I love the moment on the start line before any big race where you are completely alone in your thoughts. You ask yourself if you are ready. You have goose bumps on your arms. You have no place to run, no place to hide, its business time. On the start line of the 2012 Elite Road Nationals, this moment is shattered for me when Mike slaps me on the back and reminds me I told him 6 months ago I was going to medal in this race! Stretch goals or the dreamer’s disease, I’ll let you decide…
Races tend to follow patterns, but with the established hierarchy of NZ cycling missing (Roulston, Hendy and Julz), it was a nightmare trying to anticipate who was going to control the race and how it was going to play out. I guess most riders felt the same way because when the gun sounded the speed immediately ramped up to 55km per hour as everyone wanted to be in the early break. The unknown question was “if the break established who was going to chase it?”. At this point I realised the race was going to be loose without rules.
The first time up the much vaunted Dyers Pass climb, Paddy Bevin was pushing 600watts (as reported on his SRM live feed) to try to establish the break. Only Lap 2 and the bunch was tapped! The early pressures up the climb contributed to a group of 10 guys slipping off the front of the field around the back of the circuit as everyone grabbed a quick breather. I was right there when the move went, I watched as prerace favourites Paddy Bevin, Josh Atkins, Paul Odlin and Robin Reid moved away. I had to decide if I wanted to go or if I wanted to stay with the bunch. I decided to wait, I thought it was too soon for me. I’m not sure I chose wisely.
The next 6 laps followed a pattern. The break would ride consistently and extend their lead on the flat section of the course each lap to approximately 1min 30secs. Whereas the bunch knew if a small group of strong riders could bridge to the front, it would be game, set and match. The result was the bunch would attack itself on the flats and go like crazy up the hill. The sight of Vink dancing on the pedals up the climb to the tune of 600watts became common place (worse still, post-race photographic evidence showed he was smiling!)… Each lap, the pressure on the climb caused the bunch to fragment into 3-4 groups of 8-10 riders. Every lap a few more riders would slip off too far and not make it back. At the halfway mark the break was down to 8 guys with a bunch of 25-30 guys trailing by a minute. WWR were well represented with Mike, Andy, Tristan and Greg.
Lap 7, the race turned on its head. 3km before the climb, a small group attacked off the front of the bunch. At first 5 guys slipped off, then a further 10 powered off the front including Bauer and Vink. This is the biggest problem with NZ racing, guys hesitate and look to other riders to take responsibility. In the space of 1min, my race was almost derailed as I sat boxed in and watched helplessly as 15 guys started to disappear. Reading the danger, I went past Mike, shook my head and said “this is bad, this is really bad, we need to go across on the climb, we need to get across fast”. The pace up the climb on lap 7 was electric! The bunch blew to pieces. By the top, a group of 8 guys including race favourites Vink, Bauer and Yates had established a small lead. Mike and I hung tough and were able to latch onto the chase group of 7. The race was over for everyone else.
The next lap saw a furious pursuit with 3 groups of 8 riders were spaced out over 40secs. I was in the 3rd group on the road with Mike, Scott Lyttle, Joe Cooper, Shem Rodger, Jesse Sergeant and Chris Macic (good company). We were riding strongly and clawing our way back into the race, km by agonising km! As we crossed the start / finish line, the front 2 groups merged with our group trailing by a further 15secs. We were still 10secs adrift at the bottom of the climb. Riding up the hill the crowd was going mental! Dudes were blasting you with water pistols, BBQ smells carried the air, music was blasting, people were going crazy and while I might have been delirious I’m sure I could hear a GFT chant ringing out over it all! I gave everything, cresting the hill with Shem, Joe, Mike and Scott. We set about chasing again. This time we caught the bunch around the back of the circuit. When the dust settled, the race was back together and the bunch was down to 18 guys. Mike and I were clinging on by our finger nails. Unfortunately for me, I burned all my matches during this 2 lap frenzy and the next lap up the climb the elastic broke, my day was over. Mike lasted 1 more lap and was pulled from the race with an agonising 2 laps remaining. For the third year running, a WWR member was the last rider on the course not to finish.
The final 3 laps witnessed Mike Vink do something special. He went on the attack and challenged the field to catch him. They couldn’t, he won! The strength and determination of this young man was phenomenal. He demonstrated iron will and a total refusal to lose. Following Atkins’ win in Southland and the final results at Elites, the young guns have arrived. Not only have they knocked on the door, they have smashed it down. They are fearless and race with reckless abandonment. Guys like Vink, Atkins, Bevin, Avery, Bennett and Williamson look ready to carry the expectations of NZ cycling for years to come. Throw into the mix the exceptionally talented junior graduating class of James Oram, Fraser Gough, Dylan Kennett, Hamish Schreurs and Dion Smith, and it’s reasonable to proclaim NZ road cycling might be about to enter into a golden age.
Overall, WWR had a mixed day at the office. Andy (sick) and Chris did not perform to their expectations. I strongly believe if Andy was healthy, he would have medalled in the Elite race. He’s a tough bugger and this was a strong man’s race. Tristan racing in his first Elite Nationals put in a really creditable performance. Judging by the look in his eyes after the race, he’ll be back next year to settle unfinished business. Mike and I had very similar races. In fact it was unusual if we were more than 3 wheels apart all day. Overall, we were both satisfied with our performance, we climbed with the best and we fought all the way. In the end we were just outridden by some pretty good bike riders. That’s racing.
