Dulwich Hill Bicycle Club

A top morning out at West Head, perfect conditions for racing and people turned up in numbers.

Unfortunately MWCC ran out of numbers and some DHBC people who wanted to race, didn't get the opportunity. Eugen and Matt (a new member) both were sorry to miss out but rode the course anyway.

Four women turned up for the 3rd race in the Women's 4 race series. Jo, Pia and I have now ridden all 3 and Camilla joined us for her 2nd. It's fair to say this was our least successful outing!

Camilla and I had done 6 Bobbin Head hill climbs yesterday, in my case with sprints. I'm supposed to be on an easy recovery ride today. Oops, sorry coach. Promise to sleep in tomorrow. None of us felt like doing 2 laps of West Head so we all opted for B Grade along with 16 or so other women. About 12-15 in A Grade women. How good is that?

I stayed a bit too far back in the bunch and got stuck behind slower riders on the Wall and couldn't get past and lost the bunch. Nearly go them at the turnaround but not quite enough sprint in my to get on. Finished by myself. Still managed a decent 34kph for West Head out and back so happy with that.

Pia finished closer to the front that all of us - she's getting good exposure to racing and riding really well in her first season. We all dribbled in about a minute or so behind the winner. And she should really be in A Grade IMO.

Had breakfast down at Church Point to reward ourselves for having ridden 27kms or something

Whether I was tired from yesterday or I just didn't have it, I found today's B grade race pretty tough for B grade. I guess entering in races above your level makes you stronger, thats what i keep telling myself. I enjoyed it when I finished regardless, thank god I didn't have to do 2 laps! The top 4 riders who I know are all experienced mountain goats...so really well done to Pia for getting so close to them in only her 3rd attempt at racing. A champ in the making.

Great to meet you guys! If anything missing out on racing this time has got me even more fired up about next month, I just have to get there much earlier!

C Grade Report

I was lucky and got a start in C Hubbard, the line was out the carpark when I signed on, and lots of riders missed out. I rode conservatively near the front of bunch without doing much work. Only one serious attack by two SUVelo riders, which I let others chase down.

On the last hill before the final turn, I worked my way to the front and was first around the last corner. But alas, I didn't have the power to sustain the lead and was passed by 6 or 7 riders between the turn and the line.

This is great racing on a spectacular and challenging course. The MWCC deserve a lot of credit for running it. It would be nice to have more red jerseys in the lower grades. But it was great to see so many DHBC women racing.

A couple of reports on the Women's races here

http://www.manlywarringahcc.org.au/news ... /#more-803 (DHBC gets a mention in B Grade)

and here http://sydneycyclingclub.org.au/2013/04 ... ce-series/ (with bonus pic of Trouty)