Canberra Tour

wallman · Postby **wallman** » 05 Mar 2009, 17:11

Looks like the Canberra Tour is back this year and will be running over the first weekend in May. See http://www.canberracyclingclub.org.au/e ... ContId=841 for lots of details!

As one of the first road races of the season (and 3 stages in two days at that, depending upon your grade) this promises to be an absolute pain-fest. And although I'm not keen on pain, I am keen on racing reasonably close to Sydney in towns where I can stay with friends, so I'm going to this one. If nothing else it will be a handy piece of conditioning and an opportunity to pay my respects to our nation's capital and also to Tilly's, a purveyor of fine cakes and other less interesting foodstuffs.

Anyone else interested?

Matt

weiyun · Postby **weiyun** » 05 Mar 2009, 17:43

Looked interesting as it has grades D1, D2 and even E ie. Suitably accommodates the more recreational racers.

A whole weekend away from home during school term would be a challenge.

mikesbytes · Postby **mikesbytes** » 05 Mar 2009, 21:18

Grading is different to club racing

weiyun · Postby **weiyun** » 05 Mar 2009, 21:33

In what way?

timyone · Postby **timyone** » 05 Mar 2009, 21:54

In what way?

c and d grade etc are a ****** load harder!

(note, word blotted out is not actually a swear word, but i wanted to add emphesis

shrubb face · Postby **shrubb face** » 06 Mar 2009, 00:47

Im so so tempted to ride this. What grade were you planing on racing Mat?

wallman · Postby **wallman** » 06 Mar 2009, 07:55

Right, so as Mike says grading at Open level is very different to grading at Heffron. If last season is any indication, and I'd expect it to be, guys like myself, James F and Simon all race NSW D grade on the road. Huw is our lone C-grader as far as I'm aware, maybe Eugen as well?

Racing at these things is a great reality check if you feel as if you're killing it in the fast bunch on Sundays and are ready to take on the world!

timyone · Postby **timyone** » 06 Mar 2009, 13:59

Right, so as Mike says grading at Open level is very different to grading at Heffron. If last season is any indication, and I'd expect it to be, guys like myself, James F and Simon all race NSW D grade on the road. Huw is our lone C-grader as far as I'm aware, maybe Eugen as well?

Racing at these things is a great reality check if you feel as if you're killing it in the fast bunch on Sundays and are ready to take on the world!

mate im too fast for the fast bunch and all these road races, im going to bypass them all and just ride the track

(and maybe the medium group to waterfall, as i enjoy the nice cruisy pace on a sunday morning

Simon Llewellyn · Postby **Simon Llewellyn** » 06 Mar 2009, 16:57

Right, so as Mike says grading at Open level is very different to grading at Heffron. If last season is any indication, and I'd expect it to be, guys like myself, James F and Simon all race NSW D grade on the road. Huw is our lone C-grader as far as I'm aware, maybe Eugen as well?

Racing at these things is a great reality check if you feel as if you're killing it in the fast bunch on Sundays and are ready to take on the world!

C grade was tough, Huw basically quit last year because it was too intense. D grade wasn't too bad. I've got a few mates who ride B grade but they train seriously. You've got to do some solid kms & get consistent places to move up.

T-Bone · Postby **T-Bone** » 06 Mar 2009, 18:08

D grade is what i am planning on racing (2 D grades are due to large numbers in that grade). Last time i raced D grade, but made the mistake of missing the start in the first stage which sort of ruined any chances i had.

There are hills in this race, so make sure you pack your climbing legs, but other than that, it's all good fun, though tougher than Tamworth Tour.

T-Bone · Postby **T-Bone** » 16 Mar 2009, 21:44

Looks like entries are now open.

We'll have to discuss which grade we should enter.

wallman · Postby **wallman** » 17 Mar 2009, 09:25

It does look like you can nominate a grade upon entry, although presumably they'll be looking at our state handicap as well?

I'm happy to take a steer from you on this James. D1/D2 would probably suit, but from the blurb on the website it looks like there might be NRS teams involved in which case D might start to look at lot like C.

Matt

T-Bone · Postby **T-Bone** » 21 Apr 2009, 17:14

Ok, me and Matt are entered in D1. Anyone else coming along? Entries close this Sunday Night (by which point i hope to have a few days of riding under my belt.

mikesbytes · Postby **mikesbytes** » 21 Apr 2009, 18:23

Tempted, but I don't think my fitness is good enough at the moment

mikesbytes · Postby **mikesbytes** » 27 Apr 2009, 14:15

I opened up the site and browsed the info and after a healthy amount of reflection, I conceded that I wasn't fit enough to do it. Join you next year.

wallman · Postby **wallman** » 02 May 2009, 21:22

Well, a quick update after 2 hard stages today: James and I are in D grade with 70-odd others.i've had an 8th and 16th and am 2 seconds off the lead on non-adjusted times, James is 6 seconds off the lead and has some points in the KOM comp. We've had 2 sprint finishes so far but with dramatically reduced lead groups due to the ample hillage in these parts. A longish stage tomorrow should continue to sort wheat from chaff.

Matt

othy · Postby **othy** » 02 May 2009, 21:49

Matt, what did you end up riding?

T-Bone · Postby **T-Bone** » 03 May 2009, 17:16

Matt was riding my Koln frame.

Anyway, here's a bit about the weekend.

Stage 1, not much to report, grabbed myself some KOM points on the last climb, and then we both finished in the front bunch, unfortunately the electronic timing is a bit accurate, meaning a small gap in the bunch left me and a few others with a time 4sec behind.

Stage 2, this is where it got interesting for me, at the halfway point i went to shift to the small chainring so i could try and claim some more KOM points (wasn't getting anyway with the bunch finishes) and my chain dropped on the inside, so i looked down, and saw my small chainring was bent, and there was no way i could use it. This left me to ride the rest of the stage on the big ring, luckily i was able to stay with the front bunch up all the climbs, and finished in the front group again. Closer inspection showed 2 missing chainring bolts, so with bike shops closed at that time, i needed something to save me for sundays stage, and luckily for me, a friend of Matts found a small chainring and chainring bolts i could use.

Stage 3, After adjusted times, me and Matt were both just under 50sec behind (leader won both stages, 20sec bonus for each, plus KOM time bonuses). So i had the option of sitting in and once again finishing in the bunch, or having a crack at a breakaway, so as expected i tried the later. Just before the halfway point, 4 of us went off the front of an already well reduced bunch, however after maybe 10km we were pulled back. This of course didn't bode well for sticking with the bunch, as on the climb up Mt McDonald i realised my legs were running low on power, and i was eventually dropped off the back. Matt who was dropped earlier on this climb soon passed me, but i settled down for cruising to the finish, while he and another rider had a crack at getting back on, only to have the gap blown out again on the next climb.

So, a good tough weekend of racing, no results, but good fun all the same.

wallman · Postby **wallman** » 03 May 2009, 19:04

if I learnt anything today it was how to suffer. Dropped on the 2nd last climb Fearless Phil from Nowra and I chased the lead 20 for maybe 15kms and got within 100m of the trailing cars at the base of the last climb but then got blown away and didn't see them again till the end. I don't think i've ever been as stuffed as I feel right now.

T-Bone · Postby **T-Bone** » 03 May 2009, 19:10

You'll recover. I recovered when i got to McDonalds on the drive back to Sydney, plus i had less trouble keeping myself awake from there.

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Canberra Tour

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