Sydney Ride Scene |
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Sydney Ride Scene
Sporadic info on what is going on in the cycling world in Sydney
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Sunday 18 December 2011 All photos have been uploaded to the twowheeltours facebook page
Today saw the first instalment of the ASH KOM - Awaba Street Hill King Of the Mountain - a stellar 14 riders showed up on the morning ... one with a fixed gear single speed, Alex Dircks, one on a BMX - that's right a BMX - Tom Boorman aka Hell on Wheels and one on a MTB, Aaron Dunford.
The idea of the race was quite simple, riders depart from a standing start at the bottom and race to the top. The mandatory standing start was required and the finish line was just before the round-a-bout on Moruben Rd. Many thanks to Richard Meikle and Garth Hodgson for being the official timers at the top and Chris Southwood (now loaded) for taking some happy snaps of the riders - more to be posted soon. Also looking forward to Oli C's Go-Pro footage!
I won't make this too laborious on you so here are the results:
Time to the Top then Name 1.36 Alex Dircks (fixed gear) 2011 Male Champion - RECORD 1.43 Oliver Cashman 1.53 Carl Fokkema 1.55 Garith Davies 2.00 Aaran Dunford 2.03 Carlin de Montfort 2.12 Lizanne Wilmont 2011 Female Champion - RECORD 2.29 Mike 2.47 Patrick Allen 2.53 James 2.58 Camila Norman 2.59 Matt Collins 3.24 Tom Boorman B-M-X
Looking forward to 2012 ASH KOM already!
This just in from one of the riders - Michael O:
So I was going from Cammeray to West Head with a coupla mates this morning... meeting at my place at 8am. Since Will had told me I had the 8.20pm slot, I figured I could do the Awaba TT if it didn't take too long, without annoying said co-riders too much. Arrived at the bottom of Awaba to find a bunch of cyclists sitting on their butts on the grass, and a little table with computers and clipboards and the like. So I figured they were all still signing in, and there was no way we were going to hang around to go at the back of that list. "Oh no," the organiser (Will?) said, "Everyone's had a go. Are you in"? The hilltop timekeeper very kindly got back in his mini and nipped up the hill to time us over the line. I say "us" because, as my mates James and Matt are not soft(!), they thought they might as well suffer along ... We went in one-minute intervals to a ragged cheer from the people on the grass eating cake and sipping coffee. Now I must confess I've been up Awaba about three times in the last fortnight. I was thinking this would be good for getting down a "technique" regarding gear changes and the like. But actually training on Awaba is counter-intuitive. The best time I ever did on the Hill of Death was about the first time I did it, cos I ran at the bottom really hard, and then ran out of juice half way up, but dug deep into the well of ... OK, not courage, probably stupidity ... to get through the last bit. The more I do Awaba, the more I realise how absolutely, stonkingly bloody awful it is. And I become increasingly more aware at the bottom how I'm going to be so oxygen-starved at the top, I'll be struggling to hold onto the bars and hold down my Weetbix, etc, and so I simply can't make myself go too fast at the bottom. Anyways, I struggled up over the line in 2:29 or thereabouts, close to my previous best. I'd guessed a time of 2.45 so I was less useless than I thought I was. James (who was on 53-39) and Matt (who has spent very little time on the bike lately and a lot of time at Christmas parties) came in under 3 mins and didn't die of a coronary or (so far) swear never to go on a ride with me again, so all was good. It looked fun and convivial on the grass but West Head and some proper Audax training was on the agenda, and off we went sans coffee and cakey. So, thanks again, Will, for organising it, hope it becomes a regular event, and that next year all you "sick note" types turn up! :-) My biggest regret is not seeing the fast people, cos I have no idea how they do it (pedal faster, I guess). Especially the bloke who did it in around 1:40. On a fixie. PS I now have a touch of the Balmoral Bronchitis. Awaba reaches parts of your lungs other hills don't. Saturday 17 December 2011
Congratulations to those who participated in the Sydney Summer Prestige Cyclo-Cross event which was held today out at Terry Hills. Held by Manly Warringah Cycling Club, this was the second instalment with two more rounds to go.
It was great to get out and support Carl Fokkema our twowheeltours sponsored rider. He did us proud, heading out from the start in lightening fashion and into the first section in first place ...
Not that it went down hill from here, quite the opposite, the boy -with family of Ali and baby Gilbert cheering from the sidelines dropped only one place in the race and placed second. Good thing the boy is not competitive!
Congratulations must go to the rest of the riders in 'elite' ... not to mention them all but Aaran Pearson and the CBD Crew lead by their fearless - recently turned 40 - Hugh Flower. Next race is scheduled at the JJ Melbourne Hills Memorial Reserve in Terry Hills on Saturday January 7 - link to park can be found here. Check out the MWCC link for more info.
Wednesday 14 December 2011
Wednesday 7 December saw the launch party for Edition #54 of RIDE Cycling Review Magazine. On the night twowheeltours got to talk about the 2011 Haute Route cyclo-sportif and tempt those in attendance about coming along on the 2012 tour.
Here is the review from the boys at RIDE
Start with a brand new issue of RIDE, combine a mix of readers, contributors and sponsors together, then finally add the General Manager of Australia's first ProTour team, Shayne Bannan – that was the first RIDE 'Issue Launch'. Held on Wednesday 7 December at 3 Weeds in Rozelle, the event brought together a wide variety of people with a shared passion: cycling.
As proof that cycling is not limited to the bike nor lycra, everyone there that night quickly struck up conversation with fellow readers, members of the cycling media, representatives from major brands and got a chance to chat to the general manager of the GreenEdge team, Shayne Bannan.
Following a couple of drinks and some delicious food (the arancini balls were particularly popular), Will Levy (below) talked to a full room about his experience of the Haute Route. Jealousy was perhaps the crowd's first response as Will detailed his participation in the seven-day cyclosportif that started in Geneva, Switzerland and worked its way through the most prestigious cycling areas in Europe, to finish up in Nice, France.
Will Levy from Two Wheel Tours elicited jealousy from the audience as he described his time in Europe on the Haute Route.
Accompanied by a slide-show that could bring a suburban cyclist to tears, Will described how the Haute Route offered its participants a gran fondo with a general classification. You can read all about Will's adventures climbing 17,000m in the week in the current issue of RIDE.
After receiving confirmation of his team's spot on the UCI World Tour on Tuesday, the guests present on Wednesday night listened to a relieved Bannan talk with Rob Arnold (Publishing Editor of RIDE Cycling Review, below) about the year ahead for the team and all were particularly interested in hearing about the team's Eritrean recruit, Daniel Teklehaymanot. Obviously proud of the young African rider, Bannan explained the incredible change in circumstance that has been brought about by cycling and of the potential that this cyclist has in the sport.
This was the first RIDE Issue Launch but it won't be the last. The next one is planned for Melbourne at a time to be decided but send an email to admin@ridemedia.com.au to indicate your interest for the night.
It is exciting time for the boys at RIDE Cycling Review. They now have the magazine available in a digital format through Zinio, more people than ever before can find out why RIDE has the reputation it does. For more information click here.
Wednesday 12 October 2011 A little clip from the boys at MarathonMTB and their prep meeting for Crocodile Trophy 2011 As part of their preparations for the 2011 Crocodile Trophy, Subaru-MarathonMTB.com's Justin Morris, Graeme Arnott and Mike Blewitt sat down with 2-time Croc Trophy participant Nick Both to get his insight into what is widely regarded as one of the toughest mountain bike stage races in the world. Good Luck Boys!
Monday 26 September 2011
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