LVRC: CICLOS UNO HOGGENBERG CLASSIC: 09th June 2013

LVRC: CICLOS UNO HOGGENBERG CLASSIC:  09th June 2013

Having been thinking about trying a road race this season for some time I decided that less procrastinating and more "getting on with it" was required if I wasn't going to be still "thinking about it" when the season was over. Consequently I found myself signing in for my first ever road race on Sunday morning, wondering whether this was in anyway a good idea and just how quickly I would be catapulted out of the back with my moral broken and ego bruised. 

I had decided to try a LVRC event on the belief that surely the VETS race would be more "manageable".... The event was a one hour criterium on the Hoggs Hill lower circuit with the occasional trip up the Hoggenberg just to keep the interest. I was racing in the "ABCD" race or "40 to 59" age groups for those not offay with the LVRC rule book. 

The race started and I was immediately concerned about the pace. I'd set a mini target of staying on for first 5 laps (aim low and don't disappoint :o) ) as I just didn't know what to expect. Things eventually settled down a little and I found myself somewhere in the main group hanging on in places but laps passing by. I reset my goal to reach the first climb of the berg (at 20 minutes in) and then having managed that to the second climb at 40 minutes, and despite some close moments kept attached with the main group. My main challenge was the speed increase coming out of the faster of the two big corners, which had me desperately trying to attach myself to the wheel in front and hoping the group would slow shortly.

At some point in the later stages of the race up ahead, a group of three escaped and went on to compete for the spoils. I on the other hand was hanging in somewhere further back with little knowledge of the events in front or behind me. The penultimate climb of the berg came with 1 lap to go and everything seemed to speed up just that little bit more.  I managed to make a few place up on the final lap and a few more on the hill up to the line. but they were small victories at the back of the pack. I was frankly just delighted to finish in the pack and somewhat amazed by the average speed of 24.6mph coming up on my Garmin. 

In summary - It's a tad quicker than Cyclo-Cross..  :o)  

Bryan Holland