Race four was to be on the fourth bike I have used in the series, kindly donated by MAGELLAN.
A Rocky Mountain 29er, entry level spec bike, but a bike is faster than no bike at all.
Once I picked up this rig I added my fav pedals pumped the tyres up and slammed the stem.
The journey got under way from Hornsby station where the lovely Laura Renshaw picked me up and we road tripped it to stromlo, which for laura was the first ever trip she has made to MTB at stromlo, hence why the trip seem to drag on for ever. But like any good mtb'rs trip the hours are passed by dodging highway patrol cars and solving the worlds problems, while Scotty and Rocky travel in the back.
Once in the car park of stromlo laura is soon scooting about on Scotty to stretch her legs after the drive, we then meet up with some mate for a reccy lap..
Winding our way around the switchbacks on the very smooth dry stromlo course all expecting a long climb to the top,to be surprised with a descent down the bottom of the DH course and back along the car park. We then climbed our way up to skyline via heartbreaker (I think) amazed at how easy that felt,but knowing 4hrs of trying to go fast up this would be anything but easy.
A quick scoot along skyline made the Rocky Mountain bike come alive, it wanted to go and go and go and that it did forward and off the ground.
A team selfie at the bridge over looking Canberra then the luge track home, OMG it was the smoothest ever. I played it cautiously as the bike is unknown to me but holding this bad boy on the ground was next to impossible, so I let rip where I could. Look I will be honest, I'm not a fan of shimano, but I'm not sure what people pay for Slx brakes whatever it is just get some. They were awesome, spend the money you save on better rotors and pads that suit the conditions and you will always have your bike under control.
RACE DAY
The night before was spent at the Mcvoys hotel, which you could only compare to being an athlete at the A.I.S. It's the place that all great endurance athletes go to find a calm serenity and to be fed until they can eat no more, and then be chauffeured to the start line in style with everything organised and in place, from water bottles and nutrition to great pit row position. I don't recall ever being so relaxed before a race, thanks jase and Kylie.
In the starting blocks: Blair,Lewis,Ward,shippard,odams,cooper... So if you are not sure who I'm talking about, then I'm guessing you have not read a mtb magazine in the past 7years. So to get you up to speed on who is actually racing, mountain biking is a craft and all the master craftsmen are here on this day to lay down their skill over 4hrs to carve out a mountain bike race.
Then you have chops who is trying his best to not quiver in his non Fluro socks, must of miss this dress regulation for racing elite. So we roll down a hill thru a puddle, a whistle blows and we get 150m to race for a tight right hander into single track with some 100+ riders behind you, a recepie for disaster.
Well I survived, I feel sorry for anyone not in the top dozen.
The plan
To be consisted for 4hrs. First and last laps to be the same duration and everything else the same as well. This is to eliminate crashing and burning, it's to enhance the enjoyment of riding and to take advantage of riders racing a 4hr race like a 2hr battle.
This plan played out well, energy levels stayed consistent throughout the event. But of course there was levels of hurt to make the 4hrs count and well there was a race on as well. It was a battle of points between myself and Kyle Ward to decide the series.
Now in the past he has faded throughout the last hour of the previous races, so my aim is to just limit the damage going up against riders putting in 300-500km+ more then myself.
I had some track side motivation in the form of Greg Lang who is a guy I went to school and played soccer with as youngsters he now lives in Canberra and has caught the mtb bug.
Don't forget I had to Emcee after the race as well, I have to finish in one piece and if you were at the presentation then you could sorta tell I cooked myself a tad.
The 4hrs of fun came to an end with a prize of tan lines and a throat full of stromlo dust.
PODIUM !
I take hold of the microphone to call riders to the forefront in celebration of their fitness and skill. It was nice for ROCKY TRAIL to call up the top 5, well they do it in downhill and at world level for XCO.
So I had my work cut out for to convince the crowd I hadn't rigged it so I could get on the podium in 5th place.
75 guys turned up for the 4hr event to stamp there authority. Kyle ward 1st, Andy Blair 2nd Shaun Lewis 3rd Anthony Shippard 4th CHOPS 5th. See I told you the big guns were here.
Another 4hr race completed on a borrowed bike and only a rucksack for luggage.
Kudos to Kyle with a Stella ride to win the day and leap frog me in the overall standings to win the series.
I complete this blog entry the day before the Highland fling, 100miles for me 2moro, the race at stromlo was the last time I was on a mtb..
Hmmmmm.... Yup trust me I'm concerned to.
But you have to make the best of a bad situation, so a huge thanks to MAGELLAN for hooking me up with some wheels to express my passion.
JUSTCHOPS :)
No comments:
Post a Comment