On Wednesday this week the Waiariki MTB Team headed over to Hamilton to prep the track, on arrival we were a bit worried, Pukete Park lacked climbing! After one lap of the track we were still not sure what to think, It was almost fun yet where is the hill?? We couldn’t work out if the track would suit us or anyone else for that matter but decided if you have the fitness and endurance to last a high intensity race it should be ok. (Although at this point we were in the middle of our last hard hit out week before our taper so another factor which would come into the race on the weekend was if we had enough left in us)
Carl
I had a hard day to say the least. The week leading up was hard, on Tuesday I was still feeling Tokaroa and Wednesday when I per rode the track with the Waiariki crew I did 2laps then lay down and had a sleep on the side of the track... obviously still hurting, Thursday was still a struggle but better than the other days. But I was hungry for another win. Race started and I started well slotted into 2nd behind Scott Thorne, I was riding Loose as with over 40psi in the tires and running knobbier tires than I should have, I haven’t changed from the ones that came on the bike that’s what this weekend and nationals are for bring out the fresh rubber. Any way after about lap 3 it was over and Evan gave the call back off but I didn’t want to lose any more spots so did what I thought was enough, but Adrian Retief was winding up his last lot of boost and caught me in the last km and we had to have a sprint and he wasted me fair and square even with cramp. Patrick Avery smashed his massive amounts of watts through his pedals and claimed his first elite win, Scott Thorne 2nd Matt Gorter 3rd. Glad we are finally into a tapper now and already I just want to race Rotorua and Nationals can’t wait.
Katie
Sunday’s Race kicked off at 2pm and we were away riding the winding and only slightly undulating course. My race strategy was to be in the front few riders at the start but not to go out to hard (mainly because I had no idea what to do on a track like this), basically I wanted to sit in and see what happened when we all were in race mode on this track. My strategy Failed me I did not end up in the front few riders I ended up about 6th into the single track I was a bit worried back here as I knew if someone on the front hit the pace and I was back to far and they would get away, and sure enough it happened, Eloise Fry put the pace down and pulled a gap I desperately tried to make my way through the field and eventually made my way to 3rd place and then second. After my effort I was absolutely smashed with Goosebumps and what felt like dehydration so when I grabbed my feed at the start finished I managed to put on a superb show for the onlookers and get tangled in the tape, after this blunder I had a couple more as Samara and I chopped and changed between 2nd and 3rd place. Finally I got into a rhythm in 2nd place and tried to hunt Eloise back down, which is a lot easier said than done, she kept the pace on finishing 40seconds ahead of me. 3rd place was Monique Avery and she came through fast on the finishing lap I could feel her trying to reel me in. 1st, 2nd, 3rd Rotorua!! J I think the race had a good atmosphere and the spectators did a great job it felt like they were everywhere, which was due to us lapping round gazillion corners that went back on themselves over and over HARD HARD HARD work!
We are looking forward to next weekend and then wellington as we focus on our recovery and a few more quality training sessions before these two High priority races. Thanks Bergamont, Bike Culture and Waiariki!!
No comments:
Post a Comment