LVRC Track Championships

[Colin Mackenzie]

Ventured down to the Veterans Track champs in Newport wales for this weekend event in Sunny Wales.
A good field of riders - similar to the National Masters. So was a good test of how my fitness was holding up at this time of year.



Sat: LVRC NATIONAL TRACK CHAMPS: Sprints

RESULT: 4th

Qualifying started about 10am and I was feeling a little sluggish this morning. It may have been due to the 8.5 hours drive down to Newport the night before, that usually takes about 7hrs (bloody traffic jams). And due to lack of practice (no access to open training at Meadowbank), my 200 qualifying is still pretty dire. I went a bit too fast on lap 2 getting up to speed and suffered for it as I sprinted.

Qualifying Times:
Phil Houlton 11.80
Paul Askey 12.46
Steve Clayton 12.51
Neil Stainthorpe 13.11
Colin Mackenzie 13.16
Martin Meades 13.51
Barry Neal 13.84

Officials then made us ride a 3up and a 4up for round 1. I got placed in the 4 up due to my qualifying time. Then drew the position furthest up the banking. Tried to hit the front to control it, but Clayton beat me to it from lane 1. Tried to sit on him and watch the rest, but he hit it from 2 to go and for the life of me couldn't get round him as we went into the 2nd last corner and he won by a wheel or so.

This placed me into the reps - although the reps ended up being one 5 up. Looked more like a keirin start - all we needed was the derny. I had drawn lane 1, so got a good start and started to control it on straight 1, then as I looked behind I saw someone hit it, thought they were going for a long one, and not knowing their form or get boxed in - I hit it from the front (yep, maybe not a great idea with 2.5 laps to go). Apparently I had a half lap lead until the last corner when one rider passed me and got the win, my legs were fried.This placed me into the minor final, 2 riders decided to drop out. So it was me against one other for 4th and 5th. Actually rode this well and got the win for 4th.




Sun: LVRC NATIONAL TRACK CHAMPS: 750 m TT
RESULT: Silver (Relegated to bronze)

Felt good when I woke up this morning and shook off the tactical errors that killed me yesterday. Today was just eyeballs out. TT started at 12.15, so no rush to the velodrome. Warmed up OK and was raring to go. Picked one rider that was warming up near me as a holder, since they don't supply them at this championships, and no gate starts, more like the Scottish Champs. Got up to speed well and into the bars at the end of the back straight, then Was flying for the first 2 laps, maybe a bit high on the straights, in between red and black. Started to die about 2.5 laps. Felt like an OK run, but this champs had no electronic timing, so had to wait for all riders to finish.That was when the fun started - I had actually won Silver, so was well chuffed until I found out that someone near the trackside had registered a complaint - apparently my holder had given me a shove off and he was unaware that the riders before us had been warned about doing so. So after a wrangle with the officials I was relegated to bronze. Was that shove worth a 1 second penalty - I wasn't about to argue about it and be Disqualified. And my time was a new PB, so going in the right direction.

Results:
Phil Houlton 51.78 
Colin Mackenzie 53.68 (31.24 mph)
Steve Clayton 54.72
Johannes Roux 55.28
Paul Askey 55.69
Donal Linehan 55.72
Martin Meades 56.69
Barry Neal 57.26
David Scott 60.10
Neil Stainthorpe 61.45
Sean Gorvy 62.07

[tlottrike]

Excellent stuff Colin well done