NSW Team Time Trial Championships Calga Sunday 18 August 2002

Firstly thanks to John Edmondson, Joanne & John Buckton Richard & Maria Jenkins, Alison and Nick Cater, Peter Jesse and Zak Zala and "Uncle Bob" Higgerson for supporting RBCC today. Without people like this the 23 of us that raced would not have been able to. Thanks again guys we luves yous all!!
            Remember this club runs on Volunteers and without them it does not exist. You are all encouraged to give up a bit of time to help even if its just a couple of times a year.
            Enough of my ranting and lets talk about the racing.
The Teams were:-

How did the day pan out?
I got there at 8:00 to tell the golden oldies that Brian Wilson AKA Chris White was ill and couldn’t make it and they were down to 3 riders, the heavens opened but this did not dampen their spirits off. They set in to the gathering storm clouds and did their thing. All dressed in there Newington Inn skin suits, we heard comments that Tony Carauna looked sexy in Black and White from the crowd. It didn’t stop raining all through their race and as I started my race we saw them looking like drowned rats flying home. Well done guys.
Next off was supposed to be the Men at Work (Not), what can I say guys, being a pommie and practically spending most of my life in the cold rain. All I can say is these ozzies are wimps. Yes readers they pulled the pin. To be fair though JB had the flu, Tony needed brownie points, Nick Cater had been working most of the night and John E went with the flow. They didn’t race but they helped out, John E dived in his car and drove as back up for the Vet 4-6’s and JB and Jo got in their car ready for action.
Now it was the turn of INXS (waistlines).  The rain stopped, Amen. With the Bucktons as back up we went. Jacko kept us amused telling jokes on the way, yes he had enough energy to talk and still kill us all! We finished out of the medals in 1:08. Thanks guys it was emotional!!
Now for the Spice Girls, Our American sister Leslie gave them a great lead out, with Jo Jo flying down the hills dragging Brit in her path, then Brit and Mel dragging her up the hills they came flying home for 5th. Good result for Girl Power.
Now for the those synchronised guys Nsync. Poor Ben had the flu and had to pull out during the race, but put in a good effort. Shaun H rode like a man possesed with his able helpers Robbie and CJ in tow. They trashed the opposition and won Gold by nearly 4 mins. They really were Insyn. Big Up da Boys!!!!
Last off the Mentals, I really felt sorry for these guys having to do an extra lap, but they will choose to be younger than me, so they deserve it!! Matt owes the mentals a beer or two after dropping his chain on Blood hill climb and making them wait. Scott rode like a demon with Clive Matt and Aaron looking as Metal as Anything when they crossed the line exhausted. Well done guys it look tough.
After a great rainy day of racing the Sun shines and we all pack up and head for pastures new and a healthy snack for the modern athlete…
PIE IN THE SKY!!!!
In fact two pies in the sky……….Hoorah
            Thanks to all those that raced and supported RBCC
From Mark Robertson Club Captain.

President's report.

I think perhaps the biggest hand has to go to the Vet 4's and to John Edmundson.  This bloody flu !  Now I am enjoying my third stint.  It took out our Vet 4 Captain (Whitey) and the Vet 4 driver the night before which left us in a real mess.  My hat goes off to the surviving Vet 4 riders, Hans, Peter and Tony as they had to ride 20 kilometres to the start of their race in miserable cold and pelting down rain and were literally shivering as they started.  In fact I heard that Tony's feet were so cold that they were numb and he couldn't get his feet into the pedals off the start as he couldn't feel them.  John Edmundson really has to be signalled out for accolades.  He gave up his ride to be the assist driver for the Vet 4's who may well have not been allowed to start without a support vehicle.  He must have driven like Juan Fangio to get 20 kilometres down the road to the Vet 4 start in time.  On behalf of all the club I really want to thank you John for your help.

Joanne and I drove behind the Vet 1 to 3 (team 1), INXS (waistlines) as Mark calls them.  Mark don't worry about the waistlines, the view from the back wasn't pretty either.  I was just glad I only had to endure the sight for 40k's.  It was really funny to see those beaming smiles on the startline replaced with grimaces on blood hill.  They all worked really well together going out over the first 20k's then just after the turn I noticed Neil not coming through for so many turns and then starting to lose touch with the back and fight back on.  No matter, it was a top ride Neil and you really contributed to the team on the way out.  I couldn't believe you guys passing two teams in the first 15km when you were three minutes apart.  I think the real highlight regardless of medals was your holding off the Eastern Suburbs "gun" vet team immediately behind you (even though Franky apparently welched on the bet).  I would say that Jacko was the stand out cyclist.  It was amazing watching him from behind to see him grinding away about 75% cadence of the other members.  I don't think I saw you change gear Jacko.  Do you just stick it in big ring/12 and grind up hills and all in that gear?  Neil on the other hand, was spinning like a blur.   Congratulations guys.

No sooner had we stopped with the Vet 1 to 3 team that I was racing over to the start line to take some photos of the Under 19 men on the line.  Everyone looked happy but I couldn't quite get a smile out of Ben.  That might have been an indicator that the flu had hold of him as well.  The Under 19's had a unique team strategy.  I'm not sure if it has ever been done before.  I thought Pete Zala and Uncle Bob were joking when they told me that Shaun was going to ride the whole 43 kilometres (yes it's 43km not 40km.).  At the end of the race I asked Spongee how many turns he did at the front and the answer was "None".  In disbelief, I asked him, "How many did Robbie do?"  Same answer, "None".  As unbelievable as it sounds, Shaun dragged them along for the entire 43kilometres at an average speed of about 42kph up hill and down and still beat their nearest rivals by over 4 minutes.  I must say though I am a little disappointed in Shaun's ride as he must have been bludging a bit because his time was 23 seconds slower than his previous weeks when he became Under 19 State Time Trial champion on the same course.  Don't have to tell you who the stand out rider was.  However, congratulations to Spongee and Robbie for being able to stay in his wake for the whole ride at that pace.  Commiserations to Ben, but hopefully they might have cleared a bit of that flu up.  From reports I received, I don't think you would have much flem left in your body.  Well a gold medal will make you feel better anyway.  Congratulations guys and girls.

Well no sooner did I have the Under 19's away then I was rounding up the Men's team and stacking the back of the car with spare wheels etc.  Our truly professional, well oiled, Elite Men's team was ready for victory.  I could see Clive Hammerson on the Mag Turbo warming up.  I could hear screams eminating from their location which I disregarded as just motivational screams from the boys on the wind trainers.  However as I listened more intently I heard, (ten minutes before the start of the race), "Has anyone got a set of allen keys.  I need to tighten these profile bars on.  I've never ridden with them before."  I don't know why but from that moment on, I sensed a little apprehension that we just might not be climbing onto the podium this day.  Well the good news was that the rain had finally stopped and the boys really did have nice weather to ride in.  On the way out we did get sight of the girls powering back on the way out with Peter Zala at the rear.  I saw Mel powering up a climb with Jo tucked in behind her and Brit taking up the rear gunner position.  A little later we passed Leslie who had a smile on her face so that was good to see.  Not long after that we saw the Junior U19 men's team powering up blood hill.  I got a shot off through the front windscreen whilst we were descending about 70kph which was pretty amazing.  (you can see that one on the pictures page).  Back to the A team and new member Scott McDonald admitted to me after the race that he felt a little apprehensive before the start being teamed up with club A graders, Matthew, Aaron and Clive.  However it was Scotty who ripped their bloody legs off.  They all worked well for about 60 kilometres and about 10 from home the stress started to tell on Aaron. Aaron dropped off the back after having put in a sensational effort for the boys.  By blood hill, big Matthew was starting to show some real signs that track speed skating does not put you in real good stead for 86kilometre endurance races.  Clive was hanging in there and Scott was just getting warmed up.  Yes the only calls Scotty heard over the last 10k's was "Settle Scotty !!"  Obviously my Men's man of the match pick is Scotty McDonald. 

A fantastic effort from all the guys and girls. I agree with Mark however, that next year we have to get more volunteers up there which will make it a lot less stressful.

Thanks to everyone who assisted.  Click here to go to see the magnificent pictures I took during the day.

Cheers

John Buckton