Lakeside Raceway Circuit 15/7/23
Hosted by Hamilton Wheelers Cycle Club
Distance: 1hr + 1 lap.
Idea bike: Giant Propel, high speed short race.
Ideal tyre set up: Cadex Race 25mm, 90psi rear, 80psi front
Race team riders: Mark Westerman, Jonathon Knoble
A bike race around a car race circuit 20 times. Big wide track, no debris on the road and a smooth course with a hill every lap, it doesn’t get much better!
Mark and Jono trekked down to lakeside raceway circuit to race A grade with about another 35 riders, with people racing individually and for teams including Done and Dusted and Tandem Co.
As we leave the start line, it’s go time! Riders attacking from the very start and the peloton reacting. Within 20 seconds from starting, we are up to speed and all riders are single file holding the wheel in-front to get a draft. The first few laps saw some fast speeds as there was attack after attack.
Placing yourself in the right spot over the hill was key. If you took the outside lane it was faster and easier as you didn’t get caught behind a slower rider and you could jump up a few positions if need be, but the issue was the downhill on the other side. Each lap you climbed the hill at 30kmh would quickly jump to 65kmh coming down. If you had taken the easier outside line, you risked a rider not letting you back in the group when the speeds pick up - forcing you to be last wheel of the peloton.
After a hectic 15minutes of the group being strung out single file, Jono made a break away from the main group with multiple other riders.
This was the move to be in, a lot of the horsepower was in that group. As the group got better, a couple of riders made it across before they got too far away.
With a few guys from the same team in the break, Jono was on his own and no one else to help as Mark was back in the main peloton.
The main peloton was reacting with lots of individual attacks but nothing consistent to bring the break back, at this stage Mark knew Jono was the one in with a shot here as the main peloton was too inconsistent with its pace to bring back the front group. The break was soon out of sight.
Teammate Jono worked hard at the front of the race to hold position and be ready for more riders to break away.
After an hour of attacks and climbing the hill over 20 times it was the final lap.
The main peloton was racing for nothing at this stage as the break group would take all the podiums. The final lap saw a fast finish, down the hill onto the raceway straight to a sprint finish. One A grader breaking away from the rest.
Jono came flying down the hill to the sprint line to come in 4th.
A well-run race and excellent place to race.
Mark Westerman