Madcore Road Hucks - BP Round 2

The PNP Balfour Pennington Road Race Series is in full swing and Tigerbone, Kah, Angry and Davo rocked up to Round 2 in Upper Hutt to give it a crack. Here are their brief stories.


Davo

First road event in I think 13 years. Travelled over with Tigerbone, Bennett and Simon. I had switched my beefy Armadillo tires to Conti skinnys for the race, but must have failed switching them as I had a slow flat. I hurriedly changed the tube out and made my way to rego where I pushed in to join the boys and whiled away my time flinging bullshit at Cam and Hayden.

I was racing Break. Same as Tony. I thought I was in over my head. We did two laps and first lap felt good, all under control, doing my turns. We got to the Wallaceville hill climb and I started to feel pretty boxed in straight away. I figured I could hold on, but doubted i'd be climbing it with the bunch on the 2nd lap. I even changed out of the dog to preserve my shanks. More a handbagger than a sandbagger.

Into the 2nd lap and the pace was high and we'd shed some riders already. Sadly I think Sifter and Morabar had lost touch on the hill which was a shame. I was feeling tired but figured we didn't have long to go so put in a bit of a surge/attack-ish at the front as we hit Mangaroa Hill. I don't think it shed too many riders though. I went over the top with Tony and I know sneaky Joel was there too because I recall him laughing as I nearly took a bite out of the side of the road. Luckily my madcore mtb huck skillz came into play and with my foot rigged out wide, I stayed up.

I barrelled onto the flat with the guys looking a little stretched behind and hoped some would step on the gas to get me and thus form a smaller bunch to smash along to the climb. But it didn't really happen and sat up a little and drifted back. Wasted opportunity. Everyone seemed to be saving themselves for the last climb, whereas I wanted to go into it minus a few other riders. Me and Tigerbone continued doing our chores at the front along with the other Spartans. There were clearly a fair few Persians in the bunch who were not pulling finger which was disappointing.

I couldn't quite hold on to the front guys like James Truebridge, Alex Revell, Joel and our own Tigerbone. I did give it my best shot though and climbed it in the dog for good measure. I reeled in a couple of guys who I had figured would give me a hiding, and I was totally maxxing out at the top and then hammered the descent. I crossed the line on my own, going full bore. Boner got 4th ahead of what I think was an 8th for me. What a blast. Good times.


Kah
How not to prepare for a race:

9 beers
2 double G&Ts.
No breakfast
No lunch
1 long black. 

Take one 150lb weakling. Mix in beers and G&Ts - remember not to add dinner, this will weaken the alcohol. Whisk and let it sleep for 4 hours.

Take the previously prepared mixture. Remember you're not allowed to add any solid food. Wrap it in lycra, put it on a bike and toss a long black in it for colour.

Leave it on the bike for 20km in the sun.

Makes one serving of "missing timing chip or error".

Angry
Hmm, a few lessons learnt from this race, main one being dont underestimate the pace down a hill, I figured I would simply rejoin the bunch as I got myself out of position at the bottom of mangaroa hill and was one of the last to go up as I had circulated too far back in the bunch, so gassed up the hill and decided to recover on the downhill, well no one else did and I played catch up for the rest of the race. I had nearly caught onto the back of the bunch on the first climb up whitemans but had wiped myself out recatching the bunch so was out of juice.
Next week maybe..


Tigerbone
I can back that comment from Davo that it was TRUE mad-core hucking that stopped him hitting the bank and eating the gravel sandwich coming down Mangaroa Hill. Joel and I just sat back and laughed shaking our heads.

So not to double up on Davo's fantastic story above, my race was much the same as his as we steamed the Bushlove train together (man that sounds dodge). Apart from the last hill where I moved to the front of the bunch where I comfortably sat until midway up Wallaceville Hill. Two hardouts finally made a break to which I was STUPID enough not to go with them... About 2mins later when they were far enough away for me not to catch them, Joel also came past me... Bloody Nora!!! Out of the saddle I got and sat about 10mtrs back from Joel to the top of the hill.

Down the other side I reeled him back in and sat comfortably in his slip stream, grinning. Cheeky bloody roadie looked back at me and gave me the wave on through with about a kilometre to go (you're bloody joking I thought), even from my running days have I learnt not to bow to that kind of race stupidity... well maybe once but I learnt from it. Anyway at about 500m to go I dropped the hammer and sprinted past, Joel held on for about 300mtrs and then faded much to my delight. I steamed home in 4th place, happy with my efforts.

Thanks also to:

Popper Rodley for looking after the Sprog while I raced.

Alex I waited for you at the top of Mangaroa Hill... where were you? See ya this weekend... Oh hang on youré a bit to yellow to step up to that challenge... or is that orange :D

Thanks for putting the pressure on Joel, I would have got too lazy otherwise.