I am sitting in Mansfield in a pretty dodgy hotel, 191km in my legs (I know what you are thinking, they only promised 180k – i was equally disappointed!). Vertically we travelled just under 2km (again well over the advertised rate)
Opening day had pretty much everything, rain, sun (tan lines off to a very good start) wind, one guy got a serious speed wobble and his son (also riding) swallowed a bee (didnt help that we is allergic to bee stings, so he spent a few hours in a hospital but back with us now) and a few guys burst a heartilage but are backing up to try again tomorrow. I was happy enough, it hurt, but i am in pretty good shape, so ready for another 170k odd tomorrow – first 40 or so up hill – eeek.
A slow start to the day getting out of Melbourne, and then a steady 9k climb to morning tea at 60km (almost 3 hours), in Kinglake (where the bushfires were last year). Pretty eerie riding up through the lunar landscape but life is slowly coming back into the forest and the villages. Certainly dusted off the cobwebs, but this is a long game and day one should never hurt too much.
Day 4 is shaping up as the biggy, a couple of very serious climbs, so the plan is to try and protect myself for that. To that end about a third of the boys are heading out early tomorrow, so that they dont slow up the day up the first hill. So I have a choice and a dilemma, be the laggard in the main bunch and hold them up, or be quite comfortable in the lead group (well at least based on today’s form).
Short answer is I just dont know, but am leaning towards protecting myself and going early.
Richard if you are still reading your comments are ringing in my ears – its a long way… if you make it. I am determined to make it, so perhaps caution is needed!
Will let you know tomorrow.
h
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