Surprise! Surprise!

GC Denis said he was tired, DD said she would consider joining but never did, JFW said something about a pain in a knee (an excuse clearly overused by my riding mates if you ask me) and he did his typical of showing up for a few kilometers and then peeling off.

So it is just me and The Pope.

We were, what?, 20km into the ride? 

The Pope came to me and asked me if I knew the profile of the ride.

Yes, I said, Devil’s Punchbowl and then two climbs.

One of them is Barhatch. He replied back to me.

Ooooooooooohhhhhhh!

As Cilla Black sang (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwIER9eeOrw) “Surprise, surprise, the unexpected hits you between the eyes”. 

I know that “technically” this was my route and “in theory” I should have studied it. 

But the reality is that I just copied Dai’s route and the result of me studying the route was “Flat until Devil’s Punchbowl, where the climb will be neutralized due to gates and pedestrians. Stop at the top. Two hills on the way back”. 

True, but not very precise.

Anyway, time to re-think my strategy. 

The thought of suggesting avoiding Barhatch crossed my mind but I feared it would damage my cycling public image so I opted for a coffee and a (fruit) scone at the coffee stop. Caffeine will save me.

Now, Back on the road I knew Barhatch was coming but I didn’t know when (I definitely should have studied the route a bit better).

And that is a problem because I wanted to avoid starting it at the front. Let’s say it is less than ideal to start Barhatch with The Pope on your wheel if you want to have any chance of success at taking the KOM.

Luck had it that at some point I was sitting on The Pope’s wheel and I saw him removing his gloves.

That’s it! That’s the sign. I knew then the climb was coming. I stayed on his wheel and refused to take any more turns at the front.

My plan was to stay on his wheel all the climb and out-sprint him to take the KOM.

I think it was the great philosopher Mike Tyson who said best “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth”.

And The Pope didn’t have gloves…

I don't know what killed me more: the 21% slope or the envy of seeing him disappear going up the hill.

Got to the top and I was happy to see my morale was intact. 

Either caffeine is an amazing substance or I’m more stupid than I thought possible.

Regardless, I fancied my chances at Combe Lane.

That is a climb that allows you to sit on someone’s wheel and out-sprint that person to take the KOM.

I might be a bit of a one-trick pony rider but I value simplicity so it suited me. 

The climb started. Me sitting on The Pope’s wheel. Dido’s White Flag’s song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-fWDrZSiZs) came to mind “But I will go down with this ship. And I won't put my hands up and surrender. There will be no white flag above my door…”.

It didn’t matter. 

Whenever The Pope wanted he hit me again and I surrendered immediately (he still had his gloves off). My morale was not intact anymore.

I started to doubt I could take the final Esher sprint so I talked The Pope out of it. I couldn’t care less about my cycling public image, my ego couldn’t take another gloveless punch.

So we crossed the Esher town sign line riding in parallel while talking about running.

I call that a cycling success. 

Surprise! Surprise! My ego is intact. 

The route in Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/10647208868/ 

Take care

Javier Arias González

Disappointing my coach

 I’m sure my coach is very disappointed.

The plan for today’s ride was to ride easy all day. Tomorrow I’m leading a ride to Devil’s Punchbowl and The Pope is riding so I wanted to save my legs. Not because I have high hopes of keeping up with him, last weekend’s ride (https://www.strava.com/activities/10601714863) taught me not to be that arrogant, it was just a matter of maximizing my chances of survival.

All started very well when I didn’t have a coffee in the morning so I didn’t get the caffeine induced unjustified optimism I normally get.

Still the plan didn’t last long. A few kilometers into the ride I found myself at the front pushing a pace that was a couple of steps higher than what I was planning.

Even at the “climbs” I was going a bit too hard. 

Nothing crazy, just not quite the pace I had in mind.

It wasn’t my fault of course. It was JFW’s.

I’m only guilty of lacking any personality to stick to the plan and imitating him like a parrot.

JFW moves to the front and sets a strong pace and there I go, following his lead, moving to the front and keeping the pace..

JFW starts at the front in a small incline, soon I pass him pretending I’m riding easy while pushing the pace.

I wasn’t happy with my behavior. I even ordered a decaffeinated coffee at the coffee stop to make sure I went back to the plan.

Back on the road I stuck to the plan. Sat in the third wheel. Rarely moved to the front. Didn’t lead the group up any of the climbs.

I was so proud of myself…

But that only lasted until JFW started to tease me at every town sign sprint.

He would move to the front and start looking at me as if he were controlling me ahead of the sprint.

I very rarely enter those games. I prefer to keep my powder dry for the final sprint.

Today I took the bait again and again.

Soon I found myself sprinting for town signs I didn’t even know existed.

What was meant to be a steady ride home ended up looking more like a HIIT session.

My coach is going to be very disappointed I thought at some point. 

Indeed, I am self-coached and I’m very disappointed.

Taking the final sprint is a small consolation but I’m guessing tomorrow I’ll be even more disappointed.

Stay tuned.

The ride in Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/10639660626/ 

Take care

Javier Arias González

Javier the arrogant

Is arrogance a sin? 

Asking for a friend?

If it is, I'm going straight to hell.

Trying to keep up in the climbs with The Pope and Lucas? That’s me reaching new levels of arrogance.

I have lots of excuses though. I always have lots of excuses.

I had coffee this morning. That always gives me unjustified optimism.

Beating JFW up Green Dene (just about). Was another unjustified morale boost. 

I lost Hound Hose to Lucas, but not by much. Even if I sat on his wheel the whole climb, even if I was just happy to be there, it felt good.

Riding easy in the flat section made me believe I wasn’t tired. 

To make things worse I had a second coffee at Sumners Ponds.

As soon as we were back on the bikes I felt strong. Very strong. Van Aert type of strong. And that is where my arrogance showed up.

I was invincible.

Not for long though. Reality was fast trying to destroy my arrogance.

What else would you call blowing up half way up Broomhall? Arrogance destruction attempt.

I persisted though. Arrogance doesn’t go away easily.

I started to plan how to beat them up Juniper? 

If you know them, and you know me, you know how arrogant, if not funny, that is.

Completely blind to reality I sat on The Pope and Lucas’ wheel all Juniper.

In the final ramp, at the moment I had planned to attack, The Pope attacked. 

That was it. I wasn’t close is the most optimistic way of putting it. Reality kept sending me signals.

I wasn’t receiving them. 

Horton’s sprint was neutralized as the road was a bit too wet and potentially slippery. I declared myself (without saying it outloud) the winner of the final sprint anyway.

Arrogance doesn’t go away just because reality tells otherwise.

Like that, here I am, after my well deserved siesta, thinking I’m a strong cyclist, probably only second to Big Mig. 

Take that reality.

The ride in Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/10601714863/

Take care

Javier Arias González

Where was GC Denis?

I lost the final Esher sprint today.

I’m not used to taking responsibility for my own failures so I’ll blame it on Denis.

Today meant to be a sure win for me.

I “knew” the rider to beat was Tim. You can bet I was sitting on his wheel from Cobham with the intention of only passing him to take the final sprint.

Simple plans are the best ones.

As soon as we got to the second ramp, the one out of Cobham being the first one, the one after the traffic lights, the “big” one, Tim attacked. 

I, obviously, followed his wheel. 

That’s it. I won. I knew it. I knew everyone else knew it. Only Tim didn’t know.

You can imagine my surprise when he signed he was going to turn left and peel off. 

Isn’t quitting the final sprint against some kind of cycling rule?

So, I’m now at the front of the group, everyone else sitting on my wheel and I still have two ramps to the line.

To be honest, not a position I’m used to being in but, never shy to lead a sprint, I didn’t break to force everyone to pass me and stayed at the front.

That in itself should be enough to give me some kind of most honorable rider of the day award. I’d take it.

This is the moment I thought: Wait a second. Where is GC Denis?

We got to the top of the second to last ramp and I eased a bit expecting GC Denis to pass and offer me a much needed wheel.

Instead JFW passed me. 

Way too fast. 

I still managed to jump on his wheel. 

Disaster averted. I’m so going to win this sprint. 

Unfortunately JFW is not GC Denis. 

As soon as the final ramp started JFW blew away. He slowed down so quickly it was impossible not to pass him.

Worst lead out I ever seen!

Where is GC Denis?

So, I’m back to the front. Nigel on my wheel (JFW not a contender anymore).

I start the sprint and as soon as I sit down I see Nigel passing me.

He beat me by a country mile.

Denis cost me the first win of the year.

Where was Denis?

Oh, he wasn’t even riding with us. Apparently he was racing in Zwift.

Denis, please, come back. I miss you dearly (can’t speak for the others though)

The ride in Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/10549972768 

Take care of yourself

Javier Arias González

Maybe it is all psychological

 

I'm of the opinion that head wind out, tail wind back is not a good deal. Somehow you really feel the head wind the first half of the ride and you don't feel it at all on the way back. I’m guessing it is just psychological, that the wind is there helping you. It doesn’t matter, if you don’t feel being helped it is not worth all the effort of fighting against the wind during the first half of the ride. Not a good deal.

I think I shouldn’t have had coffee before the ride. My excuse is that after a week of not riding much and the feeling I had after yesterday’s session at the turbo (https://www.strava.com/activities/10157941895) that my form is disappearing quickly I was scared of today’s ride. So I had a coffee before the ride. Having a coffee before a ride makes me feel optimistic and strong. My guess is those effects are mostly psychological, on the other hand, the physiological effect of having to stop to pee a bit too often is very real. Having The Pope joking about it is also a very real effect. Having a coffee before the ride is not a good deal for me.

After the Brace of Bramleys’ disaster (https://www.strava.com/activities/10044054770), where I lost every.single.sprint. One of my objectives with today’s ride was to recover my self confidence as a sprinter. What better way of counting all the sprints you take during the ride. It certainly helps keeping the count in your mind and not mentioning out loud so your riding mates don’t challenge your objective. It is also convenient to ride with a GC rider and a climber in a short and flat route. It is true that no one contested any of the sprints I won so you could argue those wins don’t really count. It doesn’t matter. After three weeks of disgrace I feel much better now. Relieved. Maybe it is all physiological but my reputation is now restored.

The ride in Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/10165110786/

Take care

Javier Arias González

A conocer la subida a Banduxu

 

Banduxu is a beautiful climb, but harder than what the profile suggests. Not really the best climb for a day I wanted to ride easy.

In a huge display of self discipline I manage to control myself and take the climb as easy as possible.

A shame that self discipline blew in pieces the moment an unknown rider passed me a few meters behind the top of the Fuejo climb. 

Inexplicably, I jumped on his wheel. Started to whistle to make the point I was riding easy clear and stayed a few meters behind his wheel all the descent. I'm a very bad person.

We passed another rider and that was the sign for me to take the front and start pushing the pace and show them how it is done. I'm a terrible person.

Luckily for me very soon I was turning right and they were going straight. We told each other goodbye as we were friends. 

All in all 10 minutes of not that great self discipline and just another behavior I'm not very proud of.

As penance I punished myself by riding slowly and pledging that I wouldn't flinch if a cyclist passed me.

The fact that I knew that road was not heavily traveled by cyclists detracts a little from my penance. But I can't really count on my self-discipline to get to heaven.

The ride in Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/10083461621

Take care

Javier Arias González

Don't ask me

I don’t think people understand the amount of risk they are taking when they join one of my rides.

Today seven reckless riders joined my ride to Alice Holt. Judging by the number of questions I got I came to the conclusion that people expected me to know the route. I was even asked how many more kilometers to the coffee stop.

Every time I was asked I had no idea of the answer. Too arrogant to admit my ignorance, I made up my answer every single time. For the space of 30 minutes I gave the answer “about 20 kms more” the three times I was asked about the coffee stop.

I’m sure the group came to the conclusion I was not as reliable as my confident answers looked. It didn’t help that we got out of route a couple of times and the coffee stop was at the 90 km point when I thought it was at km 72. 

So, let me be completely open on how this works in my case.

I select routes based on distance. I normally don’t look at the amount of climbing. 

I always know the name of the place where the coffee stop is. I usually have no idea of what kilometer it is.

In fact, for half of the coffee stops out there, I know the name we give the coffee stop but I only recognise the place when I get there.

Even for routes I’ve ridden many, many times I don’t know where I am 80% of the time. Even when I know where I am, half of the time I’m wrong. 

I consider a successful ride if I made it home and didn’t see a “Welcome to Scotland” sign. 

What I now check in every single route is what is the sprint at the finish (too many sprints missed for not checking this basic fact).

Today was not an exception. 

Knowing exactly what line we were sprinting for contributed to my win.

The fact that none of the others knew where the line was contributed a little bit too.

So you now know. Don’t ask me anything about the route that is not what is the sprint at the end. Don’t expect an accurate answer in either case.

The ride in Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/10000457039/

Take care

Javier Arias González