Tales from the llama...: Australian Masters Games 2013

My third Masters Games since 2009 and another great weekend (including week days!) of cycling events. Being at the younger end of the spectrum means our fields are a little thinner than others. We're honestly not their target audience, but they have to start somewhere. The competitors in their 50s, 60s, and beyond are where the real stories are.

Here is a quick wrap up of my tales as a mid 30yo who entered to support the AMG and sharpen up for some upcoming races.

Time Trial

A 20km time trial held over 18.3kms. I only realised this when I saw the turn around point and my Garmin said 9km. It is always a relief to find out it'll all be over sooner than you'd planned for in a TT. The course had some character. Ups, downs, and a few long drags where I kept my nose on the numbers and the legs ticking over.

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The other two MMAS2 competitors were DNS, so I just had to finish for a gold medal. Poor form to leave me hanging, still a great chance for a final hit out TT before the Masters Nationals in NSW next week.

Without any competition, I still gave it everything and I rode the fastest time across all grades and locking in the Gold for MMAS2.

Full Results: PDF
Photo Gallery: Peloton Cafe/JXP Photography
Photo Gallery: Jo Upton Photography
Peloton Cafe: Miller Tunes Up For National Title With Australian Masters Games Gold

Road Race

We'd arrived early that morning for Von's race and by the time our start came around mid afternoon I wasn't up for 112km in a small group. SLane was in MMAS1 so I set about lighting up proceedings for the first 1/2 of the race before drifting back to the car and not digging myself into a hole of fatigue. Job done. Field thinned, MMAS2 breakaway established, helped get two guys well clear of any chasers for them to fight out 1-2. Just under 350W NP for 1hr23mins. A rock solid day in the bank in the lead up to NSW. I usually start a race to finish it, for the first time in a long while I pulled out before it was over. No regrets. My eyes are on another prize! :)

Toot toot! $5 Bike Share 'tried and tested aero' helmet represent!

Photo Gallery: Jo Upton Photography
Results: PDF

Criterium

Eastern Park Gardens is an excellent location to showcase bike racing. Not hidden away on an industrial estate or jammed into the back blocks of suburbia. The backdrop of Geelong and the bay is a great view on a sunny day. It is somewhere where random passers by can be swept up in the spectacle of a bike race. We need more of these locations.

Onto the race: 40mins +2 laps. MMAS1/2 combined. SLane had won the MMAS1 Gold in both the TT and Road Race and he was keen to do the triple. We had no team plans, we'd make it up as we go..... and he went! SLane rolling off the front on the first lap with no other MMAS1 chasing. The combined MMAS1/2 field let me sit on the front and set the "tempo". SLane was soon out of sight. We'd dropped a few riders through the technical turn and up the steep pinch. All MMAS2 contenders were still together for the 15 minutes of the race.

jouptonphotography.com.au

I was still hovering in the bunch waiting for the pace to light up. Rider 77, Per Christian Mørk, one of my break away companions from the road race, was the man to do the job, going full gas along the 900m back straight into the steep hill kick. I launched off his attack on the hill and nobody came with me. Time to chase down SLane! 15mins of solo TT later I was on his wheel with only 10mins remaining. The spectators (and event medics) enjoyed watching the chase-down, I was getting time gaps yelled and a few claps once I'd made it across.

Race story is all there.

We shared single lap turns for a few minutes before we were on the back of the MMAS1/2 bunch. With 2 laps remaining we backed off the pace and didn't interfere with their race for the other podium spots. We still had a friendly drag race to the line where age and experience won over youthful beauty! See below.... ;)