So Close We Could Smell Them… Leeston Handicap Race Christchurch, Canterbury ☀️

{"raceId":13933821891,"athleteId":2188545,"name":"So Close We Could Smell Them… Leeston Handicap Race Christchurch, Canterbury ☀️","description":"Race Report: The DB Cup Showdown\n\nThe clock ticked 3:45 PM. One moment, I was on a work call; the next, I was in my skinsuit, pockets stuffed with fuel, bike prepped, and out the door. By 4:30, I was rolling with the crew from PMH, linking up with another squad at Lincoln, then off to the race.\n\nAnd not just any race—the DB Cup. The one with cash on the line, where a perfectly timed handicap could mean glory or heartbreak. As the race organiser, I had done my best to set the gaps so that everything would come together at the finish. Now, all that was left was to suffer.\n\nOur Break bunch was stacked. Darron Burns, the Southland hard man, gravel aficionado, and all-around race enforcer. Jan from the USA, all power and massive legs, here for a few weeks and already making his mark. Tom Scott, fresh (or not so fresh) off a monster gravel race, but always a threat. Frankie Revell, 15 years old, a fast-rising talent with a political future and a killer sprint. Geoff Tock, an experienced racer making his comeback. Greg Manson, a seasoned Leeston veteran with 250+ races to his name. And then there was me—at 61, still feeling strong and ready to rip.\n\nOur gap? Five minutes from the front bunch. Behind us? The scratch group of five hitters, only 1:15 back. The game was simple: ride like hell, catch the front, and hold off the chase.\n\n⸻\n\nThe Race\n\nDerrick counted us down, and we were off, drilling it from the gun. Frankie, Greg, and Geoff wasted no time lighting up the pace. I felt good—legs fresh, power solid. The first turn came quick, and we settled into smooth, rotating team time trial mode.\n\nThe wind had a bite, nudging us from the left shoulder as we powered through the long straight. Every pull was a calculated effort—just hard enough, but not so much that you cracked before getting to the back for recovery. The rhythm was relentless, the speed brutal.\n\nThen came the hill. Not much of a climb, really, but at 40 km/h, it stung. I timed my pull perfectly, dropping back just as we crested it—a micro moment of relief in an otherwise merciless effort. My 261W average at 69kg, not too shabby for someone eligible for the Masters+ category.\n\nThe next stretch was fast and lined with gum trees, offering brief shelter before the technical left-hander. Jan hammered it at the front, and I had to dig deep to stay in touch. The headwind hit, and Darron—ever the general—gave me a quick “calm down” as if sensing I was riding a touch too hard.\n\nGlancing back, I expected to see the scratch bunch breathing down our necks. Nothing. They were nowhere in sight. We were still in the fight.\n\nThe kilometres ticked by. Another turn, another shift in wind. We could see the front group now—dangling, just out of reach. We were closing, but so was the finish line.\n\n⸻\n\nThe Final Push\n\nWith every rotation, we edged closer. The last few corners demanded commitment and control—loose gravel, traffic islands, and legs screaming for mercy. Greg led us through the final left, laying down the power, and we gave chase with everything we had.\n\n50 metres. That’s all that separated us from catching them. But I cracked. One minute I was fine, the next, I wasn’t. I missed a couple of rotations, barely clinging on, trying to will my legs back to life.\n\nTwo minutes. That’s all it took. I was back in the rotation, back in the hunt. But time had slipped through our fingers. We reached the front bunch just as the finish line arrived.\n\nAndy Timmings took the win. We had left it too late.\n\nI rolled over the line, gasping, heart rate at 180 bpm, watts still solid at 260W average. Post-race analysis? We almost held off the scratch bunch, only conceding 40 seconds over the race. That’s nothing. We had ridden like a well-oiled machine, nearly pulling off the perfect breakaway.\n\n⸻\n\nPost-Race Banter \u0026 Beers\n\nAt the pub in Lincoln, the usual questions: Where did we lose it? Could we have won? The consensus? We rode strong, but the front group deserved it. The perfect handicap setup meant everyone had a shot, and that’s exactly how it should be.\n\nThen, the ride home. And now? Sitting in the spa, legs wrecked, pint well-earned, already thinking about next week.\n\n⸻\n\nRace Highlights:\n\t•\tBreakaway Power: Rode almost as fast as scratch, conceding only 40 seconds.\n\t•\tTeamwork: Rotations were smooth, power was even, tactics were on point.\n\t•\tThe Chase: We could see them. We could smell them. But we were just a touch too late.\n\t•\tFinal Effort: Heart rate maxed at 180 bpm, average power 260W.\n\t•\tPost-Race Ritual: Beers, banter, and a well-earned soak.\n\n⸻\n\nWeather Report: Clear sky, 18°C, and the wind was blowing 15km/h from ENE\r\n-- myWindsock Report --\r\nAerodynamics: 0.215 CdA\r\nFeels Like Elev™: +148m\r\nWeather Impact™: 4.8%\r\nHeadwind: 53% @ 12.9 - 25.9 km/h\r\nLongest Headwind: 01h 19m 13s\r\nAir Speed: 30.6 km/h\r\nTemp: 12.1-18.8 °C\r\nPrecip: 0% @ 0 Inch/hr\r\n-- END --","distance":119306.0,"elapsedTime":19617,"totalElevationGain":102.0,"type":"Ride","sportType":"Ride","workoutType":11,"startDate":"Mar 20, 2025, 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