Tour de Perth 2008; (Perth, WA).Tour report: Davina Summers
Stage 1 (Road Race): For only the second day of rain for the year in Perth it certainly made up for all the rain we have not had. I had assured my friends from QLD, Liz Young and Carly Hibberd (MC coaching Team, QLD) that the weather would be fine. Apparently we set some sort of new max-rain record. On the drive to the course in the morning there was a road-weather-alert and I just kept thinking about how dangerous it was going to be racing, what wheels to use, what pressure to put in my tires, should I use my Time Trial bike for stage 2???
We arrived early in Roleystone, before the commasaires and most of the organizing staff/volunteers. I am pretty terrible in the mornings, but I am keen so I should at least arrive at ‘work’ early and get organized. I was familiar with Stage 1 as it had been our state road race course in 2007 (which I had won) according to the program it was 104kms. It was out and back along Brookton Hwy and then a small 4km loop around Roleystone before an uphill finish. I was nervous, but calm and under control.
As expected it came down to a bunch sprint, with nothing much else happening. It rained so hard that it was hurting my face and every 20kms or so I had to unfog my sunglasses. There was nearly an incident on the very first corner (some 300m from the start) and at the turnaround point (about 45kms out), but thankfully we all stayed on the bikes. Josie Tomic (WAIS) did a couple of attacks, MB Coaching Team kept the pace high with numerous attacks and some counter ones. Linda Evans had a go and went off the front, no one reacted and she re-joined the group a few kms later. I gave a couple of hits, but with no real intension of getting away, unless I could get a few others with me. There was a few in the group who should have put themselves in the race prior to the last 4kms but sitting in and sprinting at the end seemed to be their style- a little silly as they were not going to win the sprints either. I was happy to finish with a bunch sprint at the end.
We turned right off Brookton Hwy to commence the 4km loop prior to the finish and I thought to myself “I don’t know if you girls know this yet, but I am going to win this stage” I made sure the pace was high around the 4km loop. I was a little over the race by then (we were so, so wet) and just wanted to finish- but I felt pretty good. We came to the last 1km and there was some miscommunication within the group. Liz Young (MB coaching) went off the front as she was under the impression that the finish was at the bottom of the hill (where the 200m to go sign was). I had her wheel and started to accelerate with her for a few strokes then calmed down, remembering how to best conquer this little berg.
Liz rejoined the group in front of me again as we all started to climb. There was some movement in the bunch as people started their sprint, then realizing that it was too early, and then struggled. It is a special hill that I have spent some time working out. As we approached the top of the hill, I kicked in the spot I wanted before I could even think about it. I seriously gave it everything that I had and I was in the position that I wanted to be in. I expected to see someone roll me on the line but there was no one in sight (that I could see anyway). I crossed the line and thought “holy crap, I have just won a stage in a National Road Series Race” and then I nearly fell off my bike. My win certainly surprised a few people, Stage 1 down, soaking wet, freezing cold, and three stages to go.
Stage 2 (Time Trial): I still had not decided whether to ride my TT bike or road bike in this event an hour before the race. It was only 5kms and an undulating course. I had come to the course and completed a few efforts on my TT bike earlier in the week and it had been more difficult that I had expected. There were sections that you could definitely gain an advantage by using a TT bike, but then be quite disadvantaged by using it in other sections. Because of the (wet, slippery) conditions and my increased comfort on my road bike, I finally decided to use this.
The course was a square and I was overly worried about the corners. There was a huge mix up with the start times (I had the same time as Camille Pallett) and then there was a delay in starting the TTs. It was an organizational disaster and I was embarrassed for the organizers, Cycling WA and WA as a state. Regardless, we all lined up, Liz Young (MB coaching) started 30 seconds in front of me, I wanted to catch her. I started well, then freaked out going through the first corner and slowed right down to turn. I remember thinking that this sort of riding was no way to get a good time and to maintain my first GC placing (as I had been instructed to by Andrew).Out of the first corner, I got back up to speed and was nearly puffed out with only 1km down. I had to find my rhythm and relax through the corners. The big descent was great (I like downhills that are not technical and with no one else around!), it made me relax, I know this course…I gave it everything that I had from that point on and crossed the line after sprinting up the imfamous ‘Roleystone School Hill’ (as for the finish of Stage 1).
There had been some mix up with the womens’ numbers so all the times that ATTA had collected needed to be transfer to the corresponding rider number. I was a little concerned with all the organizational mix-ups that our times would also be confused. Time trials are not my strong point, and I do not really do any TT efforts as a part of my program so I was not expecting to do well, and would be happy with the being in the top 5. After a great delay, I was given my time of 8:28 minutes and 3rd place. I was very surprised and quite impressed. Josie rode an awesome time of 8:02 to take first and Carly Hibberd took second five seconds ahead of me in 8:23. This set the scene for the overall CG. Holly (McClellan) went faster than Clare (Morgan) in a great effort.
Open – Women (Top 10)
1 75 Josie Tomic 08:01.8
2 80 Carly Hibberd 08:23.3
3 90 Davina Summers 08:28.0
4 94 Sarah Kent 08:36.3
5 81 Melissa Hoskins 08:45.2
6 92 Liz Young 08:48.6
7 88 Camille Pallett 08:51.1
8 76 Rebecca Armstrong 08:54.5
9 89 Patricia Palmer 09:06.1
10 85 Claire McLean 09:13.3
Stage 3 (Road Race #2): Post-wedding (last night), it was a little bit of a struggle to get up this morning. Not that I am any good in the morning anyway, but the drive (with Liz and Carly in the car behind) was hard work, I was so sleepy. At least the rain had stopped, but the hill course was about to begin. I had been dreading this race for the whole of the event. Even the neutral section down from Kalamunda to the Pickering Brook sanitarium start line hurt. I was the last one to the start line, even the support vehicles had overtaken me and I had witnessed all of the men urinating along the side of the road, nice. We were off on the 4 lap course.
In short, the move of the race went when Josie Tomic (WAIS) attacked on the Glenisla Rd Hill after the QOM (start of lap 3) and Carly Hibberd (MB Coaching) went with her, the rest of us were about 50m down the road still after the moves from the QOM. They stayed away for the whole of the race as MB Coaching girls would not chase (due to the team situation), and the others couldn’t (or wouldn’t) work with me and seemed happy to sprint off for third- I still wanted to win but did not have much choice as I had not been able to go with the winning move. Really, as a road sprinter in a hilly race, I should not expect to win, but still want to. In the final lap, we managed to pick up the pace in the last lap.
Liz Young keeping the pace high for the final, steep descent (leaving Trish Palmer at the rear doing minimal work). I was on Liz’s wheel for the descent, I took it easy up the first section of the final hill, a few of the girls were hitting it a bit harder. No one did a big attack- it seems as thought there was not much left in the tank of anyone. We made it up the hill and to the flat section 150m from the finish line. There was a few of us up the front (I had no energy to notice who, just that I wanted to beat them all), I started to kick, Trish was in front of me. I had time and a second kick to get her, with about 40m to go I kicked again, she changed gear and it didn’t change smoothly, I beat her to the line to take third. Josie had beaten Carly Hibberd by about ½ a bike length in the sprint for first and second. On the podium for the race that I had feared, with the hill that I hate, I was doing pretty okay. Obviously ASADA also thought so too as I was picked with Josie, Carly and Liz to be drug tested. We had minimal time in between stages 3 and 4 and we in Pickering Brook still, had to make it back up to Kalamunda for the drug testing and Stage 4.
The drug testing was about as organized as the whole event. I had a new friend “Mark” until the appropriate people also arrived back in Kalamunda. I had not had blood taken when being drug tested before and it made me feel quite dizzy. I don’t have issues with peeing in front of an audience (unlike some of the other girls) and was just trying to get it over and done with as soon as possible.
Stage 4 (Criterium): I was not going to be able in improve my GC in the criterium, so I decided to ride conservately to make sure I kept my 3rd place. The only was I was going to loose it was to not finish with the bunch. For the first 20 minutes I struggled with the cornering, and was fighting to stay with the group. Then it all came together (when I relaxed through the corners) and I felt really good. It was good to see Melissa putting herself on the line a bit for the first time this weekend, she did well to run second. Lizzie was quite aggressive, she later said that she had nothing to loose and hate it when people come out to watch women's racing and we all just roll around. Not much happened, no one really got away, it came down to a bunch sprint. I started my sprint with 600m to go, straight out of the corner- I little early you say??? well I realised that and kept an eye out for someone to come at me for the line, but no one came and my second kick was not required. I won the stage and Josie the tour. Below is video of the sprint finish. Note the "ugly husband syndrome" being exhibited in the background.
1 75 Josie Tomic 08:01.8
2 80 Carly Hibberd 08:23.3
3 90 Davina Summers 08:28.0
4 94 Sarah Kent 08:36.3
5 81 Melissa Hoskins 08:45.2
6 92 Liz Young 08:48.6
7 88 Camille Pallett 08:51.1
8 76 Rebecca Armstrong 08:54.5
9 89 Patricia Palmer 09:06.1
10 85 Claire McLean 09:13.3
Stage 3 (Road Race #2): Post-wedding (last night), it was a little bit of a struggle to get up this morning. Not that I am any good in the morning anyway, but the drive (with Liz and Carly in the car behind) was hard work, I was so sleepy. At least the rain had stopped, but the hill course was about to begin. I had been dreading this race for the whole of the event. Even the neutral section down from Kalamunda to the Pickering Brook sanitarium start line hurt. I was the last one to the start line, even the support vehicles had overtaken me and I had witnessed all of the men urinating along the side of the road, nice. We were off on the 4 lap course.
In short, the move of the race went when Josie Tomic (WAIS) attacked on the Glenisla Rd Hill after the QOM (start of lap 3) and Carly Hibberd (MB Coaching) went with her, the rest of us were about 50m down the road still after the moves from the QOM. They stayed away for the whole of the race as MB Coaching girls would not chase (due to the team situation), and the others couldn’t (or wouldn’t) work with me and seemed happy to sprint off for third- I still wanted to win but did not have much choice as I had not been able to go with the winning move. Really, as a road sprinter in a hilly race, I should not expect to win, but still want to. In the final lap, we managed to pick up the pace in the last lap.
Liz Young keeping the pace high for the final, steep descent (leaving Trish Palmer at the rear doing minimal work). I was on Liz’s wheel for the descent, I took it easy up the first section of the final hill, a few of the girls were hitting it a bit harder. No one did a big attack- it seems as thought there was not much left in the tank of anyone. We made it up the hill and to the flat section 150m from the finish line. There was a few of us up the front (I had no energy to notice who, just that I wanted to beat them all), I started to kick, Trish was in front of me. I had time and a second kick to get her, with about 40m to go I kicked again, she changed gear and it didn’t change smoothly, I beat her to the line to take third. Josie had beaten Carly Hibberd by about ½ a bike length in the sprint for first and second. On the podium for the race that I had feared, with the hill that I hate, I was doing pretty okay. Obviously ASADA also thought so too as I was picked with Josie, Carly and Liz to be drug tested. We had minimal time in between stages 3 and 4 and we in Pickering Brook still, had to make it back up to Kalamunda for the drug testing and Stage 4.
The drug testing was about as organized as the whole event. I had a new friend “Mark” until the appropriate people also arrived back in Kalamunda. I had not had blood taken when being drug tested before and it made me feel quite dizzy. I don’t have issues with peeing in front of an audience (unlike some of the other girls) and was just trying to get it over and done with as soon as possible.
Stage 4 (Criterium): I was not going to be able in improve my GC in the criterium, so I decided to ride conservately to make sure I kept my 3rd place. The only was I was going to loose it was to not finish with the bunch. For the first 20 minutes I struggled with the cornering, and was fighting to stay with the group. Then it all came together (when I relaxed through the corners) and I felt really good. It was good to see Melissa putting herself on the line a bit for the first time this weekend, she did well to run second. Lizzie was quite aggressive, she later said that she had nothing to loose and hate it when people come out to watch women's racing and we all just roll around. Not much happened, no one really got away, it came down to a bunch sprint. I started my sprint with 600m to go, straight out of the corner- I little early you say??? well I realised that and kept an eye out for someone to come at me for the line, but no one came and my second kick was not required. I won the stage and Josie the tour. Below is video of the sprint finish. Note the "ugly husband syndrome" being exhibited in the background.
All in all a pretty good weekend- two stage wins, on the podium each stage, and a 3rd GC for a NRS event. Now to work on hills and Time Trialling...so I can win them all.
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1 comment:
you owned that sprint!!
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