Rocky Trail GP Final Round and Uber Weekend

A thousand words for a picture, a million for the video.

Caught at Mt Annan

Road Racing? What the?!?

Day One: Road Race, located within the Royal National Park on closed roads. Thanks to the race organisers for all their efforts brining together the RTA, Police, traffic control and National Parks. The course consisted of two major and one minor climb per 26km lap, morning showers had dampened the road but it cleared quickly to a warm and sunny day. I had to complete two laps of the course.

From the gun I lead the peloton through the neutral section onto the main road, opening up a couple one hundred meter gap to the peloton. After five kilometres out the front by myself I backed off and waited for the group, happy to sight the rest of the course from the bunch. On the main climb from the furthest turn around broke the bunch from 20 to around 10, we then went on to complete the lap without any incidents.

On the minor climb before the final climb to the finishing line I attacked away from the peloton. Other riders attempted to make the gap and only one made it across, we took turns on the front to hold off the peloton. I was then out climbed to the finishing line, crossing second but with a reasonable gap to the rest of the riders.



Day Two: Critirium Race, located at the Sutherland Shire Cycling Club (SSCC) Crit Track. Thanks to SSCC for hosting us. The track is smooth and fast and has three variants we were to use variant two, mostly flat, and three, which included a small climb. My grade was to complete 35 minutes, plus two laps, half on variant two and the final half on variant three.

It was a mixed pace race, only punctuated by a few half hearted attacks. The bunch kept together and I lead it into the final lap. With two corners and the climb to go I was swamped by riders attacking for the final sprint and rolled over the line in 8th place.



Day Three: Time Trial, located within Holsworthy. The 13km per lap course was undulating and included a down hill start and finish, to give you a false sense of speed. My grade was to complete two laps and we were to set off in reverse General Classification. I had not given much time away during the Crit and remained 2nd in the GC, therefore second last to go.

Things were looking good and I could see I was slowly gaining on the guy infront of me. At the turn around point some riders had made the mistake of turning right instead of u-turning, I briefly slowed to make sure a u-turn was correct, which allowed the leading rider to catch me. We also had the third placing GC rider just behind me after he made the right turn mistake. There wasn't much in it till transitioning into the second lap where substantial gaps opened. But it wasn't till presentations that we found out how we went.



Final Results:

2nd - Road Race

8th - Crit Race

3rd - Time Trial

2nd (Runner Up) - General Classification

Thanks to Enduro Pulse and our official partners, Dave Perry for lending me his steed, TWE for a fast set of wheels, Mick, Bel for all the little things.

WSC 2010 Vid

Zipping through WSC's vid and found this sweet capture. Ay-Up's Andy Fellows and Bozz Bekkers. In the background, the trainer and FTP guru Mark Fenner. Next to Fenz is "now back in multi-sport", and killing it, Katrin Van der Spiegel.

On test for DIY MTB over the next couple of months are some Vesrah brake pads. Made in Japan, with an alloy backing and (yes weight weenies) half the weight of standard pads. I hope to give these Cross Country SL's a workout. Results to follow.

JB 12hr gets covered

In the fine print, are all the category winners, even the Enduro Pulse Racing Pairs.

Mr English gets to show his colours on the back page of the Hawkesbury Courier.