The happy CORC relay team: Baker, Rosie, Lewi and I (photo: Russ baker)
The Club Team Relay Podium: Adelaide, CORC, Dirtriders (photo: Russ baker)
There was a big pile-up invovling Cooper and Cal in the first corner of the mens XCO race. (photo: Russ baker)
Me starting to suffer (photo: Russ baker)
Some photos by Evan Jeffery on CyclingnewsAfter a great training camp in Mt Beauty and a solid hit out at the Jayco Bay Crits over the Christmas & new years break, I was pretty keen for the National Mountain Bike Champs in Adelaide.
The event started with the Club Teams Relay on Thursday and our CORC team of Mike Baker, Rosie, Shaun Lewis and I probably went into the race as favourites, however the Adelaide MTB Club and Dirtriders also had very strong teams. Dirtriders took the early lead with Adrian Jackson gapping Mikey by 20 seconds on the first lap and Adelaide were close behind. AJ handed over to James Kennedy (their Veteran) while we sent Rosie out. James put in a great ride to increase their lead and by the time Rosie came around we were back in 4th place and about 4½ minutes down. It was turning into an exciting race, with different rider order strategies result in lead changes and making the race outcome somewhat unpredictable. I had some work to do on the 3rd lap to catch Mel Jackson (Dirtriders) and Teri “Stink” Rhodes and just managed to catch them before the end of my lap. I certainly had to dig deep though. Lewi took over and punched out a solid last lap to cement the win and Adelaide’s Evan James brought it home strong to claim the silver. As always the Club team relay was a really fun event and a good hit out on the track before the main event, I’m looking forward to next year already.
Come Saturday I was raring to go for the XC race. I felt that the course would suit me fairly well and I was hoping for a strong result. From the front row of the grid I had a great start and headed into the first single track in 4th wheel, exactly where I wanted to be. I lead group contained Dan McConnel, Sid Taberlay and Ben Henderson, and with Macca pushing hard on the front I soon lost touch and Lachy came around me to regain contact. After the first lap I was on my own 20sec down from the leaders and about 25sec up from the chase group. Unfortunately I had a slowly leaking front flat early in the 2nd lap which caused me to roll my tyre on a corner and go down. I managed to get going again before Paul VDP caught me, hoping I could then ride to the tech zone for a new wheel but when I hit the next descent it was obvious that I needed to pump it up. Stopping to gas the tyre didn’t cost me much time but in such a tight race, I lost many positions and was back in about 11th or 12th. From that point I had to concentrate very hard to get my rhythm back. I slowly passed a few riders back but I was starting to hurt. I came into the final descent with Lewi (my good mate) and was thinking of sneaky ways I might be able to get around him. There wasn’t really any passing opportunities so I used my imagination and chopped inside him on a tight hairpin. We came out neck and neck and sort of locked together, before we both burst out laughing, much to the approval of the spectators. I couldn’t go through with it, so I let him go, and he subsequently popped me in the sprint to the finish line. I finished 10th, 5 minutes behind the eventual winner Dan McConnell, but only 55sec behind Sid who was in 5th. Once again it wasn’t quite the result I was after, but the form is good. Special mention should go to the ride by Josh Carlson. The ranga from Wollongong seems to be getting better with every race and he had the ride of his life to score the third step on the box....well done mate.
The event started with the Club Teams Relay on Thursday and our CORC team of Mike Baker, Rosie, Shaun Lewis and I probably went into the race as favourites, however the Adelaide MTB Club and Dirtriders also had very strong teams. Dirtriders took the early lead with Adrian Jackson gapping Mikey by 20 seconds on the first lap and Adelaide were close behind. AJ handed over to James Kennedy (their Veteran) while we sent Rosie out. James put in a great ride to increase their lead and by the time Rosie came around we were back in 4th place and about 4½ minutes down. It was turning into an exciting race, with different rider order strategies result in lead changes and making the race outcome somewhat unpredictable. I had some work to do on the 3rd lap to catch Mel Jackson (Dirtriders) and Teri “Stink” Rhodes and just managed to catch them before the end of my lap. I certainly had to dig deep though. Lewi took over and punched out a solid last lap to cement the win and Adelaide’s Evan James brought it home strong to claim the silver. As always the Club team relay was a really fun event and a good hit out on the track before the main event, I’m looking forward to next year already.
Come Saturday I was raring to go for the XC race. I felt that the course would suit me fairly well and I was hoping for a strong result. From the front row of the grid I had a great start and headed into the first single track in 4th wheel, exactly where I wanted to be. I lead group contained Dan McConnel, Sid Taberlay and Ben Henderson, and with Macca pushing hard on the front I soon lost touch and Lachy came around me to regain contact. After the first lap I was on my own 20sec down from the leaders and about 25sec up from the chase group. Unfortunately I had a slowly leaking front flat early in the 2nd lap which caused me to roll my tyre on a corner and go down. I managed to get going again before Paul VDP caught me, hoping I could then ride to the tech zone for a new wheel but when I hit the next descent it was obvious that I needed to pump it up. Stopping to gas the tyre didn’t cost me much time but in such a tight race, I lost many positions and was back in about 11th or 12th. From that point I had to concentrate very hard to get my rhythm back. I slowly passed a few riders back but I was starting to hurt. I came into the final descent with Lewi (my good mate) and was thinking of sneaky ways I might be able to get around him. There wasn’t really any passing opportunities so I used my imagination and chopped inside him on a tight hairpin. We came out neck and neck and sort of locked together, before we both burst out laughing, much to the approval of the spectators. I couldn’t go through with it, so I let him go, and he subsequently popped me in the sprint to the finish line. I finished 10th, 5 minutes behind the eventual winner Dan McConnell, but only 55sec behind Sid who was in 5th. Once again it wasn’t quite the result I was after, but the form is good. Special mention should go to the ride by Josh Carlson. The ranga from Wollongong seems to be getting better with every race and he had the ride of his life to score the third step on the box....well done mate.
