Saturday, April 2, 2011

Sandown crits

Duggan (C) - 5-6
D'Alfonso (C) - 5-6

Well thats all folks, the end of the Crit season saw TDR venture down to the verdant rolling hills of Springvale* to take part in the Caufield-Carniegie Crits at Sandown raceway. The weather was spectacular and there were big numbers across all grades ensuring that the final race of the season went out with a bang. As this was TDR's first outing at Sandown, both Palfensa and Stevezero (remember that name), entered in C grade.

With the big numbers the pace was fast, breakaways few and far between and the riding chaotic. Wheel touches, crazy boxing maneuvers, and a howling tailwind to the finish line ensured that this was a race not for the faint of heart. As the race progressed TDR moved to the front to avoid the mayhem, on the penultimate lap Palfensa moved the the head of the peloton and set up a false tempo, dangling the ambitious solo breakaway 50 meters off the front in no-mans land. 

As the breakaway blew up, and the peloton started to surge forward, Palfensa and Stevezero found themselves mid pack, coming around the final corner Palfensa launched his sprint, but was never in contention, finishing 5-6 wheels back. Stevezero was in a worse position coming out of the final corner on the inside, so not watching his line, or adhering to the inside suicide rule Stevezero crossed the line with Palfensa 5-6 wheels back. All in all not an enjoyable race for TDR but just warming us up for the coming road season.

Speaking of which, this was the view from the base of Kinglake today there was a little bit of drizzle, it was cloudy, cold and windy. Oh yeah so excited about the road season!















*For those of you not in the know Springvale is neither verdant nor does it contain rolling hills but it does have a motor car raceway

1 comment: