chairs), while a couple of them completed the workout as running intervals. This was also a good workout for me after my 100k in the morning.

Today, the group did no weight training, and the ride was about 1:45, also in the Pemberton valley. After returning I rode another 2 hours, toward Squamish and back. The road is not the safest at the moment, as there is a lot of roadwork in preparation for 2010. However, it has given me an opportunity to see the road in transition, as there are parts that are newly paved, and others that are lined with road construction equipment and workers. There is a sense of urgency about the work – much drilling and crushing of gravel and big trucks, and bodies in hard-hats.

The weather has been quite cool here in Whistler, with max temperatures hitting 9 degrees, but only for a few short hours in the middle of the day, before and after which the temperature has been colder. Pemberton is a bit warmer. A 2hr ride in cold weather tends to feel much longer, and my own 2hr ride this afternoon could not have been finished soon enough.

I think tomorrow will be more intervals on the tandem, and hopefully I can get another hundred km in or so in addition.

The Maple Bay 65km Masters race was held yesterday under sunny skies and temperatures warm enough for shorts and sleeveless jersey. The course was a 16km rolling loop on roads in and around Maple Bay, just north of Duncan, completed four times. With the Australian pursuit format the time gaps for the age groups were as follows: 70+ first; 60-69 left 6 minutes back; 50-59 five minutes further back (11 minutes back in total); 40-40, four minutes further back (15 minutes back in total); the 30-39 a further 3 minutes back (total 18 minutes back).

There were 14 of us in the 40-49 group and about the same number in the 50-59 group, and a few less in the 30-39 group. There was some solid firepower in the 50s group and, although our group proved to be stronger, we did not catch the 50s by the finish. We gained about 3 minutes on them in the end, and took an additional three minutes out of the 30s.

Gerry van Gaans of the 50s group was the overall winner, while Bob Cameron took our group sprint and the fastest absolute time on the day (1hr 39 for us versus 1:42 for the 50s group and 1:42 for the 30s). Eric Rayson was the top 70+ rider, David Mercer the top 60+ rider, while Conny Strub was the top female (of two in total – Rhona Lettau being the other). Scott Martin, recently back from training in Arizona, was the top 30s rider.

In our group I began attacking very soon after the first significant climb on the course, about half way along the loop. At 65km, the total course was not long. The only real hill was also fairly short, the steepest part being about 400m, with another 500m of false flat. As a result there was little time to waste in attempting to tire the group or to break away. The last time I did this race I managed to escape clear of the group of 30s (my category at the time) and the 40s, whom we had caught, and just missed catching the 50s ahead. So, I knew what the best strategy was for me on this course. Essentially against Bob’s fearsome sprint, the only chance I have against him and other sprinter-types (almost everyone can outsprint me!) is to attack and get away well before the finishing sprint.

So, very soon into the race, I deliberately began to disrupt the rhythm of the group while also keeping the pace high; my strategy being to create gaps and fatigue the others by forcing them to chase as much as possible. I could almost hear silent, but collective name-calling when I commenced this tactic, since ordinarily during the first half of a Masters race, an organized paceline is established in order to catch the groups ahead. My strategy was risky, as it requires continually being at the front and forcing the pace and creating gaps and, as such, is highly fatiguing. One has to be in very good condition to wear down a whole group of riders, but because I am a poor sprinter, it is a risk I must take if I have any hope of winning.

I had the added disadvantage of having no team-mates to assist me, as I am with a different club this year (Schwalbe). Bob had Rob Breathet and Steve Munro to assist in chasing breakaway attempts (IRC members) and to effect counter-attacks, which they both did very effectively. There were other individual riders, though, including Tom Stewart, who had just won the hill climb the day before, and a few riders from Vancouver. So the possibility existed that self-organized alliances could form to counter the IRC team strength, but in the end no effective ones really materialized.

In any event, with my multiple attacks and other tactics (like very quick pulls and rotations) to force fatigue, on the day nothing quite worked. Tom attacked on the final climb taking me with him. We put about 50m on the group, but the remaining five or six riders clawed their way back. Rob B counter-attacked; I went after him.

This was potentially a winning move since Bob (Rob’s team-mate) was unlikely to chase, forcing the others, who were not as strong as Bob to bridge the gap. I had nearly closed the gap when a truck forced Rob to slow up at a roundabout with three km to go, as it did me, giving everyone else a chance to catch back on. And so it was destined to be a group sprint, my nemesis. I gave it one last ditch effort and expended my last ounces of energy to escape clear with 1km to go. I put about 30m on the group and held it to 400m when I could give no more and my legs locked up. A desperate glance to my side and there was Bob hauling the train past me like I was standing still. At that point, I barely made it across the finish line.

I was happy for making a race of it, though. I tried everything and gave it everything on the day. Bob took the day with Tom second (in our group), and a hard-earned effort for everyone, since it was a hard course and a decent finishing time. A fun, hard day, for everyone.

Today was the third of the Masters Association races, being a 9km (approx) hill climb starting from the base of the descent into Shawnigan Lake, snaking back up 2/3 of the way toward the highway, before a right hand turn where the incline tilts yet further upward toward a new subdivision.

The course is advertised as 9km, although some of us are wondering if it is a bit shorter. Much of the course, especially the last three km, is quite steep and, with Tom Stewart’s finishing time of 19:57, it seems it might be a bit shorter than 9km. I was second on the day in 20:26 after Tom powered away from me in the last 1.5km, while Kerry White and Wendell Challenger, both from Vancouver (I believe) were fourth and fifth respectively in 20:47 and 20:48.

Results posted by Duane Martindale

Earlier, Brett Boniface and I met in town to ride to the race start – me for the race, and he for some company, a training ride and to watch the race unfold. I reasoned that four layers of clothing would be sufficient to keep me warm, even if it was raining. However, after riding out in cold rain and fog along the Malahat to the start, and after the descent into Shawnigan Lake, there was little I could do to keep warm in the minutes prior to the start. As the organizer finally gave the pre-race low-down, I was shivering so much that I began to think that if the race commenced even one minute later I would descend into hypothermic shock.

The start was fast as Wendell Challenger took the pace out quickly. Tom, myself and Derek Tripp hopped onto the back. While the pack of 18 riders thinned behind us. I was hoping for a slower start, but I also wasn’t going to let them ride away while I tried to warm up. Admittedly, I sat on Tom’s and Wendell’s wheels as much as possible, although I nearly lost contact when I couldn’t switch gears with my frozen left hand and was forced to reach across my bars to grab the leaver in a somewhat contorted fashion. Fortunately I was able to get back on.

While my body obviously warmed on the way up, even by the finish I still felt mildy hypothermic. Brett and I thought it prudent to hightail it home pronto, so we didn’t stay of the awards. Brett was kind enough to loan me another jacket and some gardening gloves for the ride home. A fun day, but I sat in the shower for half an hour afterward and drank several cups of hot water. Then, as my body thawed, a nap was in order, and I awoke with very heavy legs. So, we’ll see how that bodes for tomorrow’s 65km race in Maple Bay. The weather is forecast to be somewhat improved!