Spectator Ride Report TDU Stage 3

[Dougie]

The Unley to Stirling Stage is my favourite of all Stages of the TDU. Last year was my first trip for the event. We had such a good time that a visit this year was definitely on the cards. We knew from last year that Stage 3 really was a carnival atmosphere. The coffee shops were filled with professionals and amateurs alike. I recall seeing Big George Hincappie in one shop sipping a latte and Robbie McEwen doing similar in another. I just love the accessibility of our sport. No security, no need!

We parked easily in a side street of Unley. I was wearing my AG2R kit as my DBHC kit was still not well enough to come out after the previous day’s efforts. Although as my wife kindly pointed out, “don’t worry darling, no one will confuse you”, as she hurried off to gaze at the legs of the RadioShack team. Those damn legs again!

What I have failed to mention in my previous post was that my five year old daughter had been diagnosed with whooping cough the previous evening. I decided that my little cough I had developed the day before may need to be looked at. I checked in with the Medical Centre near the riders and saw one of the quacks. She said “oh no, I don’t think you have whooping cough, but we will give you a test anyway”. After poking a swab into my mouth and I am sure almost touching my lungs, she said “I’ll call you tomorrow with the results, any plans?” Err, yes, a short little 135Km jaunt through the Adelaide Hills with 8,000 of my dearest friends.

With all of this in mind and my mate Chris still in the recovery position I decided not to ride up to Stirling, I would just do the ride back. Alison was keen to ride up with me, however I needed to pike out, so she was forced to fly solo, maybe should move up again to the Middies this time! We soaked up the atmosphere and saw the start. We then had some brunch in one of the many café’s. I reckon that there would have been easily 1,000 cyclists then heading up to Stirling for the finish once the riders have left.

The trip up to Stirling was good. The town really makes you feel welcome. They have set up public carparks and volunteers etc manning the roads to get you into the right place. Every business seems genuinely pleased to have the influx of tourists. The boost to the local economy must be extraordinary.

We placed ourselves on a corner and waited for the riders. With a couple of laps of the Town we would see them come through three times. The circus came through tossing bidons and clappers etc and generally setting the mood. This was followed quickly by the police escorts and the riders. Poor old Mark Cavendish was really suffering, he was 12 minutes behind the leader and working very hard. Again, I continue to be amazed by the accessibility to the whole thing my kids were sitting on the kerb and I had to pull them back the riders were so close. You could tell that the crowd enjoyed this and kept their respectful yet supportive distance away.

We moved closer to the finish line for the final sprint. At no time during the whole thing was I ever more than one back from the fence, just super! The finish was exciting the crowd loved it and the riders enjoyed the support.

We wandered back to the cars. I suited up for the ride back. Having done this one the day prior I knew the climb and then the big, long, spectacular downhill. I met up with a chap finding his way back to Adelaide, who rides with the Waratahs. He hadn’t come up to Stirling this way and didn’t know about the route back down. He rode with me, on my wheel the whole way down. The grin on his face was priceless. This downhill must be one of the best ones we have near a major city in the country. Couple this will the great riding through the Hills, you could do a week of riding without doing the same hill twice.

My family and I departed the Carpark in Stirling at the same time. Albeit that they had some traffic to contend with, I entered our hotel room 1 min after them, back in Adelaide. 20Km in 41 mins, nice!

That evening we ventured over to Norwood to collect our event jersey and attend the precarbo loading street festival held on The Parade. The Parade is the start of Stage 4 and the scene of the 135KM Mutual Community Challenge Tour for the nuff nuffs like me the next morning. Oh and the cough had got worse. 80K yesterday , 20K today, 135K tomorrow!

More to come from the MCCT 135K and Stage 4 later.

Cheers

Dougie

[AliG]

One of those bottles thrown by the riders went straight into my face! Luckily it was only half full.
I must have left Stirling a bit earlier than you - straight after the race finished. Hundreds of recreational riders on that road and the professionals who didn't need to go to the presentation etc. They must have decided it was faster than going by car. On the uphill out of Stirling, everyone overtook the Lampre team, who were definitely taking it easy, but their speed on the downhill was impressive!
It was pretty sad to see Cavendish limping through. The Advertiser said he had to do the final kilometres with the roads open and no police escort...
(Oh, and you are being so nice about my cycling in these posts!!)
Alison