EUROPA cafe
Winter Aggregate Race Series
26th August 2018

W.A.R.S. – race 9
Team Time Trial

Waubra – 42 km

The final challenge – out and back again.

“I will return.”
“I shall return.”
“I have returned.”
-Douglas MacArthur

THE FINAL BATTLE

FOG CLEARS – THEN WINTER SUNSHINE

HUMBER DEFENDS W.A.R.S. TITLE

Nineteen riders assembled for the final round of the EUROPA Cafe 2018 Winter Aggregate Race Series – the Team Time Trial.  Foggy pre-race conditions gave way to brilliant sunshine before the event started.

The rules of the Team Time Trial are a secret…
scratched onto a sheet of rusty corrugated iron, the rules are hidden from would be raiders and only dragged out on race day.
All anyone needs to know is that entries are split into teams of riders with similar ability.  Each team is allocated a “secret” handicap mark.  Teams are released from the starting gate at intervals in the race of carrots – where you either are chasing a carrot, or you are the carrot.
The game plan is simple – ride hard!  Calculations are made after each team has crossed the finish line and the winners are announced.

TEAM Bacchus Marsh:
The first team away was the trio of Jacqui Dawson, Terry Collie and John Faulkner.  Dawson has been in terrific form in her first race season – however this was her first TTT. Collie has been gradually building fitness – post winter holidays – as he aims at the spring Opens.  Road Captain Faulkner was back for his first race in months – he had been tapering all winter for this event.

Out on the road, Dawson quickly assumed pacing responsibility.  The head wind on the way out to the turnaround was strength sapping and the long climb back up Mount Misery all but sealed the team’s fate.
At the line Dawson was heard to ask if she should go back and fetch her team…

TEAM Fidel:
The next team on the road included Dan Whelan, Roger McMillan, Phil McLennan and Road Captain James Gretton.  Whelan is usually Road Captain due to not hearing instructions from anyone else, however no one could hear him talk today – either acute laryngitis or his beard was too thick to allow sound out.  Gretton is still not completely on top of his game – so having Whelan along as a work horse was ideal – the short course would suit his form line.  It is always difficult to tell how McMillan is going form wise – it is up and down like a yo-yo at the best of times.  McLennan was out to learn some more race craft from his experienced team mates.

Their race panned out as expected.  Whelan doing a lot on the front into the wind even though he is still crook.  McMillan and McLennan working hard to rotate and rest up the big engines.  Gretton “owning” the downhill sections.
All four crossing the line as a team!

TEAM Jet:
Almost the entire winning Team from 2017 were reunited to attempt back to back victories.  Jeremy Humber, Mark O’Callaghan and Road Captain Peter Livitsanis were joined by new recruit – Rick Calvert.
Humber already had the 2018 W.A.R.S. title secured, so today was more about team mates than self.  Livitsanis was still a chance of finishing on the W.A.R.S. podium.  O’Callaghan has had a horrid winter, so fast miles in the legs suited his program.  Calvert is stripping fitter and stronger than ever before – he came in to replace Whelan, who was dumped.

The virtual meat in the sandwich, Team Humber’s plan was to limit their losses to the faster teams.  Calvert provided a big engine for the team to follow, the others doing their bit and making sure everyone stayed together.

TEAM Riff Raff:
Matt Bowman, Rob Phillips, Jason Hendry and Road Captain Dean Wells were the second to last team away.  Bowman heard there was a Time Trial on and fronted up for his first race in quite a while.  Phillips is still on the comeback trail from his winter break.  Hendry was out for his first ever TTT.  Wells had created a foolproof plan to win the day – fast at the start, fast in the middle, fast at the end.

Out on the road and Wells soon realised that he hadn’t actually told the other team members what his plan was.  Bowman was strong.  Phillips provided great relief.  Hendry is getting stronger each race.

TEAM Shark:
Tim Canny, Jason Birch, Tavis Baker and Road Captain Craig Lee created a most formidable team.  Canny was back for his first race in a few weeks. Baker was having his last hit out before flying to Varese, Italy for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships.  Lee was drooling with excitement over racing a time trial.  Birch, less so.

From the gate the pecking order was quickly established.  Canny and Lee setting the pace, Birch and Baker providing support whilst keeping the other two tamed.

How the race evolved:

With teams starting at three minute intervals, the field spread was just five kilometres by the time TEAM Shark set off.  TEAM Bacchus Marsh saw a steady procession of teams pass them inside the first 17 kilometres of the race.  TEAM Fidel held the lead for a short while before TEAM Jet swept to the front at the 20 Km mark.
Through the turnaround and everyone got to see just how close TEAM Shark was.  TEAM Riff Raff had reached the front of the race with 19 kilometres remaining.
The long drag up Mount Misery was aided by a light tailwind.  TEAM Shark caught TEAM Jet with 15 kilometres remaining.  TEAM Riff Raff were still at the head of the race – but road position means nothing in this event!  Figuring they only had a 3 minute advantage, they were striving to lead the field home.  TEAM Shark edged closer and closer (cue Jaws music…).

Through Addington and the climb back up Edmonston Road finally saw the catch.  Onto the home straight and TEAM Shark tried to stretch their lead beyond half a minute.  A final effort from TEAM Riff Raff saw the gap close to just 14 seconds on the line.  TEAM Jet came through just over two minutes later.  A longer wait for the remaining teams.

Back at the club rooms the all important calculations were made.  The end result was quite tight with TEAM Jet winning the day by just four seconds, further cementing Humber’s place at the top of the W.A.R.S. points table.  The result also saw Livitsanis hold onto second place, with Lee jumping into third.

Race results:
1st – Team Jet (Calvert, Humber, Livitsanis, O’Callaghan)
2nd – Team Shark (Baker, Birch, Canny, Lee) @ 4 secs
3rd – Team Riff Raff (Bowman, Hendry, Phillips, Wells) @ 18 secs
4th – Team Fidel (Gretton, McMillan, McLennan, Whelan) @ 1m 9s
5th – Team Bacchus Marsh (Collie, Dawson, Faulkner) @ 11m 31s

EUROPA Cafe 2018 Winter Aggregate Race Series – final standings
1st – Jeremy Humber
2nd – Peter Livitsanis
3rd – Craig Lee

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EUROPA cafe
Winter Aggregate Race Series
12th August 2018

W.A.R.S. – race 7
Handicap

Mount Misery – 55 km

Lee stakes a claim

“A warrior seeks to act, rather than talk.”
-Carlos Castenada

Round 7 of the 2018 EUROPA cafe W.A.R.S. saw fifteen riders head out onto the Mount Misery course for a fast and furious 45 kilometre handicap.  Sunshine bathed Lake Learmonth, however Bill Goldfinch remembered to flick the “wind” switch before leaving the club rooms.  The strong westerly had kicked in by the time the riders were warming up along Weatherboard Road.  So strong, the magpie darn’t swoop the lycra warriors.
The wind was quickly evaporating the puddles out on course left from the overnight rain, actually, maybe it was just blowing the water away.

Graeme Parker rode off in Limit in a solo capacity at 23 minutes.  This has become a familiar sight throughout 2018.  Graeme’s regular partners have raced less frequently.  We should never underestimate just how tough it is to ride an Individual Time Trial nearly every week.  It is only a matter of time before a windless race day arrives.  We won’t see Graeme until post race on that day!

The Handicapper has paid close attention to Roger McMillan ever since he won bronze in the Division 2 Club Criterium Championship.  That kind of form does not go unnoticed, even if it was four and half months ago.  Brought back in to 12 minutes, McMillan also rode off alone, with an ever watchful eye towards the road behind, in anticipation of the inevitable catch.

The largest group of the day rode off at 8 minutes.  The middle bunch were five strong and fielded some big engines.
Michael Veal was racing – moved out a whopping 6 minutes since his last race – with ample support to be provided by Mark O’Callaghan, Bob Morley, Jeremy Humber and Peter Livitsanis.  A good day in the making for Livitsanis, with plenty of lycra to shelter behind!

Second Scratch rode off at 2 minutes and saw the return of Rob “Big MiG” Phillips.  The inform Andrew Rushton was out for more success.
Dean Wells and the ever improving Jason Hendry just there to make up numbers.  Could the quartet keep Scratch at bay for a third race in a row?

Scratch was Shark free (no Tim Canny) again, however that didn’t mean an easy ride was in store.  Lindsay Burgoyne is in sparkling form as his trip to Italy and the UCI Grand Fondo World Championships looms.  He was all the more eager to strike a winning blow today after an untimely location error cost him dearly at Paraparap the week before.  Tony Mirabella was keen to atone for his mechanical incident the previous week, but would he be fit enough to match the young guns?
Jason Birch and Craig Lee planned to hit the tarmac hard today.  Game plan = Rip as much time as possible out of the leaders into the headwind, then smash it home with the tail!

With few bunches out on the roads, it was difficult to work out how the race was panning out.  The westerly provided a tough head wind all the way from Addington to Black Bottom Road.  The groups battled to hold their numbers intact.  The solo riders just battled.

Passing Waubra the 2 minute group could sense Scratch closing on them fast.  The catch was made just 17 kilometres into the race and added more firepower to the flying Scratch riders.
Up the road, McMillan had joined ranks with the 8 minute group.  Parker was still out in front.

Sweeping onto Black Bottom Road brought a new challenge with the right to left cross wind.  On the narrow sections their was barely enough tarmac for more than four riders to echelon across.  This proved especially dire for the combined Scratch bunch.  Phillips went out the back and Rushton followed soon after – particularly cruel after having just done a turn on the front.
Scratch motored on with Lee ramping the pace up each time he hit the front.  Burgoyne was strong in his bouncy way.  Birch was more grounded and just as strong. Mirabella managed his pace, wary that Lee’s speed might blow the bunch apart.  Wells did the odd turn.  Hendry was glad just to hang on.

Nearing the Ercildoune Road intersection, Scratch could see the 8 minute bunch ahead.  It was only a matter of time now.

Onto Ercildoune Road and Lee put the afterburners on with Burgoyne.  Birch and Mirabella swapped turns and the pace stayed high.
Ahead and Morley put the call out to the bunch that Scratch were coming.  The pace went out of the bunch, maybe too much.  Humber eased off the back to give himself room to latch on.
Whoosh and Scratch were through.  The 8 minute bunch all jumped aboard.

Straightening up on Ercildoune Road and some big efforts from the Scratch men saw the screws tighten just a fraction too much and the 8 minute riders started popping off the back.  Humber, his eyes on the overall W.A.R.S. title, held fast.  His former mates all left in the wake.

At the front of the race Parker knew they would be coming for him.  If he could just make it up the hill to Weatherboard, well, maybe he would have a chance.
Ten kilometres to go…

Scratch were still plying on the pressure – at least those who thought there was another bunch up ahead were.  Lee and Birch were happy to let those other guys do the bulk of the work, they knew Parker was the only rider up the road.
With 6 kilometres remaining, Scratch caught and passed Parker.  Wells was on the front and took the bunch up the hill towards Weatherboard.
Eventually the whole group was made aware they were at the head of the race.  Wells powered on – knowing he’d blown it again – the rest of the bunch more than happy to sit on for the free ride to the finish line.
Past the Avenue, down the dip.  The race was going to finish in a sprint.
Hendry launched very early, not sure how long his sprint would last, or exactly where he needed to go from – rookie mistake.
Lee and Co. just followed his wheel then sprinted when the time was right.  Burgoyne, Mirabella and Humber threatened for the barest instance before Lee and Birch got their gap.
The drag race was on, but Lee had the lead by a bike length and held his upper hand to the line for a deserved First and Fastest.

Post race and Lee drew his own raffle ticket to claim the ultimate trifecta.  O’Callaghan won another bag of spuds…

Results:
1st – Craig Lee (Scratch)
2nd – Jason Birch (Scratch)
3rd – Tony Mirabella (Scratch)
4th – Lindsay Burgoyne (Scratch)
5th – Jeremy Humber (8 mins)

Fastest Time – Craig Lee (Scratch) in 1h 10m 45s, ave. 37.8 Kmh

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