Footscray Cycling Club ITT Championships 2011

Footscray CC allowed members from other clubs to compete in their ITT championships on Sunday, so the alarm clock was set early, and I was headed out west, only a few kms away from where we'd raced Saturdays Hell of the West. Going over the West Gate Bridge, the massive flags were a good indicator of the wind, a killer north westerly... this would make for an interesting 40km TT!




This was my first Footscray CC event, and I think I've said before how much I enjoy club events. Here is why:

- Online pre-entry via the web for this TT.
- They sent out an SMS the day prior informing entrants of the start lists being posted.
- Map and start list printed and provided when signing in for race.
- Corner marshals, and marshals on blind hills to warn of oncoming traffic.
- Spot on accurate timing, and lap splits for A Grade (the only grade doing two laps).
- Prompt results, presentations, and awarding of medals across grades, and a sash to the club ITT champ.
- $15 entry fee and generous prize money was a bonus too.

As a visiting competitor I was warmly welcomed by their members and officials. Top stuff. So onto the race, summed up in a Time Trial Flowchart.....

Of course there is a lot more than that...  I won't bore everyone with a blow by blow (did I mention the wind?) of solo riding..... back to dot points for the race summary:

- First 6.5km was into a head/side wind and up a gradual rise, topping out with a few pinch hills.
- The next 3.5km were downhill, into an epic cross wind. Passing cars meant being sandblasted.
- 10km-17km was done at 60km/h, front Zipp 404 singing loudly with the tailwind coming straight from Hell (of the west).
- A few kms of cross wind and lap 1 was complete.
- The wind picked up for lap 2. Many riders opting not to ride on their TT extensions.
- More sandblasting, falling bits of tree hitting me on the head.
- Visions of Raoul Luescher shaking his head whenever I wasn't holding proper TT form....
- Actually being scared for the first time in a while as a gust almost knocked me off the road at 55km/h.
- Finish line in sight, crank it, done! 56:05.

The cool down was a little eerie, we'd been fighting the wind for close to an hour, and all of a sudden everything was quiet.... the silence soon broken with people recounting their battle stories.

A Grade Results:

No. Name.              First Split. Final Time.
1.  Shane Miller (Haw) 26:52:64     56:05:68
2.  Adam Murchie       27:03:09     56:46:79 (Footscray ITT Champion 2011)
3.  Ben Johnson        27:13:06     57:21:99
4.  Lachie Doak        27:32:66     57:50:18
5.  Daniel Hopper      27:57:04     58:36:39
6.  Dom Dudkiewicz     28:26:43     59:50:02
7.  Matt Bailey        28:55:68     60:46:31
8.  Chris Pescott      30:17:37     63:19:68
9.  Adam Trewin        31:25:59     66:04:79
10. Ben Douglas (Haw)  29:57:89     DNF (puncture)

Full results: http://www.footscraycc.com.au/uploads/media/ITT_05-06-11.pdf

$130 for 1st place, a nice surprise for an hour racing. I was aiming for 10 TT wins this year, my tally is currently sitting at 12. There are 20+ on the TT calendar through to the end of the year, so my current TT bike is on shaky ground. The urge to upgrade and keep putting everything into these next TTs is strong.... but this weekends prize money is already allocated to a chain, saddle, and a fixing broken spoke in a rear wheel (broken at Hell of the West, happy it held to the end!). Upgrades may be put on the back burner. As Lance once said, "Where the f'ck is my left nut!?"... no wait, wrong quote... "It's not about the bike". (much)