Road Racing

The lads from bikeline have been pushing me to enter a road race so I thought that this Sunday would be the day to do it. Saturday night there was a big storm that passed through Toowoomba so the race looked like it mite be wet, but in Toowoomba it doesn't rain two days in a row and normally the day after is really hot and sunny. Once again this was the case as we headed to the race there was no water to be seen on the roads. We arrived at the race at 6:30am and it was time to register. C grade was the Jr category gory so C grade it was for me. The race started at 7:30 and by then it really hotted up. From the start the race was quick with group of about 5 attacking on the first climb. I attach my self to the back of another Jr's wheel and just sat at the back of the group. By the ended of the main decent my group was about 500m in front of the chasers. The group consisted of 3 Jr riders and 2 senior which suited me. There were 3 main climbs left in the race so on the first one i decided that I would have ago at breaking the group up, which worked. The group split and the 2 senior riders fell off the back, leaving the 3 Jr's to sort out the podium. We entered the last corner and I was leading which probably wasn't the greatest position to be in as I was unable to see the riders behind me. I quickly brought up the speed with 200m to go and one of the riders had already dropped of leaving me an another to sort out 1 and 2. He was hot on my wheel and I could not see him with about 20m to go he attacked and i was unable to respond, leaving me to finish 2ND. Lesson learnt to no be leading coming into a sprint.

Sunday Group ride

Every Sunday 6:30 at the shop, this weekend was no different, was the first one there at 6:10 . The ride was going to be around 60km by the time we got back to the shop. The route took in some of Toowoomba's biggest climbs at fastest descents. We started to ride out to Highfields along the New England high at up the 'Highfields Hill', (most hills there is all-ways an attack) this time is was started by me. I rode hard, out of the saddle and was the first up the top. Waited at the top till everyone got back together then tuned down Murphy's Creek rode. The fast twisting rode was slowed down by the fog, we could not see 10m in front. The rest of Murphy's is mostly flat and the group stayed together in 2 lines with the front 2 pealing of every view K's. Everyone stayed together till we reached the 'The Range'. The Toowoomba Range is the main road to get up into Toowoomba, and is part of the Great Dividing Range. This is about a 4km climb which can take between 13-30min. Again I took off and smashed my self up this hill. The jersey was unzipped and the legs were burning but the guy behind me got into 20m of me but I was able to hold my tempo and and finish strong about 100m in front of everyone else. We got back to the shop and the coffee shop next to us was calling everyone sat down and relaxed after a hard ride.

School and Work

Has been hard to get out on the bike with exams at school so studying hard, also been working lots at good old Hungry Jacks, saving up for nationals and to travel to some other races. Getting a big ride in tomorrow with the Rodie group hopefully 4-5hrs and then off to work again. Last week of school next week , cant wait till the holidays.

Highfields

Out on the road bike today with the Rodie group from bikeline. Ride was good, 1hr a 15min on the bike before school, so I was happy. Ride went had some good climbs heading out to Highfields, did a loop in Highfields and than powered my way back to Toowoomba. Normal Thursday routine with the crew off to the Coffee club after but not for me this weeks as school was calling, maybe next week...

New Sponsor

Spats Ti Frames have been taken on bored as my new bike sponsor. The Titanium frames are designed in Canberra by Aussie MTB nut Johnny Musladin and look and feel awesome. I will strapping up on the Purge with the 17inch only weighing 1345g. The Purge is the classic XC frame made from 3AL/2.5V seamless Ti double butted tubes. Non Integrated head tube, with a round top and down tubes integrated into the head tube. The Purge also comes with a traditional rear seat stay, V and disc brake mounting points, and comes in a stylish brush finish. Spats makes another MTB frame, the Cage. The Cage weighs a little bit more at the 17inch being 1394g. its made by the same material but has a ultra-stiff integrated hour glass head tub. The road frames Carburet a combination of Ti and Carbon gives you the best of both worlds, the Javelin is your classic sleek and elegant road frame, and the Catapult is the Smooth-lined road frame.

Men's XCO

Saturday arvo saw the Men tear up the XC course. 45 of the world best riders took to the technical course on Canberra's Mt Stromlo. Ralph Naef of Switzerland smashed him self and the course in 1hr and 45min. Australian Cris Jongewaard was always in the mix finishing an impressive 10th. Other Aussie including Olympian Dan McConnell finished 12th, Lachlan Norris 19th, Dylan Cooper 20th. World Champion Cristoph Sauser struggled from the gun still hurting from the Olympic games last week. The Olympic gold and silver medal winners were not present for the Canberra World Cup round heading back to France after the Olympics in Beijing.

Womens XCO

Saturday morning it was the Elite women's turn to smash through the Stromlo dust. Australian Zoe King went out hard but by the top of 'Cardiac Climb' she had blown up seriously. Russia's Irina Kalentieva led from then on and didn't look back. The 44kg Russian flied around the course in 1hr and 39min not even tired, with time to spare she posed for a picture with me. Australia's highest placed rider was QLD Jodie Willett in 7th place. I was lucky enough to have rode the course a lot with her on Thursday and got to have a good chat with her about the course. It was unlucky for Aussie Tory Thomas who was right up there with the leaders till a flat tired pushed her back finishing 13th.

U17 XCO Race

Friday I took place in the U17 XCO race, the biggest field of all the races on Friday with about 30 riders taking place. Didn't Start well, probably my worst start of any race this year so for the first section of single track I stayed in about 12Th lucky that didn't last long as I found some room to pass. After the first 500m of single track 1km of up hill fire road sorted everyone out, I lock the forks and pushed on hard up into the lead. Then we entered 'blue gums' a quick twisty single track section before the main world cup technical climb known as 'Cardiac Climb' the plain was to be in front here and I'm lucky I was, as I had room to maneuver about a 20m gap till second place. I pushed hard up the climb and around the corners over the rocks till the top for about 1 or 2km. Next was the main technical down hill section 'Hammer Head' Since the most grounded point with spectators I thought I would hit the A'line to give them something to cheer about, rode it well and they cheers. Rode about ten meters than crash badly on easy section silly mistake I didn't concentrate for 5sec and payed bad. Crash into a thorn bush and struggled to get out, by the time I did I dropped back into 4th. Got back onto the bike and rode hard to catch back up. I pulled in 3rd by the end of the first lap and had only one more lap to get back into the lead. By the end of the climbing on the second lap, second position was in my sight and I was only 15m away. I rode fast into corners and had some very sketchy moments. Almost to the end and I was sitting on the wheel of second getting ready for a sprint finish then.... POP! flat tire with 400m to go still trying to stay in 3rd but 4th was closing fast and riding with a flat doesn't make you go faster. Went around the last corner and 4th was right behind me I tried to go with him buy the wheel was gone and I finished 4th.

Fly away

Bike packed and ready for the 2008 Mountain Bike World Cup in Canberra. Racing on the Friday should be interesting after the Epic on Sunday but that tracks good so should be smiles all lap.