Glenvale Crit with @cccyclingclub @c_ports @lsd_snr @hampton_cycles @stalds
After rolling up to Sandown on Tuesday night for my first A grade race it was time to back it up with a Sunday morning crit at Glenvale. Shop owner Damian Jones and Craig Porter made up the Hampton Cycles contingent ably assisted by Leigh 'I'm not ready yet' Schilling who spent the morning behind the camera lens and filling his two young daughters with Coke (hopefully his wife reads this blog!)
Proof of the Coke intake
The sun was out, the conditions were great and when I rolled up and received $45 prize money from last year's B grade effort the day couldn't have started any better. How quickly things can change....
Quality Field just here
Standard pre race routine saw Ports and I warm up with a ride down to Glenvale where we hooked up with Damo just before the race. As soon as things got underway it was obvious that this was going to be a much harder race than my first A grade one 5 nights earlier. An early break leapt away and the chase was on with the rest of the field being worked over in an attempt to bring things back. This was where things started to go to custard. After moving forward to be near the front of the chase group I found myself sitting second wheel and next thing I'm looking around to see a gap opened up behind and we are half way across which seemed like a good idea at the time but not for long.
Muzza realising his mistake about here
Next thing it's my turn on the front and feeling obligated after following the wheel for a while I gave it everything in an attempt to get across what was left of the gap. This wasn't B grade which I soon realised as I made little impact on the gap and had no choice but to retreat to what would hopefully be the safety of the bunch. Wrong again - with lungs burning I slotted back in and battled away for another 5 or so laps but the effort had cooked me and it was game over.
Ports copping a spray from DeLuca for dropping the wheel - Who needs friends?
From the comfort of the side of the road I watched Damo turn himself inside out in a break of 10 that worked hard in an attempt to stay away and Ports working overtime to maintain good position in what was a strung out bunch in pursuit.
Damo starting to sufferSome big efforts from the chasers saw them reeled in only to see another break go clear which would prove to be the winning one. The bunch tried hard to pull them back and a big turn on the last lap from Ports was only enough to bring the bunch to within 50 metres at the find bend but it wasn't enough and the break held on with 2006 Commonwealth Games Points Race Gold Medallist Sean Finning taking the chocolates.
Ports giving it a last ditch effort to chase down the breakIf there was any consolation the CV of the winner highlights the quality of the field and it's not a bad effort for a few old dads to be going around in what is some of the most competitive crit racing around. Looking forward to keeping my nose out of the wind in the next outing.
Wokka Showboating - He loves the camera whilst Stalder drives it as usual
Damo & Ports trying to recover
DeLuca on another attack
Damo trying to hold on
Ports turn to showboat - 2 hands on the bars in a corner mate
race report by Muzza
Damo looking pooped













