Victorian Clubs TTT Championships '08

We were off to a good start, quickly up to speed and rolling turns. The weather report lists a 28km/h NNE wind with 39km/h gusts during our race time, and we felt it. Fighting our way north we soon spotted and passed Warragul team #1. Next up on the cards were the unexpected rail crossing warning strips. We all hit the first row of strips at full speed and it, ironically, hit the team like a freight train. I took action and crossed to the other side of the road for the second set of strips. Rolling over the train tracks was smooth compared to these damn wake-up-sleepy-farmer death traps! Around five kms up the road on the second rail crossing the warning strips were all across the road, so getting around them meant skirting the road edge. This was a tricky task on a TT bike, disc wheel, and a massive side wind. Stu, Nick and myself survived the final trap but Harry was in trouble. I turned to see him holding what looked to be his front fork - but he was still upright, it was in fact his right TT bar end. That breakage was terminal and it was time to push on with just the three of us.

We were soon on the home stretch and the wind was on our backs. With only three riders, there was less time to sit and recover. Stu and I put Nick into the red and he was digging deep into that suitcase we hear Paul Sherwin talk about. The only climb on the course was around 5kms from home and is usually the 'drop point' for the rider who has burnt the most matches. This wasn't an option for us so we kept together up the climb. I'm a good few kgs less than the two track pursuiters I was with, so I was well rested for the blast down to the finish. Over the top I stomped on the gas and pushed the biggest gear I could until I was cooked. Stu and Nick brought us home for a time of 44:27, which was enough for second place. A solid result given there were 18 masters teams entered!


Masters Results:

1 CCCC Team #1 43:15.20
84 Roy Clark
83 Justin Davis
82 Matthew Chessum
81 David Sturt

2 Hawthorn #1 44:27.31
76 Stuart Vaughan
75 Harry Fricke
74 Shane Miller
73 Nicholas Chadderton

3 Carnegie Caulfield # 2 45:15.13
111 Paul Mason
110 Boyd Friis
109 John Cain