this weekend the fleet elite girls are racing the geelong tour as a part of the australian national road series.

the race has been a big focus for anna, bec and holly with the past few months training having a heavy focus on friday’s 28km time trial. davina (just returned from racing overseas) and lisa will be supporting the WA girls in the criterium (saturday) and 94km road race (sunday).

their progress can be followed at their facebook site here.

cyclo-sportif have an event next weekend.  it is close to home again so if you are interested, find the previous post and add your name to the comments.  teams need to be registered by tuesday so we need all names in by monday night.

the rest of the cycle kit has arrived so i will be doing a coffee shop run on saturday morning.

this week we will be doing a nice relaxing lap of the river.  the group will split at point walter with the fast group heading up stock rd hill and along to south st before heading back up to freo.  a tour through cott and home through dalkeith to finish off.  the main group will do the usual river lap and include cott as well.

sunday will tackle the kahuna and roleystone before a lap of the observatory and up to kalamunda.  skipping the coffee at kalamunda last week kind of worked and i think that it will depend on what time we get there.  this sunday’s route isn’t quite as long and if we make good time we may be early enough to beat the brunch rush.  i think that we will play it by ear.  it was suggested that if we do head back to perth for coffee that we should look at a place in vic park as most of the group would still be together, but not far from home if you need to make and early exit.  we will see what happens.

south perth rouleurs saturday ride 01 (freo & cott)

south perth rouleurs sunday ride 03 (kahuna & peet & patterson)

some of you may occasionally follow some of the links that are on the right hand side of this blog.  for those that don’t follow fatcyclist click over to his site and have a look back through his history.  fatty’s website was originally about mountain and road biking, but it transformed some what into a cycling/cancer fight website due to his wife’s battle with breast cancer.  he has links to the livestrong foundation and has managed to raise quite a bit of money for it.  usually this involves some type of bike related prize and by donating to the foundation you go into the draw to win. unfortunately his wife passed on just this week but if you read his site, you will see they have managed to touch many people’s lives.  there is a competition currently running and for every US$5 donation you have the chance to win a orbea orca with shimano di2.  if there was ever a good cause to put you money into this is it.

as for us, saturday will see us head out to canning vale and back along welshpool.  this is not a common route for us so both the main and fast groups will need to check the map closely.  the majority of the way is well known to all, but after livingston marketplace it becomes a bit new.  the main group just needs to remember not to turn laft onto albany hwy but cross over and head up to welshpool rd.  the fast group has a number of intersections to negotiate so make sure the garmin is programmed well. 

speaking of livingston marketplace, some of you may be wondering where sharon (from livingston specsavers) has been hiding lately.  well she is getting too fat to ride the bike now since she is due to have a baby in the new year.  i will have to see if cannibal can do a spr wondersuit.

the novice group will be running as per normal but many of the regulars will be away.  therefore i need a volunteer to take the novices out on saturday morning.  i am sure that one of you will like an easy day…

sunday does a nice loop around some of the regular climbs in kalamunda and mundaring.  as we are usually not getting to the coffee shop until after 10 and they have been so busy lately, there has been a suggestion that we ride straight back to perth and have a coffee.  this also allows those that need to get home quickley a chance to ride back with everyone else.  my initial suggestion would be to go to the boatshed cafe as this is right next to the start location.  put your suggestions in the comments.

south perth rouleurs saturday ride 18 (canning vale & welshpool)

south perth rouleurs sunday ride 12 (welshpool & mundaring & kalamunda)

looking forward to a couple of cold mornings this weekend but at least cold usually doesn’t mean wet.  an old favourite for saturday with a cruise through canning vale and a return of the f_ckenberg on sunday.

the tour de france pizza night is this saturday (see previous post).  come along and watch the final mountain stage of the tour.  i am looking forward to recouping some sleep after the tour has finished.

pinjarra classic next weekend (see previous post) and a good opportunity to test those climbing legs.  there will be a few of us racing so if you want to give it a go there will be lots of support for you.

south perth rouleurs saturday ride 13 (canning vale reverse)

south perth rouleurs sunday ride 09 (patterson & canns & urch)

the state time trial champs are on this saturday down at dardanup so a few of us will not be riding the normal saturday ride.  for everyone else you will be taking a trip northward to dianella and a visit to the tv stations for some.  keep together until the group reaches morley drive then the fast group can break loose.  the novice group will be running as normal.

sunday will keep us in the low numbers again with ride #3 and a four climb ride around roleystone, the observatory and up to kalamunda.  all familiar climbs and with the julian keeping the hills points up to date, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top.  there haven’t been many pb’s on the hill climb lately, so maybe this weekend will be it.

south perth rouleurs saturday ride 06 (tv stations)

south perth rouleurs sunday ride 03 (kahuna & peet & patterson)

south perth rouleurs saturday novice ride

with a race on at dardanup this weekend, i will be placing myself under the watchful eye of nev and the main group as i need to save what little form i have in my legs for sunday.  if you are doing the fast group, please have a good look at the map so you know where to turn when you get down towards freo.  apart from that, the route is pretty easy and should provide a good test of the legs. 

the novice group has been inundated with leaders this week and rob will have some support this week when he leads them into the fray.  we have discussed a small change to the course to add a bit extra, but i haven’t mapped it yet as we need to see if it will work ok with the group.  basically, after crossing canning bridge, the group will take a detour through parts of applecross before heading out to mt pleasant and shelley.

sunday, will see a few of us in dardanup, but for those that are hitting the hills, i have mapped one that will not only give you another preview of the finish line for the state champs but also let you do both sides of the kahuna.  you lucky ducks.  if you have done a pb on teh hill climb last week, or if you do this week, send me an email and i will update the ladder.

south perth rouleurs saturday ride 09 (risley & cott)

south perth rouleurs sunday ride 15 (kahuna & canning mills)

another fine looking weekend on the radar and it looks like winter will never get here.  the mornings are a fraction colder, but not “vest and leg warmer” type cold yet.  so lets take advantage of it while we can.  barring illness or injury, i may actually make it to a ride this weekend so it will be interesting to see how much form i have lost.

saturday will see a run up hale rd with the split happening at the start of hale rd.  from there, the main group will head home via kalamunda rd while the fast group will hop over ridgehill first.  moderate ene winds predicted so it should be a fun run home along guilford road.

the novice group was a success at it’s initial outing and thanks to julian for kicking that off.  so successful in fact that one of the girls went out that afternoon and traded the mountain bike for a pinarello.  we will try to develop that ride a bit more and hopefully it will grow into a good starting point for beginner riders.  if any of your friends, partners or work colleagues show an interest in riding but have been too afraid to go with a group, invite them along as it is pretty low key.

sunday will take on an old favourite with carrawatha and carradine followed by peet rd.  ok, not really a favourite as such, but one that we have done quite a bit before.  the state road champs are on in about 2 weeks and the finish line is on this route, so it will give people a good practice run.

south perth rouleurs saturday ride 03 (hale rd)

south perth rouleurs sunday ride 01 (carradine & peet)

some words to follow when i have time.

south perth rouleurs saturday ride 17 (leach vs south)

south perth rouleurs sunday ride 17 (kahuna & soldiers rd & canning mills)

south perth rouleurs public holiday ride

a nice jaunt close to the city on saturday with the pack splitting after about 16kms.  hopefully this is enough to keep them separated, but if you are going to be in the main group, have a look at the map as i have plotted another shortcut through dalkeith to make it harder for the fast group to catch up.  hopefully we will see snuggles out on the bike again.

sunday will be hills, hills and hills.  included is another chance to make up your best time on the hill climb to kalamunda.

stay safe.

south perth rouleurs saturday ride 06 (tv stations)

south perth rouleurs sunday ride 01 (carradine & peet)

a long weekend used to mean an extra few days of riding for me.  now it means extra time to do stuff around the house (that does not involve bikes in any way shape or form).  so, if you have just got up on friday morning and are wondering if there is a ride on, the answer is yes, so hurry up and get down to the start.

saturday we will have a crack at an old favourite of scarborough beach rd.  we will split but do practically the same circuit.  once we hit the usual fast section of scarbs rd, the fast group will smash it and the main group can form up and start their roll throughs.  anyone dropped by the fast group can then rejoin the main group for the remainder of the ride.  there is a few extra k’s thrown in to the fast groups route, so not sure how it will end up.

sunday is the tour of the forgotten climbs.  last time i did this one i sliced my tyre open coming through vic park and had to abort.  hopefully i can be there for the famous “chookenberg” climb which will make you wish you were on a mountain bike.

monday being a public chocolateday, i mean, holiday will have another lap of the river.  same time, same place, come and burn off all the egg based fun you indulged in over the weekend.

south perth rouleurs saturday ride 05 (scarborough beach rd)

south perth rouleurs sunday ride 18 (chook farm & observatory & gooseberry)

south perth rouleurs public holiday ride