SKCC Team TTT - B Grade

Sunday was my first Team Time Trial (TTT) and though only the odd person chose to ride a TT bike/bars/helmet/skin suit, it was on from the get go with good prize money up for offer. B grade had 7 teams entered with Canard representing strongly with 2 team. After the standard quick B grade crit beforehand, I had tried to save the legs in order not to let my team mates down. The distance was 10 x 1km laps of the crit course with the plan of trying to maintain a 45km/h average. We started off a little slow but held to our strategy and finished strongly on the last lap finishing in a time of 13min45 (only 35s behind the winners). Overall we had averaged 45km/h with my heart rate at  averaging 174bpm and maxing at 187max. 

Official Photos here
Results here

Men's B Grade TTT (10 Laps)
1. 13:10 Hawthorn Cycling Club
2. 13:32 Giant Celtic Race Team
    13:32 Racing for Canard#1
4. 13:39 The Kings Men
5. 13:42 Melbourne Uni CC
6. 13:45 Racing for Canard #2
7. 13:46 Team Wynn's

Training and more training

I have been busy training and have finally made the leap onto the Melbourne bunch rides They are fun and fast (more fun than racing). My first big race is the Mansfield crit and road race in March, until then I will keep seeing how long I can keep up 400-450km weeks. A typical week looks:

Monday - SKCC easy Monday ride
Tuesday - Either 6am NRR or 6.30pm Barkley St
Wednesday - SKCC bunch ride
Thursday - 6am NRR
Friday - rest
Saturday - Hell ride
Sunday - SKCC B grade crit + lots more easy k's

Tour Down Under 2012

A quick summary of my trip Adelaide. For the full set of photos, please click here.

Day 1 (36km)

After making the drive over from Melbourne, it was nice to unpack the bike and go for a easy roll from Glenelg down the Adelaide's equivalent of Beach Rd to Semaphore. From there it was time for happy hour on the balcony while the sun set.

Day 2 (100km)
The Down Under Classic was not to the late arvo which gave me plenty of time for two laps of Glenelg to Outer Harbor (a little further down the Beach Rd). After the first lap, it was time for the traditional daily coffee at Cibo's. I even attempted a ZABACCINO (Marsala and egg flavoured cappuccino) which surprisingly tasted better than I thought. After the second lap, time to cool off at the beach before catching the tram into the city for the team presentations (SKCC's own Matty Lloyd on the left) and the Down Under Classic. 

Day 3 (80km)
As there was no racing on Monday, the plan consisted of more coffee at Cibo's and riding along the beach. In the arvo, we drioe to Hahndorf in the Adelaide hills for a great lunch at the German Arms Hotel. The servings were huge, the beer cold and the wursts perfectly seasoned.

Day 4 (0km)
I finally gave into my body and had a day off the bike after. I drive to Stirling and had found a nice spot 150m from the finish. With the race pacing by 4 times, Stirling is a great stage and the only thing that would have made it better would having been riding to and from the stage. It is a nice climb up to Crafers and the way home is pretty much all downhill. William Clarke had an amazing ride managing to stick a solo break after being away for the entire race. One of our party ended up chatting to Will's nervous parents trying to play it cool and control their nerves with the peleton hot on his heels. 

Day 5 (85km) 
I was back and today was going to be a tough ride with a head wind all the way to Victor Harbour. I rolled out of Glenelg on the back of the Hampton cycles bunch with 100 riders. The size of the pack was quickly halved with a solid effort up the Hellacove KOM giving me 6th overall on Strava (I did get relegated later that day after the others uploaded their files). With a quick stop at a BP for some much needed Powerade, it was on again to the actual KOM for Stage 2. It always brings me so much pleasure passing 3km worth of stationary cars at the top of the hill making the long hot ride into a head wind worthwhile. After the race passed through, I took it a bit easier rolling the last 30km to Victor Harbour and was greeted by great oceans views. I took the easy way home in the passenger seat of a car.

Day 6 (110km)
Today had a slightly different ride planned involving bike paths from the coast to city followed by a quick smash up Norton's summit (Adelaide's equivalent of the 1in20). I attacked my bunch 500m in and had made a good gap half way up. Out of nowhere I was overtaken by a bunch of 10 Hampton riders (from the day before) and then another 10-20 strugglers before the summit. They all kept going on another epic ride and I descended back down to Norwood to see the start of Stage 3. From here, more bike paths back to the coast and a easy roll back to Glenelg. Later in the arvo, I squeezed 36km worth of beach cruising before happy hour followed by karoke night TDU tradition of karoke at the Jetty bar. 

Day 7 (100km)
Today was the Queen stage up Old Willunga Hill which was another perfect stage to ride too. We managed to get on the back of a bunch of SKCC riders (which were a little lost) but they towed us to Aldinga where we stopped for a ice coffee and watched the race pass through. Back on the road to Willunga itnto a block, we came across a female Green Edge rider and we all rolled turns sharing the work load. We made it just in time to see the race pass through the town before we ascended up the 3km climb (avg ~8%). The crowd cheering as we rode up makin it a great experience. We found some shade just past the finish to watch the race come up for the first time with Nathan Haas solo of the front. The second time up with the bunch blown apart we saw the riders finishing in all conditions before riding back down and back to Glenelg. 

Day 8 (50km) 
With the finale in the arvo and the previous day rides, it was back to cruising along the beach with more coffee at Cibo's and more time at the beach.

Day 9 (0km)
Post tour depression and a 730km drive home. I still made time for one last coffee at Cibo's and was sad to see only one bike out the front. Overall a very successful trip with almost 650km's ridden and I could think of no better place to stay than on the waterfront at Glenelg with the beach and nightlife only 100m away.

Cnr Barkly and Carlisle St - 6.30PM Tuesdays

This had to be the most fun I had on the bike in quite a while. After a few months of serious training for Dargo and the Tour of Bright, it was good to get back to my roots of bunch riding and just smashing it. Everyone was well behaved (no one chopping wheels like half the races I have been in recently) and besides from a few extra people wide at times, was legal and safe. After rolling down to Black Rock at a relaxed pace, it was on all the way back to the St Kilda BP. We managed to average 45km/h which was nice considering I was up the front for the start and up the KOM at Rickett's Point.

Garmin File here.

Coburg National Boluie and SKCC Crits - B Grade (Take 2)

Coburg Saturday 

Same deal as last week, ride - race - ride totaling a solid 100km for the day. Jesse (also Team Canard) was basically in every break, so I was able to just sit in near at the front and hope for a opportunity to bridge the gap. I made it half way across in one of the early breaks but the bunch caught me and also the break (I may have dragged the bunch across on my wheel). The last break was set to stick and I got in a good position for the last lap but hit the front too early and got passed around the top corner. I didn't contest the sprint and rolled through in the bunch. As usual we all rolled back to Freshman's for coffees and cakes (plural, not singular).

SKCC Sunday Pictures here
I was on the front as the first small break got reeled in and kicked straight away making it clear with 2 others. I was on full gas for the entire break and was glad when another rider joined us to reduce the workload. We had a good crack and managed to get a reasonable gap but all good things come to a end. Not too long after, I punctured mid field due to a safety pin left on the track. I was able to borrow a wheel and get back into the race thanks to BikeForce team on the sideline (they also repaired my puncture). Canard had a rider clear so I was able to sit in and get used to the feel of the new wheel around corners and this is how it stayed for the rest of the race. There was plenty of yelling but no one was working together and the break stayed clear (unfortunately our rider crashed out). 1 lap to go Eddie launched on the back straight and instantly created a massive gap. Gaps appeared everywhere as the bunch blew apart (including me) but I rounded the last corner in time to see Eddie roll over the line winning the bunch kick taking 4th overall.

P.S. Due to all the rushing around changing wheels during the race, unfortunately my clean bar tape is no longer so.

New bar tape

My bar tape had got disgusting and there was significant peer pressure from my team mates to fix it. Since image is everything in cycling and I have been rolling in my new red Sidi's, it was time to get off my arse to correct the situation.

 

 A quick look at You Tube, a pack of bar tape, pair of scissors and before 20mins was out, it was done. It was pretty easy and if you ask me it is not such a bad job. I must be sick because I also cleaned my chain and wiped down my bike ready for the big SKCC points race tomorrow.

Coburg National Boluie and SKCC Crits - B Grade

Saturday - Coburg National Boulevard
Saturday riding out to National Boulevard there was a strong head wind meaning a nice tail wind down the main straight and a head wind up the back. This being only my 2nd time racing the circuit and identical conditions (where a break stuck), allowed hope for a non-sprinter. Not to long in, a rider jumped clear and as I was feeling good, I jumped around the top corner making it across. As I did my turn and flicked my arm, my co-breaker mentioned he did not want to ride into the wind. ?!$@? Why did he initiate a break? Two more riders joined, giving me hope of having someone to work with, but the group would not work together and it was all over with the pack chasing up down. The rest of the race had plenty of other attempts but non stuck. On the last lap, I moved up the field but ran out of legs around the top corner finishing with the bunch.

Sunday - SKCC South Melbourne - Pics here

Numbers were significantly down today with early morning rain and wind (less than Saturday). Luckily enough the rain had cleared and the track was dry as we set off. The aim of the day was to keep the pace high and not let it come down to a bunch sprint. I got on the front early to help drive the pace before the attacks came thick and fast. With team mates up the road each time, I could sit in and hope for some shelter but due to the pace line formation and wind, it was fairly tough taking its toll on the peloton making it a short day for some riders. A decent break occurred and a number of riders started disappearing up the road. I was content sitting in the bunch until I looked around and realised that most the bunch was gone (in either direction). I tried to gun it and bridge the gap but it was too late. I fell back in with the remaining riders and started rolling turns as more riders disappeared leaving 4. This was sadly how it stayed until the end, we continued to roll steady turns but the gap remained and it was time to go home.

 (On the front passing D grade )