Tour of Bright - Stage 3

Somehow, I managed to wake up and pack up and get on my bike again ! It's a miracle !

Stage 3 was supposed to finish at the top of Hotham, but due to my tiredness (and some strong winds (50k plus) ) they decided to stop the stage about 2/3 of the way up Hotham. This missed the final nasty piece with the CRB (it's a climb ... And when they give names to climbs in the middle of a climb - its bad !!) .... I sure wasn't too disappointed when they told us at the start, and I'm not sure anyone else was !!

It was a very tough run out to harrietville - lots of surging in the pack as people tried and failed to break away. After harrietville it's all up !!

I finished in 2 hours (second last - hey I beat someone , and all those who were too tied to start !) .... Falc was a lot quicker, finishing 10th and moving up to 11th overall - an amazing result !! Go Falc !

After an express ride on falc's back wheel back to bright, it was all over .. Time to head home.

I learned a lot this weekend ;

- I learned that this race is serious .... And I need to get serious, or don't try it again ! ( think I'd like to try it again !)
- I learned that the Falc is getting way too fast !
- I learned that Nappy Rash cream does a pretty good job of soothing skin irritations
- I learned that falc spends way too much time wondering if he'd be happier as a woman (if I was a woman, I'd be on the A grade podium ... Was a recurring theme all weekend)
- I learned that some stories should stay on tour (but I thought I'd post them here anyway !!)

The start line for stage 3 !

Falc ready and raring to go.... We learned that you need to start near the front to cover the breaks that try to go away as they release the field... See it really is like the tour de France !

We made it home in record pace ! It's amazing how great it all seems now its over !

And.... Our cabin owners invited us in to shower in their house, complete with cut up fruit and some cricket to watch as we waited. Amazing hospitality... Top of my list for any future Bright cycling trips!

Tour of Bright - Stages 1 & 2 !

Well.... what a day !  This Tour of Bright thing is really serious !  Seriously hard !!!

The day started with the best possible weather... sunny and cool, just perfect for cycling !

Stage 1, was a tough one for both of us, after a speedy run in the peleton, I was dropped 1k before the climb I was hoping to not get dropped at !  That was the 45k mark, leaving me 50k to ride on my own. By the time I finished the climb there was no one else in sight... oh well, it was a lovely day and I managed to finish the stage (last year heart issues meant I dropped out early.)   Think I was last to finish (but there were guys behind me, probably from another grade ??  Anyway, only 40 minutes or so to make up from here !

The Falc had a super day, staying with the peleton to the climb of Tawonga... cool !... Falc finished 17th - a super performance !

Stage 2 was the 16k time trial. Always incredibly tough, and after stage 1, super tough. I managed to beat a few people and match my time from last year (when I was fresh). Falc sliced 1:28 off his time from last year (I'm blaming the helmet, though the Zipps might be helping a litte) to move up to 16th overall. Nice !!

Tomorrow is a nice little run up Mt Hotham. I need some serious sleep (and some serious drugs!!).

The Falc at the start line .. ready for smack down !

Cool cloth race numbers, produced by Rapha (Yep the same dudes who did my Paris-Roubaix gear). Has our surname printed down the bottom left.... a very nice touch !

Yours truly, looking way too relaxed - obviously has no idea whats about to go down !!

Between stages... my bed was just too inviting... the Falc delivered Lime and Soda (with fresh lime)  then a Capuccino ... after a few hours lying around I almost felt I could walk again. Unfortunately, I wasn't so sure I could ride !

The Falc decided he needed something extra to go with his Zipps... the thought of seeing this in action was enough to get me out of bed and off to the Time Trial.

Yep... just like the Tour de France, we have a start house and a start ramp. I actually felt pretty good considering !  And the start guy didnt mention my hairy legs (I'm still traumatised from last year !)

Here's the Falc finishing... oh no... its some other guy with the same helmet !

Oh... yeah... here's the real pic !... I had to use a super fast shutter time to avoid it just being one big blur !!

After one tough day, we went to our usual table at the pub and got our usual curries (Oh yeah... and the Falc ordered a steak as well.... think he earned it !!)

The boys are back in town !!

Well.... here we are again.. Bright !  And not just any trip to Bright... this is the Tour of Bright (Not to be confused with the Tour de France, well, ok... confuse it if you want !)

Only a short 7 hour drive from Sydney.. only enough time to just get started on the sprocket talk and no where near enough time to do any justice to Rule 1 !

Tomorrow we have a 95k road race in the morning... and then a 16k time trial in the afternoon. Sunday is a nice relaxing 55k race to the top of Mt Hotham (only the hardest climb in Australia - according to Phil Anderson - who kinda knows stuff !).. and of course, we then have to ride the 55k back to town.

Ok ... enough worrying about tomorrow... where are the pics from today (really... it was a lot of driving ...a quick run around the time trial course, and of course dinner at the pub !)

The competitive spirit started early... t-shirt wars !

The Falc arrived ready to race... with the cleanest bike ever seen. Even GT would be envious !

The organisers think were going to use some carbs... this was in my goody bag from registration... the Falc got the same... crazy fun !! (Do I still have to ride, or can I just stay in bed and eat ??)



Amy's Gran Fondo ... The ride !

Wow.... What a great day... Riding amazing roads... Closed to cars ! Just super !

6 happy Cluster faces... Amongst the 2,600 cyclists. After all their planning, the start was delayed because there was an injured koala on the route... And they couldn't catch it !

Yours truly finishing in style !

Well... It actually looked a little more like this... But very happy with the result. Falc, Bretillini and I all made the top 25% in our age... Giving us a medal and qualifying us for the world championships in Belgium !

Amazing ride from the falc... 6th in his age group !

The team placed 16th .... There should be a worlds team event !

Amazing scenery !! (I call it... "Zipps by the ocean")

All in all a fabulous day out and a fab road trip.

Amy's Gran Fondo

Welcome back cycling fans... We're on the road again ! And the Zipps are out of the bag again !

This time , it's a road trip down to Lorne in the great ocean road for the first Amy's gran Fondo... 120k's of closed roads !!!

Of course, driving to Lorne .. Takes you very close to Bright. So... We decided to stop the night at Bright.

Perfect opportunity to practice the tour of bright time trial before heading to the hotel for the ..now oblligatory... Sri lankan curries !

Not satisfied with just a spare set of wheels, the Falc brought 4 extra bikes. He was even so desperate he brought his kids bikes for spare parts !

The next morning gave us a chance to practice the middle section of stage 1 of the tour of bright. What an beautiful morning ... And if you look closely you can see snow on the top of falls creek in the back ground !

Having completed out tour of bright training ...we've made it to lorne, found the other cluster members and are back in the previously visited torquay tropicana... Ready and raring to go !

And it's starting to spinkle rain !!!

Stage 2 ... Or not !

Well.... After executing our plan brilliantly, to conserve energy and lose a little time in stage 1 for the big break away in stage 2. The weather turned against us !

Stage 2 was cancelled due to flooding on the course from 80mm of rain overnight!

A long way to drive for one 64k stage... But a whole world of experience (mostly in what not to do !).

Next time... The cycling world can expect a faster and smarter team !

Maybe......

Stage 1 - Glenreagh - Glenreagh

Stage 1 - C Ex Tour Coffs

D grade - 64k ... B grade - 91k

Given or lunch time start (this is normal for us pro cyclsts), we headed out to a cafe for morning tea!

Of course the Falc had time to write himself some race reminders !

About to head of to the race.... I'm starting to succumb to Zipp envy ! Isn't fathers day soon ??

Yep... It really is Coffs ... Just look at that sun shine !

Scott Sunderland popped home from the tour de France to check on the falc's progress !

Thought I'd start at the front... Might as well start where you plan to end !

I lasted in the lead group till about the 40k mark... Where I did a Boonen.. I was Lilly gagging at the back of the pack when a break happened on a hill. By the time I reacted and passed a few rudders ahead it was all over.

I finished in the second group of 5 guys... 4 minutes behind the leader.

Falc had his race cut back to 64k due to some storms... Here he is crossing the line... Yes it really is him. B grace was always going to be a challenge (the commisaires wouldn't let him move to C grade as it was full... So he chose to give B a go ! Unfortunately he paid the price at the first turn around, when the leaders put the power down out of the turn and dropped those near the back... Leaving the falc a tough 50k chase ! He's about 10 mins down on GC.

The sunshine and the zipps still had the Falc smiling !

Can I have a jersey please.... Damn... You actually have to win these !!

Had a chat to Scott after the presentation ... This guy knows everything.. Wow .. Super cool !



Well... Tomorrow we will be hoping to avoid rain... And avoid being dropped !

Tour of Coffs (oh no... He's back again)

Well.... Here we go again ! This time.. It's just a 2 day stage race in Coffs Harbour. But, don't let that fool you, there will be the usual dose of action and drama !

Here's the trusty team car... Refueling for the run to the line ! It's been raining all the way from Sydney !

Arrival in Coffs... Sun sun sun !

Our salubrious accommodation ! The locals were very welcoming and even let us take our bikes in the room... Is this really Australia ? Maybe it's all part of Cadel fever !

My partner in crime - Il Falco .. Planing race strategy !

At last... The victorious Zipp's appear.... Very cool !!!!! (just needs a Look logo !!)

Back from dinner at the ex-servicemen's club... Well... They are the sponsors of the ride !

Falc decided that I was too much competition in D grade, so he's moved across to B grade. So, tomorrow I've got 60k while falc will be relaxing at a leasurely pace for 90k.

Bring it on ! But..... The rain has started !!!!!

Final thoughts !

Well, it's my last day ! What a ride !

It's hard to believe it's only a bit over 2 weeks ago i flew into Paris. I've done 800k on the bike, eaten a lot of waffles, drunk a lot of very fine champagne, and watched 4 pro tour races (there's only 1 a year in Australia !).

Of course the highlight is the 3 events I've done... Not just the dream of riding the tour of Flanders and Paris -Roubaix, but also the dream of spending time here, heading out each weekend to a new cyclosportif. It really is possible, and it sure is fun!

One unexpected pleasure was to get to know belgium better, it's a place i feel very at home in... And the cycling craziness of the belgians and dutch has to be seen to be believed.

I've and a super time, and I think I've been incredibly lucky with the weather. Only a few drops of rain, and many warmish sunny days. If it had been cold and raining the whole time (very possible) it would have been a different experience.

I hope you readers have enjoyed the ride, it's been fun writing the blog, and will be a good source of truth when i start to make things up !! Thanks for all the comments... Its been great. And yes... One day I will shave those legs!

A special thanks to Supergal and mom-in-law for being my support crew. Every ride alone included a bunch of txts with times and places so there was someone who knew where I was and what time I should arrive where. It eases the mind when things go a little awry to know they're there.

One final thought while I've got the microphone... I've ridden a lot of k's in close with other bikes, cars and motorbikes. The bike handling skills you see in the tour, aren't far above the bike handling skills i see all around me here. It's not uncommon to be in a large bunch on the road and suddenly your heading onto a bike path only as wide as a foot path... And it just flows. In all my k's i didn't see one crash (I saw the aftermath of a few). At home, given the same conditions, I fear there would be carnage. I don't know how... But with the increase in popularity of cycling at home, we need to find a way of increasing the quality of the riding, not just the quantity. The risk of injury from other riders will just increase if we do not.

Anyway.... There'll be plenty of time to ponder on the plane!

Till the next Cluster adventure.......

News flash 4 - action shot from the Amstel Gold

I know... You're thinking... But he didn't even register... How can he get photos?? It's all the magic of free enterprise! (there are other web sites I'm checking too !)

The Amstel Gold Race

I woke up this morning... Feeling tired and lazy, and not too keen to get out into the cold and watch the race. After a relaxed breakfast and watching mark webber drive an amazing race in china, it was time to get dressed and get on my bike.

The plan was to ride the 20k to the finish and watch the action.

Once i headed out, I found the day a lot warmer, and things just kept improving from there.

The race starts in Maastricht but it does 3 loops (each one different !) each loop finishing n the Cauberg. So thats where i headed.

Some views of my hotel... A renovated old farm. Very nice, especially in the sun shine !

No... It's not a road without a bike path.... It is a bike path !! The road is above with traffic lights, but cyclist just role on through. The whole 20k was on bike paths... It's crazy !

First stop was about 5k from the start. I stopped and got some goulash soup and the obligatory Amstel beer, to await the riders on the start of their last loop. I was stopped and posed for a photo in my Aussie shirt, this place is cycle crazy !

After seeing the riders pass, i headed for the end. Huge crowds but i found the bar/museum of the ride (just next to the pearl Izumi factory store ! Had 2 pieces of pie and a coffee . Both places had the race on tv, so it was easy to hangout and walk out in time to see the race pass !

When they passed me schleck was still off the front, so it was a great effort by Gilbert to take it out !

I left by riding up the Cauberg to the finish line... Thousands of people walking down so it was a bit tricky. Once passed the finish, i then got stuck in team bus hell... It's bizare when you get so blasé... I cut off the radio shack bus because i wanted to get outta there !

Looks like I might have to come back in September !

All in all a great day... Really lifted my spirits after a tough day yesterday. I'm still smiling !!