It might be too early to take credit but as I reached the Queenslea Drive hazard this morning I was confronted by a fine row of witches’ hats and what looked like a temporary ramp joining the road to the fearful lip of the driveway. If this pans out Spunker will be appointed our new Secretary for the Removal of Cycling Hazards.
Archive for June, 2008
The Cyclo Sportif organisers are obviously afraid of a repeat of last year’s weather for the Swan Valley event. They have consequently paid close attention to O’Dirty’s suggestion at this year’s manager’s meeting to provide more hearty post-ride fare. According to the latest mailout, lunch for the event will be:
Marinated roast beef served with piping hot gravy, dinner rolls and fresh damper with butter. Steaming hot jacket potatoes with sour cream, coleslaw and greek salads. Vegetable and beef Lasagne, Madras beef curry & steamed rice…yummmm.
Be aware that the driveway we use to access the bike path near the corner of Queenslea Drive and Stirling Highway has been relaid with a lip significantly higher than the old one. If you approach it at an acute angle and don’t lean into it or jump it it WILL grab your front wheel and throw you off your bike. Just ask Spunker, who according to the bemused workers across the road was the second person to come to grief there today. Luckily he landed on his head on the concrete so no great harm was done, though his shiny new shifters aren’t so shiny anymore. Now we’ll see how many Coglioni monitor the website…
You may or may not be aware, but I am currently in Melbourne. On Sunday I took part in the Melbourne version of the Freeway Bike Hike to commemorate the opening of the Eastlink ringroad. TechnoBoy and I paid the entry fee of $37 (yes cheaper than Perth, what a surprise) and set off for the start on a chilly Sunday morning with a couple of other riders including “Matt the arms”, soon to be renamed “matt-the-legs”.
Expecting a similar bit of fun to the Perth version, 65km at +40kph we eagerly pedaled the 15km to the start. Immediately I knew it was going to be a bit different as it was chaos. We rolled slowely amonst the other bikes to find the registration desk (they had no pickup like they do in Perth), and we had no idea where to go, or what was going on. As we approached what appeared to be a registration area we heard on the Tannoy “Thos who have not registered yet… Don’t bother!”. Fine, so we were directed for about 3 km down one side of the freeway, around a couple of off ramps to the back of a swelling bunch, a bunch we should have just joined as we rolled into the start area.
The time came and we were off… NOT. Matt-the-arms walked the 500m or so to the start line as it was easier than scooting his bike. Eventually though we were moving fast enough to be able to clip in. Then the stupidity started. We heard on the Tannoy that we had to keep left as the Race riders would be coming back along the right hand lane, at speed. Yes, we were both riding on the same side of the freeway protected by the odd witches hat every 100m or so. There were so many riders that you could not get any speed up and you were keeping so far right, cos slower riders were not keeping left enough, that the witches hats were a real hazzard, as they popped up so infrequently that you were not expecting them.
Eventually we got within 1km of the first turnaround at one end of what was a hotdog circuit. We could tell it was the turnaround as we had stopped and there was a queue, for 1 km! So we turned where we were and stopped by the side of the road to wait for our co-riders.
Once off we had a good run back to the start/finish area and the half way point. TechnoBoy, Matt-the-arms and myself doing good turns and making good progress. But then as we approached the start area we were greeted by 100 of adults and kits doing the 10km family ride coming toward us on the other side of the witches hats. Time to be careful until we get past the start line… so we thought.
Then we noticed the masses of riders pouring down the on-ramp onto the freeway joining the road we were on. There were 1000s, all doing the 30km option, but just being filtered directly into the 65km riders who were going at a bit more speed. Oh, and yes, the other side of the witches hats saw the race barrelling in at +50kph. It was a recipe for disaster and I am surprised we didn’t see more crashes than we did.
Our side of the freeway was now gridlocked, like it will be with cars when it opens shortly. We were coasting so slowly that it was going to take hours to complete the final 30km. So we peeled off and regathered our riding mates and called it a day.
It was amazing and brilliant to see so many participants for this event. Apparently they had 50000 take part! Plus another 50000 runners and walkers as there were other activities going on. But I am surprised no one was hurt with the lack of organisation. Why they didn’t make a circuit going up one side of the freeway and down the other I do not know. But we had a good ride, knocking of 85km with a load of smooth tarmac, and a few hills.
To make up for it I rode the 6am Monday North Road ride this morning. TechnoBoy and I saw them shoot past the end of the road before we got to the meet point, so a frisky chase with cold legs ensued to get on the back. Made it! Then a leisurely ride with the group for a 40km circuit into the city. Average, about 40kph, breakfast at 7am, not a bad hours work. Total ride 63km… nice.
O’Dirty
Stages five and six of the Dauphiné Libéré saw some exciting racing among the favourites in the French Alps on Friday and Saturday. In Friday’s stage to Morzine Valverde tested his rivals by attacking on the climb to the Col de Joux Plane. Young gun Gesink took up the gauntlet and his attack saw Leipheimer drop out of the GC group. As he started to claw his way back Evans put the hammer down to maintain the gap. Leipheimer was unable to rejoin the group on the descent, allowing the Australian to move past him into second position on the overall.
Saturday’s stage included the HC climb to the Col de la Croix de Fer and finished at the top of La Toussuire, a 20 km climb at five per cent gradient. Evans attacked in the closing kilometres and got a gap on Valverde, but the Spaniard was able to follow Gesink’s wheel and the leaders eventually came back to together. Sunday’s final stage included two more Alpine climbs on the way to Grenoble that would challenge most, but at this level nothing significant enough to provoke a shakeup.
In the end Valverde prevailed, his victory pinned on a strong prologue and outstanding time-trial. All in all it augurs well for some interesting days in the Tour. This result sees Evans back on top of the ProTour standings, two points clear of Valverde. With the Tour de France out of the ProTour this year it may be difficult for him to win this title again, whatever happens in France in July.
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