Last Saturday, April 8th, I participated in the individual time trial event “Tijdrit Almere 2023”.
As the name implies, it’s in my hometown and the long distance is 42 kms, or three laps of 14 kms each.
Until 2019, this event took place in my backyard, the wide open polder outside the city.
I participated only once in that, before it changed the location to the outskirts of Almere-Haven – the oldest neighbourhood of Almere – for the 2019 edition last minute.
It was cancelled in 2020 and the “Tijdrit Almere 2021” was in October, last year’s “Tijdrit Almere 2022” was a week later than this year.
The course is following the dyke along the “Gooimeer” lake and open fields on the other side, so there’s no hiding from the wind…
I only participate for fun – there’s no chance in hell I will ever make it to the podium – but I strive to beat my PR each edition.
That was not much of a challenge in 2021 because of physical issues during the preceding winter of the 2019 edition.
Last year, I thought I would have a chance but sadly, some nitwit that did not follow the directions of the steward clipped me and I crashed.
So, this year I was aiming for 1:05-ish again or at least a PR (1:08:15).
I mean, I would really like to go below the hour mark or at least average 40 kph, but I will need to ride the course on Zwift, while generating 100 Watts less to make that happen 😂
So far, my “Tijdrit Almere 2018” – on the old course – shows the highest average: 37.5 kph.
My highest average power was during the 2021 edition: 380 Watts, but I highly doubt that is accurate, although my Assioma’s hardly ever fail me.
At any rate, that did give bring me my PR on the new course but at 36.8 kph…
I was in for an early start this year (10:20) so the temperature was not great but the wind forecast was not too bad.
I.e. no strong head and tail winds, which I did have in 2021 – I usually perform better under those conditions, as I manage to make the advantage of the tail wind count more than the disadvantage of the head wind.
Probably because I practise riding into a head wind more often, or at least longer on a round trip…
Anyway, I quickly let go of any hopes for a PR, as the lateral wind was not strong but annoyingly giving you a “head wind feeling” either way.
I managed to equal my power numbers from 2018 – 283 now against 285 then – but my average was 1.3 kph slower and therefor I was also slower than in 2021.
As I get even older, it will be harder and harder to beat my best but although an ITT is clearly not my cup of tea, I will probably keep trying.
I mean, if it would be double the distance, I’m pretty sure I’d do better in my age group, but as it stands, the 50-year old power houses are way better at this than me 😎
The pictures are eerily similar to last year’s – which shows I do not look a day older 🤪 – but the sticker(s) are new and make it easier for the photographer’s service to identify you…
And they’ve added a nice touch, with a time stamp on and a “certificate frame” around the original, plus I also got a short video in which my flybys are visible from three different angles.
Link to Garmin registration.
