Masters Racing at Eastern Creek

[Chicken]

I never committed to a start  , Thats too early for me.  

I was merely informing you ("leather clad desperados" )to quote a man with a maelstrom personality , of your chance for a restart.  

I think i'll be on the coffee ride instead , missed out today so hopefully somebody will be there in the morning.

Hi Freya, what time are you thinking of doing hill repeats on Bumble Hill ?

[Hodgee]

I think the Chicken is chicken!

At least he is living up to his name.

[Chicken]

Shouldn't you blokes be getting to bed.

You have a 4.30 am wake up call at least.

And Hodgee stop trying to take the focus off you. We are still not sure about you yet. Nudge Nudge.

[Hodgee]

The focus is on you now Chicken - Skinny boy.  Does your computer work in the steam room!!

Good night.

[freya]

I LOVE THE FREEWAY!!!!!!!! I MAY NEVER RACE AGAIN.....just rolling smooth road with the continuous passing of truck and cars.......ahhhh blissss. But you are right I should have raced........... Anyone up for a 530 start tomorrow morning Peats Ridge way? I need to be finished by 8....perhaps Bumlbe Hill repeats........

[jock]

If you love the freeway then you'll love riding on the Pacific Hwy even more.  It's like Luna Park without the exorbinant costs.  Thrill a minute.  Come try it some time.

[jock]

Oh yeah, the race report!

It was a small crew that headed south for the Childrens Hospital Masters race (shame on you everyone who piked out at the last minute!).  The dynamic duo (Mark and Rod) and Hodgee and myself left Kariong in the same drizzly stuff as yesterday.  Cleared by the time we reached the M7 tolls.

Good numbers and good atmosphere at the start. Paul Worby joined us and was elected team sprinter due to his local knowledge and the fact he mumbled '..err... um... OK I guess...' when asked how he was feeling.  Hodgee joined C grade after being told he didn't stand a snowflake's chance in hell of riding in D grade.

The men to mark were Peter Molistic (who recently broke the long-standing ATTA TT record and NSW roadman of the year 01, 03, 04) and Eddie Salaas (6th 1988 Olympic Road Race and NSW roadman of the year 83, 84, 88, 94, 99).

After a cruisey start the pace picked up with the bicology team putting in a number of surges. Molistic hit the front after the pack had mown down about 4 of those surges taking two other riders with him.  The bicology team were working the pack over brilliantly, soft-pedalling at every opportunity and splintering the pack whenever they could.  Out in front Molistic and his riding buddies had opened up a handy 250m lead.

After the umpteenth attempt at hauling them back Eddie Salas launched off the back of the pack and careened up the road in an attempt to bridge across to the lead three.  He succeeded and the bicology crew's negative tactics went into overdrive.  The pack lost all momentum and with it any hopes of bringing the lead riders back.

So we were now racing for 5th place.  Team Up&Go riders retired from the front to take a breather and work out how to get Paul to the line ahead of the rest of the pack.  Rod maintained a watching brief at the front and found himself in a minibreak of 5 or 6 riders with a lap to go.  Mark and I formed up in front of Paul who had no blocker behind him for protection.  No worries, he'd just have to hold my wheel no matter what.

Mark hammered it out of the hairpin with one turn and the long straight to go.  He drove through slower riders ahead like a splitting block through a log.  I took over coming up the rise into the last turn where we caught the mini-break.  We were in front (which is exactly where you don't want to be) but had the advantage of speed over the guys still getting over the rise. 

Paul held Mark's wheel for as long as he dared, then jumped onto the wheel of a faster rider, then another, then another before launching for the line and take 5th by half a bike-length.  Job well done, and his reward for all that hard work?  A 5 LED headlight! Awesome.

Hodgee was seen to be riding strongly and finished just off the podium in about 8 place.  Not to shabby considering he was riding on his own and a novice at Eastern Creek Raceway. 

[mick curran]

you old guys dont go too bad!

hope your all still racing when i join the team when im 30 in 2013. (thats if i gain selection)

well done

[rosko]

Is anyone racing at Eastern Creek this Sunday?

[jock]

Is anyone racing at Eastern Creek this Sunday?

Not a chance.  Stumpy's organised a trip to Swansea again.