After competing in the Dirty Deeds Cyclocross Prologue event
a month ago how could one not return for round 1 of the 2013 DDCX Series!
It
was once again held at Brunswick’s Harrison Street Velodrome and also once
again served as a brilliant location for Cyclocross! The event also brought an
end to a fantastic week spent with close friends Mark & Jack Gardner.
Having a solid week of training planned and the Red Hill
region practically at our doorstep I knew that I would be coming into DDCX
fatigued but still excited as ever to race!
Come race day it was all systems go!! All it took was that first
glance at Harrison Street upon arriving and we all knew that it was going to be
BIG! Actually that’s an understatement we knew it was going to be ABSOLUTLY,
CRAZILY, MASSIVLY OUT OF CONTROL!!! Overstatement??? Ok it was going to be
awesome; AND IT WAS!
You really couldn’t ask for a better day- rain the night
before making the grass as slick as squirt chain lube and that crazy chill
factor accompanied by a useless sun... Sounds like a perfect Belgium spring
day!
With a respectable race start time I made the most of trying
to catch up with people, it was fantastic to catch up with the team at Bike Box
and check out some new CX rubber from Schwalbe. Also making a spectator appearance
from Giant Cycling world Hampton was Mr Dave Ross (and like the rest of the
CXing world we were discussing the new 2014 Giant TCX range, which looks delicious!)
RACE, RACE, RACE!!!
Like most races the starting whistle sounds signalling the
start of the race. But it’s not very often that 60+ screaming cyclocrossers are
faced with a 180 degree hairpin after only 70m of racing!
As usual the BFG Paul Van Der Ploeg (Giant Bicycles) got off to a stomping start, and as usual was railing it side ways around the first corner! I also managed a solid start and moved up into around 7th place.
As usual the BFG Paul Van Der Ploeg (Giant Bicycles) got off to a stomping start, and as usual was railing it side ways around the first corner! I also managed a solid start and moved up into around 7th place.
Continuing to move forwards I was faced with a rather large
gap to bridge to the two leading riders (Paul and AJ) I decided to go for it
and with a bit of help from team mate Paul I was eventually able to bridge the
gap!
Biting the headstem at times but generally feeling strong we
stayed together for a majority of the race until we started lapping riders in
groups.
A small gap formed between AJ, Paul and I as we rode through a lapped
group and unfortunately AJ realised what had happened and snapped my elastic
band! Trying to hold off Warrack Leach from bridging the gap to me seemed too
much as I succumbed to some minor mechanical issues on the super steep hill
climb.
I finished up in 4th place! A result that I am rather
pleased with heading into rounds 3 & 4 of the national cx series up in Sydney
next weekend!
Paul once again showed his dominance in the growing sport,
taking the win in a sprint finish over Adrian Jackson.
Unfortunately I missed out my first Cyclocross podium… So I guess I will just have to give it another shot next time!!
Unfortunately I missed out my first Cyclocross podium… So I guess I will just have to give it another shot next time!!
AND NOW THE THANK YOU’s
A massive Thank you goes to Mark & Jack Gardner for the great friendships we have, it was fantastic spending the week with them.
Giant Bicycles Australia for their truly tremendous support, the team at Bike Box & Schwalbe Australia for the Rubber that works! And my dad for coming down on the day to cheer me on!
A massive Thank you goes to Mark & Jack Gardner for the great friendships we have, it was fantastic spending the week with them.
Giant Bicycles Australia for their truly tremendous support, the team at Bike Box & Schwalbe Australia for the Rubber that works! And my dad for coming down on the day to cheer me on!
