Tour of the Isle of Wight

 Habemus Papam.

We need a new nickname for the mountain goat of the group (Looking at you TY).

Something related to the noises of his bike perhaps. Although, in this ride Tommy’s bike was making even more noises than Ed’s. With this trend soon our rides are going to start sounding like an out of tune orchestra. 

I was thinking bread-eater due to his peculiar nutrition choices but if someone has to have a nickname related to his peculiar nutrition choices, as no nutrition at all, that would be JFW. The final, let’s call it the mother of all bonks, didn't really compensate for the fact that he did the whole ride in the big chainring.  

Maybe Elizabeth can suggest something now that she has ridden with him for the first time. A shocking experience no doubt, but we can really use a fresh perspective here and we can’t count on GC Denis for that. Not exactly his first ride with Ed this one. Also, he was the best prepared for today’s rides, the one that organised everything, the most consistent rider, it wouldn’t be fair to ask him to do more for the group. 

DD could suggest something to us in Polish. The short Polish grammar lesson we had over dinner (a topic that can be only justified by the combination of tiredness and alcohol) showed potential for very great sounding, creative nicknames. 

My personal bet for the best new nickname would be it will come from Dai. His usual chattery, occasional grumpiness, and incipient Polish is the best combination to come up with a good one.

The rides in Strava:  

• To Southampton: https://www.strava.com/activities/14440094414

• Tour of the Isle of Wight: https://www.strava.com/activities/14440171885 

Take care of yourself

Javier Arias González

KW - Extended Milk Churn

 You know that feeling when you are at the front of the group, putting an effort to keep the pace of the group and you hear someone in the group chatting effortlessly?

Well, you know your day is going to be a hard one when the opposite happens. 

That is, someone is in the front, ie. Dai in this ride, chatting effortlessly with Robbie, while you are sitting on his wheel out of breath and fully focussed on not losing his wheel.

The sting is when you realise he is riding on the big chainring. Which wouldn’t be anything special if it wasn’t because we were climbing Effingham. And yes, I know Effingham is not the steepest of the climb but I was on the small chainring from even before the climb started. 

I knew I was definitely up for a hard day. 

So hard that GC Denis smelled blood and started to go for the intermediate sprints.    

Almost killed myself to stay on Dai and GC Denis’ wheel up Leith Hill and they beat me up Juniper by quite some margin.

Still, the best sign that I had a bad day is that GC Denis finished the ride with more sprint points than me. 

It is going to take a long time to recover from this. 

The ride in Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/14020182697/

Take care of yourself

Javier Arias González

One Of The Best Cycling Strategists

 I am one of the best cycling strategists.

Give me a route and I’ll create a plan that will optimize my performance for the route and very often will end up with me taking the final sprint. 

My only flaw is that I probably should study Saturday’s routes a bit better.

For reasons I can’t explain I thought in today’s ride we had Whitedown as the final climb. 

Whitedown. A climb I don’t like (too steep) at the end of a never easy ride (https://www.unbiciorejon.com/2018/10/you-need-to-read-this-if-you-are.html).

I rode all day with that final climb in mind. 

And, of course, the final Esher sprint. 

Imagine my surprise when I realised we were heading towards Juniper. It would be difficult to find a hill more different to Whitedown. 

And, of course, to the Horton sprint. It would be difficult too to find a sprint more different to Esher sprint.

Being one of the best cycling strategists means I can adapt quickly to the circumstances. I welcomed the change. Suited me well.

Juniper was perfect. GC Denis led most of the climb. Cameron on his wheel. Me sitting comfortably on Cameron’s wheel. Dai, on tired legs after spending most of the day at the front, on my wheel. Difficult to find yourself in a better position.

As we were approaching the final ramp I sensed Dai’s attack. 

Perfect. This is too far away. I let him go and stayed on Cameron’s wheel.

Being the great cycling strategist I am, I knew Dai wouldn’t go far and Cameron would close the gap with me on his wheel, setting me up for a perfect KOM win.

A shame that Cameron didn’t try to close the gap and Dai just kept making it bigger and bigger.

I, of course, tried to close the gap to Dai. For a split second I even believed I was going to close it. But Dai kept pushing and making the gap even bigger.

To make things worse Cameron passed me just before getting to the top. 

Not great.

But the Horton sprint was my real opportunity to show everyone how it is done.

Somehow I found myself in the perfect position. In the final straight, with Peter L in front of me and with Cameron on my right.

The perfect position to admire the sprint between Dai and Cameron.

And I say to admire the sprint because seeing how those two animals sprinted, I knew there was no way I was going to take that sprint. 

I am, without a doubt, one of the best cycling strategists. But it doesn’t matter how good you are at cycling strategy if everyone else insists on doing what they shouldn’t be doing.

The route in Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/13953990566/

Take care of yourself

Javier Arias González

KW - Almost Pilgrims Way

From the moment I jumped on the bike I knew I was tired and I was heading for a hard day. Riding with the Saturday gang when you are tired is like riding surrounded by wasps that move around you with agility and speed and that, from time to time, merciless sting you. I was there or thereabouts in the first hills but it was the ramps what made it hard. Short, steep, everyone out of the saddle. I felt stung again and again. As you would expect of me I wasn’t seen in the front. I always tried to have at least two riders in front of me. Being very conscious of where I was situated. Bidders is bigger than Peter, Dai bigger than Chris. Let JFW be behind Peter and Chris, put yourself behind Bidders and Dai. Of course my riding mates noticed my game and made sure they mentioned it at the coffee stop. Maybe hoping I’d feel ashamed. No chance. Yes, I sat at the front for about 1km after the coffee stop, probably influenced by the latte I had, but that was it. Back to the middle of the group. Juniper, the last climb of the day, created a few interesting situations. At the bottom of the climb GC Denis and Chris got a gap. I was behind Bidders, JFW and Dai wondering what they were doing allowing such a big gap to open. Luckily for me I saw Dai starting to accelerate so I jumped on his wheel. That was hard work but it paid off. Soon enough we were behind Chris and GC Denis. Dai was on fire because it didn’t take him long to pass both Chris and GC Denis. I saw GC Denis following Dai and I followed him. I think Chris dropped at that point. I kept looking back. I knew Bidders would be steadily closing the gap and I wanted to make sure I was aware when he was approaching. It didn’t take long to sense him on my wheel. Not a good situation for me. Dai flicked his elbow, GC Denis moved to the front, I stayed on his wheel, Bidders on my and Dai dropped at the back. Even worse situation for me. GC Denis almost dropped me at the steep bit but he eased a bit at the descent and I caught with him, Bidders on my wheel, Dai on Bidders wheel. That didn’t last long. GC Denis opened a gap. I could, potentially, accelerate and close it but I knew if I tried that would be the end of it. I only had one bullet. The gap grew bigger and I was starting to fade. I was taking too much air in my face. Nightmare situation for me. Bidders might have thought I was hopeless so he decided to pass me. Dai on his wheel. I jumped on Dai’s wheel and managed to stay there while Bidders was closing the gap to GC Denis. Dream scenario for me now. At the back of the quartet, very close to the final ramp, one match to burn. Bidders started to pass GC Denis. Dai on his wheel. Me following Dai. Bidders opened a gap. Dai flicked his elbow. That was the moment of truth and I went for it. Not very successfully though. The gap didn’t shrink. If anything it grew a little bit bigger. The joys of going against Bidders. I still claim I took the KOM. Yes, Bidders was soft pedalling for some seconds but I did a second mini-sprint and I crossed the line at the top first. Take that those of you that were saying I’m never at the front. Of course you don’t want to know how I managed to get third, behind Bidders and Dai at the Horton sprint. You only care about the really interesting parts of the ride.

The ride in Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/13823622797

Take care of yourself

Javier Arias González

No more sprinters allowed in the Saturday gang

 That's it. 

No more sprinters allowed in the Saturday gang.

I miss a Saturday ride and another sprinter joins the group. 

Ibrahim and Moira didn't go for any sprint today. Everyone else was sprinting for everything.

We had JFW on the ride so I was expecting some sprinting fireworks. What I was not expecting is everyone joining the party. 

A green sign with white letters? Is that really a town sign? Who cares? Let's sprint for it.

Someone is at the front and we pass a town sign? Let's celebrate it with an arm in the air to make it count.

And that is a problem. 

It is a problem because half way through the ride I had lost count of how many points everyone had. 

I knew Ibrahim and Moira had 0 points.

Now, was JFW leading the sprinting competition? Maybe. Although he probably lost the lead in the second half of the ride. 

Was DD ahead of Dai? Probably. She was fearless in the competition. Risking her life was not a problem if that meant taking from me my first points (duly note taken).

I wouldn't say Chris T. (the new joiner) was in the lead. He definitely took a couple of well contested sprints but not knowing the route and his inability to invent sprint lines was holding him. 

Me? I also had a big, fat 0 in my score so it would be difficult for me to say here I was leading the sprinting points without any of my riding mates calling me out in Strava (believe me, it wasn't difficult I wouldn't hesitate to make such a claim).

So this is it. It is hard enough to be a sprinter that doesn’t take any sprints. Not being able to keep the sprinting tally to manipulate it in my interest is a step too far. This is too stressful for me.

From now on, if you are a sprinter, you’ll have to wait until we lose one of the sprinters in the Saturday gang before you are allowed to join us. 

If you want to make it look like an accident, get in touch with me. I have my suggestions in priority order.

The ride in Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/13695818164/

Take care

Javier Arias González

Spanish Cycling Jargon 101 (Part 3) - Cuñao

Look at them, bunch of losers; Only 180km and they are already wasted!

What's wrong with daddy?

Nothing, that today he ‘climbs’ the Aubisque at The Tour.

**********************************************************************

Cuñao’s literal translation is brother in law.

But Cuñao is also used to describe someone (usually men) in your family or group of friends that thinks and acts as if he knows more than you about everything, even if he usually doesn’t know what he is talking about. He knows everything; he has the solution and the right course of action for every situation but lacks the skills or experience to back his words.

I have three sisters so I’m a (triple) cuñao in the literal meaning and after today’s ride the slang meaning of “cuñao” seems accurate for me too.

Picture this. Last meters of Juniper “hill”, Dai at the front, me on his wheel. 

As difficult to believe as it sounds I had done my fair share of work at the front so I was free to sprint, take the KOM and claim it a fair sprint (some believe that detail never bothered me at the time of sprinting but that’s just gossip).

At a given moment I saw Dai giving up. He was done. 

I knew that was the right moment to move up. I knew that moving in parallel to him would demoralize him. He would give up completely, slow down and I would take the KOM without even sprinting.

I “knew” what to do. What did I do? That’s where the cuñao in me manifested itself. 

I too gave up. I was done.

He felt me giving up, that gave him a morale boost. He kept riding. I slowed down. Dai took the KOM without sprinting.

Now you know, don’t hesitate to ask me if you have any questions about how to take a KOM or win a sprint. You’ll definitely get the right answer.

Btw. The rest of the ride was fantastic, great route, great company, great weather. 

Spanish Cycling Jargon 101 (Part 1) - Me llevaron todo el día con el ganchu is at: https://www.unbiciorejon.com/2019/10/spanish-cycling-jargon-101.html

Spanish Cycling Jargon 101 (Part 2) - Rompepiernas is at: https://www.unbiciorejon.com/2020/09/spanish-cycling-jargon-101-part-2.html

The ride in Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/9245226307/

Take care

Javier Arias González

Wargrave. Not a Z2 ride

Dai showed up in excellent humour today and as he wanted a Zone 2 ride he, for once, allowed everyone, including me, to take turns at the front.

That is a good base for a great ride. That, and the nice weather. So nice that two out of the eight in the group were riding without gloves. I wasn’t one of them.

At the coffee stop we had the opportunity to comment on the most recent Zwift racing results. We marvelled at Denis’ results at Zwift racing and despite the effect those races have in the quantity and quality of his work at the front, we all agreed that’s the right thing for him to focus on. Dai in particular also seemed very interested in taking on Zwift racing.

The other part of the conversation at the coffee stop was about what a training ride is. Not that we came to any conclusion beyond Back For Breakfast rides are NOT a training ride. Something about missing “through and off” riding. Don’t ask me.

To show THEM how it is done we rode through and off at Drift Road. The result was not very impressive if you ask me. A solitary rider was able to keep up with the pace of our eight riders group despite him leaving a good gap to not be in our wheels. The Pope attacked at a very random point (to be fair I don’t think anyone was surprised about that one). Marek and DD formed a mini train and caught almost everyone despite the gap the rest of the group had on them at the “climb”. Marek still claims that was not one of the “few mini efforts” (https://www.strava.com/activities/8465391020) that took him out of riding at Zone 2 all day. Apparently the sprint was taken by Calum, the same Calum that was telling me minutes before he was considering focusing his training in Time Trialing.

Decided to get things back to normality I prepared myself for the last sprint. A sure win for me, despite all the work I have done at the front, was lost because Ed van del Poel decided to have a puncture a few meters before the sprint. 

As punishment we took back the old tradition of timing puncture repair time. Ed van del Poel is now leading the board with a performance he described as “Work to be done!” (https://www.strava.com/activities/8465498623). Always understanding Dai was more magnanimous and rated it as “Top quality puncture repair 🏆” but I’m asking myself if he is being ironic, something I never seen Dai doing..

That’s it. Apologies for the few Saturday Gang inside jokes in today’s report. Although, paraphrasing the GREAT Tim Krabbé at The Rider, “Non-Saturday Gangers. The emptiness of your lives shocks me”.

 The ride in Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/8465165355 

Take care

Javier Arias González

 

Windsor with Dai and DD

 Today was “easy riding pacing masterclass” day.

Lesson one. 

Let Dai get the front and sit there for about 40 kms. That will give you enough time to observe and learn.

A real shame about that sprint. I knew we were close to Windsor, I knew the sprint was coming. The problem was I didn’t know where the sprint sign was so I missed it. Dai took it, wherever it was, and I was second. 

I put it down the “probably better this way” account. Even a semi-autistic weirdo like me suspects that passing someone to take a sprint after sitting 40 km on his wheel is probably not going to go down well. Even if the person you are passing is calmed down, relaxed, never competitive Dai.

Obligatory coffee and half a cinnamon bun at Windsor and back to the road.

Lesson two.

Let DD get cold and, as The Pope, she’ll move to the front pushing the pace to warm herself up. Dai will naturally take turns in the front with her. There won’t be any need for you to go to the front. That will give you extra time to observe and learn.

A shame about the final sprint though. I knew very well where the line was this time. It took me close to a thousand sprints against Rupert to learn where it was. I now know it very well. The problem was I forgot about it. I totally forgot about it! As soon as I realized we were by the traffic lights I saw a fair amount of cars so I told Dai and DD that in the report I was going to say there was too much traffic to sprint.

So, a real shame we had too much traffic in the final sprint and we couldn’t sprint. I fancied my chances even if I had been working hard all morning.

That was it. A great day for riding. I missed about twenty points in the green jersey competition but it was still a productive morning. After all, I learnt a lot about how to pace easy a group. Not that I plan to use that skill any time soon though, life is comfortable sitting on everyone else’s wheel and learning.

The ride in Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/8427218933 

Take care

Javier Arias González

Dai's ride to Dabbling Duck

 Short and flat (https://www.unbiciorejon.com/2019/02/javiers-ride-classification-criteria.html)

As you would be expected to ride at the end of November.

Mind you that short and flat doesn’t mean easy.

It was a “steady k2” ride. 

Somehow, “steady k2” it’s becoming synonymous with K1.5. Something that is completely against my idea of “steady k2” but totally expected if you have Dai leading a ride with two “climbs” in the first 20 kms and with an espresso in his veins (I don't have proof, nor doubt).

Punchy.

Even if he had been out of the bike for weeks. Even if he said he wasn’t going to sit in the front. 

To be fair I also had a coffee at home (although mine wasn’t an espresso), I hadn’t ridden much in the last three weeks, and, me too, found myself sitting in the front more than I had planned to.

Surprisingly (in my case, not a surprise at all in Dai’s case) I felt ok(ish). Enough power to be there in all the climbs and enough endurance to last the whole ride. 

To put the cherry on the cake I played the “fair sprinter” role (there is always a first time for everything) and gave Calum all the details about the Esher sprint when we were at Cobham. My mother would be proud of me.

 Playing the “fair sprinter” doesn’t mean to play it wrong from the tactical point of view. I was the fourth wheel (out of eight riders), in the drops from the first “ramp”, paying attention to every potential move. Yet, I almost screwed it. 

Calum attacked.

Not sure where but certainly too early.

So early that took me by surprise. I wasn’t expecting it. 

Yes, I know I said I was paying attention. That was my intention but, somehow, I got too relaxed and distracted. Not the first time that has happened to me. I guess I have to work on my attention span. 

I had to put in a big effort to close the gap. Never doubted I was going to it, but it certainly took me to the limit.

A few seconds after I reached Calum’s wheel he looked back, saw me there and flicked his elbow.

To hell with the “fair sprinter”, I thought. I refused to move to the front and stayed on his wheel (I’ll omit this part of the story to my mother).

Calum gave it another go.

This time I wasn’t taken by surprise but that didn’t help much. He was pushing hard and I was struggling to keep up. 

The thought of letting him go crossed my mind. In fact I started to look for a decent excuse but before I found one (and that is a very short period of time; I’m very fast finding excuses) Calum slowed down a little bit. And then a little bit more. 

I stayed on his wheel. Waited and waited. It felt like an eternity but I was fearing another attack from Calum and I knew I didn’t have the legs to sprint all the way to the line. Wait and pray. A sprint tactic I’m very familiar with.

It doesn’t normally work but in this case it helped that Calum didn’t know where the line was (Rupert wasn’t riding today so I definitely knew where the line was).

I attacked at the right point (for once) and managed to open a gap big enough to get me to the line. 

A win!!!

I’m now going to forego a well deserved Spanish siesta to write the Spanish version of this report so my mother knows I’m a champion (my wife and daughters are lost cases in that regard). I’ll omit certain details but I’ll make sure I don’t embellish the story too much. It has to feel credible.

The ride in Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/8170788294/analysis/16380/17403

Take care

Javier Arias González