Date: 18th September 16
Venue: Tour of Canberra aka National Capital Tour Stage 2
Conditions: overcast, very cold, light drizzle for a short time
Grade: C Grade
Result: 1st / 28, lead by 1:03 on GC
Report:
Got to the start area about an hour before, not knowing they pushed back the start time to 7:30am. Oh well, the extra warmup suits me.
On the start line, the commisaire explained the course. I turned to one guy confused, he said they had changed the direction. Sweeeeet! The course is now in my favour. All my preparations and plans would need to change. However, the 12 months of cursing, regrets, disappointment and strategising the winning move for next time had suddenly paid off. Of course, I tried to hide the happiness, but I still had to get a winning margin from the sprinters...
We were off in the cold. I had a few layers of clothing on including a rain vest, arm and leg warmers for good measure. The first few kms were easy, our comms car hadn't shown up so we were riding without guidance. It finally showed up only a few kms before the one lane bridge!
The easy descent followed Mount MacD. An easy 4-5% for 4.5kms. The bunch took it easy and only the big bloke(s) fell off the back. We then headed towards the Brindabellas, two 5% climbs and a false flat, generally uphill. At about 3kms from the turn around point, two riders went off the front. The bunch let them go, setting their own climbing pace. The breakaway turned with a healthy lead and the pack then decided to chase. I was cruising and lost concentration, soon enough I was off the back on the descent. Sheeeeet. Fortunately there was an uphill bit before the really fast 10km of false flat downhill, otherwise I would have been toast. I got on and sat on the back for the climb, scheming for a win
The bunch started to panic as the two breakaway riders were getting too far ahead. They formed a paceline and attempted to pull it back. We were rolling at 50 odd km/hr. A Hunter CC rider came to the back and barked at me to start working, saying it wasn't a club ride. I had other ideas... I casually mentioned to him that I'm the one that can climb, I'll catch the leaders by myself, and that I have no issue with them being there thank you very much
I don't think he was happy with that hahaha.
Onto the descent of Uriarra. I know this one well, having ridden it on at least a couple of dozen times. It's not easy pulling up for the sharp turn at the base at the best of times, let alone in the wet. I lost my nerve here last year, this year I held my position in the bunch. I told myself the race is there for the taking and be cool, there are no scary bits left. The breakaway was in sight. I made my way near the front.... When should I go?
The climb is in 3 parts, called the 3 sisters. Two steep sections, 9% for 500m each, with a small descent between them, then 6% for 1km.
I waited for the bunch to get over excited and red line. They did that on the first sister. As the bunch slowed for the 2nd sister, I attacked! I pushed out some mega watts and gapped the field. I turned around to view the damage and I watched the pack try to follow including Mr Hunter CC who was trying desperately to join me but no one had the legs. Phase 1 complete!
I caught the breakaway at the base of the third sister. The pack was still chasing but were a distance off now. I slowed for a second to catch my breath. I thought I'd be letting them think I was there to help plus the peloton thought I can be caught, so I jumped off the breakaway and went for it. I distanced one but the other held my wheel. Phase 2 complete!
Now I was thinking, if I stay away I have a podium. I can't win the sprint with this guy on my wheel so I'll try to ride him off my wheel... 10.5kms to go... Rolling hills. I have suffered so much on this stretch of road, my training rides have finished on these, usually about 110kms into the ride with me almost crying in the heat of summer. This time I was feeling fantastic. I had to draw on the TT training/suffering recently to put my well made plans into action.
2kms into the rollers and I could hear the guy clearly struggling to hang on, he was suffering with heavy breathing. I thought he was having a heart attack! I gave him hope "come on, just get over this one and we're home". Each rise I hit him harder than the previous one, checking to see if he was still there. Finally after the 4th attempt I broke him. It was now me vs the road. Phase 3 complete!
I got into an aero position and tapped out a good rhythm. I was starting to suffer myself, I was riding off feeling rather than stem watching, but a casual look at the computer suggested I should be easing off. I decided to not look at the computer much after that
Each corner I positioned myself out of sight, hoping that the pack would give up. They weren't. I needed every second to defend on stage 3. I started to vomit, fortunately not over the bike!!! I kept going, knowing by previous painful rides how long there was to go. A had a quick glance around with 5km to go, the peloton was nowhere to be seen. 3km to go. Still nothing. Downhill from here to the finish line, it was that moment that I knew I had it in the bag!!! I eased off heading into the crit track/finishing loop, making sure I made the turn. Job done! I kept glancing around once on the track, seeing how much time I had. I rolled around the finish straight and gave everything in a sprint. It wasn't much. I crossed the line as they entered the track. I celebrated after crossing the line, making sure I had every second count for stage 3. The bunch rolled in 1:03 after I finished. The guy who sucked my wheel picked up 2nd place in a bunch sprint. Chapeau!
People were congratulating me, I had no energy to realise what I just achieved. I couldn't get off the bike. It was draining to say the least.
We hung around for about half an hour for presentations. The last time I won something there wasn't even a presentation, so I was pretty excited to get on the top step!
dist - 58.3kms
time - 1hr 40min 07sec
speed - 35.0 km/hr avg (69.8 km/hr max)
cadence - 88 avg (122 max)
heart rate - 158 HR avg (182 max)
Power - 246NP