The primary objective of the Amy Gillett Foundation “to reduce death and injury between cyclists and motorists”

To learn more about our programs visit www.amygillett.org.au  

Well it’s been a pretty active first week here to say the least. As soon as we arrived I made contact with Gile Cubric, the Serbian national cycling team coach and director, who also runs the local club here in Kraljevo. My original plan was to bring my bike over to do some riding with their club just to alay the inevitable boredom of being here for 8 weeks. The first thing Gile said to me was “you have races Saturday and Sunday.” Of course once I had agreed I then found out that these races were to be a 125km (actually ended up being 150km) road race on the Saturday from Belgrade to Cacak, followed by a 100km criterium in Kraljevo on the Sunday which then headed as a road race to a town 20kms away and finished up the mother of all climbs up a dirt road! And this wasn’t just a local club event… there were teams from Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Macedonia and all over Serbia… serious guys with serious looking legs! Lidija’s sister drove me up to Belgrade via the race route which took over 3 hours by car. I felt sick when I saw the climb that we were going to have to do, but at the same time I agreed with her that I would probably not make it that far so I wouldn’t have to worry. I rocked up to the start in Belgrade on Saturday feeling very nervous and out of place with my skinny hairy legs! It was boiling hot and I still had pretty severe back pain from a muscle strain I had caused myself a few days before. I met the guys from the Kraljevo team, who were basically like “who are you?” and that was about it… I was on my own. I just tried to enjoy the spectacle of participating in an international road race, and concentrated on not embarrassing myself by getting dropped in the first few kilometers! And it was an amazing experience to be IN a race that was fully supported with police escort, who closed the main road south from Belgrade all the way for the race, hearing the whirring police bike sirens as they blocked intersections along the way, the familiar horn (like in the Tour de France) of the race director car up ahead, looking back from the peloton to see the flotilla of following team cars with spares, water and food. At some places spectators lined the road, cheering.

It wasn’t all beer and skittles of course though… right from the start, there was attack after attack which put me at my limit just to stay with the main group for the first 40-50kms… the average speed was mid 40’s and at times we were doing over 70. It was my first experience like this to be literally dragged along by a group of about 100 riders at that kind of speed. At times it felt so easy but then some would control the race by slowing the peloton then attacking immediately to keep changing pace… I just had to hang on. After 110kms came the dreaded climb and sure enough I was dropped from the pack, and started to suffer from cramps. As my team car drove along side I stubbornly said that I would ride to the top of the climb, and when I got there, I saw that there were several other riders within a few hundred metres who had also been dropped. I told the support car to go up to the main group and I would finish alone. I managed to find myself in a small group of about 8 dropped riders and we rode the final 35 or so kms together to the finish. I kept battling the cramps all the way but I knew that I would kick myself for coming so far and giving up if I let them get the better of me. Those last 25kms felt so long. (especially as I had thought the race was only 125kms long!… that was really cruel!)

Lidija had driven to Cacak to wait for me, and it was a pretty special feeling riding past her on the finishing straight… I think she was more amazed that I had made it than I was!)

Soon after the relief of the finish had worn off, I realized that I had to back up again on Sunday! I could have said no of course but something made me say what the hell! It was the same deal, escort out of Kraljevo to a local car racing circuit with 18 laps of the 5.5kms track followed by the next 20kms on road and the big dirt hill! The pace was again fierce from the start, and once again I thought I would be dropped early on but managed to settle in and just stay in the pack. There were several crashes, mainly due to the incredible aggression and risk taking of these guys, which I luckily managed to avoid, and by the time we headed out on the road to the finish I was really enjoying it. It really is a special feeling being sucked along at over 50kms/hr only cms from the wheel in front! Like I said the final climb was a horrendously steep dirt road that most cars can’t even go up. It was very difficult to get traction on the back wheel so you couldn’t really stand on the pedals. There were guys falling off all over the place. The only thing that saved me was my compact crank set which means I had a lower gear set up than most, so I could turn the pedals easier. I have never been happier to have it than then! Thanks to that I managed to finish about half way down the field, once again amazed that I lasted… but completely at the end of my ability and endurance.

Needless to say I spent most of that night and Monday in bed with severe stomach cramps, diarrhoea, and very sore legs!

I went and trained again today (Tuesday) with some guys from the club. It is funny to be brought back to earth as one asked me, “did you finish both rides on the weekend?” to which I proudly said “Da”, and his reply was, “Well of course, you didn’t do any attacks so you didn’t really have to work hard”! These guys don’t mince words.

Send the link to those you know.

youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ahg6qcgoay4&feature=player_embedded

This is Robo’s first state title medal and in a hotly contested field it was a fantastic result.

Congrats Paul!!

A Zen Moment before the Race

Warming Up

On the Dias

Behind Every Good Cyclist is an even better woman! 

ANZAC DAY CRIT:

U13
1. Brittany Dutton (Dutton Cycles)  – YAY!!!
2. Jessica Pratt (Logan)
3. Jackson Carman (Logan)
4. Yannik Frank (Balmoral)
5. Kyle Meyer (Dutton) – YAY!!! – Kyle’s first ever race!
6. Emil Vejby (SCCC)
7. Henry Parkin (SCCC)
8. Karl Strohfeldt (SCCC)
9. Zachary Leask (SCCC)
10. Alistair Torr (HPRW)

Masters B
1. Simon Meyer (Dutton Cycles) – YAY!!!
2. Colin Richards (Ipswich)
3. Michael Walker (FFAST)
4. Steve McClean (WRCC)
5. Brad Dutton (Dutton Cycles) – YAY!!!

Masters C
1. Marcus Neil (WRCC)
2. Colin Flaherty (Dutton Cycles) – YAY!!!
3. Martin Millard (Uni)
4. Brian O’Connell (FFAST)

Sorry we missed it Col – and well done on a Silver in Masters C!

The event flyer is attached for your information.

The close date has now been extended till THIS Thursday 30^th of April.

Come along and watch some of Australia and New Zealand’s finest athletes compete for the National title and enjoy some racing of your own.

We hope to see you all there

ENTER ONLINE NOW www.qld.cycling.org.au

2009 PARIS-ROUBAIX

LIVE on SBS — Sunday 12 April @ 10:10pm (AEST)

Next to the Tour de France, one of the world’s most spectacular and unique cycling events is the Paris Roubaix — the race all cyclists would love to win.

Paris Roubaix, the most prestigious single-day professional bicycle road race on the calendar is held in northern France, with the 260 kilometre stretch starting in Compiegne and finishing in Roubaix, near the Belgian border.

SBS will broadcast the 2009 event LIVE on Sunday 12 April from 10:10pm (AEST). Presenter Mike Tomalaris and former European-based professional, David McKenzie will be joined by respected cycling journalist Rupert Guinness with Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen providing expert commentary.

The Brisbane 2 Ipswich Challenge is on so get on your riding gear and be part of supporting some great causes.  Over the years the race has already raised close to $100,000 for the Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation and Ipswich Hospital Foundation

Formally the Mall 2 Mall Challenge this ride has been a magnificent success and gets bigger and better every year.

What:                2009 Goodna RSL Services Club Brisbane 2 Ipswich Challenge

When:               Sunday 26 April 7am start arrive in Ipswich from 9am

Where:             Starts Moorland Park, Toowong and finishes at Queen’s Park, Ipswich

Who:                Bernie Ripoll MP and 1000 cyclists

Cost:                $40 adults and only $20 kids under 16

Why:                 For a great community cause and some fun on the bike

Register online at www.brisbane2ipswichchallenge.com

For more information email bernie.ripoll.mp@aph.gov.au or call 3818 3900.

Yours sincerely

BERNIE RIPOLL

Patron of the Brisbane 2 Ipswich Challenge

& Fellow Cyclist