24 riders this week including some ProTour talent, Johnny Walker, and his equally fast brother, Nick. A number of fast regulars meant tough work ahead - Peter Braunsteins (Apollo), Stu Morgan (In2Sport), Steve Pilson (Footscray), Cam Clamp (HCC). Early on the Walker boys took off together, if they were going to get away, I was going to hitch a ride. I latched on but we were soon closed down. Attacks, breaks, shutdowns for the next 45mins. A lot didn't survive to see the '3 to go' sign. At '2 to go' Johnny Walker jumped from the bunch, I thought that was 'the move'. If anyone would back themselves at '2 to go' and not worry about some club level punter on their wheel, it'd be this guy - but we got closed down on the hill as we met bell lap. The bunch swarmed and the race to the final corner was on, by this time I was just a spectator on the back watching them fight it out. Cam Clamp performed some acrobatics to keep upright after his rear wheel stepped out on the corner, and a few seconds later Braunsteins dumped his chain off the big ring and had a lay down on the course. The first five contested the sprint to the line, with the rest of us sitting up behind the carnage. Nick Walker took the win over Pilson with Johnny third. In the wash up, Pete didn't break anything just a few stitches in his arm and new shoes, helmet, and bar tape required. Cam Clamp's rear wheel had the last laugh, exploding at random as we were all scraping Pete and his stuff off the road.
Coburg Crits - National Boulevard. Saturday 22nd Jan.
30 or so riders in A grade. Break, chase, break, chase, break chase. Lovelock (Genesis), Samaras (Kosdown), and another rider looked to have formed a break that would last. They were just within reach so I got across solo and started working turns. Still too many strong riders back in the bunch for it to stick. Morgan, Clamp, Gillett (Virgin) bridged across, which looked like it split the bunch to bits - but we were back together within a lap. Nothing was getting away early, too many fresh legs. At 35mins there was a crash in B grade which stopped all racing as the rider down was looked after. Race cancelled. The crash looked nasty but we were informed today that there were no broken bones, just an overnight stay for the rider in hospital. Never good to see someone not get up. Still a good 90kms done by the time Google Maps was consulted a few times on the way home.
BR ride. Sunday 23rd Jan.
The original Sunday training ride that got both Andy McGrath and I into the sport back in 2005. Doncaster start point, Warrandyte, Kangaroo Ground, Clintons Rd, Smiths Gully, then home via Hurstbridge and up Burgundy Street in Heidelberg. Back in '05 we'd have a group of eight or so regulars and a number of ring-ins competing on a few climb-trials, team time trial sections, and freezing our arses off on those cold winter days hoping Smiths Gully would have their open fire lit. We disbanded this ride after about 18 months. Some of us were off racing, or just got tired of having our legs ripped off in the hills every Sunday. On Sunday, Andy, Con, and I met at the old start point, same time as always, 7:15am. I was wrong in thinking it was all a social ride, Andy wanted to 'see where he was at' up the Warrandyte-Kangaroo Gorund cycle2max climb-trial. One in, all in. The last time I timed myself up this climb was May 2006.... it hurt that much I didn't time it again for years. I scrambled up the road at the start point, giving Andy something to chase. No pacing plan whatsoever, I expected to blow up a few kms up the road. I hit the top at 10:10. A nice chunk of time knocked off from four years ago. The all important numbers being 399/426. Missed the 400 by one. Ouch. Andy came in under the 12min mark so is easily on track for A grade at any crit race Melbourne has to offer! Apart from contracting both dengue fever and malaria from the Smiths Gully store mozzies, the rest of the ride was a blast. Lots of hurt, lots of laughs, and a lot of familiar faces who were out on other rides in the area.
2011 Coburg IRTT Series
The Coburg CC Time Trial Series kicks off this Sunday (30th) somewhere at a place called "Wildwood"... which is either a male strip club for women, or someplace out near the Melbourne airport. Either way, a tight skinsuit should do the job nicely. Four events in the series. See the Coburg website for full details. Aero and non-aero categories for the bling and blingless.
Schedule:
Time | Date | Location/Course | Approx Distance |
10am | Sun 30 Jan 2011 | 25km | |
10am | Sun 13 Feb 2011 | 31km | |
10am | Sun 27 Feb 2011 | 14km | |
10am | Sun 13 March 2011 | (Coburg IRTT Champs) | 31km |
Other Randomness
- Why are there so many single shoes on the roadside this time of year?
- 'We Sell Boxes' signs are everywhere.
- Self-Serve checkouts...Where is my 10% staff discount now I am doing all the work?
- The new milk location at Kew Safeway still does my head in, on a daily basis. I go through a lot of milk.
- Watch the movie Catfish.. but don't read/be told anything about it prior. Spooky/cringe/reality/check it.
1 comment:
Wow! A "BR" in 2011. I was a "ring in" a few times. That was a long time ago.....
Cheers
DaveA
Post a Comment