Stage 2 with Steve

Ahhh, Alice's award winning event the ICME, Stage 2 with Steve Billington .

At 300m long and close to 100m vertical, this is one intimidating hill, especially after already racing this morning.

200 riders set out starting at 4.30pm in 30second intervals in reverse order from the finish Stage 1 this morning, the 42km race. The atmosphere on the hill was electric, as the sun set on course the fans and spectators were yelling, ringing their cow bells. As each rider ascended the challenging tarmac course, they were greeted by waves of enthusiasm and a wall of sound. Then it was over the false flat and around the last corner to the plateau and the Anzac Memorial at the highest point of Alice Springs.

My pre-race warm up started with a bang.  We were pumping our tyres up to the stated max of 55psi, but my team-mate Aaron went to 60psi “because they never get that right”.  Rounding the first corner out of the hotel room and BOOM….latex party, Aaron was in drag and essentiallydeaf in the right ear. The entire tyre had completely blown off the rim.

On the start line, Rowena Fry launched before me on road rims which looked funky on a mountain bike and posted a scorching 54secs.  Dang.  I was up next, having smashed a gel 15mins before and was pumped and full of caffeine and sugar. I began with a track-stand, clipping both feet in, then it was go, go, go. Had a great start pumping the pedals, then the lactate started rising and my heart was trying to explode out of my chest. I was only just reaching the false flats of the car-park when this was happening, there was still more climbing before me. The crowd at the car-park flat spurred me on and I virtually fell over the finish line, cooked and ready to puke. 57 seconds.  I was 2^nd in category, beaten by 1sec. Happy with that.