Saturday morning was the NSW hillclimb championships at Mt Panorama. The day before the race I went to go ride what I thought was the hill climb up ‘Mt Panorama’ on the race course... I was cutting laps of the Mt Panorama V8 track in both directions just to make sure I was familiar with lines and knew the climb up both directions as I wasn’t sure which one we were doing… and when I got home to double check start times, it turns out the course wasn’t on the race track at all – it was right next to it up a climb actually named ‘Mt Panorama’ – rookie mistake, dammit. So I went into the hill climb pretty much blind after only being able to drive up it once before the start but I don’t think knowing the climb would’ve helped me much anyway because with such strong girls on the start list and after making some stupid decisions pre-race, I had pretty much been beaten before I got to the start line. Oh well, as they say –‘shit happens’ and I definitely won’t be doing that again! Hats off to India Maclean, Elizabeth Tenney and Rebecca Wiasak for picking up the medals!
A few hours later we had a crit which was held on the inside of the race track. The crit was only 25min and after my disappointing efforts of the morning, I was keen to hopefully redeem myself and get on the podium. For the first few laps I tried to be aggressive as I knew I wouldn’t be the only one with tired legs from the morning’s hill climb and besides, how much damage can you do to yourself in 25min?? My tactics worked – just under half way into the race a break including Rebecca Wiasak, India Maclean and myself broke clear and stayed away for the remainder of the race. I was confident leading into the sprint and knew that if I was patient, I had a good chance of taking the win. After a blistering last lap on the front from Beck, I edged over her for the win with Inidia picking up 3rd. I was quietly pleased with my win as I haven’t won a bike race in Australia before and even though it wasn’t by scale a large race, a win is a win and I was stoked :)
Waking up on Sunday to an icy cold, foggy and wet morning mum and I drove to Blayney for the real race – the Blayney to Bathurst or B2B. I was doing the long course event of 110km and each rider was seeded and to set off in waves according to their estimated average speed. I decided to try my luck with the elite men in the 40km+ wave and see how long I could last with the big boys! It was raining when we set off and the damp and miserable conditions hung around for the whole race…Once I got settled in to riding in the bigger bunch I felt quite comfortable until I started to suffer up the first pinch about 20km in the race, I couldn’t hold the wheel in front over the top and so got dropped on the decent and was left to be picked up by a smaller bunch of about 6people a bit further up the road. Jessie Maclean stomped her way over the top of the climb and stayed with the boys whilst India was in the bunch which caught me. I thought the race for fastest female was over until I saw Jessie’s pink jersey on the side of the road – she was one of the day’s many suffers of a flat tyre and although it was unfortunate for her, it meant that the race was still on! India was riding strongly in the bunch as we approached the KOM about 20km from the finish. We were climbing side by side when she suddenly asked if she had a puncture – I looked across to see her rear wheel was flat. Luckily for her she had 2 club team mates in the bunch who gave her a wheel and being aware of this, I quickly put the pressure on and road off up the climb. I got over the top of the climb solo and then was joined by 2 other men from that group. Together we all swapped off for the last 20km and crossed the finish line at Mt Panorama wet, covered in mud and just relieved that we’d made it through relatively unscathed. I had to wait a few minutes for some women who set off in the other waves to cross the line before I was able to find out if I had won the title of ‘first and fastest female’ but when I heard Paul Craft announce my name over the loudspeaker covered in mud and drenched with every inch of my life - I was over the moon! I would love to say that I won the race on pure strength, but I must admit luck did play a part in it – although it feels good to be the lucky one for a change :)
I completed the 110km in 2:57min and the two wins in two days served as a good confidence booster leading into the first round of the National Road Series in Tasmania next weekend. Now time for a little Opera moment - Perhaps the most satisfying moment of the weekend was when I spoke to my coach and told her that I’d won – that all her time and energy she invests in me, and has for a long time, was starting to pay off again. I hope that there will be moments like these in the not too distant future where I can thank all the people who have stood by me and thank them for their continual belief in me :) – you guys rock.
Full results can be found here and a few pictures can be found on the NSW cycling site here.
Next up racing wise is the Mersey Valley Tour in Tasmania which is also the first round in the Women’s NRS. Although the field isn’t large at only 26 women, they are all of our best riders in Australia and each and every one of them will be a contender for the tour! I have never done the tour before as for the past 3 years I have been sick/injured but from what I’ve heard it is the hardest NRS for the women – let’s just hope my performance at the NSW hill climb champs wasn’t a real indicator of my hill climbing ability otherwise I will be definitely tasting a lot of stem :s
Until next time,
Stay safe and happy pedalling :)
Miff xx
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