Well...one could venture to one of the many cosmopolitan cafe's and restaurants that light up this fair city I call home. You could head down and catch a sunset at the beach, or head further afield to winery and outback. Watch the flicker of city lights from the hills or stay at home, get stoned and watch Lebowski again. I watched the replay of last night's CCC on SBS....fuck'n travel brochure interspersed with racing...better off with my report I reckon!!
Monday night, Tour down under week is local crits night, those from Interstate are welcome to race but rarely win. This year Monday night crits was extra special as it also had Stage two of the Rendition Homes Womens series....yahoo, more chicks on bikes!
We have our very own closed off crit circuit in Adelaide....problem is, it's also part of a Motor Racing track so we spend half our crit season racing amongst an ever evolving mechano set...but with the huge old gum trees, historic buildings and no traffic to contend with, it's our little piece of paradise on TDU Monday.
It was my first race in B Grade this year, promoted after winning on Boxing Day so I was pretty pumped for tonight. We had 47 starters in my grade, a lot for a tight circuit, the hairpin at the top of the circuit had already brought some of the lower graders undone. Looking at my Polar it says we reached 55km/hr on the first true lap down the straight...be fair to an old guy's heart you kiddies...be fair. I gotta into the swing of things and followed the fast wheels for the Prime sprint after around 15 minutes...third and a long way off second with my HR two off max....hmmmm, the sprint could be interesting. It took me a lap or two at the back to get my breath back but with a field this big on a windy night anyone who wants to win needs to be able to judge and mark breaks...just in case.
After 30 minutes we got the two laps to go board...I'd worked out that a break wasn't going to succeed so was having a rest and at the rear of the field. I love it when my brain gets into it's next mode, I'm like a shark going through a shoal of Tuna so I was up to around 20th at the bell, still too far back but B grade FFS!! Some twat took my line on the 50km/hr bend at the bottom corner but it did me a favour as I ended up middle pack. A break went left just as a break went right so those of us canny enough to stay in the guts got sucked through for the final bend which I hit fourth wheel. You have to slow to around 20 for the top hairpin but I decided not to change gear and grind my way down the straight and bide my time. My plan was working as i sucked up to the three leaders but when a faster guy passed me on the inside I tried to go after him and my bloody seat tilted forward. After that it felt like my back wheel was jamming or something as I tried to put more power down so I cruised in in 7-9th place. Happy with my lot :-)
So..the Chickie Babes race. I'll tell my story in picture so you can enjoy our Monday night paradise too.
They should do a reality TV show about these girls. What a Monday night talent line-up!!
Carlee Taylor made sure it was fast from the gun!
What a cool crit course...barriers :-) The Honda Dream Team trying to give the peleton nightmares.
Hosking seemed to like the wheel of the newly crowned Aussie Crit Champ Lauren Kitchen...the old Vic Park Grandstand in the distance...we'll be racing up next to it when they finish the course :-)
The top corner is so tight they need Police to control the speed.
And you have to get the power down early for the straight...which is the finish line.....which is where I was heading when on the next lap a nasty crash brought down two of the girls pretty hard. I'd already run 800 metres around concrete barriers and construction site (and fat security guard too :-) to get a finish line shot and heard there was a fall...my Paramedic instinct kicked in so I ran further to the wrong end of the course (a furphy from an official). I was too shagged to run back up and they woudn't let me hang on to the Ambulance so I left the professionals too it and got some pictures of what Cyclist's do when there's a break in transmission.
Chloe Hosking had to beg some of the guys teams for some shade and received advice from a man showing half his arse.
The SASI girls were a little more constructive with their time.
They tried to make up for lost time at the restart...hammering it! Shara Gillow stringing them out.
My new screen saver :-)
The fans would/should have been there in their thousands had the grandstand been finished.
It's a slightly downhill finish.
Two to go and SASI are coming through.
Bell lap.
Nettie Edmondson celebrates early...I remember riding with her when she was a skinny little kid :-)
It was close for second...Hosking just got there to take the series victory...an inch back and it would have been a tie.
The SASI girls celebrated their great win...at this stage they thought Nettie was overall winner.
I got a zillion other nice pictures during the Men's race....but tonight was a Monday night where the girls took centre stage.....better than a Travel documentary on the TV eh!!! :-)
Today I'm heading up the Barossa Valley to watch Stage one of the TDU
I'm sure there's a preview or a decent guide somewhere online....the PdC Volvo is having a rest day....the PdC pursuit vehicle is require to get some good shots today :-) There she is...sitting nicely in the Paradise Caravan.
I love cycling...Flatty
There are 4 Comments. Load Now.
Shortcuts to mastering the comment thread. Use wisely.
C - Next Comment
X - Mark as Read
R - Reply
Z - Mark Read & Next
Shift + C - Previous
Shift + A - Mark All Read
Comment Settings
Live comment alert: Hide it!
Comments for this post are closed.