30.01.07 - Hell at Stromlo:
With the Stromlo Forest Park being the venue for the 2008 World Championships, as well as the final round of the World Cup Series in 2007, riders were keen to check out how the venue was coming along. So far it was just open, exposed, windy, dry, dusty and hot.
With Pete Hatton visiting from Sydney for a few days, we had a good crew to roll around with and ride out to the race on the Saturday. On the way though, we all ran through a pile of old rose bushes with thorns the size of bolts! With at least ten in each tyre we had air and Stans flying out for a while, then luckily the Stans worked a treat and blocked the holes. With not enough time to head back before the race started, we were thanking Stan the man!
Once we arrived we had the hard task of finding some shade, which didn't really happen. Cranking the water was critical, so we pretty much hung around and drank until the callup. It was a nervous start area and I was really just keen to get it over with and see how my legs felt.
The answer to that was 'not good'! Off the start it was ok. I couldn't get clipped in though, and moved back a few rows, but luckily the start of the track was open and I hammered it and got straight into the top 5 by the first singletrack. But from there the lactic just build up and right away I knew I didn't have the form. No power, just pain. Pushing through the pain just resulted in more pain and no gain, so I was seemingl flogging a dead horse (or legs in this case). The was the theme for the day, but I just rode the rest, cutting my losses and trying to keep a consistent pace. Even that was a big ask, as I dragged my sorry behind around the barron landscape too many times for my liking.
In the end I finished 7th, not totally off the back but further than I was aiming for. Shaun Lewis was the best Canberran, flying home in the last few laps for an awesome 4th place finish behind Jongewaard, Spink and Delacour. Sid Taberlay was 5th, a surprise given his usual form. It was good to know I wasn't the only one having an 'off' day. Plenty more races to worry about now though. Mt Beauty's next, then Thredbo. We'll be back at Stromlo for the 24hr race later in the year, then a World Cup in August 2008, then the big one - the World Champs in 2009. Let's hope some rain falls and the trees start growing fast!
Results and photos on www.nationalseries.com.au and www.cyclingnews.com