After a false start leaving home (I was 3 blocks away before remembering my shoes...) I found myself motoring up the freeway towards the northern outskirts of Perth. It was already starting to warm up but hopefully I would be ready for a hot race - last year it was also a stinking hot day.
The Cyclemania Classic is the last sizeable race of the year and consists of laps around a 20km course. I arrived and picked up my number and timing chip without fuss. Quickly discovered the South Perth Rouleurs shelter where all the SPR heads of state were gathered. As I'm a new SPR member and don't have any team kit just yet, Peter hooked me up with Judd who very kindly had brought a jersey I could use. This fostered the team atmosphere and contributed to my good day in no small measure.
After a C grade group photo (there were quite a few of us... maybe 13 or 14) we lined up. C-grade were out for 3 laps of the circuit.
Lap 1
Buried myself in the bunch about halfway back. Stuck to Dan's (Zipp)wheel for most of the first half of the lap. Fairly uneventful. Then came the main rise of the circuit. The pace was on at about 35 or 36kph and I was struggling to hold the bunch going up the hill. Just as we were cresting I was about 10m behind but couldn't get back on. I had a look behind and was suprised to see a mostly deserted road. I didn't think I was last but there was a whole lot of nothing behind me....
After losing contact with the lead group there was a section of road that was as rough as guts. I was regretting not finding the time to put on that new roll of bar tape I bought the other day. A very bumpy surface resulted in me winding all over the place looking for a smooth line and wondering if the crosser commuter of orangeness would've been more at home here... I later heard stories of people losing Garmins and breaking computer mounts. After turning onto Old Yanchep Road I was still by myself but there was a group coming up which I jumped on. 3 SPR riders and a blow-in. I swapped turns with them for a bit before the blow-in and one SPR guy went off and I don't know what happened to the others.
Lap 2
Early in lap 2 another SPR group with Mino, Toby & Sandra joined me. We took turns for a bit before Mino provided some entertainment when he swerved into the gravel. Despite getting rather sideways he pulled it together in a manner that would make any mountain biker proud. On the main incline of the course Sandra & myself lost the others. We contemplated sitting up at the top but decided against it - we were only halfway into the race. Had a good rhythm going swapping turns with Sandra doing the lions share. I may have waited a bit too long before taking in an energy gel and suffered a meltdown just before the conclusion of the 2nd lap. Sandra rode off into the distance (and would go on to take 1st place in Support Women!)
Lap 3
A veritable crawl around the course. Struggled to maintain any sort of speed (as the details & splits would show) and only saw the odd rider out on course. Rolled over the line very glad not to have to do another lap.
Apparently the winner of C left the bunch behind somewhere near the end of the 2nd lap and won by some margin. No idea what happened to the rest of the lead group. I look forward to reading other reports of our race (like this one) and also the other grades. Official results to be found here. It was an absolute hoot to be part of the SPR team. There always seemed to be a smiling face wishing me well or offering encouragement. Lorraine manned the SPR fort like a general along with some helpers and their efforts were duly noted and much appreciated.
I would've liked to finish with the bunch - something I've not managed to do in this race in 2 tries. But it was satisfying to finish and I had a good time hanging out with the SPR crew both on and off the course.