R
RobWoozle
Guest
Race Report - MONT 24hr Mountain Bike Race. 27/28 November 07. Majura
Pines, Canberra.
This year there were two 24hr races in Canberra...2 weeks apart. So,
for mere mortals like myself one was always going to be enough! I
chose the MONT 24 because it was MONT that sponsored the first one of
these events I did back in 2002. It also sounded like it would be a
more relaxed race than the alternative.
Anyway, I rode in a team of 6 that was made of up friends and
colleagues. We had a couple of gun riders, some good riders and then
me!
The venue was Majura Pines which is about 5km from my house and my
regular training area for MTBing.
Accomodation for our team was in a big tent (that remains impossible
to erect properly after three 24hr races) and a horse float! WOW!! A
horse float with beds, a shower, microwave etc. Horses haven't been
moving here much so we managed to put it to good use!!
The race start was a rolling affair - with a few sprinters, some
elbows out and first aid needed for at least one rider! Our first
rider flew around the first lap in 32 minutes (10.8km) which was a
great time!
>From then on we cycled through the team doing lap after lap. When the
sun went away and we strapped various forms of lighting onto our bikes
and helmets we did two laps each in the dark. 24 hours is a long time.
We weren't the fastest team out there but we did churn out 33 laps -
just over 356km between us.
Personally, my first lap was diabolical. I was the fourth rider out in
my team. I got a flat on that lap as well as managing a pretty good
crash when I lost traction in the front wheel. The double lap at night
was a lot of fun. My final lap was my fastest, probably after the big
breakfast!
When the time was up I think we were all pretty glad to pack up and
head home. Great race, magnificent organisation and venue and best of
all, a really friendly vibe. I hope they run this again in 08.
Rob
Pines, Canberra.
This year there were two 24hr races in Canberra...2 weeks apart. So,
for mere mortals like myself one was always going to be enough! I
chose the MONT 24 because it was MONT that sponsored the first one of
these events I did back in 2002. It also sounded like it would be a
more relaxed race than the alternative.
Anyway, I rode in a team of 6 that was made of up friends and
colleagues. We had a couple of gun riders, some good riders and then
me!
The venue was Majura Pines which is about 5km from my house and my
regular training area for MTBing.
Accomodation for our team was in a big tent (that remains impossible
to erect properly after three 24hr races) and a horse float! WOW!! A
horse float with beds, a shower, microwave etc. Horses haven't been
moving here much so we managed to put it to good use!!
The race start was a rolling affair - with a few sprinters, some
elbows out and first aid needed for at least one rider! Our first
rider flew around the first lap in 32 minutes (10.8km) which was a
great time!
>From then on we cycled through the team doing lap after lap. When the
sun went away and we strapped various forms of lighting onto our bikes
and helmets we did two laps each in the dark. 24 hours is a long time.
We weren't the fastest team out there but we did churn out 33 laps -
just over 356km between us.
Personally, my first lap was diabolical. I was the fourth rider out in
my team. I got a flat on that lap as well as managing a pretty good
crash when I lost traction in the front wheel. The double lap at night
was a lot of fun. My final lap was my fastest, probably after the big
breakfast!
When the time was up I think we were all pretty glad to pack up and
head home. Great race, magnificent organisation and venue and best of
all, a really friendly vibe. I hope they run this again in 08.
Rob
