Rolf Devinci

 Today under sunny but cool late November skies I went for a 5 km run. That makes November 21 the start of my winter training regimen (sigh).   The Plan  To be honest I have no plan heading into the winter as I have no idea what I am actually training for come Spring and the start of the 2012 cycling season. That is an unusual situation for me to be in as I usually have a good idea of what I want to accomplish well in advance of the season. There are some reasons for this.......  I am unsure of the future of Finbar's Racing. The "beer" kit operating under the auspices of the BPCC banner became an official club last season. It offered the opportunity for those who had the team kit to actually race in the colors.Unfortunately GM, the president and co-founder of the club, moved out of province and there arose a general malaise as a result. I have no idea if the club will actually register with BNS for the 2012 season? I fe...

In hinesight I should edit the title to Finbar's Volunteering - 2011 Provincial Time Trial Championship as I will be leaving the bike home when I head to Windsor in the morning. Originally intent on defending my podium from last season I am heeding the call for volunteers to help pull off the 2011 event. As a past holder I gave up my plans to compete to help ensure the race day gets off to a good start. If you are unfamiliar with the holding role it requires positioning yourself behind the cyclist, straddling the rear wheel while you hold them upright at the start. The cyclist will then clip in both feet in the pedals and prepare themselves for the countdown. They are "literally" in your hands. The key is to hold the rider steady while compensating for their movements as they get comfortable in the saddle. Depending upon the size of the cyclist and size of the bike it can be somewhat challenging. I tend to hold the bike by the back of the seat rails and...

5pm AST Saturday and the rain has started. The question heading into race day tomorrow is whether it will be wet or dry? The lastest forecast is saying a 40% chance of precipitation but some areas may experience thunderstorms. Swell! Not much to do but wait and see what the morning will bring. http://www.bicycle.ns.ca/Library/2011/Events/Lun_Rvrprt_Poster.pdf Many would argue that the race at Riverport, on the mouth of the Lahave river in Lunenburg County Nova Scotia is not a race if it isn't rainy,foggy and unseasonably cool. I have witnessed both since starting racing in 2004; miserably soggy but also scorching hot days. Regardless of the weather conditions there is always wind.Racing on the coast of this province, adjacent the North Atlantic, wind is omnipresent. It is just a question of where the headwind will be on the 28km loop. Along the river heading towards the appropriately named Grimm's road(and toughest climb) or the last ten kilometres heading t...

Today the 2011 Halifax Crit will be held around the Commons as part of the HRM Bike Week celebrations.....an inititaive of the city to increase bicycle awareness and facilitate further cycling friendly infrastructure in the city's long term development planning. Weather Forecast Since the "modern" day crits were ressurrected by Bicycles Plus Cycling Club we have almost always been plagued with wet, cool weather. It has amost become part of the planning process.As of this writing the pavement is dry but it is overcast and foggy. Hopefully it will burn off shortly but the forecast is predicting afternoon showers. With half the crit course repaved last week with table top flat conditions it will be a fast race so here's hoping the rain holds off till this afternoon. Race Meal If you read my(future) race reports this will become rather routine. My pre race meal today was home smoked nitrate free bacon I sourced at the Seaport Farmers Market yesterday along with th...

Overview Today the inaugural race of the 2011 BNS road series takes place in Falmouth Nova Scotia under overcast and rainy skies. We can hope the weather clears by the Noon start but at the time of this writing(7:30AM) it is damp and chilly.Forecast looks foreboding with showers and a high of 10C this afternoon. Complicating the unseasonal temperataures is the fact I awoke this morning with a sore throat. My son was complaining of feeling peckish on Thursday and Friday of this past week and I think I got what he had just in time for race day. Swell! The course is a 11.5km loop comprised of rolling terrain with one 750m hill. Cat C will race 6 laps for a total of 69 kilometres.I have not pre ridden the course but expect typical rural Nova Scotian roads complete with rough patches(NS "cobbles") and omnipresent chop. Finbar's Racing Since starting racing in 2004 I will be sporting different colors. I opted to race under the Finbar's banner this season after the...

 It is official! Finbars Cycling Club is now sanctioned with BNS as a cycling club. What started out as a jersey idea over some "recovery" drinks at the local Irish pub has taken the next step by registering with the provincial cycling body.  In an attempt to get back to some "social" club cycling with a focus on fun some BPCC members began the "beer" rides a couple seasons ago. The relaxed pace ride(30kph) leaving Bedford for Dartmouth and the return via the Waverley road to enjoy a post ride beverage on the sunny deck of the pub gained in popularity. Before long GM and TB brainstormed the creation of a beer ride kit and with the owners of Finbars on board we ordered the initial jersey and bib from Louis Garneau.  With the adoption of ability based racing in 2010 I was keen on enjoying a fun competitive season of racing Cat C in what amounted to a "sport" category. With average speeds around 32-35kph and more moderate tempos on the big ...