The Plan
Same plan as past weeks – try to get a break after the sprint. If not, position for sprint along the back. I’d ridden yesterday and felt like I had no legs, so was planning on sitting in and that was about it.
No power as left the pedal spanner at home so could not set them up. Luckily I keep a spare set of boring old pedals in my tool kit.
The Race
I wound up not just sitting in and tried to ride strongly.
On the hills, I tried to stay up the front. This sort of worked. A few attacks went here. Some spluttered out at the top. A few lasted a little longer.
I chased a bunch of solo and double man breaks back, not at full gas though. More in conservation mode. The only time I put in a real effort was after the main climb’s downhill. I sat in the saddle and powered up to a lone rider.
For the sprint, three riders got a long way up the road. HM?, Baxter and Spits. As B’s part of Drouin Cycles, I did not chase. Ideally he’s get away and I’d bridge to him and we’d hoon off. Spits got over the top of B. I passed B on the climb, leading the bunch.
With about four to go, one of the LaTrobe riders commented that this may as well be a trainig ride and we should do something. I must have looked better than I felt. I suggested smashing it on the hill next lap. Some others riders attacked, taking care of that.
Two 2 laps out, RM went along the home straight. Someone went a little before the bell, not sure who, but we were all together on the turn into the hill. HM went here. No getting away for him this time. Over the top, it was pretty much bunch together. I was about 8th down heading into the back straight. A slowing over the pinch let me move up.
Around the second last bend I was third or fourth wheel and I think third on the final corner. A rider in green and black got a little bit of a jump on us and had a little gap by the crossing. I jumped to brindge and kept going and with 150 to go was thinking I’d gone too early. A rider was off my left rear and another was about a rim down on my leading edge. The ridger on the left fell off. The rider on my right seemd to pull the pin with 20m to go. Meanwhile, I was trying to get as low as Caleb Ewan – nigh on impossible.
Summary
No argy bargy like last week so a happy finisher today. Also happy to do some work in the race and bag the win.
Stats for the Day
Power Stats
Average pwr: not available
Normalised Power: not available
Critical power (CP): not available (not available% FTP –not availablew/kg).
Intensity Factor: not available
TSS: not available
TRiMP: 119.0
Race Highlights
Distance: 37.91km
Av Speed: 38.3kph
Race Time: 0:59.25
Max HR: 191
13 laps
fastest av speed: 42.7kph (lap 13)
highest speed reached: 60.0kph (lap 13)
highest av power: not available
highest power reached: not available
Thanks to my sponsor, Drouin Cycles.