Below are my placings out of 43 riders in all categories for the various timed events:
-Flying 200 meter = 16 place (88" gear)
-1600 meter four lap pursuit - 12 place (90" gear)
-Standing 400 meter one lap - 6 place (90" gear)
Why is it I can place 6th in the 400 meter one lap and only place 16th in the flying 200 meter? The only difference is the gearing which was used - I used a smaller gear for the flying 200 meter.
Would I have placed higher if I had used a bigger gear? I always seem to ride a better flying 200 with an 88" rather than a 90" gear, but maybe I need to adjust my line and use a bigger gear.
The only reasonable explanation I can come up with is that my top end speed is not as good as my standing starts and jumps. Good standing starts require total body strength which can only come from heavy weight training. So maybe I made up time in my standing start, those 1,350 lb leg presses and plyometric jumps during the winter months really paid off in the standing 400 meter event. Placing 6th in front of many good Cat 1,2&3 riders certainly shows that one has to train and specialize in certain technical timed events on the track in order to get good times.
Chris Barbaria and myself proved this point by riding good 400 meter times - Chris won the 400 meter. We were practising this event in training with Andrew LaCorte during the Tempo Cycling training series -not bad for Cat 4 over 40 year old masters.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Hi, its your friend from Buffalo, looks to me you are more a power rider, than a high rpm sprinter, standing starts are a good indication. Unless you practice with those smaller gears and get your rpm way up, Iam think you need to push that bigger gear to get your time down, most sprinter will up there gear from their normal sprint gear to get the most of their speed "no one is on my wheel so who cares" try a 90 or 92, Iam sure you will get your time down. Also by the end of the day, iam thinking a lot of riders were tired too after doing so many races, those mass start really took a toll on my standing start for sure. Have a good summer of racing and let me know if you times improve. PS it was windy on your 200m so that may be a difference too.
Hey Frank - yep many variables were involved. Thanks for the input.
Post a Comment