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Capital Punshiment


Antsonline's picture

By Antsonline - Posted on 21 March 2011

Re: This ride meeting: 
Capital Punishment 2011
Team: 
Jet Cycles / Specialized
Status: 
Finished
Time: 
04:04:10
Position (Overall): 
14
Position (Category): 
14

After crashing badly at the National Champs in Adelaide and wrecking my bike, the guys at Jet Cycles in Sydney worked really hard with Specialized to get me sorted as quickly as possible. A huge thanks to them for all thier hard work - and patience with me as I stressed.

The bike was finished at 3pm on Friday arvo, I loaded it onto the back of the car and drove to 'berra.

Warm up - everything feels good (if a bit dark!) and I'm ready. Gun goes and it feels great. I'm up in 5th or 6th and just tapping along. Gordo was in front of me and he is a great wheel to follow as he rolls such a big gear - no huge surges in speed. Hit the single track and its the same. A little bunch of about 10 of us had dropped the rest of the field and it was happy days.
A small gap opened (which I was repsonsible for - sorry!) on the singetrack and so on the next bit if fire-road I pressed on a bit and rode back up to the front to the lead group.
As I'm riding, my thighs are starting to burn a bit. Not sure why. Then I realise. To my horror - I can see my seatpost had slipped down about 2cm, and was moving down more.
In my mind frantically thought of a way to not lose the lead group and still get off and sort it out.
I couldnt. I got off my bike, waved goodbye to the front of the race and got the allen keys out.
Sorted.
I pressed on and started to take back some of the people that had passed me whilst I was stationary.
To my horror, I realised that again, I hadnt tightened the post enough (carbon post and frame - so I didnt want to over-tighten it), and had to stop again. At this point, I realised my hopes of a top10 were done.

I finally did it tight enough, and then went on a mad push to take everyone back. I probably caught and passed 15 people on the paddock behind the airport, and then into Majura. 50km water stop and I'd moved back a bit, and then hit the neutral zone.

I had well and truly burnt all my matches in trying to get back on pace. the last 30km would be a stinker.

Still, I pressed on and got home in 14th in the Elite. Disappointed, but encouraged as I felt so strong.

Lesson #1 - dont forget the carbon paste in future!!!!!!

Thanks again to Jet and Specialized for fixing me up. See you all at Dirtworks (or National Marathon Champs - if any Nobmobbers are heading to Brisbane?)

Logan's picture

Sounds like you had a fairly difficult race, I dont envy you having to stop to drop off the main bunch as I would of been caught in two minds as well.

I am considering heading up to Brisbane now, i dont know if I would be able to stay with the Elite group but I am considering it. Its a 80km loop right?

Antsonline's picture

Yep - 80km.
Lots of cheap flights, and its only a 1hr drive from Brissy airport.
Dont race elite - race in your age-group perhaps?

craked's picture

awesome result , especialy with the seatpost drama.you obviously would have gone under 4 hours otherwise .

Antsonline's picture

Thanks - who knows on final result - but I think so. Top 10 was kinda where I was thinking before the race having seen the startlist.
Even just riding in the bunch, and not battling along by myself would have cost me a bit.

Still - it bodes well.

ps's picture

Also I have to get my forks serviced as the brain isn't locking out anymore and was thinking of using Jet Cycles. You happy with them?

Also heard a funny story the other day from a roady I work with. He's very experienced (a legend actually) however managed to fall off the other day running into the back of someone on a training ride. Anyway we were taking the piss out of him making him relive his embarrassment and describe how it happened. To cut a long story short he finished by saying that it wasn't even his ambo mate that picked him up. Seems his ambo mate did have to pick up an mtb'r recently who crashed the week before the nationals and did his shoulder. Something about jumping garbage bins.
I presume you know who it was?

Antsonline's picture

Ha Ha. Yep I do.

Jet Cycles - they have a great relationship with Specialized and are really good at turning things around. Mark and Jarrod are super experienced in Road and Triathlon and they are looking to really buld their MTB presence with Specialized.
I would certainly give them a crack. Mention my name - but promise them that you wont be as pushy as I was though!!

ps's picture

And there I was thinking you elite's could ride your bikes upside down. Now I know there are times elites cant even clear a garbage bin some of the mystique about how fast you people go is disappearing.

Will give Jet a go with the forks.

Fatboy's picture

Probably best not to mention his name Paul. They'll say "oh that bloody whinging pom who cried until we agreed to fix his bike?" Smiling

Well done Anthony despite the mechanical dramas. In the absence of carbon paste, wipe the palm of your damp glove in the dirt and grab your seat post then whack it back in and tighten lightly. Dirt is awesome at stopping slippage!

Discodan's picture

A splash of energy drink or electrolyte works a treat. The sugar binds up nicely and can be cleaned off later

Antsonline's picture

well - you learn something new every day.
I s'pose the glove grit is obvious, but I never thought about it.

as a serious / sensible tip - the perfect carbon paste to keep in your garage is actually toothpaste. Some of the plain white stuff with granules in. I know a number of bike shops that use it too. Much cheaper, easier to use (it has a nozzle rather than being in a sachet) and easy to get if in a rush - unless you are in the middle of Kowan forest singletrack!!

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