Saturday Pedalling

A big bunch greeted the riders heading south out of town towards Forrest Reefs and Tallwood. Plenty of holes are still around on the road. A big reminder to call AND point out the holes. These calls need not only be from the first riders on the lines, but need to be telegraphed down the bunch so that everyone knows where they are to try and avoid them. Riders also need not to panic and know that they don't have to pass a full metre away from the holes but can just skirt the holes. This saves having to swing really wide in either direction and thus not run the risk of running into people. A good set of riders to look at is the boys who race in a lot of Opens, like Charlie, Gus, Mick and Owen who just run around the outside of the holes, thus not disrupting the bunch as much.

Coming into Forrest Reefs for the 50 sprint, a long lead out was provided, with Manwaring jumping off the front of the bunch with 400m to go to the line, stringing the bunch out. From the rear of the bunch, Troy could be seen making the jump and winding things up along the outside of the bunch, making up the 150m lead that Manwaring had by the finish and taking the Prime at the line, hitting 65km/h.

Going around the back of Tallwood, the bunch pace was solid but never blistering pace. Owen and Mick disappeared off the back for a nature break before making the junction by the crest of the Tallwood pinch.

After the left hand turn heading towards Forrest Reefs and the Spring Terrace turn, a new rider to the bunch was seen upping the pace at the front and continued as the right was made towards Spring Terrace, using the wind that was blowing in from the North East to put many riders in the gutter. As the climb progressed, MacPhillamy could be seen moving to front and then Troy who rolled over the top of MacPhillamy and turned the screws a bit more that saw only MacPhillamy able to hold his wheel as they crested the top of the first climb. The pair then sat up waiting for the bunch which was starting to dwindle in numbers as the pace and terrain was taking its toll.

Over the second climb, again led by Troy with the bunch holding his wheel, then the swapping off of turns begun, with MacPhillamy and Troy joined by late comer to the bunch Gus Tobin, with all three working well in the wind.

As the right turn was made into the cross head wind on the Forrest Road stretch to the airport turn, the pace was lifted with the boys being joined by a few other helpers.

Things turned into a it of a scratch race as the Airport turn was made, with Troy being aggressive and trying to get off the front a couple of times, especially through the corners.

Coming out of the dipper, there was no major change in speed but kept nice and constant in the final run into town. Into the 50's Troy had a big lead after kicking in the sprint but was rapidly dying which saw Tobin rapidly closing the gap but Troy managed to hold on by half bee dick on viagra at the throw for the line.

Garmin File for Saturday morning ride;

connect.garmin.com/activity/58116060

The same afternoon saw Orange Cycle club hold a graded scratch race at it's normal course around Tallwood and Forrest Reefs. This was a good opportunity for Troy and MacPhillamy to get some more quality kilometres under their belt, riding to and from the race as well as being aggressive in the race.

Starting the A/B grade race with over 95 kilometres in their legs, they decided to hold off until the second lap of Tallwood before turning on the gas. With Mick Cain and David Van Schaik heading off the front of the bunch in the first 100m, but never gaining more then 200m on the bunch, with a combination of A and B graders doing the work, enjoying the tail wind first half of the course.

Coming up the rise into Forrest Reefs at the end of the first lap, strong work was being done by Mick Troy, Owen Macphillamy, Gus Tobin and Jeff Stewart, using the wind to their advantage and setting up a nice working echelon that was putting a few guys behind in the gutter and into trouble. At the finish of the first lap, the catch was made and a lot of looking too and fro wondering when the next move will be made. It was Tobin, with Troy glued to his wheel over Spud Boy's hill who ramped up the pace quiet significantly and Troy punching it over the other side.

Back in the bunch Andrew Foxall and Grant Roe were doing the chasing up the hill but blew at the top which allowed MacPhillamy to jump across the gap and join the two up the road. Back in the bunch, Rodney Forrest decided to do the work to bring the bunch back, but found no help but plenty of passengers.

As the junction was made the pace dropped again, which allowed MacPhillamy to counter and go up the road. Although never gaining a large amount of ground was a danger for taking the win if he just held the distance. With fellow FFi Rider up the road, Mick Troy had an easy ride across the back of the circuit until after the Tallwood pinch when Tobin made a jump to bridge the gap. The two worked well and quickly picked up MacPhillamy and the trio worked well together, feeling like a typical Wednesday night training ride, quickly putting time into the chasing bunch.

Coming into the finish, over the last crest with 600m to go, Troy was on the front drag racing to the line winding the sprint up, with MacPhillamy on his wheel and Tobin in the prime position.

150 metres to the line, MacPhillamy jumped over Troy, but Tobin proved too strong and taking line honours over MacPhillamy and Troy.

In the destruction behind, Jeff Steward proved to the strongest (or most cunning) of the B graders who could hang onto A grade and took out B grade.

For Troy and MacPhillamy, the trip home clicked over 160km for the day.