Time Trial
Our team of Nick George, Adam Simonelli, Bruce Snell, Richard Allen and David Crosswell fired up for the opening prologue of 5.5km. No time to get into a rhythm, hit the gas full bore and it was over before you knew it. A great time triallist, Adam finished 7th and Richard 10th.
Road Race 1
After a short break, we saddled up for a 109km race over undulating, potholed roads. David tried several attacks to break the field up, but the field kept pulling back together with the long descents. On lap 2 of 3, two riders moved off the front, with a critical error being made by David to not jump with them. The bunch pretty much switched off at this stage and the two riders went on to gain a margin of 3 minutes and secure the top GC spots.
Road Race 2
Our second road race of 85km was an attack fest from the start, with Bruce hitting out hard, only to suffer a flat shortly after. With the peloton moving at such speed, it was going to be difficult for him to get back on.
A string of attacks on the first lap were to no avail, with the group together approaching the second lap. Matt Ryan and Craig Taylor moved off the front with about 30k to go. Full of fury from the previous day's failure, David bridged across to the two leaders. The trio settled into a solid tempo to extend their lead on the pursuing pack.
With the peloton full of tired legs and disorganised in their chase, the trio's lead swelled to 90 seconds as they headed back to town.
With some dubious road marshalling, the trio entered the salt complex to fight out the sprint. David ended up getting pipped to 3rd after misjudging the second last corner and stuffing up his gear change (groan). However, the time gap won moved David into 5th place on GC.
David Crosswell second in KOM (really wanted to win that one), and third in Sunday's RR.
Criterium
It was on like donkey kong in the 30 minute criterium. Team Mainline had 3 seconds to get back and had a plan so cunning that it could have been written by a fox who was professor of cunning at Oxford University and is now at the U.N. as high commissioner of cunning planning.
Well actually, no. Their plan was to attack from the gun, attack continuously and break the field up.
In an extremely fast race, our team rode well, with all riders featuring in the dwindling lead group. Unfortunately, two of the Mainline team got a short break on the field, managing to hold off the main group until the end.
Coming into the last lap, David leapt to the front to give Richard the lead out. Richard unleashed his sprint perfectly to steam past David in the last 100metres to claim 3rd place.
Bruce demonstrated his improved performance with a close 11th and a solid ride by Nick for 12th.
Richard Allen 3rd Place in Criterium
Bruce Snell relaxing after the criterium (ouch, that hurt).
It was a fabulous weekend of racing and I felt very honoured for the support the team gave me. As always, our team was very proud to represent Data#3, Cisco, and Capilano and looked the part in our superb Scody kit.
We ended up with 5th and 11th on the GC, two 3rds, a 2nd in the KOM, and the knowledge that we rode as gentlemen.
I don't know about anyone else, but I found it very hard to settle back into the normal world after a wonderful long weekend of racing the Battle on the Border. I want more!
* thanks to Blackadder for the fox gag.
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