Kelly Cycle Coaching only had 2 athletes make the journey to Golborne to compete in the Masters Nationals this year.   Family and work commitments prevented all our other masters from being able to compete. Jess Laws competed in the Masters 2 time trial, finishing 6th.  Ed Smith competed in the Masters 4 time trial and had an interesting ‘first nationals experience’.

Masters Time Trial Report – by Ed Smith

As you know I participated in the Australian Masters Road Cycling championships last week.  To be clear, my goal for the race was to not come last.  I would need a jet engine to place.

These championships consist of the events: a road race, time trial and criterium.  I did not enter the road race as I am allergic to hills. I scratched from the criterium (a circuit race) when I realised it meant an extra 2 days in Goulburn, NSW.  Which leaves the Time Trial.

A time trial is an individual race, usually run on modified bikes that are a bit more  aerodynamic than the average chopper. I was the proud owner of new (second hand) Cervelo P3.  My mates expressed some doubt about the wisdom of riding a new bike in the biggest race of the year.  But its not the same as a new pair of shoes.  A new bike does not have to be “worn in”.  Or so I thought.

During the week I received am email from cycling Australia.  Apparently the rules for time trials are  different to triathlons (which use similar bikes).  I would not be allowed to ride with a triathlon bike.
Nothing to worry about – I thought.  But I got the mechanic at registration to measure up – just in case.  Three hours of stress and hard toil followed as the mechanic reset the bike and attacked my handlebars with a hacksaw.  Phew!  Crisis averted.

On race day my modified bike passed the bike check.  The course was set in undulating hills that are lined with turbine generators.  While hills are bad news, wind is great news for us fat guys.  And it sure was windy.  So I set out to the halfway point – slogging my way up the hills imaging my scrawny competitors being blown off the road.

The halfway point was at the bottom of a steep hill.  It occurred to me that I must have mixed up the polish with the cleaning bottles.  In case you were wondering  –  no waxed brake surfaces do not work very well.  Amongst other things, I managed to generate an almighty screeching that would have drowned out the Dukes of Hazard.  I chirped to the waiting marshals about how I must be travelling really fast to make so much noise.  I turned around the cones, poised for a downhill, downwind leg at 60km/h.  And that’s when my wheel fell off.  It turns out the Cervelos have a special screw that thas to be adjusted to hold the wheel in place.   Under severe braking pressure just doing up the wheel tight is not enough. Doh!

To their credit – the marshals stifled their laughter – for which I am very grateful.  No damage done, but my minute, 2 minute and 3 minute men all sailed past while I fiddled with levers, chains and wheels.  3.5 minutes lost in a race that lasts 35 minutes.  I glumly conceded that I was fated to fail even my lowest goal for the race. (Wrongly, as it turned out).  I did manage to hit 65km/h – but so did the other guys.  Better luck next year.