A  few months back, Andrew Williams (the Main 2 Andrew W, as he would be quick to point out) mentioned that there was a good looking event on the June long weekend – the Goldfields Cyclassic. Two handicapped stages over two days starting in Kalgoorlie, riding into open red dirt plains and a total of 235 kms. I’ve entered the SPR Club Crits in D Grade, done one road race of 50kms in Gidgegannup but never done an in-one-go distance past 100kms –  certainly haven’t done two big days back to back. According to the Cycling Australia guidelines, C Grade here I come.

So after the SPR minibus road trip and overnighting in Kalgoorlie, we got a Dome breakfast (where else, eh?) and got to the race briefing. It is 6 degrees outside, overcast and at least a tail wind today. We hit the start line at 10:40 for the C Grade start with Jason Gordon, Daniel Harvey, Amanda Nabi (in a Unicorn Brewery kit for the event), and Alistair Dickinson. It looked like the SPR green kits dominated in club representation, which was great to see. Countdown – 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 off you go! A quick spin up to speed, a left hand turn out of Kalgoorlie town centre onto the Goldfields Highway and before you can say “I’m not quite warmed up”, we’re in a roll through formation carrying in excess of 50km/hr. This is gonna be tough.

10kms in, it becomes apparent that the intensity isn’t going to let up until the first of four intermediate sprints – only the first one has a winner for each grade, the rest going to the first rider across the line. 16.5kms in and the first sprint looms, positions are sought. 17.5kms and it starts to pick up faster. 17.7kms and they are well and truly off. I’m thinking it should all settle down after the first sprint, but the stronger riders weren’t interested. Bearing in mind Amanda is in this grade, we should have known.

35kms down and still holding an average speed of 45+km/hr and I think better of burning out and drop off the back of the group. Daniel appears off the back soon after with one of the Squadra Espresso riders – Justin – that we often see on a Tuesday morning River loop. Jason appears from behind about 5km later having had a chain drop and has chased back on. The four of us share the work and decide to at the very least, catch the other C graders that may drop off and definitely catch D Grade. With wet roads ahead and a face full of red dirty water off the wheel in front, we kick on. At 60kms I realise I can’t keep the pace and drop off the back. The other three still looked quite strong and I am resigned to 80 solo kms. I wasn’t sure what to be thinking. I’d just ridden the hardest, fastest 60km of my life – as close to an SPR Fast Group pace as I’d know. I had 80kms still today and another 105 tomorrow to go, there’s not another living soul within 10kms of me and I am singing Pearl Jam’s “State of Love and Trust” in my head, over and over. Good times.

Over the course I’d been cheered by several support vehicles for other riders, local indigenous families cheering near their property entries, Travis’ hilarities/smart arse comments every time he passed in the “Drug Dealers” car and road trains in the dozens. Two, three and four trailer varieties, often over 100km/hr and always kicking up dirt, rocks and buffeting winds. Three and a half hours later and crossing the finish line was amazing. I coasted towards softer ground on the roadside as I wasn’t sure my leg would work when I kicked out of my pedals. Need food. Need warm clothes. Urgh.

Day 2, Menzies to Leonora. We’ve stayed overnight in Kal and driven back to yesterday’s finish/today’s start. I haven’t had a coffee (and that NEVER happens) and it’s after 10am. It’s a 17 minute wait at the café the opened yesterday. The Double Espresso is good, but too late. Tired from yesterday and cracking caffeine headache we head off. Today is a headwind of 20-35km/hr and I am clearly not a C Grade rider. Jason and Daniel look pretty good, Alistair looks strong, and Amanda – well Amanda still looks like she could sneeze and win a race. Pace picks up immediately, and we’ve rolling through at 35-40km/hr again, but into head/cross winds. It hurts. A lot. My headache hurts, my neck hurts, my triceps hurt. Half way down the slow lane of roll through and my vision blurs. I can’t see the wheel ahead clearly and I have half the field behind me. Signalling and pulling out to the right I let the peloton go past – I’m not keen to have the honour of bringing them down. It is the 5km mark. Shit – I can’t get a new song going. Back to “State of Love and Trust”.

Looking at 95 solo kilometres, I go through a few dark times. Out of the saddle to stretch the calves and back. Into the drops to relieve the sore arse in one spot. Shuffle back on the saddle and up onto the hoods. Repeat. I swear at the bumps in the road, I swear at the pockets on my SPR jersey and the elastic on the wind vest as they prevent easy access to some gels. First world problems, I remind myself. Harden up, Greg.

At 70 kms I make out another rider ahead – Andrew Williams (the Main 2 Andrew W) riding D Grade. Maaaaaaaaaaaaate!!!! The remaining 35kms is not really more fun than I’ve had, but different. It’s much more comfortable riding with a familiar face and encouraging voice. Probably the highlight was crossing the time check together 3 hours 30 minutes after starting. A total of 7 hours in the saddle for 235kms. Day 1 was an average speed of 37.5km/hr over 130kms, with the first 60kms at 41.4km/hr. That’s beyond anything I’ve achieved before and with the (slower) day 2, I’ve averaged 33.5km/hr for the 235kms.

SPR did really well. Andy Williams (the Fast one) placed third overall and the last intermediate sprint of Day 2. Jono and Luke finished top 20 overall. Toby ran second on day 1 in B grade. Jess Huston posts the fastest Women’s time at 5 hours 11 minutes, but the mysterious handicapping calculations have her 4^th place overall.

I would have been mid-field in D Grade rather than stone motherless last in C Grade, and have that in mind for next time. Yep – next time. Despite the challenges (and the 9 hour drive home after the event!) I’ll be in next year. I’ve not had more fun on a bike. Period. The event is brilliantly organised, the local communities support it with real pride and the scenery is amazing. After a days’ catch up sleep, a really, really, really, really nice beer, six big, heavy meals and enough muscle stiffness to need seven recovery rides, “next time” sounds good. I may need to have a bigger selection of songs to sing in my head – just in case.

Cheers, Greg