Scott 24

This wasn’t my domain, 24 solo yes, large 24 teams sure, but never like this. I couldn’t believe I had just agreed, at the last moment before rego closed. I was to team up with one of the fastest enduro riders based out of QLD and ride the Scott 24 as a pair.

It was spring, the weather could do anything this time of year. I packed the usual riding gear, then my cold weather riding gear and then some more.  There was food, tools, spares and bikes. The forecast was ominous and as the weather passed through NSW and the ACT just shy of the weekend it laid down rain, hail and in some places snow.

Saturday morning I met up with my team mate, Trek/Anytime Fitness rider Sean Bekkers. We were in agreement for our race strategy then Sean dropped the bombshell, it was already decided, I would do the start. Ahhh, I hate to run!

The start was as chaotic as ever, but it was important not to get stuck to far back and we were away, well mostly and after a few mini track-stand comps with myself. Thankfully the figure eight configuration offers plenty of trail, and it didn’t take long for everyone to spread out on it. The first double lap was down, I tagged Sean, we were in for a long day.

While I wasn’t aware of it at the time looking back now at our laps times Sean was the workhorse of our duo. He remained consistent and dependable throughout the event, giving me updates of our progress, lapping within minutes of his previous time and waiting patiently for me to arrive at transition. I guess that’s the good thing about pairs racing, I hardly heard a complaint.

During the early stages we were having a good “battle” with the team who placed 2^nd at last years Scott 24. The team was made up of Shane Taylor and Mick Hernan, Mick was lapping with me and we were able to have a good chat along the way. It wasn’t till the descent off Stromlo where I would loose Mick, an hour and a half or so later out on another double, Mick would pull onto my wheel or pass me on a climb and we would remain together till the top of Stromlo again. Unfortunately Mick sustained an injury during those early hours and the team called it quits, there was to be more racing for these boys the following week.

As Radical Lights took a solid lead from the 7hrs mark, Sean and I slipped into 2nd just before midnight. From that time on we increased our lead over 3rd and held the 40 minute gap to Radical.

I was now in a cycle, ride, recover, eat, rest, prep and wait. The only thing that changed was it got dark, the Ay-Ups came out and this was added to the list during prep. The pre dawn lap was one of my slowest and I was glad to hand off to Sean and see him go out on the dawn lap. Now that the sun was up it was time to tighten the screws and lay down all we had left out on the trail.

I crossed the line eight minutes before midday after completing a red lap but as I had descended towards transition on the blue lap I had seen Radical Lights heading out for their next blue, we virtually a lap down. Sean motioned to me to move through transition, he wasn’t on his bike. It was at this time I found out we had a clear lead over third and didn’t need to head out for another.

I was drained, 24hrs of 1:30-1:40 doubles, the sun, the rain, the mud, the taste of food I didn’t want to see again for weeks. I slumped onto a chair in the Trek/Anytime Fitness tent, my hosts for the last day, people blurred as they moved around me, I couldn’t believe what we had just accomplished. This was just the start of a week of racing for me.

Big moment podium for the Pairs.

Just a snapshot of the battle in the Solos. It was so close for the top 5 or so over the first 8 hours. MA is Mark Astley who went on to place 9th.