SA TT Champs

Warming up for SA TT Champs while coach Ian Rodger deftly wields the microphone and spray bottle. I will have to wait for the TV show to hear what he said- Jack Parow was pamping in the iPod.

More pix from CycleNation.co.za

I was quite disappointed in my ride.  Like I said in the previous post, we needed a few more weeks to sort out pacing, position and most importantly more sustained efforts. (as opposed to relatively short intervals) A warm up race or 2 would have helped. I started conservatively,  but when I tried to build from 10km, the hammies started catching fire- I turned on 415W avs, but on the way back my hammies were raging and I had to back off the pace till about 25km- losing a lot of time, confidence and combativity. (ie I psyched myself out and gave up. Not the usual Caveman routine)

At 30km Daryl Impey (winner) caught me by 1 minute. By then my hamstrings had recovered a bit, and I rode with him relatively comfortably till the finish. 390W avs at end. Pretty pathetic considering what we’d done in training.  We learned a few things and will come back stronger and better prepared. (probably US TT Champs)

2nd to 5th was only 20sec apart and I was only 2.5sec out of 2nd. I’m sure I could have puckered up and found a few seconds. Like I once heard a French coach yell at a youngster: “You do not think DURING the race, you think AFTER the race.” Old guys still learn lessons.

Results from Cycling SA website.

5,4,3,2,1, partez*

*French for “laat jy trap, boetie!”

Went with the frozen Camel Bak bladder under the shirt and nozzle out the front of collar. Cooling and aerodynamics.

The aluminium foil keeps the ice frozen for a bit longer.

Specialized Team mechanic Dylan van der Merwe making sure all works smoothly.

Rehashing with team mate Burry Stander, who finished 2nd in the road race 2 days later.