Woman's Crit race Sydney Olympic Park Sat 14th July

[Trouty]

To all DHBC woman: Support woman's racing and come along and race on Saturdy 14th July at Sydney Olympic park. It starts at 2pm and there are A and B grades with plenty of prize money. It's being run by LACC.

[Stuart]

Come on DHBC woman, girls, ladies, femmes get on down for this race. Here's more details.

The venue is the Tennis Centre at Sydney Olympic Park (so its really flat), sign on registration is at the tennis centre car park area and we have the use of the facilities there. Café, showers toilets etc. More info here http://domestique.com.au/events/womens- ... pic-park-2

[Eleri]

I might do that. I like the tennis centre.

[Trouty]

I might do that. I like the tennis centre.

We should ride out there

[Camilla]

2pm! No one mentioned that in general conversation. I'm out. For once they start a ride at a decent hour - and I can't make it! Have a 3.30pm plane to Melbourne.

[Trouty]

It was really good racing today in both grades. I will let Eleri comment on her grade, but I will say a big congratulations to her for coming 3rd in the B Grade and 2nd in the Prim. She won some decent cash.

The A grade race was awesome and challenging. Lot's of attacks nearly had me at my limit several times, and I did some small attacks myself. For once I think I can keep up and work with bunch, but it's always the last 200 metres and the jump for the sprint that needs work. An elite rider from the country won our race, but I was pretty happy with 4th. Anyway - hope to see Jo Skinner and a few other girls join us next time.

[Adrian E]

Nice one Jo and well done Eleri. I wish I'd made but that's another story.

[Eleri]

Nice one Jo and well done Eleri. I wish I'd made but that's another story.

Well there was a crash in B Grade (a big field) at the final corner so they killed the race. He's OK.

This was the first time I'd raced in a women only crit so wasn't sure how I'd go. There were 8 of us which was a pretty good turnout and we went out fairly slowly at about 30 kph, gradually increasing. But it all felt pretty easy and I stayed down the back of the bunch. Unlike A Grade, no-one attacked. But at the Prime whistle, I managed to work my way up to about 4th wheel and came round the bottom corner in a good position. Big headwind and it's still about 500m from here so I gave myself a good hard talking to and convinced myself to stay on the wheel of one of the other women. I learned this at the track! and then ditched her about 150m out and sprinted. Should have got out of the saddle at that point and been in a higher gear.

Only just came 2nd so I was thinking, actually I can contest a sprint. I found this a bit surprising! Don't really think of myself as a sprinter! Relaxed a bit for the next couple of laps and worked my to about 2/3 of the way back. Still on the hoods. Bell lap and got back up near the front but got a bit boxed in and missed the jump on the other side. Still stayed on the wheel of my leadout woman (not that she knew that) and ditched her near the end to comfortably take 3rd and not to far behind the winners.

Great racing and very pleased that LACC and Donna Meehan have made women's racing possible and included a B Grade. And it's not too fast - we averaged 32 but no-one came off the back until the last lap. It's flat out there and a mostly wide, easy course. Definitely worth a go.

PS: please note that I broke with tradition and I did not spend any time on the front at all. This is a first! Finally I got some tactics right