With the mountain bike races sadly over it
was time to get back on the road for the last two races of the year. The 94.7 is the world’s 2nd
biggest timed road event in the world after the Argus so with it carries a similar
prestige. Before the race the
usual café conversations go like this
A) Well, its a little late to ‘practice’
riding now but we are racing the 94.7
Q) What time are you hoping for?
A) I have no idea
Q) Oh, you just doing it for fun?
A) Not really, we don’t really look at
times, just positions
Q) Oh, well they say you must have starch
and caffine before
A) Oh right, thanks for the advice!
Race day arrived and with the ‘practices’
over we woke up at 3.30 to get to the race for the crazy start time of
6.15. Couldn’t really complain as
the first poor souls set off at 5.30 and even poorer souls didn’t set off till
9 when the temperature was already in the 30s.
The flat start mean’t the bunch was steady
with a few attacks that didn’t go anywhere. After 10k or so we hit the hills and the real moves
started. Toyota were always in the
moves and when the pace upped and the group reduced down to 12 or so there was
always around 8 of them. I thought
they’d then work at the front and when the gap was established then start
firing one after the other up the road but with either a full race season in
everyone’s legs no one was that keen and the group increased after each big
effort. I was pleased I was up
there and amongst the action when it did split as the mountain biking does
leave you with slow diesel legs!
The hills were pretty relentless, not big climbs but a lot of them and
eventually Sharon Laws got away. I
was hanging on 3rd or 4th wheel back then had a sudden
spurt of energy and started chasing.
I knew there were a few girls on my wheel but thought if I caught Sharon
we would be a pretty small breakaway.
Next time I looked back more girls had tagged on and I swung over. I definitely wasn’t planning on
dragging a big group along when much bigger teams like MTN were all still there
plus even if Sharon isn’t on my team I wasn’t going to help bring a fellow Brit
back just to have it counterattacked by another Toyota rider.
MTN soon grouped at the front and started
working but with the headwind it soon fizzled out and we were riding along
chatting amongth ourselves. Feeling good I did start a few attacks on the hills
towards the finish but each time they were covered by Toyota who didn’t seem to
want to get away despite the fact Sharon was just about finished by then! The pace up the last climb was tough
and I was swaying over my bike before we turned the last corner to the
finish. Down the hill I attacked
to get to the roundabout first and, carrying a bit more speed than I antipated
I leaned hard and thankfully came out the other side still upright. Sprinting to the finish I was surprised
no one came round and rode over the line just ahead of the fast approaching
Cherise to hold onto 2nd place. With a 2nd as well at the Argus despite
concentrating on the mountain bike I have to say its been a pretty successful
year and its now time for a well earned break back home before training for
next year starts again!
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| Holding on to win the bunch sprint |
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| The presentation with Sharon and Cherise |
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| Getting too much sun with fellow Brit, Sharon Laws |
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