Result: 1st Overall
It has been a while since my last race and after a few weeks of good consistent training I was really keen to head out to Monzi and test the legs. The Big Five races are always great fun and the organizers do a great job of putting on well run events.
It looked like it was going to be a scorcher of a day but I don't think anyone realised just how hot it would get with some people recording well over 40 degrees Celsius and with the wind doing the usual Zululand thing and absolutely howling it would make for a good tough days racing.
I knew the course was relatively flat so I had decided to just attack every small incline that came my way to make things difficult. After about 2kms I found myself out front on my own with Werner Moolman and Sean Merridew chasing just behind. Not wanting to go alone to early I backed off slightly and rode with the two rather then burning myself out into the head wind.
About 16kms into the 50km race we came to another short steep climb, I decided to have another go and was once again off the front on my own so instead of sitting up I went for it alone, this is always a risk on such a flat course with howling winds as both Sean and Werner are extremely strong and could work together to bring me back but I was there for a good hard day on the bike and decided to back myself. It was mentally quite tough after that as they were out of sight but I was constantly worried they would be chasing back so I kept my head down and pushed on.
I eventually crossed the finish line victorious and not realizing I had managed to pull an 8min gap over Gareth Harrington who had come back very well to finish in 2nd overall and Sean Merridew crossing in 3rd with my Dad and Coach finishing just behind in a close 4th.
No comments:
Post a Comment