Total KM's Ridden: 121km
Pre Ride Weight: 78.2kg
Post Ride Weight: 78.2kg
So what do you do on a rest day - go for a ride of course!!
After Father Christmas departed for the North Pole yesterday morning I was looking forward to what will be our last sleep in morning for the rest of the week. I awoke with the legs feeling pretty fresh - at 4.45am!!!!!! More trucks with their reverse beepers this morning, plus a street sweeper, plus sirens. I laid in bed for another hour and a half, then wrote on my blog before heading down the breakfast where I was able to contain my gluttony a bit better than yesterday!!
We had a briefing about today's ride - it was going to be short, but very hilly taking in Belair Rd, Sheoak Rd (which has 20% inclines), then the final climb up to Mt. Lofty. Bade (our Ride Director) was saying that we should take it easy, we didn't have to set any Strava records (Strava is an app that records your rides and gives you times for each different section that you ride including hills), and because of the heat we should just go out there and enjoy ourselves. Also due to the hot weather, we have to 'weigh in' before and after our rides so they can monitor our fluid intake on the ride. If we come back under it means that we are not drinking enough. That is why I the pre and post ride weights are there.
We headed out complete with our front and rear police escorts and rode towards Belair Rd. My theory today was to sit at the back of the group, take it real easy, spin the legs, and do no work. I was at the back of our group all the way from the Tour Village to the beginning of Belair Rd, then as so often happens with me, my theory went out the window!!
Two other riders were just ahead, so I just tagged on the back all the way up to the top. It was a solid ride, but nothing that I thought I was over exerting myself on, however Strava said I did a PR (Personal Record) for the Belair Rd Climb, and also for the Windy Point climb - hey I was only following!!
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| The Group At The Top Of Belair Rd |
We re-grouped at the top, had some drinks, then started for the next leg which was Sheoak Rd. This road is steep starting off with a 20% incline, then a little break, then another steep bit, then a little break, then another steep bit and so on!!! Again, I thought that I was setting a good but not a kill myself tempo. This was my first time up this hill so I had no previous attempts to compare it to - but was the third rider to reach the cars at the top.
We then made our way up the Crafers to Mt. Lofty, and again I thought I was setting a good tempo, except one little surge up the final hill, but Strata once again said I did a PR. I have previously done 29 efforts up this climb, and this was the fastest one by 43secs!! I think I am hitting peak form just at the right time!!
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| At The Top Of Mt. Lofty |
On our way back we called into Bicycle Express where I bumped into my all time favourite rider - Simon Clarke from Team Cannondale!! He was happy to have a quick chat and a photo before he had to rush out the door - Thank You Simon!!
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| My All Time Favourite Rider - Simon Clarke!! |
From there it was across the road to the Metropolitan for dinner, then a few of us went out for gelati, then just a quiet night before getting to bed early before tomorrows first stage - in 40c heat and a northerly!!
Crap Pro's Go Through: Groupies
Just like a rock band that has its groupies, so do cycling teams and also the cyclists themselves. Luckily the Tour Down Under (TDU) is seen as a relaxed atmosphere and not high stress like the Tour De France etc. The cyclists all like the TDU as they stay in the same hotel for the duration of the race rather than having a different room each night.
However this brings out the groupies. There are people waiting both inside and outside the Hilton hoping to get an autograph or photograph (or both!). When the teams go out on their rides there is a heap of cyclists that ride behind them - behind the team car that is. Today when Team Etixx went out there would have been 40 riders behind them! I'm not criticizing groupies, as I am slightly one too, however I'm sure it does get to the pro's after a while.
