Local Road Racing Returns

Road Racing has returned! The Rockhampton season kicked off yesterday with a Kermeese at Glendale just north of Rocky. Matt from M1 cycles took out the A/B combined proving too strong for the rest of the field when it counted. Paul Andrews came in second with Cat Newell in 4th. Missing was Mick Newell who is quite ill at the moment; wish you a speedy recovery Mick.
Dave McIntosh also had a great start to the season with a win in C Grade and Brendan Hill picked up a handy 4th. Of course I have to mention the volunteers who helped out, couldn’t have happened without you.


Racing this weekend is an ITT at Alton Downs on Saturday with the first rider away at 2pm.

The road calendar is here and it’s quite busy with something for everyone. http://api.ning.com/files/S6leBpJ8ovB22JzrDAyimefL8wN3c9DfO4tVAPr1LKy49hopJliOU6ZZYPFeGNjKkARxP6My5n264t44r6e9pI2kuM3T07Kf/RockhamptonCyclingClubRoadCalendar2014.pdf

Race 1 results here http://www.cyclingadmin.cqoz.com/page1/?mylaps=type,event,eventid,996833

Very impressed with the results being up so quickly!

What's up

The Rocky Road Season kicks into action on the 5^th of April with a TT at Alton Downs from what I’ve heard through the grapevine. Don’t bother looking at their website for information, while they do a great job with the races it doesn’t extend to the website. Been thinking about racing? If you have I highly recommend it, a lot more goes on during a race than people just sitting in a bunch I assure you.

The order for the embroidered Polo shirt will close next Wednesday so we can take advantage of the discount on setup fees we’ve been offered. I won’t chase people for this order so if you want one this time around contact me.

The Noosa weekend isn’t far away now with only 4 weeks or so to go; time to get out there if you’ve been slack.

Rides this weekend. 

Calliope Hundy with the ride leaving at 6am Saturday. All distances head out together and the shorter rides just peel off the bunch. Try to work yourself to the back of the bunch before you’re about to turn. If you’re riding from Tannum be at the Coffee Club for a 5am start.

The Saturday Dam ride will be on so 6am from the Tannum Coffee Club.

Sunday the start time reverts back to the usual 7am from the Surf Club. 

Can you have too many lights? Maybe in some cases but better to have motorists coming up from behind thinking ‘look at this tool’, at least they’ve seen you and that’s a good start.

Have  a great weekend whatever you’re doing and stay safe.

Mark

 The Race of Truth - This man is the best there is, for now...

 What the Polo will look like

Mooloolaba 2014

The Mooloolaba 2014 Triathlon came and went last weekend with most happy with their performances. I suspect there might be a couple scratching their heads a little which in my books isn’t such a bad thing, it can make you step back and look at what you’re doing.

The weather was pretty awesome especially on Friday and Saturday with the swell building all the time over the weekend. It was disappointing the ocean swim was cancelled as it is an ‘ocean swim’ and the ocean can have waves and be rough…..but I completely understand their decision with a couple of thousand people to manage.

Race day dawned with fine weather but the forecast was for high temps giving the people to start later something to consider. With the swim in a canal it was clearly very calm but a little longer than 1500 meters I’ve been informed. The trip to transition is more like an obstacle course having to run over a scaffold bridge and then along the slippery wet road for about 700 meters. The bike course presented a slight headwind for the most part on the journey north; nice to know you would have the wind at your back on the return however. There were some massive groups of people drafting out there and no Marshall's in sight which was pretty ordinary. In saying that as I passed the Penalty Box it was busy lol.

The run course was the usual loop but I swear that hill gets steeper every year…..the temperature was on the rise and when you turned to head back you ran with the breeze offering you no relief. I know I did it tough along with most I suspect but there were some great runners cruising through the masses. I was really looking forward to devouring some fruit at the end but was very disappointed to find only cups of water being offered! WTF!

If you want to see how people went check out the results on the Mooloolaba Tri website.

Well done to all that went down and competed. Special mention to first timers, pretty sure they will be back!

The choice of Coffee Shops is always a treat

  Always a beautiful sight

 The Pro Tri looked like a Crit!

 

Mooloolaba 2014 - The clock is ticking

Frogs Race 5 Pics

I didn't get everyone but here's most.

The quick trip back

The second Calliope ride started out just like every other, good mix of riders ready for a ride through the lovely rolling hills of the Boyne Valley with some using it as a way of preparing for the Noosa 160.

Great to see Paul come along on his beautiful Colnago C59, a very very nice bike indeed. A new starter for 2014 was Noel who rode strongly until the rolling hills took their toll on the return trip. While the pace isn’t always on like that on these rides there is the odd occasion it gets a little hot. 

The trip out was civilised with an average of about 30 and in what seemed no time the 60k group were peeling off to head back. The remaining riders kept the pace the same all the way to Nagoorin with the wind a little noticeable in our faces (the once or twice I ventured up the front out of guilt I did notice it). After a short break to top up bottles and chat some more we started back.......

I’m not a fan of mentioning average speeds so much but on this occasion I will to give you an idea of the return trip (yes there was some tailwind). Craig and I ended up averaging 40kph back to the Bilo road (which is around 43k in distance) with Paul and Ben well up the road in front of us and don’t quote me but I think they averaged almost 42kph! Kind of explains why I’m having trouble walking today :-)

 

Overall it was a great ride though. Good to catch up to Ben, John and James just before Nagoorin and have a quick chat before starting the return trip. Not sure how far you guys rode but I’m guessing a decent one after passing you (in the car) along the highway on my way to Calliope in the dark. 

It was also the first time we've come accross the M1 bunch for a while and it was great to see some good numbers in the bunch and the group of broken riders behind them :-)

Next Calliope ride is in 2 week’s time on the 22^nd with the same start time. 

What's on

This weekend we return to Calliope for another Saturday morning ride. Leaving at 6am from the IGA will be the Hundy group with going on past trips will average low thirties for the ride. The trip out is usually a fairly sane pace so other people wanting to do shorter distances can ride out with that group if they want to. If you want to do a lot less and catch up with the main group for a brew at the end just start a little later. The Noosa weekend isn’t too far away now and with the way time seems to be flying it will be here in a blink.


Sunday the usual Loop from the Surf Club at 6am; always an interesting ride.

Of course today the Thursday float through the streets of Tannum will be on so hope to see you there. Leaves the Surf Club at 5pm.

For anyone with an old steel bike and wanting to do something different in August check this out. There are a few from this way heading down for what should be a great weekend of riding, wine and laughs.

http://www.noosa-stradebianche.com.au/

Frogs race 5

We’ve had to wait until March for the first local tri of 2014 but it was a great day out despite the very ordinary swim conditions.


At the pointy end of proceedings was Scotty Kean led the local charge with a very slick time. John Raleigh made a return to the short races to blow out some cobwebs finishing not too far in front of a fast finishing James Ferris (man can he run). Ben Vandenberg made a return to the shorter distances also after a long time away and looked very comfortable the whole time, especially on the bike :-) Doug Madsen came in next local also with a strong bike and starting to show some signs of returning to form just in time for Mooloolaba. Geert came in after Doug with the G coming in around this time also; pretty sure these 2 loved the ordinary swimming conditions. The G has Ironman in 3 weeks and was saving himself. Pretty sure Wayne Butcher is a Gladstone local and he crossed the line with 1:36 on the clock. Robin Berthelson came in next and 5th in the ladies long race displaying a lot of guts to keep going (to say Robin sounded terrible running towards the end would be an understatement). Cherie Cavanagh was next to cross with Asher Roby a little after her. Asher Roby knocked about 30 minutes off his time from his last trip up to Yeppoon, that’s pretty amazing. Neville Lowe came in next with a solid effort after a no so happy swim lol. The Boyne Physio shop was there as well in a team and they certainly had big smiles on their faces.

In the men’s short Duathlon John Earl smashed the field; I won’t mention the field comprised of his son Mitchell and his mate Johno  John did however redeem himself a little by running with Mitchell.

Well done to any other locals that made the trip up even though I didn’t mention you.