Rightio, who's keen for this -> http://www.tourofbright.com.au/index.php? I know I am. Racing in Victoria will give me a whole new state to have a flat, break a spoke or drop a chain in.
I note that entries are limited to 550 so it makes sense to get in earlier rather than later.
Tour of Bright 5-6 December
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shrubb face
- Posts: 1010
- Joined: 09 Sep 2008, 01:43
- Location: Marrickville
Yarna already has the weekend off work, so im certainly in. Will sign up next week.
I'm in, thanks for letting me know entries are capped, i'll get my entry in. Must remember to remind Eugen as well, especially since the change to Masters grades means he won't have to argue his way into a different grade to be able to do the full loop in stage 1.
Also good to know i'll have some extra company this year.
Also good to know i'll have some extra company this year.
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Simon Llewellyn
- Posts: 1532
- Joined: 13 Nov 2006, 22:31
- Location: Tempe Velodrome
Hey guys I could be in for this. I would love to ride up mount Hotham again, it ranks as one of most beautiful rides I have done. It is a really luring prospect. Along with a 15km timetrial..
I just need to try & check if it clashed with any track events, which in December could be the state titles....
I just need to try & check if it clashed with any track events, which in December could be the state titles....
At the moment Em's coming down with me and we're going to make the Tour weekend the middle weekend in a fortnight of travel, so count me out of accomm and transport. I'm having them reassess my grade but they won't do anything until entries close in November. Fingers crossed!What are peoples travel/accomodation plans at the moment?
No worries, Matt. Hopefully that grading will get changed. I'm still deciding how many days i'll be going down there for, and if it's just me i'm likely to take more than 1 to do the drive. Have to make sure i stop at Bridge Road in Beechworth for some supplies this year!! 
Still need to check up on my travel arrangements to see if my dad is coming down to Bright, i'll try and find out tomorrow.
Anyway, I'm planning to book some accomodation in the next few days, and just wanted to check if anyone needs a bed. Mark? Interested in ditching the camping Will?
Cheapest i've found from a quick search is $28.75 per night if there's 4 of us, or $35 if there's 3.
I'll be booking accomodation for the friday and saturday nights, so let me know.
Anyway, I'm planning to book some accomodation in the next few days, and just wanted to check if anyone needs a bed. Mark? Interested in ditching the camping Will?
Cheapest i've found from a quick search is $28.75 per night if there's 4 of us, or $35 if there's 3.
I'll be booking accomodation for the friday and saturday nights, so let me know.
No worries Mark. I'm booking the accomodation tomorrow, have to get in before it has all been snapped up. My dad is coming along to share the driving, but there'll be room for 1 or 2 more, depending on how much leg room people need....
Just in case you haven't checked the topic, you have a pm Will.
Just in case you haven't checked the topic, you have a pm Will.
Looks like a nice big bunch for us in Bright (well, me, Matt and Will, in C grade), with over 100 riders. Hopefully this will allow me to conserve some energy in my untrained legs, so i don't get dropped until the hills.
I will report back on sunday night.
I will report back on sunday night.
Wow! I did a recon ride of the TT course this morning and just got back from a drive around the course to check out the first stage. It's quite spectacular down here but this is really going to hurt a lot...I've also realised that you don't get much of an opportunity to practise long, technical descents at race pace in NSW. Yikes!
A great day in the saddle today. Stage 1 was a 105km loop taking in two climbs, the 5km Rosewhite Gap and the 8.5km Tawonga Gap, a cat 2 climb. The first 50km or so was pretty flat and we had the odd chance to take in the view. Approaching the first climb though things got nervous as everyone went to the front. I made it over in the front third of the field but was going backwards while James got over at the tail end. Everyone took it easy on the descent though and we were all together for the approach to Tawonga. A few brave souls stopped for a nature break but despite being in a state of extremis I hung tough as I was worried about not getting back into the peleton. We also had a couple of ambulances come by us to pick up casualties from the first descent in other grades. All too soon we hit Tawonga and James was off the back straight away. I hung on for 1 or 2 kms and then gracefully, gratefully detached. I then proceeded to grovel for another km or two before getting my legs back and pushing hard with another guy up the rest of the climb, picking up quite a few riders as we went. The summit came, jerseys were zipped up and the fun began. I can report that I needn't have worried about my ability to descend - I must have caught 3 groups on the descent and one of the guys I crested the climb with finished 3 mins behind me! I wish we had the descent from Mt Hotham was included in tomorrow's stage! A dozen or so of us then cruised over the remaining 5 kms of flatlands to the finish, I sprinted to third in the group and 30th overall of 105 starters, 3:13 behind the winner. James finished 92nd 13 mins behind.
Stage 2 was a 15.7 km TT. There were quite a few hills in this and a bit of wind. I felt awful for 13.7 km before I found a rythm in the last 2 km and picked up my leadout guy, finishing 46th in the stage with 25.13, 3:03 behind the winner. James finished 3:45 behind the winner. We're now 36th and 83rd overall respectively.
No sign of Will in our grade although I've not met him and I doubt he has a jersey, so he could be tucked away somewhere. Mark is in Masters 4/5 and finished his TT in 28 mins, not sure how he went in Stage 1.
Mt Hotham tomorrow!
Matt
Stage 2 was a 15.7 km TT. There were quite a few hills in this and a bit of wind. I felt awful for 13.7 km before I found a rythm in the last 2 km and picked up my leadout guy, finishing 46th in the stage with 25.13, 3:03 behind the winner. James finished 3:45 behind the winner. We're now 36th and 83rd overall respectively.
No sign of Will in our grade although I've not met him and I doubt he has a jersey, so he could be tucked away somewhere. Mark is in Masters 4/5 and finished his TT in 28 mins, not sure how he went in Stage 1.
Mt Hotham tomorrow!
Matt
I really struggled yesterday. The stage begins with a very slight uphill drag for 26kms during which I was right up the front and feeling fresh. Once we hit the 30km Hotham climb though things got ugly. The climb has three 10km sections: the first and third average 7% or so while the middle section averages less than 2. On the steep sections I could barely turn a pedal and lost places, on the flat third I recovered immediately and went really well, making up a few of my lost positions. It was strange and quite unpleasant to be labouring on such a long climb, although everyone's at their limit on it regardless of how they feel I suppose. My back's been struggling a bit this week and I wonder whether that was compromising my strength. Anyway, I got there in the end in 54th, 17 mins behind the winner. James was 6 minutes behind me in 76th. A hard day out.
Me and Mark did discover Wills name listed as DNS while looking at the results before yesterdays stage, so it seems he didn't make it to the race.
Matt has basically said everything, just a few refinements, Marks time trial was 26.30min (he had over-reported before seeing results). I'm reasonably happy with my performance, but i'll have to make sure to get some training in, as that would have made a great deal of difference.
One thing i can recommend is the Bridge Rd Brewery in Beechworth, i gave myself a prize of a case of delicious beer.
Matt has basically said everything, just a few refinements, Marks time trial was 26.30min (he had over-reported before seeing results). I'm reasonably happy with my performance, but i'll have to make sure to get some training in, as that would have made a great deal of difference.
One thing i can recommend is the Bridge Rd Brewery in Beechworth, i gave myself a prize of a case of delicious beer.
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