2018 ROAD RACES
Results/details from Surrey League Road Races can be found here on Facebook
and there is now also a new Surrey League website
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Results/details from Southdown Velo Goodwood Series can be found here
WEDNESDAY 11 JULY
SURREY LEAGUE VETS SERIES #11 DUNSFOLD HORSHAM CYCLING 30 miles |
Dom Maxwell: Very unhappy after being brought down by another rider.
I can confirm that it's very painful but nothing is broken. Lost a lot of skin. Have a groin strain and a Mike O'G size lump on my hip. I'm still really angry about it.
I was just rolling in for about 30th behind the bunch and some absolute dick was sprinting for 29th place and just took me out. No excuse as there was plenty of room, I was in a straight line and bunch was up the road. And worse they didn't fall off so they will probably do it again until they break something. My skin suit is in bits. Got good use out of that (not). Need to check over the bike. I can't walk very well due to the groin strain so might be a few days before I'm back on a bike. There is no glory for 30th at the vets. Completely unnecessary. |
THURSDAY 5 JULY
SURREY LEAGUE HANDICAP SERIES #11 LAUGHTON BRIGHTON EXCELSIOR CC 27 miles |
Dom Maxwell: 4th place
We chipped off with the 1st group of 4. Lost 2 on the 1st lap but Nick was really strong and we worked hard together until just before last lap and he got a puncture.
The peloton was closing in and a Brighton junior chipped off the front and towed me up the hill. Got short shrift when he showed me the elbow. Then another 4 came across and I just sat on until the finish and managed to overtake 1 to the line. Very good. Chuffed to bits. Doubled my points tally again. |
SUNDAY 17 JUNE
LVRC A/B HOG HILL 26 miles |
Dom Maxwell:
A great race. I tried to pop off at the end but was chased down.
I'm chuffed to bits with the 353 watts normalised power. Really hitting form. Still not up there with the top 3 but not far behind. I'd much rather have a dig than finish in the middle of the pack on an uphill sprint. By far the most power that I have put out in a race. But the hill on every lap helped to boost that figure. |
WEDNESDAY 13 JUNE
SURREY LEAGUE VETS SERIES #7 DUNSFOLD HORSHAM CYCLING 30 miles |
Dom Maxwell:
I got in an early break and then everything got chased down. Feeling a bit tired at the moment. Will have another day off tomorrow and back on the race bike Friday. Did today on winter bike as I had tyre issues.
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SUNDAY 10 JUNE
LVRC HOG HILL |
Dom Maxwell:
Completed hog hill. LVRC. Hard crit circuit with a big hill in it. You do the hill four times. Felt okay. Hard racing throughout. Didn't have enough zip in my legs for a break and completely balls up the sprint. I'm never going to be a sprinter. It's break or nothing.
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THURSDAY 7 JUNE
CAT E/1/2 CASTLE COOMBE 30 miles |
Gavin Ash (finished in the bunch)
Big crash on the 1st lap. Mostly sponsored riders in the field tonight. Felt like I should have stuck crisps and chocolate wrappers on my skinsuit to fit in. Anyway it was very team orientated. I got in some early breaks but everything was chased down. I then went to the rear out of the danger zone for a bit and 12 got away. I tried to sprint off the front to catch them but the bunch kept chasing me down. It's a good circuit but you need to stay at the front and follow everything that goes
I tried to get to the front on the last mile but when I did get to the front with a lap to go, everyone sat behind me and when I swung right, it was strung out and I couldn’t get back in plus I was on the right for the sprint and people were leaking off across me. Can’t see anyone that put out more average watts then me in that race. Worrying! |
WEDNESDAY 6 JUNE
SURREY LEAGUE VETS SERIES #6 DUNSFOLD MORVELO BASSO RT 30 miles |
Dom Maxwell (placed 8th)
A great race tonight. I went in the early break and wish I that hadn't. It nearly killed me. We got caught and then sat in. There was a big crash and some fella in a neck brace on the ground for the rest of the race. I only just avoided the crash and had to swerve and nearly stop to miss flying bikes and people. So I then had to chase the bunch to get back on and was knackered. Then a break of at least 8 went. In the final lap I tried to break got caught after which I had another pop and 350w ish for a lap to finish ahead of the peleton. Hopefully at least 10th and my first point. 🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞
580 watts 1 min : 379 watts 5min : 315 watts NP. |
WEDNESDAY 16 MAY
SURREY LEAGUE VETS SERIES #4 DUNSFOLD EPSOM CC 30 miles |
Dom (placed 31st):
I felt great tonight. Not sure if it was the really hard Sunday/Monday or the rest day yesterday or the extra calories yesterday but felt best I have this season. 2 riders got away early. Didn't even see them go. I sat in the bunch and did only 1 or 2 attacks until 1.5 laps to go and then attacked and got away. Tried to keep north of 325w. Then was caught by another rider who is really strong and we 2 upd. Really hard to work but he gave me loads of encouragement. On the final straight I was done. Just tried to hold his wheel and he pulled away in a head wind!!! (It's a chap called Dave larcombe. He's 50's+ but super strong. I couldnt hold his wheel in a headwind! I had just turn a decent turn though.) The bunch came past me with about 60 metres to go. I would have been 3rd in the 40's. Just not enough but really enjoyed it and the best race this year. Last big training tomorrow and then it's rest and race so hopefully the form will continue to come. |
SUNDAY 20 MAY
SURREY LEAGUE CAT 2/3 MILLAND HILL VC MEUDON 64 miles |
Gavin (placed 24th):
It was okay. Very hard after the hill to the end of the dual carriageway. I was leaving everyone on the hill but I wasn’t as good on the steep part as I had to sit when everyone was standing. Nearly got a DQ for throwing something in the bushes but I had all of my gel packets in my shorts and it was water that I got rid of before the finish. |
SUNDAY 20 MAY
SURREY LEAGUE CAT 3 MILLAND HILL VC MEUDON 57 miles |
Dom (placed 29th):
Milland hill 2/3. Lovely morning. And a very tough course. Milland Hill had a 25% climb and you have to do it 7 times. And if you are larger framed it hurts. The rest is okay. Few pot holes dotted about. But it's all about the hill. Thrilled to say I managed to stay in the bunch until the end. Very pleased with how I managed the hill. Getting to the front and sliding back. Was about 430w for 2 mins each time. Horrible. Very pleased to see the end of the race and very pleased to have kept in the bunch after loads got shelled. Not a target race but a very good training session. |
FRIDAY 18 MAY
PRESTON PARK CAT 2/3 |
Dom:
About 15 riders turned up for the Preston park 2/3 including some young ones from SDB and project 51. It was hard from the off and breakaway went with 5. I just have not got the anaerobic capacity to stay with them. So there was a fast bunch and a 'slow' bunch which was still fast. The slow bunch got lapped once. And then it all went to hell on the final lap as the fast bunch were finishing and mixing with the slow bunch were in the penultimate lap. The marshals should have been shouting "keep right for the whole lap" but there was just silence. So there was almost a crash and some accelerated some didn't. I just sat up and came almost last apart from 1 or 2 that got spat out the back. A very good work out. But 8pm in a Friday night is a commitment. Will do the handicap on a Thursday given the choice. I have never gone well on AC races so let's hope Milland Hill is more fun on Sunday. |
THURSDAY 17 MAY
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Gavin:
Another decent race. I was in the scratch. Quite a big field today. Caught everyone apart from the lead group before lap 3 of 4. On the last lap I chased down 2 Crawley guys that had gone off the front but unfortunately bringing the field with me. Finished top ten in the bunch but not sure how many were still in the first group off. |
WEDNESDAY 16 MAY
SURREY LEAGUE VETS EVENT 3 DUNSFOLD IMPERIAL RT 30 miles |
13th place for Dom:
Vets. Windy night. Felt pretty tired after 2 full in sessions Monday Tuesday and race Sunday. Tried to go with the big boys but not enough power. Break went. Then another one. Managed to bridge to the 2nd break on last lap but they were knackered and sat up. Big head wind for the sprint. Think finished in top 15. Now having a think about racing tomorrow or may go for a recovery ride ready for Preston Park on Friday. |
TUESDAY 15 MAY
SURREY LEAGUE GOODWOOD CAT 3 |
Bad luck for Ollie Lane as through no fault of his own, he is brought down in a crash and then hit from behind near the end of the race.
Two other riders were affected and this is the view of Andy Langdown: Shame about the shocking bunch riding skills shown by some of the racers that caused the crash on the last lap. I won’t list the numbers - you know who you are boys. If you can’t hold your line round the bends or the speed in the bunch, don’t race. Alternatively, go & do an accreditation course and learn to appreciate how to ride safely in a group. We all have day jobs to go to and do this for fun. I hope the young lad from WECC whose front wheel was taken out is ok, likewise the guy from ASL. My cuts & bruises will heal but a (probable) cracked rib will keep me away from racing for a while. It was on the uphill straight before the last bend. Some twat veered across 4 riders - missed everyone by sheer chance - then pretty soon after one rider sat up, caused someone else to veer off line. He took out the front wheel of the guy in front of me & I had nowhere to go other than up and then swiftly down! |
FRIDAY 11 MAY
DUNSFOLD PARK CAT 4 SERIES #2 HORSHAM CYCLING 30 miles |
12th place for Nik (in his second ever road race) :
It was great fun tonight and I can highly recommend it. Firstly there were no crashes. Quite breezy evening, few early faux attacks (more leg stretchers really) with peloton quashing it straight away. A couple of guys rolled off the front with shouts of leave em they do it every week!!!! A few of us chased it down and a attack over the top left 4 guys to run away at pace. Now I'm new, getting that in now!!! The slow riders and the bullshit pros cried foul as the pack wasn’t bringing them back. They got what they deserved. A group of 7-8 went after them and were closing them in, they were working well together and deserved the spoils. I came down back straight and figured my best bet was to wind it up down back straight into the wind and see what happens. Well, I now know I can out run most of the pack off the front. Bar that a few sprinters did me on the line as I had nowt left. 11th or 12th I think; more than happy with that. |
WEDNESDAY 9 MAY
DUNSFOLD PARK VETS SERIES #2 THE CYCLEROOM 30 miles |
14th place for Dom Maxwell:
Fast asleep at the start. Brake went after half a lap and I was just milling about in the bunch. Got out and tried to get accross but failed, although someone behind me went and got on. Lots of efforts. Always chased down. Tried to go last lap got half way and blew but got over taken by someone who had same idea and he held on. Power seemed to fall off a cliff and bad positioning at the start. Was really irritating even if only really a training race for Sunday. To do that last lap solo you need to be putting out 400 watts for 7 mins. I managed 200 |
MONDAY 7 MAY
SURREY LEAGUE MAY 3 DAY - STAGE 3 LINGFIELD Cat 2/3 : 67 miles |
This was a low key end to the three stage event for Gavin:
I pulled from the race with 1 to go. I felt good on that course last week. Just don’t have this repetitive racing in my legs. The lactate buildup and pain in my lower back is immense. Anyway, new bike tomorrow then rest and see how I do next week. His final position was 39th, at +08:20:17 |
SUNDAY 6 MAY
LVRC SPRING CLASSIC DUNSFOLD FARNBOROUGH & CAMBERLEY |
A fine debut for Paul Townsley as he finishes well up the field in the F group.
Dom Maxwell picked up a useful 8 points for his fifth place in the B group. This puts him in third place overall in the series after two races |
SUNDAY 6 MAY
SURREY LEAGUE MAY 3 DAY - STAGE 2 CUTMILL Cat 2/3 : 70 miles |
Big disappointment for Gavin on the second stage as he describes here:
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SATURDAY 5 MAY
SURREY LEAGUE MAY 3 DAY - STAGE 1 DUNSFOLD Cat 2/3 : 66 miles |
Gavin finished just 11 seconds off the lead in this 3 stage event.
Race report from Gavin:
A fast circuit today with no real climbing and scattered with potholes. I went into the race with 2 objectives. 1 to be more aggressive and 2, hold better positioning. That I did. From the gun I got to the front and specced the 1st 4 laps in the top 5-10. Every lap after I was jostling for position and being pushed back but was finding it easy to get back to the front. Lots of teams were sending riders off the front and I was chasing them down pulling the rest of the race behind me. The race got neutralised twice, 1 for everyone using the oncoming side of the road on blind corners and the 2nd was for a horse crossing the road. Into the 9th lap out of 10 I got into a good position at the front, ready for the hill finish. The final descent before the hill finish got very aggressive with teams and riders trying to set up for the finish. I made a big mistake by getting pushed over to the left where I got blocker in with riders to my right getting past. I got doubt the final corner in about 40th but managed to get past around 20 riders up the hill. Maybe 20th. Still feeling fresh for Cutmill tomorrow. I burnt a lot of matches today at the front but still felt good at the end so my mistake was not getting a good position before the climb. |