Just when you thought the Turramurra website couldn’t get any more crowded with TORC reports another brave sole has awoken from his hospital bed to report on the last month of Mountain Bike racing… While I can’t promise this will be the last report written about the fling or the 8 hour race I will promise it to be a great advertisement for a roadie who wants to convert – YES you can do BOTH, and also a first hand recount of two epic MTB RACES in blunt truth. You see in mountain biking you rarely see other competitors. .. good or bad it sure makes a ride report all the more fictional… for all they know – you rode up every hill, jumped every technical descent and did wheelies through even the deepest creek crossings. SURE!
The Highland Fling
I awoke to the sound of a grinding coffee machine and arose ready for the big race. Breakfast was served up in hotel style accord with a good spread of cereal, toast, fruit and of course the farkas favorite creamed rice. I opted for the dairy free options and was halfway through my 5th piece of toast when Fester and TBG burst through the door fresh from the 300km drive from Sydney in a touch under 2 hours. As more and more people arrived the crowds began to gather around Mark’s Cyclocross bike, whatever was he was thinking I do not know but I am sure he will proudly tell you “ At least I was on a Pinarello”. – Even if it didn’t finish the race with a seat!
As time moved on we got ready to leave for the start line. I opted for some quiet time to stretch, double check my gear and mentally prepare for the battle ahead while hanging out with my friend Andre Bocelli (Great singer). I got third at the doctor and felt sick the whole way through – Sickness averted at the breakfast table and had a solid 3 weeks of 600k behind me leading into this race.
On the start line TORC was well represented and after a quick crouching tiger hidden piss stop in the field next door I was ready to roll as the announcer waved the flag. The pace was intense from the onset with the Cyclocross boys keen to strut their stuff on the flat fast fire trails early on. Even TBG was getting amongst it as a group soon pulled away from the rest of the field. A sharp left hander saw most of the cyclocross guys disappear as the 100k and 100miler guys took control at the front of the race. Phil Thaux (Drapache) was the first to launch a serious attack up a fire trail climb and with no one willing to chase he was left sailing into the distance… for now at least. The lead group continued to work well and we had a bunch of about 10 riding along in train style until the first creek crossing. Being roadie I came in poorly geared and dropped my chain on the other side losing valuable minutes on the leaders with Simley passing me as flash backs to the Angry Doctor came back to haunt me. But this time the chain went back on with ease and before I knew it I was back in the race pairing up with Jason English (BMC) for the rest of stage 1 . We worked really well together and swapped off solidly to come into T1 only 2min off the leading bunch. Thauxie my main competitor was another 2min up the road effectively putting 4min into me in the first third of the race. But as time would tell going hard to early isn’t always the best option.
I took the full 5min in transition to lube my chain and take on some much needed food and drink before tackling stage 2 which would take 2.26hr to complete. This stage was ridden completely on my own as Jason didn’t stop at transition instead pushing on to get some more of his 100 mile race completed. After passing a few of the 100 mile chasers I tackled the steep fire trails and had mental battles with myself to spice things up a little. This is where massive km training paid off, doing the majority of my mid week riding on my own I became accustom to riding solo - doing laps of west head road in the rain likened to these fire trails.. Food, drink, pedal, food, drink, pedal was the plan and it worked really well. I had no idea how I was travelling compared to Phil up the road but I knew I was hurting real bad so he couldn’t be far away! Given he attacked me at 94% HR early on in the piece.
Into T2 I yelled what am I coming, what am I coming… and to my delight a marshal at the exit checkpoint said your first on the road, Phil is still in transition. So on I went, hardly taking time in the second transition I put my head down for the final hour of racing. The final stage was mainly fire roads, annoying soft sandy ones where u weave all over the track, but a roadies delight none the less. I began passing some of the 50k riders and this motivated me even more, having a small goal on each horizon gave me something to push for, and something to chase after. About 10km from the finish line I was passed by Craig Gordon as the first of the Elite train began to roll through, he passed me on a fire trail climb and I managed to jump on his wheel. The pace lifted significantly and soon I was riding an tempo with the great Gordo, smashing it up climbs – swapping off on the flat stuff, me on my Alloy Dualie bouncing up and down, Craig on his Carbon hard tail fully locked out with bar ends to boot. I managed to stick with him over the next 8km or so but bid farewell to him as we neared the final technical section “ Your choice” me being a roadie naturally took the less technical climb while Craig took the short/ steep path to the finish. Riding down the final fire trail was sweet! And people were cheering thinking I was only a minute away from beating Gordo. (he started 30min behind me remember). Into the finishing straight I was stuffed, ruined and relieved as the announcer called out my name 1st Open Male across the line. After a breather, a red bull and short brief interview I was left to contemplate what I had just achieved collapsing into a heap on the oval. The rockstar racing guys were really nice and I was joined on the grass by Craig to say well done and thanks for my help. Apparently he was worried I was in the Elite class because I kept up with him for so long.. “typical roadie, (Flick of the elbow) roll through” was his reply.
Back at the house a warm shower and a few bowls of ice cream was my reward as I shared stories with the Brittan’s and Martine about each other’s race. As the TORC crew rolled in each more destroyed than the last warrior to return the atmosphere was electric!
A big thank you to all who came to the highland fling weekend, Farkas for the lift down on Saturday afternoon, Mark and his crew at the shop for all their help and finally a huge thank you to Simon and Martine for putting on the best race package Turramurra racing has ever seen. This MTB thing is getting addictive… Bring on the next one!!!