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| Peloton climbing Fox Creek |
This is the 2nd post in my trilogy of posts documenting my and Team MOTU’s week shadowing the
2012 Tour Down Under
during which, between Sunday 15 January and Saturday 21 January (7 days):
2012 Tour Down Under
during which, between Sunday 15 January and Saturday 21 January (7 days):
· 914km were ridden;
· all KOMs summitted;
· 11,390m climbed; and
· >23,000 calories burnt in the saddle.
To review the 1st post CLICK HERE
To watch the tduMOTU video edit CLICK HERE
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The tduMOTU Week That Was… (cont.)
Day 3 - Stage 1: Clare (SD, ET, DD et al and ZZ): 168 km and 1,363 m of elevation
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| Peloton ascending Tarlee Road KOM |
When looking ahead to Stage 1 in the preceding week, we knew that the day would be extremely tough. Day 3 would be the longest day of the week in terms of kilometres, and we were heading North-Northeast in the most extreme of summer weather conditions – a tinder box with a forecast temperature of 42° (in the shade) and an anticipated strong hot northerly. Fortunately for the hardcore amongst us who were riding, the route was relatively flat.
The only concession made for the conditions was our choosing to cut short the original route by a few kilometres by heading out not from the CBD, but instead from the northern suburbs taking about 30km off what would have been a 200km day for SD and I. Snappy and I rolled out from Andrews Farm heading parallel to the Northern Expressway along the Stuart O’Grady bikeway before riding through Gawler (there meeting ET), Freeling and Kapunda (there meeting DD et al) and heading to the KOM on the Tarlee Road – ET and DD due to other commitments were riding abridged routes.
Our intent was to then return through the Barossa and the hills, but not before having some pre-planned late lunch at Two Hands Wines.
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| Temperature at 48.8 degrees ascending KOM |
· The 40km/hr northeasterly was intense and SD and I were doing rolling 500m turns. On a flat gradient when our pace on any other day would have been considerably high, our average speed was fractional. Had today been later in the week our morale could have been low, but as today was Stage 1, spirits were high. Further, it gave an insight as to the conditions the pros would be facing not far behind.
· Drank more than 2 x 750ml bidons of Powerade every hour on the road, supplemented with the odd Berocca or two. Jersey and knicks were white with salt by the time we reached the KOM.
· Riding into Kapunda was fun, pushing it hard to get a break for the sprint points – even got a cheer from a passing car, ha ha J
· KOM was the easiest climb of the entire week – it was barely a pimple, but given temperature on the bike at the time of ascent was 48.8° I’m not complaining. I held back on the climb and I felt as a group MOTU were a little disbanded – embarrassingly we didn’t do a “head count” when we left Kapunda meaning one of our number didn’t get on the train and had to push hard solo into the crosswind. After apologies/excuses given, we all group hugged at the KOM and all was well again.
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| Our Skoda hat/water friend and strip of shade |
· The only shade available was the narrow strip of shade caused by the inflatable Skoda KOM arch.
· Atmosphere at the KOM was great. A quaint group of dedicated cycling enthusiasts, but not too many fellow cycling crazies who made the effort to brave the conditions. Given the pace of the breakaway and peloton was about 50 minutes behind schedule we had more than enough time to talk to the media, sponsors and KOM line judges. Notably, we tended to meet the same group each day for the rest of the week and recognised each other by sight. So much so that our “Skoda friend” was always pleasant and volunteered multiple hats bottles of water at the Sellicks Hill KOM later in the week when the temperature was again up – I really felt for the other cyclists that day.
· Lunch at Two Hands Wines was fantastic and a very welcoming oasis in the desert we felt we were in. Inter alia, such a lovely cellar door and outdoor setting, and the homemade wood oven pizzas were delicious whilst listening to the digitally streamed radio broadcast of the stages conclusion in Clare. We had one of each, including the “Well Hung Pig”, “Plain Jane”, and “Clucking Awesome”, but my favourite of all was their “Fun Guy” which I highly recommend (mushroom with a dash of truffle etc… get it, fungi…).
I must admit to being a little bit over cautious in terms of my diet and health, and didn’t partake in any wine, though I know from the past their wine is very good. I just didn’t want to risk a headache for final 70km.
· We knew the weather would change later that day and our fear was that the wind would turn south giving us a return headwind – it did after lunch...
Day 4 - Stage 2: Stirling (SD, BY, ET, SpecK, SmA, DH and ZZ):92 km and 1,759 m of elevation
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| Will Clarke on Stirling Lap 1 |
From the day the routes were officially released last June we knew that today would be best in terms of seeing the professionals. There were so many opportunities for us to watch the them and recover from the previous days long course; ride to Lobethal for the pre-race atmosphere and start, then fast to (and climb) the KOM at Fox Creek, before finally cutting across to Aldgate/Stirling to watch the pros three times as they loop:
Snappy and I given the previous day’s late return chose to rollout (with BY) to Lobethal up Norton Summit and the Lobe Road via Forest Range an hour later than the others. This is a route the three of us knew very well, and we were more than comfortable with the speed at which we could climb and get to Lobethal if things were getting tight for time.
· Woke up feeling very well with no weariness or soreness at all. I attribute this to being extremely anal with my post ride recovery routine; high protein shake immediately on return from riding, followed by lots to drink and some food whilst stretching for at least 30 minutes and rolling my muscles for 15 minutes on the hard roller. The pre-ride routine then has me roll the muscles again, and consume a high protein shake about 30 minutes before hopping on the bike – this together with the first 30 kms, gets me in good form for the rest of the ride.
· Got dropped by SD on the descent from Ashton (as I always do), and consciously realised that come the 3 Peaks, despite my climbing ability and (I think/hope (??)) leg strength, I will definitely lose time on the descents. For example, between Ashton and the bottom of the climb to Forest Range I would have lost about (if not more than) 2 minutes, and whilst on any other day I would made the effort to try and bridge the gap on the short climbs between, and then final climb up Forest Range, I wanted to keep something for Fox Creek. Further, SD had already advised he would take things more leisurely from Lobethal and ride to the KOM (without ascending it) via the back way with SpecK, SmA and DH.
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| Jens Voigt & Phil Liggitt |
· To be able share in the atmosphere of the start in Lobethal was fun. A lot of people made the trek, so the town I think had doubled in population that morning. It was great being able to see the riders warm up (and eat), see the riders (and media personalities.... yes Phil I’m looking at you) take their turn holding baby wallaby, and to look for and (have my photo taken with) this year’s “Obscure Pro” Wouter Moll – at 195cm and 84kg, its proof that us tall bastards can ride bikes too. I note that I’m 198cm and weigh in ordinarily at about 85.5kg.
For video of the Lobethal start - CLICK HERE
· Only BY and I elected to climb the KOM at Fox Creek. We thought we’d have to be quick in getting there so pace was on from Lobethal, but we had plenty of time up our sleeves as it turned out. Fox Creek was the steepest KOM for the entire week with gradients of over 15%, but at only one kilometre in length it is not too bad. It is a very beautiful road that winds and is one of my favourite climbs in and around Adelaide.
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| Back - SmA, BY and ET Front - ZZ and SD |
After summiting BY and I then positioned ourselves at about the 100m mark and waited for the rest of the lads to join us from their “short cut”, which now didn’t now seem so short.
· Mobile phone/internet coverage given the volume of people was frustratingly poor and made difficult checking the twitter commentary feed; battery went dead very quickly as a consequence of its constant search for reception.
· Seeing the pros multiple times on their Stirling loop was made extra special to see Will Clark’s successful solo breakaway effort to win the Stage.
For video of Aldgate/Stirling - CLICK HERE
· Brad, DH and I rode with the Liquigas-Cannondale riders into the city from Stirling – none of us understood Spanish so the only words we could follow from their conversation was when on Ayers Hill Road, in English, we passed, a lovely young lady in QuickStep kit on the short (but steep) ascent and in heavy accent they yelled out… “Hellooooooo, Miss QuickStep”. The guys also looked somewhat bewildered when we passed a Storm Trooper (from the Death Star) pushing his cart up the Old Freeway…
Day 5 - Stage 3: Victor Harbor (SD, BY, AVO and ZZ): 152 km and 1,580 m of elevation
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| Waiting patiently now at the Sellicks Hill KOM |
Today’s route took us along the coast and roads less familiar to me to get to the KOM at Sellicks Hill; up the veloway (that runs parallel to the Southern Expressway that the professionals would be later riding) and coffee at Moana, before riding into some wind on the beach roads and main south road for the ascent.
Due to my unfamiliarity with the coastal roads, much to the frustration I’m sure of SD (who was familiar) I was becoming increasingly agitated that we had been too relaxed in our route choice and we would miss the KOM. I was wrong of course, and thankfully SD didn’t hit me. In fact, generally speaking our timings for the entire week were pretty spot on!
· The veloway is a better road to ride than the boring SOG bikeway; it has some short climbs and sweeping turns, and there is actually a view and some greenery.
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| Coffee at Moana |
· Increasingly frustrated with my new front derailleur as I was losing the chain far too often when moving from small chain ring to big chain ring. I didn’t have the bike mechanical confidence to start tinkering with it myself, even if I knew the theory, so it left largely unattended until the end of the week.
· The KOM at Sellicks Hills was an extremely nice climb of several kilometres. Having been passed on the short flat getting to the climb and rudely spoken to by some riders for some grievance (maybe we looked too happy?), BY and I saw them further up the climb racing amongst themselves to get to the summit first. Brad looked at me and said, “I’ll give you a wheel for as long as I can, then you’re on your own”. I put it into a big gear when BY peeled off and I got the summit victory by about 50 metres over our – then not so chatty – rude riders. I was pretty rooted for having rode it so, but winners are grinners and is so much sweeter when it’s a moral victory as well.
Please note that as a group we did not return any words as all, we left our riding to do the talking.
For video of Sellicks Hill - CLICK HERE
· Following the pros ascent of the KOM we rode into Myponga for lunch, but surprisingly the bakery seemed blissfully unaware that there was a bike race on that day and hence foods options were limited. Oh well, I got the last two sausage rolls and was happy.
· We returned to the city via the Range Road between the top of Old Willunga Hill (noting the infrastructure being constructed ahead of Saturday’s stage finish) and Wickhams Hill, Kangarilla, Clarendon and Belair. A very lovely stretch of road to ride and extremely scenic. Feeling physically in very good knick despite the cumulative kilometres already that week and my recent familiarity with that road, I felt able to push hard and lead the pace out up front.\
It was a great day in the saddle, and upon getting in it thoughts immediately turned to Day 6 and the following days BUPA Ride… (TBC in Part 3 coming soon).
Routes Maps & Profiles:
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