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Showing posts with label Criterium. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Criterium. Show all posts

Sunday, February 20, 2011

This American Bicycle Race

This post is all about "classic American bicycle racing".  Ladies and gentlemen, My World From a Bicycle presents for your viewing pleasure, "the criterium".

This type of bicycle racing is by far the most common form of licensed/sanctioned road bicycle racing here in the States.  It's the easiest venue for race promoters to produce/organize.  Criteriums are born from the necessity of having to operate many different categories of races (juniors (under 18), women, men, ranked categories (professional thru level 5 amateur), and masters (typically 30, 40, 50, year + ), and obtaining permits for race operation and street closure, combined with safety concerns of securing the course from cars entering, and placing crowd barriers and covering fixed objects (such as fire hydrants and electric poles) with straw bails etc.  All racers are licensed and insured through the governing body, USA Cycling.  The rules of the sport can be read here.

I would like to point out that the below series of videos were actually made possible from a sum mountain of technology.  Beginning with digital technology of computers, internet, YouTube, Blogger, HD Hero cameras, SRM wireless watt meters, several computer software programs, carbon fiber, etc.    And get this........ it's free to view, pause, rewind, jump around and skip, share with others (please do), comment on, or........... *gasp* ignore.

It's my thinking that this race is particularly worth viewing (in part or whole) because of several reasons including:  1. The forward and aft camera perspective gives a more complete view and understanding of the race activity.  2. The embedded speed, wattage, and cadence data.  This information really shows how much a criterium is a "gas-on/gas-off" style of racing.  (for the non-informed, this is fast and hard racing), 3. The level of competition is very high.  In fact, unusually so.  This particular race is typically a regional amateur/professional level race, but on this day it was very much a national level race.  In fact, this race had at least 4 current National Champions including David Henderson, Jonathan Jacobs, Eric Young and Daniel Holloway (current USA Professional Criterium Champion - he's wearing the yellow leaders jersey), and other former National Champions and at least one former World Champion (Steve Tilford).  4.  This race is viewable in it's entirety, and to my knowledge, this is the first and only place that this has ever been done (in this viewer friendly format)

This race took place on Saturday Sept 4th, 2010 in St. Louis, Missouri and was the 2nd race of a 4 day race series.
click here to link to the race site

Race results can be found here. 

I would like to point out that I have a music player device that you may activate at your liking (located on the right column, 2nd item from the top).  The embedded video's audio can be muted or the volume can be controlled with the tool bar settings under the video.  Additionally the video can be "full sized" by clicking on the expanding arrows on the toolbar and the video quality level can be controlled as well..

This is a lot of video time (the entire race is about 90 minutes) and I know most people won't have time to view the entire series, so I plan on writing  a summation of the key points under each clip with a time point, so that viewers can skip to or choose which section might interest them.


The above video (first of 12 part series) opens with all of the racers at the line and the announcer calling up the top race leaders of the omnium series to the line, including 4th place Chad Cagle from team Park Place Dealerships, 3rd place Brad Huff from team Jelly Belly (professional cyclist), 2nd place Rob Bush from team Kenda Pro Cycling Team, and onmium race leader Daniel Holloway from Bissell Pro Cycling.

1:10 officials race instruction, 2:20 message from City Alderman Donna Barringer and introductions to Jimmy Mcevoy @ 4:10 who sings the National Anthem (well done btw).  The race starts at the 6:00 minute mark. 


(above video 2nd of 12 part series) I quickly advance around the pack @1:12 and bridge up to 3 riders @1:43.  Daniel Holloway (in yellow leader's jersey)  can be briefly seen returning to the field @2:25 (? possibly returning to the field after taking a flyer for a prime?)

I briefly take the race lead @2:41.  Jonathan Jacobs pulls by me (too fast in fact) @3:30 and the peloton recaptures me @4:09.

This clip above (3rd part of 12 part series) opens with me advancing to the front of the chasing peloton (there are 6 riders off the front and out of camera view.  This is noteworthy because the previous video footage doesn't show that riders have gone off the front of the field because of me riding in heavy cycling traffic.  I am aware of a break-away because I can not see the lead pace motorcycle).  I make a full pass @0:52.  Daniel Holloway blows past me @ 1:01 (note how fast he blows past me.  I'm at full throttle).  I claw my way back onto his wheel @ 1:40 and I slide off his wheel to draft off the 3 riders who were drafting off of me (James Stemper #111 Kenda Pro Cycling, Jonathan Jacobs #61 Nuvo Cultural Trail, and Eric Young #131 Nuvo Cultural Trail.

I am completely red-lined (suffering hard) and I try to recover by skipping a few pulls.  My next pull is @3:16.  My chase group of four catch the lead break-away of 6 riders @ 4:09  Colton Barrett #120 Texas Roadhouse, Nicolas Coil #22 Tradewind Energy, James Stemper #111 Kenda Pro Cycling, Alex Wiesler #119 ISCorp Cycling Team, Robert White #106 Kenda Pro Cycling, and Josh Ginningham #122 of ISCorp Cycling Team. 

From 7:40 to 8:00 is a good view of the newly formed winning break-away group.  Note that we are riding single file and absolutely flying.  This is the most ideal way for a group of this size to motor. 
The effects of aerodynamics is HUGE in road racing, time trials, criteriums, and even sprinting.  Drafting can reduce oxygen costs by 25 to 40 percent.  Here's a great illustration of the effects of aerodynamics and drafting:  a world class track team time trial riders can produce the following average wattages in a pace-line.  First rider will produce around 607 watts, 2nd rider 430 watts, 3rd rider 389 watts, and 4th rider 389 watts.  Notice that there is a decreasing advantage drafting in 3rd position over 2nd, but no further advantage after 3rd position. (See my post on aerodynamics for more information on the subject.)

The most interesting occurrence in the above clip (number 4 of 12) is @1:47, when James Stemper (#111) of Kenda Professional Cycling, sees me falling back, out of the rotation so that I can skip my turn pulling (I'm suffering pretty badly at this point from earlier efforts and I'm trying to recover a bit.  I'm not certain that I am going to be able to hang.)

Mr. Stemper informs me that if I try to just sit on and not take my turn pulling, he is going to ride me off the back.

Perhaps because he knows that I'm filming this (I don't know), he is extremely polite about  how he tells me this and I acknowledge him accordingly, and we do a sort of low "five hand" in a sporting gesture of acknowledgment. Based on his smile, I think he finds the whole thing amusing.

Note:  The most ideal method for dealing with a rider who refuses to take a turn pulling is for everyone in the break to take turns drifting off the paceline with the "wheel sucker" on their wheel and then sprinting hard, back onto the group.  If everyone does this repetitively, this will eventually cause the "wheel sucker" to fatigue and not be able to claw their way back onto the group.

I don't believe there is yet an official name for this procedure, so for the sake of discussion, hence forward, let's all agree to call this activity of getting rid of a wheel sucker, Operation Drizzopple! 

So if you hear someone say, commence operation drizzopple on rider so-and-so, you will know exactly what to do.   


In the above video (number 5 of 12) I skip a couple pulls, still trying to recover and begin pulling again (too hard from the looks of it).

Meanwhile @2:26 Holloway is trying to commence operation drizzopple on the Kenda rider James Stemper.  In my reviews I was surprised to see how many times these guys were bumping heads.  Also I now see the irony of Stemper warning me not to wheel suck. 

@ 1:20 Texas Roadhouse rider, Colton Barrett gives a friendly hello wave. 

Above video (number 6 of 12) is fairly routine.  Most notable items are at 3:10 when Holloway jumps hard around Nicolas Coil who allowed a gap in front of him in the rotation (probably due to fatigue).  Also the rider James Stemper is not only just sitting on, but also screwing up the paceline when riders are trying to get on the back of the train after taking a pull.  This is evident at the end of this clip and running into the next below. 

There is some cool moto/cameraman action @ 6:26 (above video, number 7 of 12).

Some riders get gaped off @ minute 7:32 by one rider slipping off the pace and causing a gap.  Two of which are Nicolas Coil and Colton Barrett; they don't make it back onto the lead group.

James Stemper of Kenda Pro Cycling starts pulling. 

Everybody is pulling hard.  Very hard, and fast. 

(Above video is number 9 of 12).  @6:16 I sprint for and win a prime.  I didn't plan on going for it, but I was in the lead position coming out of the final corner because of the natural order of the rotation.  I went as hard as I could go and won the prime prize. I thought it was either $100 or $200, but it turned out to be a free night in a studio suite at The Residence Inn, Marriot, in St. Louis (I haven't used it and most likely never will).

Even though I was dying from the prime effort, I kept my speed up so that they wouldn't surge past me and drop me.

Incidentally, Josh Ginningham (#122) of ISCorp Cycling Team was dropped from the surge during the prime.

(Above video is number 10 of 12).  I skip a couple rotations in this clip because I am way over threshold and I was feeling like I was about to die.

The rotation is quite smooth otherwise and of the group there are two teams with team-mates, Kenda Pro Cycling and Nuvo Cultural Trial.  They almost always stay together in the rotation order, which is advisable.  If an attack or opportunity to attack occurs, they can work together. 




f
Above is the last video of this series; also the last 5 minutes and 51 seconds of the race for me.  By the completion of this race we've covered 70 kilometers or 43.496 miles in 1 hour and 25 minutes and 35 seconds, averaging 46.884 kph or 29.1 mph.  I averaged 317.5 watts.  With out a doubt my personal best effort in my entire bike racing experience.  I;m super glad that I was able to record this race as I have.

@ minute 2:15 of this video with 1.75 laps to go Jonathan Jacob takes a monster pull with me on his wheel and the rest of the remaining members of the break-away in tow. The riders include myself, followed by Daniel Holloway (Bissell Pro Cycling), Eric Young (Nuvo Cultural Trial), James Stemper (Kenda Pro Cycling), Alex Wieseler (ISCorp Cycling Team), and Robert White (Kenda Pro Cycling)

@ 2:46 I pull out of J.J's draft because of his monster pull.  I didn't want to have to immediately "pull through" with the finish being so soon (especially after his surge).  I wanted to get back in the draft.  As a result, this created a gap that nobody closed and J.J. was gone for the win.

Keep in mind that J.J. had a team-mate, Eric Young, in the break and he's an outstanding sprinter.  Eric certainly wouldn't pursue his own team-mate  I wouldn't pursue for the previous reasons mentioned and additionally J.J. is personal friend.  Other than me winning, I would choose him to win every time (and Brad Huff...... he's super cool).  Daniel Holloway certainly didn't want to give chase and pull Eric and the others with him, only to be beaten in the final sprint.  He probably thought as I, that J.J. wouldn't hold us off for the finish (which of course he did). 

@ 3:25 Holloway makes his bid in response to the Kenda Pro Cycling rider James Stemper's attack (just before the 1st turn).  We quickly make the catch and I produce a classic textbook counter attack @ 4:18 by launching a full effort through the inside of the 2nd corner of the course.

I cross the finish line @ 5:31 with riders quickly closing my gap, but not in time for the finish line. 


To learn more about the camera that I use to film from my bicycle click here.

To learn more about the bike telemetry that I use click here.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Webster Grove Criterium


[Special Note:  I have a "Music Player" gadget, 4th down to the right. You may run audio from it or the video as you see fit by pausing the music player or muting the embedded video. Enjoy!]




Here's my video from the Webster Grove Criterium on June 27, 2010 men category 1-3.  The most notable thing about this particular race is not apparent on the video, namely heat, and plenty of it.  The air temperature was about 96 degrees Fahrenheit.

This temperature did not bother me in the slightest because I read and followed my own advice on heat management.   I only wish the race was either hotter or a bit longer.

The race winner was Jonathan Jacob.  He's not shown in the video because he took off in a 2 man break super early.  Eventually he rode solo and lapped the field.

My chase group was completely ineffective at chasing him down.  I don't totally know why.  Perhaps the heat.   It was the shortest and slowest race I've done all season (average speed 25mph).  Forest Park may have been  slower, but I'm not sure.

At anyrate, it was a well run race and I give credit to people who put on this race.




































To learn about the best video camera in the world for videoing cycling (which is the cameras that I use for my videos) click here.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Hermann Criteriuim


[Special Note:  I have a "Music Player" gadget, 4th down to the right. You may run audio from it or the video as you see fit by pausing the music player or muting the embedded video. Enjoy!]

Ok, I only have a moment before I have to leave this morning for the 90 mile Hermann Road Race, so I will do a more through analysis later.  In short, I placed 3rd in the tt an 4th in the criterium

Concerning the video:  I somehow lost the finish data (about 5 minutes), but it wasn't terribly fascinating anyhow.  The big deal is that I did get the beginning and then some.  I was also a little unhappy with the very loud clicking that was associated with my pedal cadence.  (I've since discovered that the clicking noise is from the buckle of the camera mount and is preventable by installing a rubber device into the buckle.  The rubber device is provided with the camera.  I just didn't know about how to use it or what it was for.)  I normally don't put music on my race videos, but I decided to delete the video audio and replace with my own musical creation.  I would love to use professional music, but copyright issues disallow this.  Anyhoo, if my music absolutely sucks, I suggest muting my stuff and turning on your own music.

A follow-up post to this one is  called How to High Speed Corner (next in the order of posts)

[Update:  I now have a license to use certain copyrighted songs. Additionally I have added a music player gadget on my sidebar for everyone's listening pleasure.  When watching a video, mute the player or the video otherwise both will play.  You have to be a bit of a DJ on this site. :-)]

Gotta go race!

To learn about the best video camera in the world for videoing cycling (which is the cameras that I use for my videos) click here.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Finish of Tilles Park Criterium


[Special Note:  I have a "Music Player" gadget, 4th down to the right. You may run audio from it or the video as you see fit by pausing the music player or muting the embedded video. Enjoy!]

This is the finish of the Tilles Park Criterium.  This was an unusual race for me in that it was stopped and restarted due to a serious crash.  Fortunately for me, I was in a break-a-way group of six (including myself) and avoided the crash.  I was told that Mike Weiss was injured (broken collar bone?), and I saw Andy Chocha bike was ruined with a fracture through the top tube. 

I didn't personally finish very well.  I think the video says way more than I can.  Just count the attacks.
 _________________________________________________________________
April 15th, I've been thinking about this race and how I did it all wrong, or at least major parts.

Typically when I race I operate more on instinct than deep cognitive thought.  In fact it is best to have a series of rules to operate by so that decisions can be made very rapidly.  For example:  Never attack on a downhill or into a headwind. It is best to attack uphill or with a strong crosswind or a tailwind (second to crosswind all because of drafting factors)  Keep in mind there are some exceptions to almost all rules, but in general these rules help a racer who is often at a level of mental distress to make correct decisions.  I broke several rules.  Always expect a counter-attack when closing an attack.  Based on this rule I should have not entirely closed a chase by myself.  I should have sat up and forced my drafters to work.  They would have most likely done so with an attack, but it would have been a much more managable attack.  Another rule is to do the least amount of work as possible until the finish.  

I think my single biggest mistake was taking a flyer on the bell lap.  I over estimated myself and far underestimated four other riders.  I think I forgive myself for this blunder because just a few laps earlier I had chased Justin down successfully and when I moved off to set back in the rotation nobody moved up and Justin easily rode away.   At the time this meant to me that the group had no juice left, but I was quite wrong.

Another mistake I made was gifting my drafters with a free pull up to an attacker.  This is a subtle thing, if I do not believe I can close a gap by myself, then I should try to keep riders with me so that I can fall back into their draft later for recovery.  On the other hand, if I believe I can close the gap by myself I should NEVER PURPOSELY allow other riders a free draft.  This is a sure way to get beat, and this is exactly what I did.

To learn about the best video camera in the world for videoing cycling (which is the cameras that I use for my videos) click here.

Tilles Park Criterium 2010 part 1 of 2


[Special Note:  I have a "Music Player" gadget, 4th down to the right. You may run audio from it or the video as you see fit by pausing the music player or muting the embedded video. Enjoy!]

Here's the begining of the Tilles Park Criterium.  Pretty good sized field and great weather (about 80 something).  Sadly there was a serious crash (broken bones and bicycles) and happily I didn't see it because I was off in the break-a-way.  This video shows the difficulty of being able to move up.  Also you can see why it would be easy to crash when the field isn't moving real fast.  The pack bunches up at slower speeds and the roads are curvery with a bit of curb here and there.  I sensed a pending crash just before I moved up.

I have a second video that is pending due to processing from YouTube. It features some very good riders and lots of attacks.

Have fun cycling everyone!

To learn about the best video camera in the world for videoing cycling (which is the cameras that I use for my videos) click here.