Day 3 (Australian Criterium Championships) – Eastern Beach, Geelong – 10th January 2003 Conditions: Clear skies, 25ºC, 6.30pm Today was a tough 800m hotdog circuit on Eastern Beach, held at dusk.  The hill overlooking the course was packed with interested spectators.  Each end of the circuit had a tight U turn, which unfortunately resulted in crashes in both the men’s […]

Day 2 – Portarlington – 9th January 2003 Conditions: Sunny, 25ºC, 1.30pm Today was a really tough hilly circuit.  It was 1km around with a short sharp hill, after the first corner.  This was followed by a longer uphill drag along the back straight, before a steep descent and then another gradual incline back to the start / finish line.  […]

Jayco Geelong Bay Criterium Series I rode the Jayco Geelong Bay Criteriums with the Drapac Property / Beasley Cycles team.  The women’s team consists of Katie Mactier, Dellys Franke, Emma Carney, Katrina Purcell and myself, while the men’s team consisted of Brett Aitkens, Brent Dawson, Ben Brooks, Mark Jamieson and Adam Murchie. The men’s and women’s teams met for dinner […]

Saturday, 18th January 2003 Women’s Road Race – 100km Conditions: 25ºC sunny, cool southerly winds About 50 girls lined up at the start of the road race, in the hope of becoming the Australian Road Champion for 2003.  The course was a 10km loop that we had to ride 10 times.  It started and finished in Warrenhiep street, Buninyong. The […]

Australian Open Road Cycling Championships Thursday, 16th January 2003            Women’s Time Trial – 28km Conditions: 28ºC hot, northerly winds The time trial course was a 28km loop that started and finished on Warrenhiep street, in the small town of Buninyong, 10km from Ballarat. The time trial course was really hilly and technical.  After the first 200m along the main street, […]

Stage 4 – 60 mile circuit race Today I rode a neutral Litespeed bike as my Giant has a dura Ace bottom bracket problem.  Shimano neutral support tried to remove the bottom bracket before the race and although it isn’t cross threaded, it is completely jammed and unable to be removed. With a 9.30am start, I watched nervously at 9.15am […]

Stage 3 – 60 minute criterium Today’s team plan was to ensure Joan retained her 10th GC placing.  There were a few riders only seconds behind Joan, so we had several girls marked to ensure they didn’t get into a break and gain any valuable seconds, and thus push down Joan’s GC position.  The course was a clockwise L shaped […]

Stage 2 – Uphill mass start time trial 7.7 miles March 28, 2003, Fairfield, CA Stage 2 consisted of a short mass start 7.7 mile hill climb.  The first three miles of the race were relatively flat but had some strong cross headwind sections.  It turned into a race to the base of the climb with T Mobile and Saturn […]

Solano Bicycle Classic – 27 – 30 March Stage 1 – 54 mile point to point road race – Winters to Angwin Conditions: Really strong winds, 70F March 27, 2003, Fairfield, CA The Solano Bicycle Classic kicked off near Fairfield, California with a hilly road race around Lake Berryessa.  The 54 mile road race finished with a steep ascent up […]

Stage 5 – Redlands Business Centre Sunset Road Race – 100km Today I had the pleasure of wearing the green jersey and enjoying the final stage without any pressure.  The race consisted of a 10km loop that we completed 8 times.  The climb was done at a leg shattering speed and eventually the front group that Joan and I were […]