What a day
A very early start to begin with 6:20am
, loaded the car and off I went and got there just a little after 9am There was no traffic on the roads I think I passed 5 cars in total
Got my race number - 120(121 last year) and back to the car and got my self ready .. and down to the start line and the bottom of the car-park
10:15 race brief.. Still warm up and then at the starting line for 10:30
3-2-1 .. mass-start and off we went - road climb to start off with right up to the top car park I took a steady pace and got myself in a good position in the group and then a wooded/loose stones section a few tight turns down towards the bottom of the car park and turn into a field and in to a fairly mucky sections, wheels spins, slipping and sliding, up wards bit I took my time and worked my way through it ...(This time last year both my legs cramped up ...load of riders pass me out
)
The ground was still going uphill but still motoring ... past a farm gate and it level out for a little bit ... I was able to get myself together and push on ... at this stage I noticed the muck was gather up in the front mech, and gears where jumping slightly ...
Still going uphill the course took a left on to make shift concrete road so I was able to make up some time... two more climbs and then up to the top of the mountain ... at the last climb there was a guy in a yellow shirt (
face on the back ) - up was doing ok but the climb won so he walk it - so I passed him out -
Now where on the downhill section and smiler was close behind me - I just let it rip down it was a about 2km decent ... and we were neck and neck coming down ... he passed me out ... but not for long at the bottom it was flat again and I over took him once again
The last section was on the road (downhill ish) .. And I peddled to the start line (entrance of the cave at the bottom) and back up the hill again taking it handy not to overdo it ... at this time I was riding on my own got to the top and cross the lap marker..
Now Last year the lap was the same for the two lap ... but not this year ... back into the woods and a nice grassy downhill section back to the field before the muddy section - this help allot cos I was able to power through the muddy section ... but smiler at this stage had passed me out ... so my aim now was to keep up with him.. But as the course went on i lost sight of him ... and I got talking to another guy... we passed a marcel what place where at and he said 15-16 to us(Happy days I thought to self) we got to the top of the mountain again .. And the guy let me take lead ... and down we went fire down the hill... but is slightly over shot a corner and I was heading start for a bush ...but I manage to avoid doing that and got myself on the right line and once again fired down the hill(it is still a complete blur) a few section I had my ass on the tire hoping not to do a superman over the bars -
the guy that was with me at start of the downhill was no longer there got passed by others so I got talking to another person ... and back on the road section and back hill the hill again to the finish line - Happy days
Strava Stage 1(2 laps of 11KM)
http://app.strava.com/rides/24976888Lunch Time / bike cleaning...
2:00 - Into the CAVE!!
I got to the leader board ... and to my surprise I was 14Th out of 68 people
So my name was called and into the cave and at the starting line ... 3…2...1. GO!
only slightly lit and just about to make out where you need to go take a left and told "KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN!" for about 500 Meters and then back in the day light and down to the bottom of car park this time then the road section ... and then.... uphill 2km of it ?
I had to walk most of it due to it was too steep... - At the top now for the fun part downhill!! once again I fired across the course all the way round all was going good till i hit the mucky **** again ... power through that, with plenty of wheel spins(the effort need to stay on the bike was mad) .. Back into the field and an up climb to the forest section and over the finish line ... Happy days Stage 2 Complete
And I came 17Th out of 61 riders
Stage 2 - Time Trial - 11KM
http://app.strava.com/rides/24995955My aim was to be in the top 50 this year ... so I’m very pleased with the results
