NSW Masters ITT Championship

[Kev365428]

Apart from me, was anyone else stupid enough to venture down to Breadalbane to compete today?

I would have to say that these were the worst conditions I've raced in yet. 45-60km/h headwind on the way out, rain, hail, and about 3-4 deg.
My fingers were so numb at the start (when it started to hail), they were stinging. At one stage the wind was so strong, I was only doing 13km/h up a 2% gradient.

Oh, the run home was fun though.
55-60km/h nearly all the way, and the sun came out.

Kev.

[vander]

How did you go mate? I know a few of the LACC guys that went down.

[Kev365428]

Not as good as I'd hoped, but given the conditions I can't complain.

Was hoping to do better than 38 minutes, but came home in 42:50, or there abouts.

Kev.

[Strawburger]

Yeah I did as well. Shocking conditions! Couldn't control the beast on the way back even though I ran my road wheels which aren't deep rims! I needed another 10kg on me. Still happy with my time just over 38mins.

[Kev365428]

Couldn't believe it when I saw guys out there with dish wheels on.

It got so bad out there I barely used the tri-bars, as I was hanging onto the drops for all I was worth.

Kev.

[mikesbytes]

I ride reasonably well in those kinds of conditions. Pity I forgot to enter

[Chris249]

I checked the Bureau of Met report for 12:30, when I was out. Wind gusts to 74kmh and subjective temp 4.4 BELOW zero due to wind chill....let's not even think about the added cold due to the rain and hail.

The old Zipps were OK when I went out earlier but I was very glad I changed back to 34mm alloys before the start; they weigh something like 1.98kg but I think that they were useful ballast! I was out on the flat heading upwind when the first hailstorm hit, couldn't get into any sort of rhythm, and cramped with the cold. Still, everyone had the same conditions.

I haven't done any competition on the road this year and don't feel like I have the power I had before the knees went, but given the conditions and my general lack of experience and time I was happy with a time of just over 41 minutes and beating a bit over a quarter of the pack. The planned camping trip was blown out so I ended up going to Canberra (where the car died) and then blowing the RR by finding myself on the front by mistake on the first climb, leading to a quick drop off the back. Oh well, I've never really done a road race and now can confirm that I don't really enjoy the pack-racing stuff. Masters 5 TTs, CX and maybe track for me next season.

It was interesting to see how experienced all the top guys I spoke to were. I've been on and off bikes but never really seriously ridden until about three years ago and for some silly reason I assumed that many other people racing would be in a similar position, but most of them seemed to have 40+ years of racing behind them. Intimidating stuff!

[gplama]

Much better conditions at the Masters Nationals on the same course last Wednesday. Most people knocking 1-2mins off their NSW Champs times.