Tour de Worcester

Tour de Worcester. – Neil Swarts

 

Day broke as the sun painted the snow capped mountains pink and red.  It looked like a beautiful day until we noticed the howling winds on the other side of the Du Toitskloof Tunnel... it was going to be a hard day in the saddle.

 

We set off at an easy pace with the guys catching up as this was the first league race of the season. 

 

After 4k’s things heated up as the first attacks went.  The pace was fiery through Rawsonville and the gutter started to take its toll on those legs that were not yet used to race pace.  Because of the wind and high speed, the bunch was stretched across the road from the left shoulder to the right and the race was stopped twice as we received a friendly but serious warning from the race commesaire.  After about 40k’s the leading bunch consisted of about 20 riders which included myself and Tredoux.  At 45k’s I was dropped by a hard attack from Tredoux (thanks team mate!!) 

 

Stu’s knee packed up as a result of new pedals he bought a week or so earlier and he waited for the women’s bunch (nice move).

 

The pace in the leading bunch was very fast with attacks going all the time which ended in a break staying away consisting of David Garrett and Garth Thomas.  Tredoux finished in the first bunch with a very credible 12^th place.

 

The chasing bunch of about 20 riders which included Ingram, André and me started to pick up some of the riders who found the pace in the first bunch too hard.  The stormy winds drained the impotence from the chasing bunch, but Ingram took a flyer with 3k’s to go and stayed away to finish 16^th.

 

Because of the chilly windy conditions we just waited for prize giving and then left for a Wimpy breakfast.

 

With lessons learnt and a good idea of our strengths and weaknesses, we are looking forward to the next league race in Durbanville.