ANZAC Day Track Carnival-Bowral

[Lizanne]

http://www.nsw.cycling.org.au/cy_nsw/ra ... /12079.htm

I was thinking about going. and there was some talk at the track.
anyone else?
and could i grab a ride?

[shrubb face]

This is just a thinly vailed attempt at scoring a lift isnt it?

[mikesbytes]

What's the track surface like?

[shrubb face]

Perfect. They just resurfaced it.

[Lizanne]

kinda
you volunteering?

[Lizanne]

it's just been re-surfaced
http://www.stgeorge.cycling.org.au/defa ... Page=46054

[Simon Llewellyn]

I'm entered in this one. Keen to ride the new surface, I have ridden one track before in Victoria that was surfaced with a similar tennis court like material and it was very smooth and fast & very nice to ride.

Looking forward to riding a country carnival also, always great fun!

[shrubb face]

Don't forget this closes tonight.

[Lizanne]

yep i'm in!

[rhys]

Just entered. Hopefully don't get too drunk marching in the morning.

[timyone]

should we be coming to watch you march reece?

[jbcow]

good question Tim - it applies to me especially after I failed to register for bowral on the weekend....

[rhys]

If you're in the area Tim why not. Always good to hear people yelling your name out

[JoTheBuilder]

Aimee and I might be coming down as spectators... We will wear red and bring pom poms!

[Lizanne]

i was talking to the organizer. you can still do a late entry if you send a manual entry to cycling NSW

[timyone]

looks like we are B grade boys all except for Alex and John
I would be happy with C, but you can't win them all.

[rhys]

Tim, it looks like our Keirin heat is you, Simon, James, and myself.

[timyone]

lol well congrats on making it through our round then unless Simon has been on a bike that is

[rhys]

Now now. I was more disappointed that our heat is all DHBC folks. Variety, as they say, is the spice of life.

[timyone]

its not, theres three other cyclists.. ones a previous vet sprint world champ, ones in A grade at Raw, and the other is fast, so if we can get a spot in the top three we will be doing well

[Staylowe]

I'm looking to go Wednesdays carnival and need to find a cost efficient way of getting there.

Option 1
Does anyone have room for 1+bike?

Option 2
Car share in my Rav4 and split fuel costs est~$50-60
Room for up to 4+bikes
Leave from Marrickville or anywhere else reasonably en-route.

Cheers,

George
0410 241 700

[rhys]

So how did everyone end up going?

[shrubb face]

Crankadventure took some awesome photos of the day. They are available from http://crankadventure.com/photo/16735205324f9a674ab8021

Below are a couple of my favorite.
http://crankadventure.com/photo/19694747634f9a29aa99627
http://crankadventure.com/photo/11984838704f9a284b4fa9b
http://crankadventure.com/photo/9830757804f9a255be34f2
http://crankadventure.com/photo/5387319774f99f8ba05dc3
http://crankadventure.com/photo/14766802764f99f74b6c0b6 Angry face of the year?
http://crankadventure.com/photo/8263810564f99e22fd4e14 Sorry about this one Ben

[Eleri]

Great photos! I especially like the last one (except for the implied result that is)

Where are the race reports by the way?

[rhys]

Here you go Alex.

[shrubb face]

The last photo is of a missing out event, where I realised at the last minute that i was at the back of the race and had to make a last minute dash to avoid being eliminated.


My race report for the Bernard Riders website.

Like the opening scene from Lord of the Rings, the clouds and wind swirled around Bowral Velodrome, welcoming three slightly timid Bernard Riders to the newly resurfaced track. Whilst the previous track surface would have been more suited to the Bernard MTBers, the fresh green ribbon of tarmac that lay before us on arrival looked perfect for some 160 PSI racing. Unfortunately the 11 degree temperature and 60km/hr winds were not, and it took about twenty minutes of self motivational speeches, before we could convince ourselves that getting out of the car was a good idea at all. Perhaps on reflection it was simply the thought of Ondrej telling us stories about six hour rides through the snow in the Czech Republic prevented us driving straight back home.



Being the first track outing for the new Bernard 2012 kit, myself, Mathew Wallman and John Nugyen were eager to show off the kit, but unfortunately it remained covered up during the brief warm up period in an attempt to ward off the piercing cold. We even resorted to the age old race prep technique of sitting in the car with the heater on high and I can only conclude it had a profound effect with Matty W, taking a convincing win in his opening scratch race. From that point the result just roll in.



The race program consisted of an opening Scratch Race which qualified you for the big Wheel Race, a Keirin, an Elimination Race and finally a Motor pace. And there is no beating around the metaphorical cycling bush; Mat won every event in his division, except the wheel race where he was beaten by a Masters rider whom had won every race he entered at the NSW state titles. To set the scene Mat is like Andy Schleck only taller and he had walked (ridden) away with a victory in the sprint event that is the Keirin. Some say when he crossed the line Sir Chris Hoy was heard to cry.

In the elite men’s A grade, John and myself were up against stiff competition, with several world masters and a junior world champion ensuring there was never an easy moment as we battled against the wind. Whilst my legs certainly weren’t firing on the day, john came home with some impressive results, scoring a victory in a hard fought elimination race and very impressive 4th in the final motor pace.

Overall it was a great debut for the team on the track and as we sat eating dinner in front of a log fire at the pub afterwards, there were smiles all round. Next race event for the Bernard road Riders is the Cootamundra Haycarters Handicaps on the 12th & 13th of May, were it is hoped that we can score another victory.



As an aside if there are any sponsors interested in sending some warming oil/embrocation our way, we and our cold skinny legs would be forever grateful.

Till next time,

Alex.