When the SRAM Singletrack Minded calendar was announced, with an event in the local Kinross State Forrest, it prompted me into having another go at the dirt side of bike riding. After a poor outcome the first time I tried (under the suggestion of my coach Mark Fenner), which lasted 10min and a collar bone that turned into 7 pieces (And Cancellara thought he did well turning his into 4 after de Ronde!!!).

I decided to pair up for the 7 hour event and with Josh Fitzgerald, and on one of his bikes we took off. Thankfully I had some reconnisance on the ANZAC Day Wednesday to get used to this dirt riding thing. 

The opening of the race was a sharp up hill up a fire road before drifting down the Northshore section. Now this wasn't great for seeding prior to a techo section with a roadie who managed to belt it up the climb only to cause carnage and holding up a fair bit of traffic.

The plan all day was to take it easy, not go too hard and rish crashing. After a couple of laps I started getting some rhythem on the 'D's (gotta talk like a mountain biker), and regularly keeping it in 'The Dog' all day. 

With some consistant 28min laps (the fastest being in the 24min realm) Josh pulled in with 7min to spare in the 7 hours, so I decided to put some gas on and see what I could do, which may not have been the best idea, but it all came together, I was right on the edge of what my technical ability could handle, having a couple of hairy corners, but pulled out a 26:36 lap which I was quiet happy with.

Nutrition was spot on for me, pumping down some Torq Gels and Bars plus plenty of Energy in my bidons all day.

It was made even better with the SRAM Support being provided by Monza Imports with Sean Du Toit being there to help keep the bikes running. All in all a great day, some good pedalling and something quiet different to my normal training load. I can tell you, that as a roadie, there were some upper body and back muscles that got used that normally don't! This lead to quiet a sore week afterwards.

Blayney to Bathurst Weekend 2012

The Torq/BSS NRS Team had split up it’s team members, having riders racing on multiple fronts this past weekend, with Robbie, Jack and Brenton hitting up the NRS Round in Tasmania, while the NSW contingent of James Rix, Mark Fenner, Damian Mason, Scott Butler and Michael Troy making a strong appearance at the Blayney to Bathurst weekend in the Central West of New South Wales.

The weekend started with the NSW State Hillclimb championships up the iconic Mount Panorama, home of motor sport in Australia. Mick Troy and Scott Butler were both entered in their respective age groups, Scott in Masters 4 and Mick in the elite mens, with Mick hoping to do as good if not better then his bronze of 2011.

Conditions were not as fast as previous years, but the two entrants still managed to bring home the bacon for the Torq/BSS team, with Mick taking again bronze, and Scott taking gold in his division, with a time that would have put him top 10 in the elite division.

Later that afternoon came the criterium. This course, situated around the pit complex of the Mount Panorama race track features tough uphill straights, down hill chicanes with rumble strips and tight pinches, enough for everyone. The aim for this course, as with all racing is to stay as near the front as possible to avoid all the stringing out that occurs on all the corners.

The pace was on from the gun, with Troy trying to make early moves and patrol the front of the bunch, trying to either get in one of his trademark breaks or if not keep it together for a sprint for young talent Rix.

Unfortunately mid way through the race the decisive move was made with multiple GPM riders making a move up the road, and not enough fire power or cohesion in the bunch to bring them back. This lead to a 5 man leading group that were never seen again by the peloton.

With a bunch kick looming for 6^th place, there was some argy bargy in the peloton, with Mick taking on Ben Kersten in the fight for wheels. In the kick for the finish, Troy took 7^th, making him 13^th on the day, with Fenner, Rix and Butler following in close behind.

Sunday morning saw the team again take on the might in numbers from GPM Racing as well as the Newcastle boys of NKC-Lexus and Suzuki Trek of Canberra. In a super aggressive first hour of racing which again saw Troy trying to make it into every break that went up the road, the first significant move went at the 37km mark with riders from GPM, NKC-Lexus and Suzuki, but unfortunately no rider from Torq/BSS. 

In a bold solo move, Troy accelerated clear of the peloton just prior to re-entering Millthorpe and had the tough job of bridging the already 40 sec gap. Thankfully after 10 solo kilometres he made the junction just as the race re-entered Blayney with another couple making the junction several kilometres later. This added more firepower to the move, with multiple riders from NKC-Lexus and GPM, Mick was going to face an up hill battle later in the race.

The next 100km was spent in the breakaway group, tickling that fine line for Mick of doing just enough work not to jeopardise the break or cause discontempt from the other riders while resting enough to try and save himself for the tough final climb up Rockley Mount.

Unfortunately for Troy, the biccies spent bridging the gap paid their toll later in the race when 6 riders rode clear of him up the climb. Trying to limit his losses, he collaborated with a Parramatta Race Team rider to get along the flat and rolling roads after the decent from Rockley back to Bathurst. In the final run into Bathurst where there was one or two pinches he dropped his companion to solo into the pits for  7^th place only a couple of minutes down on the leading bunch.

Chasing him in for 11^th place was Mark Fenner who had broken away from the main peloton late in the race after having an easy ride in the bunch for most of the day.

Then in the main bunch came Rix, who took out the u19 category for the extreme 162km challenge, as well as Butler and Mason who had all enjoyed their ride for the day.

Unfortunately the team just missed out on the teams classification, being taken out by NKC-Lexus, with Torq/BSS coming in second.

Thanks to Torq Nutrution and Monza bikes for their support through the event, providing brilliant race and post race nutrition that both works and is delicious and brilliant bikes and running gear.

Special thanks to Rob Rix for his efforts feeding and organising the riders through the weekend and also the Mason family for the accommodation on Saturday night.