CSV Victorian State Masters ITT Championships - 2010

Back to Wangaratta for the first time since last year's state masters TT champs, how time has flown!  The course was on the high side of town so it had not been affected by the recent floods.  Numbers were thin across most grades.  I think this is due to a few factors, distance from Melbourne, a long crappy winter, and most roadies hating time trials with a passion.  Throw in nothing more than medals and bragging rights on the line and you end up with a handful of die-hard TT riders who do it for the 'love' of the sport.

The small numbers didn't mean easier fields, and speaking of, John Cain.  The super slick Giant Trinity riding TT man mountain who is thankfully in Masters 4.  We had some great battles last year at Wang and Newstead.  John stuck a solid 13 seconds into me at the Phillip Island ITT in late July, I'd missed the chance at restoring the balance of the universe at Newstead last month, so it was back to our old battle ground for a showdown!  As a championship event we were not up against each other, but there is always an unspoken battle for the fastest time of the day across all riders.

I went for a recon ride on the second half of the course, the wind was expected which made the course super fast.  No angry magpies to contend with was a bonus, but my nod and smile to one of the CSV officials as I rolled back to the start/finish was met with a blank look and glance in the other direction.  Friendly magpies and grumpy officials!?.... At least one of them was sticking to the stereotype.

Race #1 pinned on my back I was off last for the day.  Gebert (Kosdown) was my minute man, Tobin (Wang CC) @2min, Welsh (Kosdown) @3min.  I caught Gebert before 4km in and passed Tobin just up the road from there at 500m before the first turn point.  Welsh kept just out of sight up the road.  Onto the 2.5km home straight I lifted the power - which resulted in zero power readings from the SRM for 45 seconds.  It seems the frustration of no power data makes me ride harder, when the power data popped back to life I was sitting on over 450W - not sustainable for any length of time, but the finish line was in sight so I kept on the gas.  25:41 with an average of 45km/h.  1st place Masters 1 and my third state MMAS1 TT title in a row.  The power numbers were good and if I can peg them there for the next two weeks I should have a good ride at the National Masters TT in Ballarat on the 24th.

After a few post event timing corrections by CSV, I'd won the battle for the fastest time of the day and stuck 18 seconds into John Cain, it was a good day at the races! :)

MMAS1 results:

MILLER, Shane HAW  25.41.72 1st
WELSH, Simon  CBG  27.49.10 2nd
GEBERT, Wayne CBG  29.31.58 3rd
TOBIN, Martin WNG  30.57.43

Full CSV results