SUNBURY CLASSIC CYCLING CRITERIUM '07
SATURDAY 17TH MARCH 2007
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Results
A Grade (14 Riders)
Race Reports
A Winning
Perspective.
The start of
another racing season can only mean one thing? It must be time for some good old
fashion head stem chewing action as we all grovel through one of the hardest
crits of the year. And this year, what a race it was.
In previous years
I have always had some pretty half-arsed performances at the Sunbury Fair
Classic. Not this year though. Nope, this year was going to be different. Back
in the good old Sunbury club kit, I decided that I should try to put on a show
for my fellow club mates.
As this was my
second race back since mid November, I wasn’t too keen on the race coming down
to a big bunch sprint at the end of the one hour race. So I set a goal to go
with every hostile attack and try to make the race as hard and fast as possible.
I was prepared to really hurt myself throughout the race, knowing that if I was
hurting myself, chances were that everyone else would hurt twice as bad.
The race rolled
off the start line in a fairly casual fashion but it was not long until a few
riders started getting excited and the race heated up. I made sure I was always
in the front of the bunch so I could easily go with any attacks that went up the
road. First I joined a couple of riders who attacked through the back part of
the course. We had a small gap but I soon realized that the two guys I was with
were not strong enough to stay away for the entire race. I made sure I didn’t
cook too many gooses in this break and in a few laps we were reeled back in.
The peloton was
very negative when we were all together, with no one wanting to even roll a
turn. Just before the first intermediate sprint I let one of the many riders
dressed in red sneak off the front of the pack to get the sprint bonus. This
ensured that the main bunch didn’t get too excited and start playing funny
buggers.
Not long after,
the attack of the day was launched by another rider in red. Once again I made
sure I was with this move as the riders looked much stronger. Soon there were
three of us all working well together, busting our guts trying to get away from
the main bunch. I think our lead was hovering around the 15 second mark for
quite some time while a number of riders tried to chase us down.
When the second
intermediate sprint came along, we made sure that we just kept working together
as usual to maintain our rhythm. Two
laps later I heard Tom say we had half a lap on the bunch. This was a relief but
we still had a long way to go and I wanted to make sure the two guys I was with
kept working hard so they would have jelly legs when it came down to the finish.
Throughout the
whole break away I was pulling my turn at the front into the block headwind
section before we turned to go up the hill. I made sure I didn’t look too strong
to the other riders up the hill, hoping to give them confidence that they could
beat me easily at the end by attacking on the final lap up the hill. And guess
what happened on the final lap? Yep, one of the blokes in red put in a ferocious
attack up that hill just like I had hoped. Perfect. I quickly jumped on his
wheel and looked back to see a small gap to the other guy.
On the descent
into the last corner I took the front position so I could take the corner at
speed and get a jump on him in the sprint. As soon as I turned the corner I
opened up my sprint and held him off to take the win. Yep, it was bloody
awesome.
Now we have one
tremendously oversized trophy sitting in our house. I eat my Fruit Loops out of
it every morning.
Chris
Photos
