A day as a Directeur Sportif... fun!

Sunday Race Report

My day started at around 2:00 am, for some reason I couldn't stay

in bed any longer. I got on the computer to check the weather for Northern NSW and got the percolator ready to go... We needed some coffee to get going.

One hour later, Sandra got up. We started getting ready for the

drive straight away. As it wasn't that long since we had our dinner, all we could have was the "best" fruit loaf available on the market and the coffee... More on the fruit loaf another time.

A few hours later, Sandra was at the start line and very ready to go. I was happy that Aaron showed up for the race. He would be the best company if Sandra could stay with him for the long race.

Aaron took off from the start as he always does, leaving 273 riders behind including Sandra. He was soon out of site with the leading group.

Sandra got into a small grupetto which was travelling very fast on

the flats with a little help of a tail wind.

When they hit the first climb, the climber of the grupetto (#2 on the jersey and definitely the oldest of the 6 or 7 riders) attacked but was chased by Sandra who got on his wheel very quickly. From the car, I was a little shocked.

Aaron got dropped by the leading group and joined Sandra's bunch for the next 95 km. That was great for Sandra as she knows he is one of the most experienced riders around.

The grupetto reached another climb and the rider, with #2 on the back hit the front again.

XXX

XXX

Half way up and he was doing a bit of damage... again! Sandra didn't seem bothered and went with him.

The older guy just kept going. Sandra and Aaron just paced themselves up the incline. Behind, a lot of pain, I could see it!

Damaged done, these guys came down very fast on the other side.

Who said it was not a race?

As a DS, that was my view from the car. And I got to shout:- Eat!

Ok, it was not the Tour de France but nothing wrong with a bit

of pretending...

One of the officials on the course builds these machines. He insisted I needed one of them. I must be looking old these days...

XXXX

Last climb of the day, 5 km with a 6-7% average gradient. Very, very painful, I can only imagine. After racing for over 100 km,

the rest of the grupetto decided to attack each other...

as you do.

XXXX

Aaron on his final effort to the top before entering Queensland.
XXX

Sandra on her last attempt to get to the top faster and end the pain. She finished the 120 km race in second place in the woman's division. Her time was an amazing 3:49 for the epic race.
XXX

From the top of the range, a great view of Mount Warning, a sign for the huge accomplishment by everyone on the race.

Not that many had the energy to look...
XXX