Cootamundra Weekend
Country New South Wales racing is some of the hardest racing you can come across I think. Spend 70k chopping off in a handicap in order to try and reel in the limit bunch, often in the wind and cold, nothing beats it. Great racing, brilliant training for later in the year and an even better, relaxed atmosphere.
This year, a crew from the Orange Cycle Club went down as always, and three of us were game enough to stay at the Globe Hotel for the Saturday night. But first, the Haycarters Handicap, 70km around the old Suicide Course just out of Coota with a tough Westerly wind blowing for company.
A strong field of 300 fronted the start line on Saturday afternoon with 18 lining up on scratch, with Drapac Porsche, GPM, Eclipse Pro Cycling, Suzuki Trek and of course myself flying the flag for Torq/BSS.
70k of chop off later, we had made the front of the race and were lining up for line honours. The bunch had splintered a bit in the run into town and unfortunately 4 riders were just off the front, leaving the rest of us to fight for 5th. Yours truely, the non sprinter took 3rd in the kick, making a nice 7th in the Haycarters, my best result there yet after years of trying.
The Gallop for the finish, fighting for 5th place.
The night started for some with one or many ales at the Globe Hotel, the epicentre of night life in Coota.
An early-ish night and then racing again on Sunday morning.
Several coffees at the next door bakery and catch ups chewing the fat over the handicap sheet and seeing a friend from Wagga who came up to pay a visit... Great to see you Ally! The morning started bleak and got a little worse. A cold wind had sprung up over night and brought with it some deterring precipitation which thankfully cleared up before racing started.
Again another quick start, well actually quick all day and this time the handicapper didn't let us see the front, rather it was just the strong block bunch that took line honours, with us coming in behind by about 30 sec.
All in all great racing, the Cube Litening continues to perform admirably. The Louis Garneau kit is brilliant, the jersey is tighter then many skin suits I've owned and was great in the fast paced conditions. And Torq Gels, especially with the Guarana make for a great energy boost mid race and brought me nicely to the line both days.