After a hard crit, involving a slide along Sturt Street two days prior, the road nationals were upon us. Bike prepped, breakfast down and we were off to the start. With my driver Emma at the wheel we were at the start in no time. After finding a good park across from the feed zone and Emma’s lack of care for the hire car, we were parked. As Emma marked out her claim for a feed position (not very happy when a green edge van almost stole her spot!) with her lone chair and eski she was ready. I was getting myself ready for the start involving cranking the car’s heater up to full as it was a freezing 9deg morning. After a few reps up the first half of the climb I was starting to warm up. After passing Pete my long sleeve jersey I was ready. Looking around I was in awe; so many pros and riders I had only ever seen in magazines and on tv were sitting around me. After the chief commissaire’s address and the information that there had been a burst water main on the course so we would have to be rerouted.

With the bang of the starters gun we were off!! Straight off the line there was an attack, consisting of our newly crowned time trial champion. As the break consisted of a representative from most of the big teams and with still 195kms to go, the main field didn’t really seem to respond. After a relatively easy climb and fast descent the first big lap was over. Thinking to myself, well this was not going to be too hard a day in the saddle, the next climb began. After organising my two great helpers, Emma and Pete, to feed me on every pass I wasn’t too concerned on my position to get a bidon on the way through as I still had one and a half bottles when the feed zone came around. As the feed zone was about half way up the first part of the climb I went to the outside and just stayed out of trouble. The climb again was over and the pace seemed to stay the same. On the flatter part of the second big lap we were informed by the commissaire that the break had got out to 6 minutes and if it was to get to 10 the remainder of the field would be pulled out of the race. A couple of remarks from riders joking about how this could be a nice easy bike race. Then one of the smaller teams came to try and pull some of the time back but this didn’t last for long. Before long we were up the climb for the third time and much like the first two not a whole lot really happened. At this stage the commissaire advised us that the gap had got out to 8 minutes. After this, either the break slowed down or the main field’s pace picked up, and by the 4th ascent the break was down to around 5 mins. So I had arranged with Pete and Emma to get a bidon every lap past the feed zone and a bag around every 4. At this point I hadn’t fed at all yet so I tried to get into a good position to get a feed bag off Pete; as everyone else had the same idea this proved quite difficult. So 3 big laps down and I still hadn’t fed. On the 4th time past the feed zone i was in a good position. Pete, like a true soigneur was able to get me a feed bag with a full bottle in it so after sorting myself out filling my pockets and swapping bottles over I was able to, with confidence, stomp up the second part of the climb. I got into a good position for the descent and held that position for the rest of the lap. Much the same for the next few laps, being able to get bottles when I needed.

At around the 90km mark I stood up to put some power down to get in a good position for the next ascent. As I did this I felt my quads start to cramp up. Not too concerned, I unclipped a foot and went to hook it over my saddle to stretch out. I got my foot half way up and my hammies were not going to play that game. I spun the legs out for a bit and finished off a bottle. Then the next climb began. As I went up I kept in a really easy gear, drifting through the group, then descending again. I spun the legs to try to stop them from cramping but they were starting to get sore and heavy. So on the next ascent I decided, as I often do, to attack the bunch. I knew this was never going to be a good move and I wasn’t going to get away or catch the break. I still hit out and well Pete got some good photos, and I got some awesome cheers from the crowd and hell, I didn’t want to just get dropped cramping up having sat in the bunch all day. Before the top of the climb I had been caught but i think this must have spurred the bunch on a bit because the descent was fast!

The next couple of laps I was in the hurt box, drifting back through the group and on the last few loosing contact but catching back on with a few others on the descent. Then on my final ascent I lost contact on the corner before the last step of the climb and the field must have hit it hard as I lost sight of them on the descent. So with two other riders and the sag wagon nipping at our heels, we crossed the line and with the wave of a red flag we were pulled from the race. With four laps to go I was able to watch the powerhouse of Luke Durbridge ride away from the one rider left on his wheel to take the win. The first rider to take out the TT and RR in one year. So much for the cynics saying this wasn’t Durbo’s course and he would be lucky to finish. All in all, a great experience and I got to hit it up with some of the worlds best riders!!

Once again, thanks to everyone that helped me out along the way, Toby and Dome Westralia Plaza for the huge amount of help that got me to the start line and hopefully next time also to the finish. A big thankyou to Pete and the club for all the support and donations. And a huge thanks to Emma for putting up with me!