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So after a LONG wait my new bike that I have been lusting for since it was first released back in 2011 arrived on Thursday.
The bike in question is the Cannondale Scalpel 29er. Carbon frame , carbon lefty fork, mix of XT and XTR parts finished off with Cannondale's Hollowgram SI Cranks and a nice set of wheels!
I have been riding a hardtail exclusively for a good 6 years now and thought there was not really a great need for a dually for most of the riding I do, yeah sure they have more comfort but at the price of weight.

Racing male pairs again for this round, but I prefer three's because I'm lazy but couldn't wrangle a 3rd.
Team Remedy has been through a couple of name changes but myself and the other 2 core riders all ride Remedy's so the name is apt.
Turned up Sat arv for a cruisy scope out lap and thought this would be fairly easy racing - but the track was much harder on race day with the gradual climbs really taking their tolls.

Normally, these race reports start on the day of the race. The startline, the nerves. This one is different.
I want to go back a year. There was an idea. It came about with friends talking about racing their bikes, conversations which coincided with other friends looking to build a mountain bike team - but a community based team. Something valuable, that did more than just win races. We all agreed that we don’t race our bikes to win. We race our bikes because its fun. Winning makes it 'funner'.

What a fun fast race, well organised, friendly volunteers and over and done with in less than an hour. I had been sick with a chest infection for the weeks leading up to this so didn't do any training, but was happy to finish under the hour.

Would love to do it again next year.

Cold start. Pretty good crowd. A big gap between the start times for the 40-49 group and the 50-59 group, so a clear road ahead. Lost time on the leaders on the first hill at the station because they ride like maniacs... The view at the start of the fire trail down onto the plains right though to the CBD was the clearest I can recall for years. I nearly stopped to take it in. Nearly...

I thought about pulling the pin on this race because of the weather but glad I didn't.

I've done very little riding in the last 3 weeks due to either the weather or going away so I didn't hold out much hopes of a great result. I'm pretty happy to be in the top half of the table, especially as I've only ever ridden Awaba once before.

Great to back on the MTB. I'm quite bored of the road...

I can't figure out why, but I just felt shocking today. I have been training well & feeling well in general - but on the track today I just couldn't 'warm up'. I'd slept half okay (considering I have 2 young'uns) & eaten normally. I didn't start out too hard. I just don't know. I still find it really hard to know who is in my grade. Is a coloured arm band system silly?

In any case, great to be back on my fave bike! A little slippery, and muddy in spots. I hope the good weather keeps up.

Great day for a mtb race. weather turned it on for us today.

A little slippery, but great fun.

Havent ridden Awaba in ages.

Back on the bike for the first time in a few weeks after an enforced break due to some rib trouble.

Too wet to ride the trails so I pulled out the commuter and stuck to the road. Took some turns pulling at the front with a couple of roadies on the way back from Terrey Hills. Lots of smiles from other riders, the unexpected bright winter sun obviously lifting the mood, and lots of other riders about.

If we could just get some dry trails, it would be about perfect.

This race was not really in my plans, but given my recent results and managing to avoid any sickness so far this year, I thought I would give this a go. You never know when you will get another chance right ?

My plans were to get down to Canberra and do a pre-ride of the course the Sunday before, but with all the rain this never happened. So I found myself not really knowing what to expect course wise, but from reports of other riders, and previous knowledge of riding Stromlo - I knew 80km + out here was going to be a hard day out.