Vic State Track Titles

Sat-Sun 10-11 Dec: Vic State Track Titles - finally here. The weekend I had been training up for since I picked up the track bike 3 months ago - time sure has flown really quickly! From getting used to riding without brakes, to learning how to ride on high cadence, to getting out of the start gate - something new every week - finally time to bring it all together. 

10 Dec: 500TT and 3k Indiv Pursuit


Conditions were really humid at the track. First up was the 500TT. I took off from the start gate - this time a little more confident than the metros. The first quarter of a lap felt good - but somehow I just could not get fired up. Somehow it felt like I was riding a pursuit rather than a 500m sprint and just wasn't focused. Stopped the clock at 41.7 - 0.2s slower than I did at the metros. Neither happy nor disappointed with my effort - it was just one of those where I had totally mucked it up. Oh well - next time. 




 3k Individual Pursuit. My opponent was a scratchie - so it was just me against the clock. No one to chase or be chased by, I just had to keep an eye at Simon doing my schedule. First lap I was down - it was the start as usual -  but today, I knew not to let that first lap mess around with my head. Next few laps I was going pretty well - constantly up on schedule - just focusing on my breathing. Final 5 laps - I started fading. This time though, it was that slow fade, cadence slowly dropping - though nothing like that panting, moving all over the bike I was doing the last time round. 4:11. A whole 4s off from my attempt at the metros. Though no where near the girls from Canberra that ripped the track (3:42 was the winning time!), I was pretty happy with my effort that only being my 3rd attempt at the pursuit. Looking forward to taking off the next 5s now.. 

First slurpee in 15 yrs after a humid arvo on the track

11 Dec: 100lap Points Score
Rocked up at the track early to watch the sprinters rip up the boards. It was great fun watching the flying 200m - boy were they fast!! Learning the line they took was in itself a learning experience. Next up were the match sprints. Certainly interesting watching the different tactics each of the riders employed.

It was a while before our race started with the U19 men and women up before us. 100 laps - that was 20 laps longer than everyone was expecting, but I wasn't fussed. Racing my first elite points score, my goal today was to finish the race. Had just gotten some new FastForward racey track wheels from BikeNow - some new bling to play with. I couldn't really get a proper lunch down, but knew I had to keep the fluids up and nibbled on bits and pieces before I was off.

Points score bike ready with the new wheels from BikeNow

The race started off at a fairly moderate pace - but soon things started to pick up. Unsure of what pace to expect, I didn't go for any of the earlier sprints. With about 70 laps to go, 2 of the Canberra girls broke away from the main bunch. I tried keeping the pace high but could not quite get some of the girls in the bunch to work. Everytime I swung up after a turn, the pace dropped back down, and eventually the 2 girls broke away. I had nothing to lose, and wasn't going to blow up energy trying to chase them down. The 2 girls eventually gained a lap on the field, and the girls in the main bunch were now racing out for 3rd place.







Unlike the previous few points races I had done, the girls today weren't as willing to pull turns up the front. There were a couple of times where the whole bunch would end up riding on the blue line and some of the girls who were riding 2nd wheel double swinging up with the rider in front who had just pulled a turn. At times it did get rather annoying, and one of the girls even nearly taking out my front wheel.




With 40 laps to go, I suddenly had a massive stitch in my guts. Urghh...It hurt so bad thata t one point I had to sit up and clutch my tummy. "Can't get drop, can't get drop"that was all I was thinking. At this stage, one of the girls had already pulled out, and another one had already taken a lap out. I still did not have any points but was still with the main group. 





20 laps to go - still had quite a bit left in the tank and I tried to keep the pace high. Had a shot at the 2nd last sprint - 5th by a tyre's width - just out of points. 10 more laps - not long to go. Heard the bell go off with a lap to go - again had a crack, and finished 5th on the final sprint - again just out of points. Finished 7th out of the 9 starters overall without any points. Happy to finish today - and now knowing what to expect, will certainly have a crack at the sprints next time. And congrats to training buddy Laine Hammond for taking home the Bronze - great work!! 


I certainly enjoyed the weekend of racing - and definitely looking forward to coming back next year with a lot more experience and a full year of training under my belt. Thanks to Simon for coaching and supporting me over the weekend,  BikeNow for their constant support with equipment, and certainly the rest of my Quickcycle training buddies for lending me equipment (thanks Mitchell Barry for the helmet and Liam Dove for the chain ring!) and having fun as we raced together. 


For now, 3 days off and it's the National Omnium this Thurs and Friday! 6 races -Flying Lap, 20k Points Score, Elimination, 3k Individual Pursuit, 10k Scratch and 500 Time Trial. It'll be a much much more challenging ball game this time - but certainly looking forward to the race. Come down and support us Victorians!

SKCC Crits - Getting close..

Sun 4 Dec: With quite a number of mates riding the Tour of Bright, I wasn't sure what to expect at the local SKCC crits. No track this weekend, and with the slow taper going into States next weekend, I was only down to ride one race today. Had a stack out training the day before, and was still feeling a little sore and bruised in the hip. Bike working, legs working - no biggie. 


10 or so riders in A grade - more new faces - definitely bigger than expected for a ToB weekend. Two weeks of finishing 3rd and just out of the money, I was certainly keen to have a go at a place.  The wind was howling today, and a massive headwind on the finishing straight too. 

Taking a corner (Photo by RobM)

Like the usual - the pace was on/off. Attack..easy..attack..easy. With the headwind, I wasn't too worried about the solo breaks getting too far off - it would have taken a really strong TT rider to break off from the bunch. I had forgotten to start my Garmin, only realising a third through the race, and had no idea how much time we had left on the clock. It was difficult to plan an attacking strategy, and I could only trust my instinct and kept a constant eye on the commisaire's sign each time we rolled past. With a slightly sore hip, wasn't going to try anything today. 


3 laps to go - and the pace picked up. A few attempted breaks - but patience, patience, patience. Bell lap. I had gotten caught up the back, and no choice but to move up alongside the bunch. In that last lap, the burning question is always when do I jump? ... "Now? Wait? Now? Wait?" 


Came out 5th wheel out of the last corner and sprinted for the line - again, trying to chase down the riders that had already gone off in front.  Rider in front had slowed down, saw a gap and went through. Finished 2nd - finally in the money! Again, had started a bit late on the sprint - they say it all comes with experience, and I'll work to getting the timing right - one day. 

Final sprint - chasing down the sprinter in front (Photo by RobM)

No 2nd race this week - was still a little sore and went for a spin down with training mate Chloe instead. With the music, crowd and commentator - the atmosphere at the SKCC crits are great fun - and certainly look forward to racing there each week. But some busy weeks planned ahead, and will be back next year. 


Meanwhile, it's back to the track coming weekend for the State Titles - 500TT, Individual Pursuit and Points Score. Then racing the National Omnium next Thurs/Fri. Some pretty big guns have entered - will certainly be a full on 2 days - and heaps of learning experience. Come down to DISC to watch if you can - there'll certainly be some exciting racing going on those 2 days. :)