Here is this weeks Sunday Ride report. I have refrained from posting it earlier out of deference to the LOTW.
We had 15 out on Sunday and departed at 7:40 am with people pointing out it wasn't time to go as Mike T hadn't arrived. Right on cue he rounded the corner.
A warm BG welcome to Brayden, Tobias' son, who has been riding track and was coming along to get some road kilometers in his legs.
The pace all the way down Port road and Victoria Road was remarkably steady. I did the first turn and can testify it was a long way to the back of the group. As we passed the reserve on Victoria road another group came past us, they must have really turned on the pace to catch us as they were shedding slower riders in the process. They rode straight past with a bit of attitude. You could see a few of the fast boys start twitching when that happened; you cant let that sort of behavior go unchallenged. Inevitably they started the chase.
The sudden increase in pace split the group into three despite there being a light tail wind at the time.
- A breakaway with the interlopers who started the reaction by daring to pass, sorry I didn't see who was in it apart from Andy W
- A chase group that I estimate at 3 seconds back when they started chasing
- The peleton another 3 or 4 seconds back.
It was 4 parts really as unfortunately Brayden, riding on junior gearing, had no chance and exited the group.
The Chase group was led by Brian and the peleton by Steve B who both completely buried themselves in the chase. Brian pushed hard and brought the chase group back to the breakaway. I think it was somewhere around Osborne. Back in the peleton there was the usual swearing and a mad scramble as people grabbed the nearest wheel which wasn't easy as we were now dodging riders shed by the interlopers. Steve B picked a steady pace and the rest of us stopped grumbling and got to work which brought the peleton back intact not long before the first turn. It was Bastardi Gruppetto compacto but it wasn't to last. At the first turn the sprint was on. I took shelter behind Mike T and along with Graham and a few other was towed to the line. Many thanks Mike.
As reported the results of the First Sprint:
- Hugh
- Mo
- David H
The second sprint also had interlopers but a bit friendlier this time with some compliments for the group. I am not sure if David H wanted to pull off and no one came past to take over or if he intended it but this time it was him who buried himself with a "heroic" lead out. By "heroic" I mean "crazy brave". The second sprint was a photo between Frank and Dan. I was told that Frank took it.
The group was a bit split up with David H waiting for Tobias and Brayden and a group including myself and Frank (taking it extremely easy) at the back. There was an unexpected benefit to being at the back when a young lady who everyone else would have missed emerged to cross the road. Approved by the BG's. Ah! the beach rides of summer.
By this time the wind had come up and the transit back from Glenelg was quick to say the least. At Evida's, Andy W suffering the effects of the night before bought a Corona on the hair of the dog theory. The ice broken there was a run on Liquid carbs. After erm "coffee" most returned home via Henley beach with only Brian and myself returning via Anzac Highway. Hence there wasn't another sprint or climb to test the liquid carb theory. We should put that to a test another day.
A great day out
A great day out
