The Collie Donnybrook Cycle Classic has always been popular with the SPR mob & 2013 was no exception – 25 registered riders out of a total of about 130 on the start line on the day. This number is a great reflection on how big the club has become in WA & it was great to see so many uniforms on show.

A two hour drive just to get to the start of a race didn’t really excite me so I have avoided the event in previous years. This year, however, with rave reports from riders who have made the trip in previous years, I thought I would give it a go. The distance (104km) was perfect preparation for me with the UCI final in Trento in four weeks time. It doesn’t have a 20km uphill finish @ 7% but, until someone builds a ski resort in WA, the rolling hills south of Collie were going to have to be the next best thing.

I have been riding consistently this year but haven’t done much group riding, few really long rides & virtually no racing so was interested to see where I was at, particularly in terms of race fitness.

The Collie Donnybrook is a handicap event. I had not encountered this interesting phenomenon before. It seems that riders are allocated a starting time based on such parameters as past performance at Collie & other events, age, star sign & Tarot card readings. Not sure what my cards said, but being over 50, only an occasional racer and an Aquarius worked to my advantage and I was dealt a very favourable 27 minute handicap.

Just before the start I was stoked to finally catch up with fellow SPR rider Gary Boylan. Gary grew up just outside Colac, where I lived as a child. He is a few years older than me and I don’t think I had ever met him before but I knew his younger brother really well. Gary is a quiet, unassuming chap, so other club members may not be aware that he has a very strong pedigree, racing on the pro circuit in the late 70’s thru to the early 90’s, winning stages of the Sun Tour and other events. Gary looks like he is carrying a couple of kilos over his peak race weight but he is still in great form, winning his age category at the UCI qualifier in Perth earlier in the year. The handicappers had not looked too deeply into Gary’s record either, sending him off five minutes before me and a bit over ½ hour before Jonno and his scratch mates rolled over the starting line.

The varying start times meant that your ‘team’ became the riders you started with. Shortly after our contingent of eight took to the road, Mike Siegers from Eddy Holland quickly took on the marshalling role, organising the roll, encouraging us when it went well, cajoling us when it didn’t (which was often). One rider was pretty keen to head off on one of the early climbs but quickly fell back when he realised it was going to be a lonely 100km by himself. The rolling hills out of Collie quickly took their toll on two of the riders but the remaining six of us worked pretty well and we were still together at the right hand turn to Donnybrook 20 km, from the start. We headed west into a moderate headwind, picking up a few stragglers along the way. Unfortunately, as riders tired, the roll became scrappier and scrappier. Despite this, we got a ‘two minutes behind’ shout from a marshal not far from Donnybrook, indicating that we had made a reasonable dent into the lead group (the first riders had set off nine minutes ahead of us).

Not long after the U turn in the main street of Donnybrook, however, we saw a big pack of over twenty riders about three minutes behind us. We tried again to get some organisation in our group but there were too many weary legs and so, about five km out on the return leg, Mike sat up and called and end – ‘it’s all over now, guys, might as well sit up, have a rest and have something to eat and drink’. So we did! It felt bizarre & a bit annoying to be ambling along at 25 km/hr during a race, especially as we had the luxury of a tail wind, but he was right – we were not strong enough to hold off the bigger group so it made sense to have a break & then try and hang on when they caught us.

After about five minutes of leisurely cruising we slotted into the chasing pack – a mixture of 24 & 21 minute markers, including the welcome sight of other team SPR riders, including, Mark Edmiston, Paul Bakker, Amanda Nabi & her boss and the Schneiderman,. I enjoyed saying g’day to them but the pace wasn’t conducive to much more in the way of conversation.

About five km down the road we saw the leading escort car and within a few minutes had swept up the remainder of the 30, 32 & 38 minute groups. We were now the lead pack!

The big climb at the 81 km mark thinned the front of the field down to a group of 15 riders. Lewis Purcell and I were the only survivors of the 27 minute group. Five of the final 15 were in SPR kit – Mark Edmiston, myself, Paul Bakker, Andrew Ballam & we had picked up Gary Boylan as a bonus from the 32 minute pack. Andrew Ballam was a machine, doing an enormous amount of time on the front & consistently driving the pace when it looked like the group was flagging. I was feeling pretty good at this stage so decided to go to the front on one of the minor hills & give Andrew a break. Unfortunately, as soon as I put a bit of extra power on, I started getting twinges in my left leg. I have always been a bit sceptical of people who ‘cramp up’ but, after experiencing agonising cramps in the last kilometre of the UCI final in Pietermaritzberg last year, I knew what I was potentially in for. I quickly drained what was left of my fluids and finished off my gels in a vain attempt to fight it off. Unfortunately I found I was OK if I sat at the back of the pack and could ride quite comfortably sitting on someone’s wheel but as soon as I tried to raise the tempo my hamstrings would go into spasm. Bugger.

As we got closer and closer to Collie I kept on looking behind me, expecting to see the gun riders bearing down on us at frightening speed. But they weren’t there. Five km out at the end of a long, straight stretch I looked back to see a clear road behind us – it was then that I realised that our group were going to fight it out for the trophy!

A couple of attacks were launched to clear the air but these were quickly reined in and, as we entered the outskirts of Collie, it was obvious that it was going to come down to a sprint.

The finish was complicated by a slight descent to a T-junction, with a hard left at the bottom of the hill into the final straight, which was uphill & into a breeze, the finish line 250 metres from the turn. Road barriers meant it was impossible to go wide and I take technical corners at the speed of a 19th century steamroller (and with about as much finesse) so was disappointed but not surprised to come out of the turn three bike lengths off the wheel of all the other riders. I can’t sprint to save my life and I was cramping, so it was a mixture of pleasure and disappointment that I rolled across the line last in the group.

SPR’s Paul Bakker was sensational, only just being pipped at the line by Michael Jacobsen (riding in Squadra Barista kit). I don’t know Paul well and don’t know how much racing he does, but was he very strong on the day and it would have been great to see him deliver us a victory. To be fair, though, Michael, who road off 24 minutes, had done more work than anyone else in the last 40 km of the race and was, I think, a very deserving winner.  Gary Boylan had looked pretty comfortable and his sprinting heritage stood him in good stead, getting him across the line in seventh place – a fantastic effort for a guy not far off his 60^th birthday. Mark Edmiston gave everything and was rewarded with a ninth spot, giving SPR three riders in the top ten. Andrew Ballam’s earlier efforts had taken their toll but he still finished with a very creditable 13^th. I rolled across the line, tired and sore but not too unhappy with 15^th out of 130*.

Other SPR riders rode exceptionally well. Amanda Nabi was the fastest woman on the course & second female overall – a fantastic effort – a bit unfair that her efforts were not rewarded with a prize or a trophy. I think we would all like to claim a little bit of Andy Williams for the club – despite the fact that he now rides with the Eddy Holland team, he did start his racing career in SPR colours. His ride (fastest on the day, not far off the course record) was sensational and an appropriate reward for the incredible amount of hard work he has put in over the last couple of years.

Many other SPR riders put in great efforts on the day. There were some scarily fast speeds posted on Strava & I think a lot of riders managed PB’s on the course.

Collie Donnybrook Classic is a wonderful event. There was big crowds out at the start & at the turn around point and lots of people in little groups along the way shouting out encouragement. The Collie Cycling Club is very proud of its history (not sure how old the race is, but it dates at least from the 1930’s) and they had a big contingent of ex champions at the event. I would strongly encourage SPR riders to make the trip next year. I will definitely be back.

* NB – I have found 3 excuses for my performance, tried desperately for more but couldn’t come up with any. Historically my bike has provide mechanical problems to account for my failures but not on Saturday. I am sure I could come up with some more excuses – please, experienced excuse makers, help me, some suggestions on the blog that I can use for my next race report?

PS – would also appreciate the club members ideas on how to beat the cramps. Dr Jerry’s suggestion is drink fluids & train for the distance you are going to race. I know that I haven’t been doing the latter & tend to think this might be my problem. Open to any other ideas, though.

full race results here https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/54725135/2013%20Collie%20Donnybrook%20Handicap%20Results.pdf