Spotlight on... Chris Baldwin

Name

Chris Baldwin (aliases Big Guy, Yank, Diesel)

Who do you race for?

Eagle RC, and it only took a year of riding with Simon Hewins around Tok's own Regents Park Velodrome to get the invite. It was to their Christmas mince pie night 2006, and by the time I left I'd been stripped, re-dressed in full racing kit and about £100 worse for it. The club takes the initiations seriously. How else do I explain the scars?



How long have you been racing?

More of a how long on the bike, as I were a poor country lad with no organised races in rural New York in the early 70s. We used to live on our bikes in the country lanes, about as rural as it gets. Two of us from a little village thinking we were the second coming of Merckx as we did 60 to 120 mile runs. If only we could have found a race. Or a club. Or someone who could show us how to keep rims clean when gluing tubs. And have chamois that didn't feel like lizard skin. Wool shorts and all.

Three years ago I decided enough talk of non-existent glory days, got my BC license and did my first organised races. Just getting on to a 70 races since then, so making up for some lost time.

What type of races do you do?

More easily answered that I don't do track, which anyone who's seen my masterful sprint displays will agree is a good thing. Road racing, circuit racing, time trialling (10 to 100 miles), a bit of cross and even, as much as I hide it, a few bike legs in organised triathlons (it pays well!).

Where do you race?

I suppose Hog Hill is my home circuit, but all the London usual suspects with the exception of Palace as it clashes with our TT series, the E1 and E2 TT courses, the ERRL races and have been known to sneak off to Yorkshire for a fast ride and to France to taste the pain of continental 123 Cat racing.

Briefly describe a typical training session -

As a single dad to a six year old daughter (and even with an understanding girlfriend), time is of the essence. Training is year round in blocks of generally two hours time six days a week where intensity and quality rule over quantity.

I don't mind going round and round my usual circuit of Regents Park most days as it provides a consistent platform that can be used for intervals, tempo and even the odd sprinting session. There's always a cabbie to chase or if I'm with Phil Sheehan little electric cars to annoy. Liz, the multi-talented girlfriend and former Australia rowing champion, races as well and we get some good sessions in where I try to hold 25 mph while she drafts as preparation for some of her races, then open gaps and chase each other down. I almost went to a Powertap this year, but had cold feet at the last minute as it seemed like yet another device to tell me that my numbers don't add up to my results.

What are your Goals for this year?

Well, we're half way through and the season has shaped up with some nice surprises. I survived turning 50 in March, and for the first time thought I might try a few of the coffin dodger races.

I've targetted the various masters national and world championships, and a few others where the points will help the club. So far, so good as I've had several wins and podiums with the best racing (road race champs) to come.

It'll be good to get the 2nd Cat license, but I've been sitting on 37 points for the last few weeks and I reckon the 3rds are toying with me and won't let me get there without a fight. No respect for their elders I say.

Managed to pick up our club championship last year based on time trialling results over 25, 50 and 100 miles and wouldn't mind holding the trophy for another year as my daughter is growing some wild flowers in the cup and don't fancy having to clean it out yet. Too boring (even to me) to state individual times to break on the TT distances, but seem to be a bit quicker this year than last so with a fair wind blowing . . .

And of course riding naked on the tandem through London on a sunny saturday in June with 1200 other cyclists. Or was I dreaming that one?

Have you got any training Tips?

Long slow distance makes you good at riding long slow distances. Follow the training advice of Greg Lemond and keep the intensity high. It's good for the soul. Race as many times a week in the summer as you're able. Beats training.

What have been your best races so far?

Without a doubt, it was the day that my daughter and I both won our respective races at Hog Hill. Equal prize money as well. Second was the win at the Hillingdon GP (where the combined age of the next three finishers just edged over 50) and then third would have to be finishing on the same lap as the leaders in the Smithfield Nocturne, 50 yards from home with friends, family and club mates supporting mme around the meat market circuit. And handing me a pint on the warm down.

Ras De Cymru (2,3,4) Stage Race: 1-5 July 09

I've taken the liberty of stealing my team mate Sylvain Garde's Report of stages 1-4 I have reported on stages 5 and 6 only. Also thanks for the picture Sylv. Additional reports/comments from Andy, myself and Sylv are available here
Stage 1 - 7km - 35.3km/h - 174bpm

Twelve minutes of pain. I knew it would be, but it was worse than I had feared. I ran a 5km fun run in 18m the previous week and thought that was painful, this was much worse (the other difference being that I thought I looked fit amongst the donut-eaters at the fun run, whilst at the RAS most everyone looked fitter than me).


From Left to Right - TEAM ACC
Me, Hal, Andy and Sylv

A long rolling section which took about 8 minutes with some decent climbing, straight into hyperventilating, and then a horrible climb which was just too steep for me to stay in the saddle, incredibly painful. Had my TT bike but no disc wheel or TT helmet. Average HR was 174 and max 183. I remember Andy's terrible state as he finished a few minutes after me, and I don't think I looked any better than that when I crossed the line. Finished 28th, 48s down - D'oh.

Stage 2 - 86.4km - 40.3km/h - 156bpm

Was well placed just behind Hal for the first KOM and tried to initiate an attack before the downhill immediately after that, but everyone sat up recovering after the sprint and the bunch (minus 20 or so) regrouped during the long downhill. Toks and I sat near the front coming into the second and final big climb and Toks attacked solo there. A small group then went away but I didn't want to risk bringing the bunch back to them, so only when it was clear that Toks was not going to make it, did I attack. I probably waited just a little too long, as by the time I went past Julian Winn I was struggling a bit. But us two through and offed for a bit, we we so close to the break, about 25m, I think a huge out of the saddle effort might have just made it for me, but I thought the climb wasn't over, and I could just see myself having managed to join the break, only to get dropped on the next climb seconds later.

So had to wait for the bunch, and the rest of the stage was rolling, until we hit the dual carriageway. I was feeling better by then and joined a through and off intended to bring back the break. That was undoubtedly the hardest t-n-o I've ever done, only about 8-10 were working (including all ACC, Marcus and Dave) and after ten minutes even though I was still taking turns it felt like any second I was going to blow. I imagined that was what the final miles of a Pro sprint-finish stage must feel like - it was painful but glorious, and we got praise for our work at the front. The finish was on a small climb but with a dip and another 100m down, I misjudged it thinking the top was the finish, and could just not sprint anymore once past the top, so was overtaken by quite a few riders. Totally spent after that, felt horrible. Hadn't eaten enough too, just one gel, a mistake I wouldn't repeat.

Stage 3 - 24.5km - 42.9km/h - 155bpm

We had about three hours to recover after the morning stage and I was feeling terrible. The thought of quitting (after doing the TTT for the team) crossed my mind. We went for a warmup and the legs just felt dead. We got going and it was hard, but not quite as much as I had dreaded. I was behind Andy and he was taking super strong turns going down the DC. I was feeling sorry for Toks on his totally stock road bike, and also Hal with his plastic DIY extensions for only aero aid. We lost Hal to a puncture just after turning back half-way ish, I was feeling (a little) better but Toks and Andy were tiring, had to ease off once or twice. The last few miles seemed to take forever, now I was struggling to get up the climbs. I knew we hadn't done fantastic but didn't expect to have lost so much time, 17th of 22 teams.

Stage 4 - 80.9km - 40.7km/h - 144bpm

Fortunately recovery was good overnight and I was now looking forward to the next stage. I quite like the finishing hill (even though it had one of those bloody false-finishes at the top, but at least this time I had a few laps to make sure I knew where it was). Marcus and another guy got away. Later on Dave K and a group of about 8 tried to bridge, at first not being chased down with the bunch slowing down to under 35km/h at times. Later the hammer went down and upon coming to the top of the hill for the second to last time we caught them (helped by the fact that seemingly the group disintegrated when some went on to contest the KOM) and we also caught Marcus. Couldn't get away after that so decided to rest and have a go at the climb, only got passed by one after the false summit, to finish 8th which I was pleased with. The SIS gels I was trying out seemed to work great, had 3 and didn't feel any noticeable dip of energy during the stage, and the same for the following.

Stage 5 - 112km - 38.6km/h -

This is the stage that everyone had been dreading! - essentially four circuits of 16 mile loop, punctuated with a few lumpy bits a super fast A road section and a 1.5km"Oh-my-fcuking-gawd-you-can't-be-serious-man" climb (think Whitedown!). The descent of the climb was great fun of course but it was a like having to hold a TV aerial in a really uncomfortable position just to watch your favourite TV program (far too much pain for such little joy!).

Once again the ACC boys put in a good showing. Props must go to Hal "the Monster" and Sylv "Racer Boy" Garde who never seemed to be off or near the front. My old legs we're feeling the pressure of 4 days of racing so I had to sit in and do my social thing. I had a word with ex pro (ridden the Giro I believe) Julian Winn. He's now a 3rd cat :-0and in the 2008 version of the RAS he was the GB Team DS. I reminded him of how of ten I heard Nicole Cooke shouted "Julian Julian" on her radio. and he cracked a cheeky smile and confirmed that she could sometimes be very demanding.

So on the first ascent of the bitch climb I made the classic error of being too far back and also realised that a 16% climb and 39/23 gear combo's wasn't a great match in my case. No panic, "puff pant, honk snort". I could just make out the yellow ACC jerseys in the bunch some twenty metres away. Mmmm... now simply riding across to the bunch required more watts of course but the headwind and the nasty energy absorbing road meant I need help. Two or three guys took to the front and after one turn each we were back on quickly followed by Norwood Paragon's Russell Painter who had also become dislodged. All back on we flew down the super whizzy descent and on to the equally fast A road.

At this point the bunch just seemed to plod along allowing a two man breakaway to quickly gain a minute by the end of the second lap. On the 2nd time up the climb I got myself swamped by a mini attack at the bottom and got to the top to find there was a significant gap between the bunch and me. Shit now what?? Enter big guy from Team Isle of Man (they have Liverpudlian accents you know). Soon we're in a rather serious looking thru and off but its not working - we ain't getting back - the bunch have shown us the middle finger and its game over. Noooooooooo!!!!! I adopt my superman position and hit 53/12 like I hadn't done since our Team Time Trial.
Big Isle of Man does the same and so do a few others.

With the tail wind we're close 40mph and the Junior rider that is with us is spinning out. Eventually we see the service vehicle and a soft pedaling bunch again and five mins later we're all back together. A few other also rejoin after similar efforts one of them being Jason Humphreys who looked pretty happy with himself and shot to the front.

So back in the bunch things never quite got going and a bit like the weather - some efforts were promising but could not to be relied on. This served the break well of course and they soon had close to 3 mins. From the middle of the bunch I could see Hal and Sylv taking stints at the front and a few freedom passes were released but then they were quickly revoked. The 3rd time up the climb was about as tolerable as having a stubborn tooth removed. I stayed with the bunch Just!. Norwood Paragon's Jason Humphreys was less lucky and didn't get back on unfortunately. Having peeled off on the A road for the final time off came the glasses and up went the arm warmers. The weather Gods were obviously unimpressed with our efforts so for amusement/pain or general hilarity they sent down rain very hard. You've all been there before - water from back wheel sprays in your face and you have to take off your google/shades just to see whats in front of you. Arrrggghhh. So finally bunch sprint up the climb, who's gonna get to the top of the climb first? Sylv looked good, so did Hal and so did Andy. Me I just had to survive the climb. Last stage tomorrow Yippee!!!!

Stage 6 - 83.2km - 37.4km/h - 145bpm

I knew from last year this was definitely not gonna be run off like the TDF's final stage procession into Paris. The word was out that the Paragons meant business and a possible Paragon/ACC breakaway alliance was on the cards. Once the lead car pulled away after a five mile neutralisation is was game on! Attacks began and just kept going. Who was attacking just about everyone?

Every time I looked up I could see the numbers 31, 8, and 4 (Dave K, Sylv and Hal) stringing things out. The bunch snaked its away along fast narrow lanes, attackers got chased, then chasers got chased down and passed by new attackers. Things were vicious on the flat and descents but the pace was equally high powered even when the terrain wasn't flat. For the most part Andy remained mid pack and so did I until I gradually made my way to the front to join sylv, Marcus and Dave for the last 60 minutes. Never one to miss out on the action (legs permitting ) I launched my attack on a slight descent and was quickly jumped on by Jason Humphreys (NP).We were soon reeled in but it somehow had the desired effect and Dave "I-Bet-U-can't burn-more-matches-than me" Kennett crested a little climb with a couple of others for company rounded a corner and was gone.

Julian Winn (Abergavenny RC) came to front with myself and Hal and we rode tempo while Dave Kennett and his new buddies slipped away like thieves in the night. The pace soon hotted up again but the gap stayed good and break wasn't seen by most of us again. Once on the 4 mile climb a strong group of 20 or so containing Hal, Sylv and most of the top 20 GC guys surged away from the rest of us and reeled in the break. Ain't power to weight ratio a BITCH!

Further down the mountain the rest of us set about out things with a little less haste. All the way up the climb I'd swapped positions with a plucky Junior rider, Max Webster. I thought I'd dusted him off at 500 metres to go but he kept me insight then shouted "common Toks" and duly out sprinted me to the line. A great stage and another brilliant run Ras De Cymru well done to all those who help put together such a brilliant stage great race D

FINAL GC -
Sylv 18th @ 5.34
Toks 33rd @ 8.40
Andy 34th @ 9.10
Hal 62nd @ 25.41