Blackburn CC / Zonta Kew ITT - April 21st 2013

NRS riders don't just show up to big races and expect to do well. On any given weekend they're plugging away at club events getting valuable race 'sham time'. The Blackburn CC ITT at Kew is no different. A Grade always contains a number of well known riders who are up to the task of one of the toughest 20km TT courses in the country.

Although they're the fastest, they're always outnumbered by the other grades. 107 riders hit the start line today across all grades (A to F). 107. This is a phenomenal turnout for a club time trial. Blackburn CC and the Zonta Group (series sponsors) have a formula that works. Early starts, an accessible course right in the city, a good spread of grades, and a $15 entry fee. Holding 4-5 TTs over the series on the course means anyone of any level can challenge themselves to better their PBs. Add to that sunshine, cool conditions, and we have a perfect event..... although the coffee cart was missing today. :(

SLane dressed up as Chris Hoy in his Kask.

Back to A Grade - Representatives were there from NRS teams Charter Mason, Croydon Cycleworks, Search2Retain, BikeBug, African Wildlife Safaris. Also club level teams Giant Celtic, Kosdown, along with solo riders representing their clubs. Not bad. Notable absentee was Tom "160km motorpace yesterday" Leaper who'd Tweeted in his DNS late last night. Blackburn had me off last chasing Tom, so now I was chasing both Trevor and Jason Spenser at 1min and 1:30.

Who needs a Kask when your head is already shaped like one?
Still keen to try one in testing though...I want to see the numbers!

Lap 1 was a struggle. I'm still getting over Baw Baw last Sunday (physically and mentally). My lap split at the first turn was well up on where I expected. Back to work on the return leg for a first lap just over 14 minutes. At the final turn I knew I was within 30 seconds of Jason Spenser who had put in a sub 30 minute TT on this course before. The final 5 km is a fine balance of leaving it all out on the road but not blowing up on the two final climbs. After a dance with a car and other riders, I was on the final stretch and knew I might be within the course record set by Alex Morgan in 2011 of 29:26. One last time check at 250m to go. Wow, shit! I was well up! Sprint! My Garmin stopped at just over 29mins. Official time 29:07.

I managed the the win, and a PB by 33 seconds. My first ever TT was at Kew, 8 years ago almost to the day. I've been chipping away at those Kew TTs every year hovering around the 30 minute mark. Today was a true breakthrough. It didn't hurt any more than the others, I didn't ride it much differently, I just went a little faster. It is these improvements through training that keep me motivated. I hope everyone else who set PBs or posted their first time are as keen as me to get back on the start line in round 3 and do it all again, faster!

Time for a new skin suit... This one has been pulled on a few too many times.

A Grade Top 10:

 1    1    MILLER, SHANE      29:07   29:07 Coburg Cycling Club Inc
 2    2    SPENCER, JASON     29:44      37 Blackburn Cycling Club Inc
 3   13    STEVENSON, OSCAR   29:59      52 Hawthorn Cycling Club   
 4    9    SHEPPARD, ERIC     30:18   01:12 Carnegie Caulfield CC 
 5   12    SQUILLARI, NICK    30:32   01:25 Geelong West Cycling Club Inc
 6    4    CAIN, JOHN         30:36   01:29 Carnegie Caulfield CC
 7    8    ROSS, MATT         30:37   01:30 Carnegie Caulfield CC
 8   14    JOHNSON, BEN       30:38   01:32 Footscray Cycling Club Inc
 9   17    RUSSEL, TOM        30:40   01:33 Hawthorn Cycling Club
10    6    LANE, STEPHEN      31:04   01:58 Coburg Cycling Club Inc

Full Results
John Cain's race report. With GoPro video!
Strava Linky of my ride

Two Kosdown riders the top 3. Four in the top 10. The team boss was pretty happy with that news today. Always good to see our young chargers lining up at TTs and putting in 100%.

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Coming up....

Tour of the South West - This coming weekend. Part of Cycling Victoria's state road series. I'm looking forward to that 12km ITT stage. I was warned the crit was brutal too. Can't wait!

South Australia State TT Champs (the following weekend) - If I can sneak across the border again this year, I'm there. Dead flat out and back. Well worth the 1,400km round trip! Anyone else keen?

More dirt - After the Mont I'm still keen to get stuck into some off road stuff. I'm still hunting for that 'cant turn down' deal on a bike.