The Baw Baw Classic. A race where everyone involved has a story to tell.
Where they got dropped, where they chased back on, where they first
cramped, where their Garmin auto-pause was kicking in up the final
climb. A race where the winners are rewarded and every finisher is
celebrated.
Baw Baw wasn't even on my race radar until last weekend. While
talking to Ciaran Jones at the CV Masters Crit Champs in Castlemaine, I
was inspired by his approach to racing. I couldn't come up with an
excuse to tell him why I wasn't going to enter either. Von was offering
to provide support. Team mate SLane had entered and had been on a rabbit
diet for a few weeks. Tony Reeckman lined up as the event photographer.
And as part of the VRS series there were points on offer. So I was in.
My preparation was nothing like the Tour of Bright, even though this
race is tougher than any of the ToB stages. I've been focusing on
boosting power output at this point in the season, not dropping the kegs
to fly up hills. I haven't even stepped on the weight scales for the
last month. Excuses out of the way, the 28 cassette went onto my race
wheel and I cleaned my chain, at least the bike was ready to go even if I
wasn't.
We started with a select field of 21 riders in Masters A. Looking
around on the start line, too many of them were sub 65kgs and of below
average height, perfect for the course. Hampton Cycles had the numbers
and assigned roles. Nothing was allowed to escape off the front of the
bunch in the first 30km or so before the hills started to get longer and
steeper.
Damien Jones (Hampton Cycles) and Stephen Lane (Kosdown) broke off
the front at around 35km in and were out of sight on the twisting
rolling back roads near Neerim. With no riders swarming to the front to
take up the chase, the pace was kept at a soft roar until Michael
Gallagher (VIS) started unleashing all hell on the bunch. Déjà vu
from Mt Buller a few weeks ago. Gallagher lifting the pace, assessing
the damage, lifting the pace again. The rest of us were on the ropes,
taking the punches, and stuck to his rear wheel. No real damage done,
the climbs were too short to take anyone out of contention.
We got word of the lead two having 2-3 minutes advantage. With 45km
of hills to go this time gap could be eaten into pretty quickly by some
fresh legs in the bunch. Onto Vespers and Gallagher opened up
proceedings and didn't stop. The bunch reacting, fracturing, and
suffering. Near the top of the climb Gallagher and Kingston (Hampton
Cycles) had a 50m gap over Paul Mason, Danny Kah (both Charter Mason),
Ciaran Jones (Giant), Cameron Clamp (Bicycle Network Victoria) and
myself. We were soon together again and headed through Icy Creek with no
let up from Gallagher driving the front.
On the descent out of Tanjil Bren, Gallagher lost his front wheel on
a hairpin and ended up with his wheels in the air and his arse on the
road. Nothing too nasty, it wasn't at high speed. At this point Kah and
Kingston bombed the descent while Jones, Clamp, Mason and myself took a
more skin-saving approach and made sure we all descended together,
upright. Through to the start of the final climb the four of us did what
we could to keep the kms ticking over.
With four riders still up the road at 97km in, we hit the toll gate
and were onto the final climb. The four of us exchanged compliments,
good lucks, and got on with the job that is yours and yours alone. 6kms
of hell. Hell on your legs, arms, back, and your mind. The climb is a
battlefield. When you think it can't get any steeper, it does. When
you're sure that it'll let up around the next corner, it doesn't.
Getting from the "4km to go" sign to the "3km to go" sign takes a
lifetime.
Within the first 200m of the climb we'd passed Lane who was cramping
to the point of having to get off his bike. Not too soon after,
Gallagher rose (rode) from the ashes (asphalt) and stormed past Mason,
Clamp, Jones, and me. He then dangled just off the front of us for the
rest of the climb. We passed a few riders with Masters A numbers on,
making up one place each time. I'd lost count of where I was at. I was
in a world of hurt. I just wanted get to the top.
The final 3km are a vivid blur. There was welcomed spectator support
from the side of the road. There were smelly dead animals, road works,
and riders from other grades in the same world of pain. I was soon in a
zombie like trance, trying to block out everything that ached. Tony
Reeckman caught just a small glimpse of how it feels at 100kms into a
hilly race. I didn't even have enough spare energy to look sideways at
this point, though I managed a thumbs up when Tony commented on my sock
height.
Jones had kicked clear of me by a few seconds at the
500m to go. I rolled in 4th, 1:13 down on a sensational ride by Danny
Kah for the win. I found a small patch of grass and collapsed on it.
I've never had to dig that deep before in a race. No time trial I've
ever done compares. I was dizzy for the next few minutes, looking
skyward unable to feel gravity. I was done.
Masters A Top 10
1. Danny Kah 3h40:48 Carnegie Caulfield CC
2. Michael Gallagher 3h41:34 +46 Carnegie Caulfield CC
3. Ciaran Jones 3h41:53 +1:05 Carnegie Caulfield CC
4. Shane Miller 3h42:01 +1:13 Coburg Cycling Club Inc
5. Cameron Clamp 3h42:33 +1:45 Hawthorn Cycling Club
6. Paul Mason 3h46:35 +5:47 Carnegie Caulfield CC
7. Brett Kingston 3h47:32 +6:44 Carnegie Caulfield CC
8. Lucas Sproson 3h47:55 +7:07 Carnegie Caulfield CC
9. Damien Jones 3h48:44 +7:56 Carnegie Caulfield CC
10. Michael Hay 3h49:50 +9:02 Carnegie Caulfield CC
As I said above, everyone who was there has a story story about the Baw
Baw Classic. If you know someone who was there, ask them about it. It is
these stories from the racers and supporters that build the legend of
events like this and keeps them growing into bigger and better events
every year.
Full Results
Photos by Tony Reeckman
Cycling Victoria event write up
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