Postby geoff m » 20 Aug 2007, 22:32
Thanks Ian, Hope Adelaide is treating you well
I forgot to do a match report.
Was a cold, and very overcast day with black clouds rolling in before it dumped 100mm over Sydney over the next 48 hours.
So numbers were down. 5 in total. One of the smallest groups I've ridden with. Nevertheless, final speed was reasonably fast at 34km ph. As there were so few of us, there wasn't much cover either, making it somewhat challenging.
We started off as a bit of a social ride, chatting away. But after about 2 laps Mark who came 2nd got impatient at our cruising speed and attacked. I locked in easily behind whilst the other three were caught out. Grant who came third slowly and surely bridged the gap. We blew Leanne and one other away.
It was us three basically to the final lap. Mark and Grant were fairly keen to push it along. I did my turns but it wasn't long before one of them, usually Grant, wanted to be on the front. So I didn't complain. I tried, but kept getting pushed back to 2nd or 3rd.
Grant also had an interesting habit of when not on front, riding side by side to the front rider. It was a bit crazy as he seemed to lose any advantage of taking a break, and it was a bit off putting. I asked him after if he was a first time ride, but he said he'd come back after a 12 months absense.
Mark tried a few more attacks but I managed to catch him in a measured way without panicking.
When we came around the tennis courts on final lap, he was off again, and pushed hard. I set off to catch him and slowly saw Grant slip behind.
This time Mark pushed harder and as I would draw within about 2 bike lengths he kept pushing forward. I was a bit worried I would lose him.
We came around the netball court final turn and I had to make a final burst to catch him coming up to McEwen Straight. I got him fair and square on the final corner and locked in.
He then slowed down as he hit the wind with 400 metres to go. I ruthlessly sat on his wheel getting my breath back as he pushed on. I left my sprint to a risky 100 metres to go before launching out and easily starting to pass him. I saw the line coming up and was confident that I would mow him down. As I saw victory, he somehow surged as he saw me level up. What looked like a victory within the last 1.5 metres was stretched out to the line. I thought he got me. He thought I got him. Sinead sitting on the bench thought he got me. Someone else and the officials on the line on the other side were sure I got it.
So after riding a warm down lap with Mark, it was only then I heard the news that I had been seeking for over 2 and a half years. Way to go!
I said to Sinead that I bet Therese would comment why I would need to buy a new bike now that I had ridden my current one to victory.
Sure enough, when I got home and told her the news, the first thing she said was, "Oh good, you won't be needing that new bike if your current one is working that well!"