NZCT STAGE 3-4: CRASH COUNT TALLIES FIVE!

I’ve scored the double bed on the first floor at the Angus Inn, while Carla enjoys her single, and Josie sinks on her fold out bed...which we actually disposed of on our first night. The process of eating, manoeuvring 6 bikes into the back of our 12-seater, eating, racing, eating, cleaning our crash wounds, eating, massaging our sore muscles and buckled backs, eating and sleeping...has become quite monotonous. Another two days of racing have passed, and our results are still worth boasting about. Carla remains in 8th on GC, Spratty 18th, and I am not really worth mentioning! We still hold the young rider jersey and are hopeful that tomorrow will only improve our situation. As we become tired, the girls are turning their visit to the ‘chocolate room’ into a ritual and I am quite devastated to add that the cookies and cream dessert I bought last night was too big for our freezer. As a result, it has melted, and been disposed of...

Rumour has it that Bird has been found on numerous occasions burrowing through the fridge at 3am for an ‘up & go’. On the contrary, I had a poor day of food consumption yesterday. Question: What do you eat when faced with a 130km day in the hills, finishing on a 12km climb, in 33 degree heat? How about nothing? I know...its bad... I thought about it often, but I simply never got around to it in my spare four hours! Large amounts were however consumed later (pictured). To make the day more interesting, I crashed early on, and Tiff was swept from her bike before spending a good 20kms chasing to regain contact. I was pleased to be lead bunch when we hit Admiral hill, but that didn’t last long. Carla rode away with the leaders to finish 6th, I lost contact early to tempo up the climb solo, and Bird could be found alongside Ina Teutenberg as she yelled to those attacking her bunch “China, what you doing? You cannot win!” in her famous German accent. To say it took me 20seconds to stand up straight after dismounting is an understatement!

I could say things didn’t quite go to plan for me today during stage 4...unless you include dropping your chain on the climb and crashing on the final lap a race plan? The first 15kms were strung out single file, and it wasn’t until a small break formed off the front that the bunch became propped. With a short 10km circuit, I thought the 12 hill repeats would take their toll. But the legs felt good thanks to Bird, who bought me back to the bunch after my mechanical =) The feeding zone was hectic, the climb was steep, and the coastline was windy. The rain held off until after the descent on the final lap, but that didn’t prevent some massive crashes as the roads became wet and our brakes became inadequate. I was involved in the first, suffering nothing but some gravel rash and a minor cut on the hip. The second crash claimed the majority of the bunch within the final kilometre, including previous victim Tiff. This time she was suffering shock and in need of some stitches. She is again ready for battle tomorrow!

Results: NZCT Women's Tour, Stage 3, Masterton - Admiral Hill, 125.5kms
Results: NZCT Women's Tour, Stage 4, Miramar Circuit, 126.0kms