National Individual Time Trial Championships – 25km – 20 September 2001

Conditions: winds strong, steady rain, 22°C, 12noon

I rode to the start of the time trial situated north of Budrum, Queensland, on the Sunshine freeway which had been specifically closed for the event.  I had caught a flu last week and am right in the middle of my busiest time of the year which had caused me to missed 4 days of riding.  However, I was hoping that this wouldn’t prohibit me from racing well.

I warmed up well and felt ready to go as hard as I could.  The rain started about 10min before the start.  It would be a nice wet time trial.  We started at 1min intervals heading south for 6km on an out and back course consisting of 2 laps.

The plan was to go relatively hard in the first lap but keep a little in reserve and then really open it up in the second lap.  My heartrate was 190-195 bpm (maximum is 200) throughout the entire race, which is certainly opening it up, however my gear selection was too light, so I was actually over reving it and should have been stomping on the pedals harder.

I had hoped to ride well in the time trial and unfortunately under geared, and finished 10^th.  Both Bates and Gollan rode well to finish 1^st and 2^nd, respectively.

I rode home from the time trial, a little disappointed.  The rain continued and as I hopped my front wheel over a sugar train track, my back wheel got caught on a raised lip and down I went.  I hit really on my hip and immediately felt pain in my aductors.  I made it the rest of the way home without crashing but couldn’t lift my right leg at all to climb the stairs to our apartment.  I had to physically lift my leg with my hands.  Hopefully I will be okay in two days time….