Course: Volcano Circuit
Distance: 6 Laps (27km/16.8mi 120m)
(no stream)
I’d just munched my lunch and decided to jump on this race at the last moment. Stupid idea really. A quick calibration, change and I was in the pen with about 4 mins to go, No time to setup a stream. This time I had my 10yr old son sat next to me spectating though.
A quick spin up and we were off on the lead-in to the Volcano. First time up the ramp into the volcano is always a good test. A short sharp 6% showed that, despite sore legs from a nasty Rouvy climb a couple of days ago, the legs seemed ok and were up for it.
A lead group of 13 formed quickly and we ticked each of the six laps off in similar fashion. No one made a break as most were recovering after each of the sprints up the ramps. It was more like an interval workout than a race. We lost one rider leaving 12 of us in the lead. Occasionally the group got stretched and I almost got caught out a couple of times but the pace seemed fairly high throughout.
My surfing skills were a but rusty as I surged too hard too many times. As the last lap loomed the group stretched on the penultimate climb into the volcano which put me in the red for a bit longer than I liked. I spent the last lap recovering , hanging in there and as the sprint loomed my lunch and a stitch blunted my effort so I just rolled in for 12th rather than puke over my son.
Good workout though which cleared the lactic out my legs.
