Race Report from Dave Shailer

Great afternoon for racing at Wandi, a bit cool but sunny and only a slight breeze.
I’ve been away for a bit and off the bike for almost four weeks so I was a bit apprehensive about racing again. Forgot my HRM chest strap too. I showed up, paid me money and waited to see what grade they’d put me in. It seems that my previous B grade middle of the pack results and absence in the last month was noted and as such they decided to put me in C. A slightly shorter race of 5 laps was on the menu but it was using the ‘new’ Wandi course. This newer incarnation used Bodeman Rd for a slightly longer distance and added a couple long gradual hills.

Not exactly sure how many were in the pack, but I’d guess about 22. This was divided quite early and I noticed the field seemed to be split in half before the end of the first lap. 2nd lap disaster struck. One of the girls (Tian?) came down many riders ahead of me and a few others crashed as well. I was far enough back to avoid it but had to go dirt. Some stopped to help and the rest of us waited for about 2 minutes before resuming. (postscript – turns out it was just abrasions – nothing broken from what I hear).

Nothing further of note happened until the last lap of the race. About 4.5km to go and I’m sitting second wheel. An attack comes from behind from a guy in grey and nobody seems to pick him up. He did a lot of work at the front during the race and clearly he is a strong rider. I feel a bit guilty (need to train that out…) as I think because I was second wheel it really was up to me to jump on him. So by the time I decide it IS up to me he has 30 or 40 metres on the bunch. I take off after him but to be honest I’m struggling to close it fast enough. Made a bit of a slog out of it and wasn’t getting help by by the one other chaser I’d towed along. By the time I join the man in grey I wasn’t up to much helping – which was what he was hoping for. Once he saw I wasn’t interested he sat up and the bunch rejoined us.

So with about 2-2.5km to go it was a reduced bunch cruising along. No Cancellara wannabe’s showed their hand in the final few kilometres. The final sweeping bend approached and everyone seemed to slow down. The calm before the crazy end I guess. I was completely out of position at the final bend but thankfully the pack was spread out a bit and not bumping elbows. I was sitting on Nicole’s wheel when I saw Elliot start to wind it up and the hole he was planning on jumping through down the middle. After he’d gone through I uh… encouraged.. Nicole to follow through with a “Go Go GO!” which she dutifully did! She was powering to the line seated, as was I when I realised it was time to put something I’d always struggled with into practice. I peeled off and got out of the saddle, smoothly going by for my first ever win at any level .

The aftermath apparently was tricky for the organisers with some debate over the other positions. I was 100% certain that I’d taken the win (as were they) but there was some ambiguity about the placings. I’d thought Nicole had taken second but was awarded 4th. Hopefully PDCC will have final results up later this week.

So, despite having raced B grade before, I feel I’ve earned my spot there now and it’s definitely where I belong in the club level. I’ve had my break off the bike so it’s time to get back to feeling strong and just HTFU and start placing in B grade instead of silly attacks and mid-pack results!