Croc Trophy more from Steve.

Steve Billington (R) on the Rubena Rocky Trail Team Care of: Regina Stanger

It has been the first time I've had internet access for a couple of days and Day 5 was a monster.  Two really rough single track sections with a very fast firetrail before,  in between and after.  These sections were roadie heaven and me being a hill climber, I hurt bad trying to hang onto the road trains. They were doing 40+kph on MTBs, on dirt roads.  Those euros can pull those big gears like nothing else.  I have been smashing them on the rough stuff and hills, and was hopeful of a great finish as I passed my nearest rivals in the M2 category.  At the 90km mark disaster, flat and also my c02 cannister head had broken so I had to resort to a hand pump. The last 30kph on the road I did by myself.  I buried myself on that final section but ended up losing 10mins. Gutted.

Day 6, 125km with 2400m of climbing. The profile was flat for 60km, then it turned straight up, alternting screaming downhills and steep climbs for 50km.  My plan was to cover my competitors (Riders 102 and 104) until the climb and attack.  The day didn't work out as planned as I got dropped from the front group after 20mins.  The front group always seems to smash it out for an hour in an attempt to try and drop as many people as possible.  Riders 102 and 104 held on though as they are largely roadies and I  thought i was in for a bad day.  I grabbed onto another group and we picked up rider 104 around the 30km mark. He was 30secs ahead of me in the M2 cat overall, my day immediately improved alot.  

I tried a cheeky attack on the flat but he was all over me so I knew it was game on from now on.  Coming to the 60km mark there was a drink station and then it was a climb, a barely rideable climb.  From our group of around 7 I launched an attack on the hill, everyone else cracked but rider 104 followed me.  This climb could be broken into three sections of around 100m, 50m and 25m, I attacked again on the 50m and still rider 104 followed me.  The final climb I wanted to spend all my bickies and attack for the last time and rider 104 finally cracked.  He slipped to around 50m behind
me on a downhill section and I  gunned it for the next 10km solo in an attempt to loose him.  Gradually I caught some other guys who were cooked and then finally found someone to work, I wanted to bury rider 104.  A road train was
catching us so I broke again as I thought he, rider 104, would have been in it.  I held them off for another 5km but they eventually caught me and I found thankfully rider 104 was not in the train.  

Other members of Steve's team make their way through the testing conditions Care of: Regina Stanger

It was time to recoup and I spent another 10km with these guys until the final depot at about the 90km mark. I was joined by another guy as we out-climbed the group, breaking off the front and staying together until the end.  I think I did fairly well overall and definitely put some time on rider 104, so it was a good day. Regarding the course, today was a shocker, very very hard, hot and pretty much miserable for everyone.  I spent a lot of beans today so we will see about tomorrow which is another 120km with nasty climbs.  Three days to go and doesn't my arse hurt.

Cheers, Steve.