For Joburg based cyclists, this is the main event of the cycling calender. Second in size only to the Pick 'n Pay Argus. Although our team is split over two age categories for this race, we chose to race in the 40-44 (VC) category in order to race together.
The route has changed a bit this year, and is a bit longer. Now the route travels on the M1 all the way around the city, and heads back via Joe Slovo Dr. past Ponte flats. Here the route travels over 2 short sharp climbs, first over the ridge at Ponte, then again up Carse 'O Gowry past the Johannesburg College of Education.
With the team riding for me, we had chosen this point in the race to try to force the selection. Andrew and Issy strung out the bunch on the first climb and it was important to go into the corner at teh bottom of the second climb close to the front as it was fast and sloped the wrong way. Keeping the pace high after the first climb, we hit the corner very fast with me on And
rew's wheel in third place. Then it was flat out up the short 800m (8%-9%) climb. Only 5 riders were left at the top, Andrew Mclean, myself, Deon Coetzee, and 2 Germiston Wheelers riders (Tinus Scheepers and Gerald Latre).
The split had happened, but now it was going to be hard to hold it because the next 10km or so were flat to downhill, and the gap would be small.
We lost both the Germiston Wheelers riders travelling along Jan Smuts, then finally Deon popped off coming into Randburg.
Andrew was driving the pace really hard, and I was struggling to recover! Although I had managed to force the split, I was not feeling great.
The gap was still dangerously small heading up Witkoppen road and though Kya Sands, and had dropped to 1min when we turned onto the N14 highway. If the gap came down further, I was going to have to drop off and let Andrew go alone. I managed to get some food in, but the highway section of the race was one of the hardest times I've ever had on a bike - the power was just not there.
Andrew is an old pro, and realised that the chasing bunch was able to see us because of our support vehicle. He told the vehicle to drop back a bit so that we were not so visible in amongst all the stragglers from previous groups. Fortunately for me, the pressure on the bunch finally told, and the riders in the chase lost their cohesion. Coming off the highway, the gap had grown to 3min but I was really taking a lot of strain.
I started to feel a bit better after Diepsloot, but had no gas in the tank when I tried to come through and pace. The last few hills were very painful, but coming over the crest at Crowthorne I could see the finish line and could not believe that I had managed to hang in (at various times Andrew had been screaming, supporting, urging me to keep going).
Over the last bump and into the finish, I have seldom been so happy to see a finish line. Taking the win, I have to say that without Andrew I would not have made it. Performance wise, I was not great, but am so glad that I managed to hang in. Was rewarded with a hand shake from the great Phil Ligget after the race as well!!
Special mention to Mark Thijs (our team mate that is currently fighting bladder cancer) who rode the race on a chopper style bicycle dressed in a cow suit in aid of the Choc Charity. At the start of the race he had already raised R84000. We had agreed the day before the race that we would donate any prize money to his initiative as well, so I'm really happy that we are able to add nearly R4000 to his fund raising. Well done Mark, we are so proud of you!
Next week is the Double Century. I will be riding with Shan Wilson and the Anderson Transport team. After that, I'll probably have to have a bit of time off the bike to have a growth behind my eye removed.
The route has changed a bit this year, and is a bit longer. Now the route travels on the M1 all the way around the city, and heads back via Joe Slovo Dr. past Ponte flats. Here the route travels over 2 short sharp climbs, first over the ridge at Ponte, then again up Carse 'O Gowry past the Johannesburg College of Education.
With the team riding for me, we had chosen this point in the race to try to force the selection. Andrew and Issy strung out the bunch on the first climb and it was important to go into the corner at teh bottom of the second climb close to the front as it was fast and sloped the wrong way. Keeping the pace high after the first climb, we hit the corner very fast with me on And
rew's wheel in third place. Then it was flat out up the short 800m (8%-9%) climb. Only 5 riders were left at the top, Andrew Mclean, myself, Deon Coetzee, and 2 Germiston Wheelers riders (Tinus Scheepers and Gerald Latre).The split had happened, but now it was going to be hard to hold it because the next 10km or so were flat to downhill, and the gap would be small.
We lost both the Germiston Wheelers riders travelling along Jan Smuts, then finally Deon popped off coming into Randburg.
Andrew was driving the pace really hard, and I was struggling to recover! Although I had managed to force the split, I was not feeling great.
The gap was still dangerously small heading up Witkoppen road and though Kya Sands, and had dropped to 1min when we turned onto the N14 highway. If the gap came down further, I was going to have to drop off and let Andrew go alone. I managed to get some food in, but the highway section of the race was one of the hardest times I've ever had on a bike - the power was just not there.
Andrew is an old pro, and realised that the chasing bunch was able to see us because of our support vehicle. He told the vehicle to drop back a bit so that we were not so visible in amongst all the stragglers from previous groups. Fortunately for me, the pressure on the bunch finally told, and the riders in the chase lost their cohesion. Coming off the highway, the gap had grown to 3min but I was really taking a lot of strain.
I started to feel a bit better after Diepsloot, but had no gas in the tank when I tried to come through and pace. The last few hills were very painful, but coming over the crest at Crowthorne I could see the finish line and could not believe that I had managed to hang in (at various times Andrew had been screaming, supporting, urging me to keep going).
Over the last bump and into the finish, I have seldom been so happy to see a finish line. Taking the win, I have to say that without Andrew I would not have made it. Performance wise, I was not great, but am so glad that I managed to hang in. Was rewarded with a hand shake from the great Phil Ligget after the race as well!!
Special mention to Mark Thijs (our team mate that is currently fighting bladder cancer) who rode the race on a chopper style bicycle dressed in a cow suit in aid of the Choc Charity. At the start of the race he had already raised R84000. We had agreed the day before the race that we would donate any prize money to his initiative as well, so I'm really happy that we are able to add nearly R4000 to his fund raising. Well done Mark, we are so proud of you!
Next week is the Double Century. I will be riding with Shan Wilson and the Anderson Transport team. After that, I'll probably have to have a bit of time off the bike to have a growth behind my eye removed.
Thanks to John Thompson, Neil Frazer and Deon Cilliers for supporting us in the race. Thanks to Deon for the pictures.
Details of the race can be seen here: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/18820317
3 comments:
The 2 Germiston Wheelers were Tinus Scheepers and Gerald Latre
Thanks, I've updated the report.
Hi Bruce, please can you delete Gerald Latre from your report and replace it with Andy Irvine. Some guys are sensitive to errors...
I ride VA/VB, so I rely on feedback from the 40+ team mates. Thanks
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