This weekend just been was gunna be a big one, 72k Colville Connection on Saturday followed by the re-schedualed N-Duro on Sunday. I have riden road races day after day and ocasional mountain bike race after a road race the day before but never doubled up on mtb so it was going to be interesting.
There was a little bit of concern Friday night with the horrible events of Japan and concern of possible tsunami especially since our 72k was to be along the coast the whole way. Fortunatly for us it eventuated to nothing.
Saturday was an epic day, bright blue sky and light wind. It was also due to be a scorcher. We were off on our way at 10am the hills came thick and hard from go, as well as the pressure. 2nd climb of the race and Scott Thorne and fellow Hawkes Bay rider Andrew Barlow were putting the pressure on early.
The race split early with a lead group forming of Scott Thorne, newly crowned National Champ Carl Jones, Comm games rider and all round Warlord Gordon McCauly and another young strong fellow from Auckland. Second group on the trail contained Justin Kerr Andrew Barlow Myself and another rider from Hamilton region. Groups didnt last long however with the constant climbing and decending taking a hard toll on everyones legs the groups shattered. With all the climbing I was pretty pleased to have my Ultra light and effeciant Carbon Competitor with Custom DT wheels and Ultra Fast Kenda Small Block tyres. By the 35k mark I had pushed clear and was chasing solo. By 40k I had moved my way in to 3rd on the road pulling back Gordy and dispatching him up a long climb. with around 15k to go I had closed down close to 2mins on Carl and Scott and had them in sight. I started taking time checks on them and rappidly dropped the time from 45s at my initial sighting to 20s in only a few ks. I knew I had to catch them before the road and the final climb so I could recover for a hard attack. I was confident that if I could ride across solo to the strong pair if I could recover and attack hard on the road climb with 1k to go I could win. Allas, with the final climb looming I was at 10s and they had hit the climb, I could see Scott attack and drop Carl, and with weary tired legs, My day and chase was done. I had to be content with 3rd.
Congrates to Scott for winning after being runner up last year. And good luck to Carlos for Oceania games this weekend coming.
Pretty Pleased with the effort though especiallyafter I have been strugling with form for the last few weeks.
N-Duro
Next up on sunday was N-duro, I rode to the start line from Scott Greens and could feel the fatigue in my legs. I was hoping I had recovered enough. Pretty quickly the legs told the story, I moved in to the single track 3rd behind Dave Mann and Dirk Peters. However I could feel the zipp wasnt there and I was slowly giving way to the pressure that Dirk was applying. I pushed on hard byt slowly gave way and over the corse of the race lost 2 more places. I couldnt push my heart rate up and rev the legs out like I had yesterday. I crossed the line 5th in 2h9m about 7min behind the winner Dirk.
Josh
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
KARAPOTI
Karapoti, Not a race iv ever contemplated doing in ten years of Mountain Biking. Im not really sure why, Its a race and I love racing, I think the prospect of it being not to disimilar in filthyness to a wet Paris Roubeix or a deep winter Belgian Cyclocross race dosn't really apeall to me.
As the day drew near I was feeling pretty nervous not really knowing what to expect other than the worse. The night before the stress was chucked on hard when a chain ring rubbed my tyre side wall causing it to leak. I didnt want to run tubes as Id heard horror storys of 10 punctures. And I realy wanted to use the Slant 6s because of their tough heavyer carcus seemed perfect for the rocky terrain Id heard about. Quick thinking I patched the inside and Hiskey took the wheel home to add more Stans sealant and pump it up before the big day. Extra stress was added by having the number 13 plate. I was never superstitous till one day I got number 13 and 10k in to the race smashed my self to pieces and had an early flight home.
Race day dawned and it was happening. Tyre was holding air sweet and come 5 to 10 we were standing in the river awaiting the gun. I hada shocking start coming out of the river last but wasnt phazed as I knew it was going to be a tough day and my goal was to finish, hopefuly under the magical 3hour mark and learn what this race was about. Hopefuly never to come back again.
Once the first off road section was hit I quickly descovered why this race was so filthy and lethal. Rocks and a fine gravely silt paste that gets everywhere. I slowly set about passing riders one by one. Come warm up climb I had caught up to team mate Sotty and we spent a fair bit of time cruzing together really. On these big super steep climbs I was glad to have my nice light efficent Avanti Competitor Hardtail and the Kenda Slant 6 tyres kept things turning smoothly. The rock garden was a new experiance with rocks the size of heads and houses just waiting to rip your tyres apart or limbs from your body if you came down. Come the top of the devils staircase it was time to get some chain lube on as my poor chain had taken a beating from the lovley riding conditions. A fist full of jellybeans at the feed zone and I was on my way, a quick stop to hook someone up with a tube. With a quick prayer and hoping id get some good Karma from my good deed and not have any flats myself and I was off to start the dopers climb, another quick dash of lube on the way up and I found my self on the finial decent to the gorge. I was pretty tired by now and just willing myself to that final road section and it came none to soon. When I finaly made the finish in a time of 3h 1m 46s, I was a bit dissapointed not to crack 3 hours but more pleased to finish. Initially I wasnt keen to even think about a 2nd Karapoti. But on quiet contemplation, and the fact that it was apparantly the "Worst" conditions ever for the race I decided that It was way easyer than Hail and Snow of Tour of Southland or Wind and Rain at 3500m above sea level of Qinghai Lake tour, any Karapoti after that must be easy.
Pretty thankfull for the great choice of the Kenda Slant 6 tyres as they kept my wheels down and air in side so no need to stop for a repair.
As the day drew near I was feeling pretty nervous not really knowing what to expect other than the worse. The night before the stress was chucked on hard when a chain ring rubbed my tyre side wall causing it to leak. I didnt want to run tubes as Id heard horror storys of 10 punctures. And I realy wanted to use the Slant 6s because of their tough heavyer carcus seemed perfect for the rocky terrain Id heard about. Quick thinking I patched the inside and Hiskey took the wheel home to add more Stans sealant and pump it up before the big day. Extra stress was added by having the number 13 plate. I was never superstitous till one day I got number 13 and 10k in to the race smashed my self to pieces and had an early flight home.
Race day dawned and it was happening. Tyre was holding air sweet and come 5 to 10 we were standing in the river awaiting the gun. I hada shocking start coming out of the river last but wasnt phazed as I knew it was going to be a tough day and my goal was to finish, hopefuly under the magical 3hour mark and learn what this race was about. Hopefuly never to come back again.
Once the first off road section was hit I quickly descovered why this race was so filthy and lethal. Rocks and a fine gravely silt paste that gets everywhere. I slowly set about passing riders one by one. Come warm up climb I had caught up to team mate Sotty and we spent a fair bit of time cruzing together really. On these big super steep climbs I was glad to have my nice light efficent Avanti Competitor Hardtail and the Kenda Slant 6 tyres kept things turning smoothly. The rock garden was a new experiance with rocks the size of heads and houses just waiting to rip your tyres apart or limbs from your body if you came down. Come the top of the devils staircase it was time to get some chain lube on as my poor chain had taken a beating from the lovley riding conditions. A fist full of jellybeans at the feed zone and I was on my way, a quick stop to hook someone up with a tube. With a quick prayer and hoping id get some good Karma from my good deed and not have any flats myself and I was off to start the dopers climb, another quick dash of lube on the way up and I found my self on the finial decent to the gorge. I was pretty tired by now and just willing myself to that final road section and it came none to soon. When I finaly made the finish in a time of 3h 1m 46s, I was a bit dissapointed not to crack 3 hours but more pleased to finish. Initially I wasnt keen to even think about a 2nd Karapoti. But on quiet contemplation, and the fact that it was apparantly the "Worst" conditions ever for the race I decided that It was way easyer than Hail and Snow of Tour of Southland or Wind and Rain at 3500m above sea level of Qinghai Lake tour, any Karapoti after that must be easy.
Pretty thankfull for the great choice of the Kenda Slant 6 tyres as they kept my wheels down and air in side so no need to stop for a repair.
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