Gruppetto Melbourne Odyssey 27th December 2021

With apologies to Homer, who took ten years to get home after the fall of Troy, my personal odyssey on this day took twelve and a half hours with nine hours of riding.

The Collins Dictionary defines an odyssey as a long exciting journey on which a lot of things happen. Based on this definition, it’s a worthy title.

Behind every great story is a myth and the origins of this myth go back to the 30th of December 2017, when Jack Blanas, fittingly of Greek descent who rode 300km, 80% of it solo, to be the first of Gruppetto Melbourne to ride 300km in a single day. This spartan like performance inspired others to get onboard in the following years to take on what is now the fourth annual 200km plus Portsea return and the 300km plus Mordialloc return to Albert Park to pick up the 200km group. Some of the riders use this as a tune up for 3 Peaks in March, where it’s important to get accustomed to a long and strenuous day of riding. Others the challenge of beating their previous efforts and for some just to work off the excesses of the festive season.

This year was my first crack at the 200km plus ride. After everything that had happened over the past years with Covid-19, the long lock downs, the absence of regular bunch rides, it was time to live my own version of the roaring ‘20s. I set out on the day with the goal of exceeding the 235km I covered at 3 Peaks back in 2019. Obviously, it was not going to be as hard a day in the saddle, but knowing I was going to be creating a personal record for myself was significant.

I prepared the day before by cleaning the bike and having everything I would need for the day either in the fridge (two cold bottles: one with water and Sole an the other with my home made drink mix (50g maltodextrin, teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate, a teaspoon of magnesium powder and a tablespoon of Sole. More details below). One of my key learnings of 2021 thanks to the guys at TrainerRoad (podcast episode 340), is the need to aim for at least 90g of carbohydrate per hour on big rides and events to avoid cramping. However not all carbohydrates can be adsorbed at the same rate, so 2/3 of this comes from regular glucose and 1/3 from fructose. Most of what I eat is off the shelf from the supermarket, with the exception of Maltodextrin and Gels which I bought online from My Protein Australia. The other consideration of what to eat is palette fatigue, which you will know as that point where you just cannot stomach any more sports drink or gels. This is where it’s important to have a variety of foods to sate your appetite and energy requirements.



Breakfast (add the ingredients into a sealable plastic container, allowing a least 1-2cm at the top to allow for absorption, top with cold water and soak overnight in the fridge to get a silky mouthfeel. If you are in a rush, just add to a bowl and cover with hot water and they will be ready within 10-15min, but not as good).

- 120g of rolled outs (15g of protein and 66g of carbohydrate)

- 10g of sultanas (6g of carbohydrate)

- 20g of plant-based protein powder (14g of protein and 2g of carbohydrate)



Snacks

- 2 x bananas (23g of carbohydrate per 100g)

- 2 x Oat bars (20g of carbohydrate per bar)

- 4 x 50g slices of Coles Fruit cake (31g of carbohydrate per slice)

- 1 x 50g gel (25g of carbohydrate) This was my get out of jail card in the event I hit the wall)



Drink mix

- 3 x sachets of homemade drink mix in zip lock bags (50g maltodextrin = 46g of carbohydrate, teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate, a teaspoon of magnesium powder (has an organge flavour) and a few twists of the Himalayan rock salt).

Salt/Sole - I've been making my own super-saturated salt mix with pink himalayan rock salt since I got into cycling more seriously. The research is clear that endurance atheletes need to replace electrolytes lost through metabolic processes and sweating. I also find that when taken with warm water first thing in the morning, it aids water retention.

I knew that lunch was planned for around 11:30am at Rosebud on the return leg of the ride was going to be a roll, a coffee and protein ball. Surely enough energy to set us up for a strong ride home.


I set myself up with an early night and the alarm set for 5:15am to meet the bunch as they rode through Collingwood around 5:45am. The early bunch was leaving Ivanhoe at 3:45am, so my plan was that if I would join them if I woke up earlier. Next thing I know it’s 3am and I’m feeling well rested. After 10 minutes of rolling around trying to go back to sleep, I decide on an early start. Plenty of time to have breakfast, have a stretch, stuff my pockets, and get on the road by 3:43am.


Kilometre 0 to 67. Home to Mordialloc and return to Albert Park

I meet the bunch as they approach the Chandler Hwy and take a U turn to be the surprise addition to the early starters and make the bunch an even 6. It’s a comfortable 11 degrees. I’m wearing my Gruppetto kit, a cellular undershirt and my DHB UV arm sleeves. My cap is in the back pocket. The pace is a relaxed 30km/h +/- as we make our way down through Wellington Street Collingwood to meet another 6 riders at the corner of Johnson Street. The energy among the group is high, with plenty of banter and high spirits as we group up and hit the road for what’s going to be an exciting day on the road. We make our way through the city and onto beach road headed for Mordialloc, where we will turn around and meet the 200km + guys at Kerford Road at 6:15am. It’s overcast with a 16km/h southerly breeze, which means a head/cross wind out and a tail/cross wind back if things stay consistent. With the cloudy conditions it’s cool and no sunrise to enjoy. The group initially rolls turns with the front two riders peeling off left and right after their turns, which is probably going to be a little risky once the traffic builds up, so we opt for a rolling chain, with one rider rolling back with the group, while another goes forward. This gives everyone a chance to lead the bunch for as long as they are comfortable and was setup to protect the rider moving forward from the wind to keep them as fresh as possible. As someone joked, it’s a little like speed dating on a bike, where conversations are constantly changing, and you find yourself having to remember where you were in the conversation once you roll around again. By the time we got to Mordialloc, the first time we were averaging 31km/h and the return trip to Albert Park saw us average around 37km/h. With an expected maximum of around 23 degrees, there was every reason to feel confident at this stage that the weather would favour us this day.


Just when everything was going exceptionally well, I claim the dubious honour of the first flat of the day around halfway back from Mordi. Fortunately, we had made good time, so there would be no issue meeting the 200km + riders in Albert Park at 6:15am.

Kilometre 67 to 110, Albert Park to Frankston

By now the bunch had swelled to around 40 riders. President Stan made the official welcome to the riders, both young (Chantal and Gabriel Katerelos is their early 20s) and old (George Goodrope, it would be impolite to ask, but he is a legend of the local cycling scene) and we hit the road again. The bunch worked well together, with everyone getting a turn at the front to work a little harder and then being able to soft pedal as you worked your way back through the group. Coming into Black Rock, I scanned the road for my friends Tim Rice and Tiani Nixon, whom I’d invited along for part of the trip. Unfortunately, no sign of them, so I hope they are ahead and not behind. Nothing is going to catch the G-Train on a day like today. Flat number two struck as we hit Mentone. The impromptu stop was a good opportunity to stop and have something to eat without having to play lucky dip in your back pocket while riding with one hand on the bars in a bunch at 35km/h. We were back on the road in quick time and made a pit stop at Mordialloc.

The bunch settled into a solid tempo. We passed a couple of smaller bunches who took the opportunity to jump on our train as we passed them. Shortly after Carum we pick up Tim and Tiani who joined the bunch. I’m starting to question the size of the bunch at this stage, because not everyone is necessarily experienced riding in large bunches and regular traffic lights have a habit of splitting the group, where smaller groups are more likely to get through as one. We roll into Frankston for a 15min break and a chance to have a proper conversation with Tim and Tiani. They planned to turn around in Mornington and head home. A few of the bunch turn around for home and a few others holidaying nearby join the group. President Stan gives a customary 5min warning ahead of rollout time and we are back on the road.

Kilometre 110 to 140 Frankston to Dromana

Frankston is the gateway to the Mornington the Peninsula, and where the flat beach road gives way to Oliver’s Hill, which pitches at a nasty 14%. It’s an introduction for what lies ahead at Mt Eliza. The group starts to splinter as the climbers show their true colours and the sprinters get left behind. Tiani despite starting a minute or so in front is struggling up the hill and gets caught out the back. I feel bad about this. I’ve invited my friends along on a ride and then I’ve left one of them behind. I’m reminded of former pro-bike racer and sprinter Robbie McEwen’s story about hill climbing. If it’s not your thing put yourself at the front of the group at the start of the climb so that by the time the others come through you can at least grab a wheel to follow. A couple of sets of inconveniently timed traffic lights at an also put an end to any semblance of a bunch. I’m happy to sit on the front for a while and give those behind an easier ride of it while we face an uphill head wind. We make an early right turn into Mornington and enjoy some quiet back roads before re-joining the coast road. Heading out of Mornington I see my mate Tim heading back the other way and give him a wave. Tim and Tiani will make it about 111km for the morning. Making our way through Mount Martha, my little group has become about 8 and we tap it out to Dromana where we reunite with the bunch and my Northside friend Kris Symons who has ridden across from Merricks Beach on his old Colnago to join me for the day. Like moths to a flame, Kris meets Steve Katerelos, who is also riding an older Colnago and the Gruppetto chapter of the Colnago fan club is born.

Kilometre 140 to 185 Dromana, Portsea, and Rosebud (Lunch)

There’s something very satisfying knowing that you are at the halfway point and feeling relatively comfortable on the bike. I’m feeling a little pain between the shoulder blades, but nothing I cannot stretch out on the bike. I’m watching riders shake out their hands with pins and needles, get up out of the saddle to give their bums a rest. Just a few kilometres out of Dromana two riders pick up punctures in the same place, so we dismount, sit on the grass and have a stretch. Funny how a grassed roadside drain can so closely resemble a curved armchair. This section is relatively built up with shopping strips, traffic lights, lots of pedestrians and a reasonable amount of traffic, so much of the riding reverted to single file to ensure the safety of the riders. At the same time, the length of the bunch doubles and so to do our chances of getting split at the lights. Again, this was not such a bad thing, except when four or five riders go off the front and head for Point Nepean National Park instead of taking a left just up the road from the Portsea pub. The next left-hand turn has us on the back road to Sorrento where it’s obvious that the tail wind is there to help us home. I’m amazed at the cycling and pedestrian traffic on this road, some people walking or running with the traffic as opposed to against it where at least they can see the oncoming traffic. I pause to appreciate one of those little things I learnt as a scout. Then there are those people who are on holidays and so relaxed that they forget the lessons taught to us by Hector the Traffic Safety Cat. Stop at the curb. Look to your right. Look to your left. And look to your right again. Then if the road is clear of traffic, walk straight across the road - DON'T RUN! - walk straight across the road! Alas, I call out “riders” to a guy walking up from the beach who probably doesn’t even know what day it is, and he falls backwards, fortunately into the bushes. Better than the alternative.



The bunch still looking fresh at Sorrento

Next stop, lunch at Hobsons in Rosebud, 7h 30min into the ride. The sun has broken through for the first time and looks here to stay. We arrive on schedule around 11:15am and the joint is packed with brunchers. I hear my name called out by a familiar voice and score a table thanks to Tas and his family who are just finishing up. We take a generous hour to rest, refuel and reapply the sunscreen.



My Northside mate Kris at lunch



Kilometre 185 to 193 Rosebud to Dromana

Just a short spin and we are back at the Dromana BP, where I farewell Kris on his way back to Merricks, where he will make it a 110km round trip. It’s been fun catching up, but we are still just under 100km from home, and anything could happen. Jack Blanas is in his element on these big rides and one very proud bike owner. At the BP I catch him pouring water over his otherwise pristine Trek Madone to clean off the grit and grime. Now that’s taking mid ride maintenance to a whole new level.



Jack in action cleaning his beloved Madone


Kilometre 193 to 223 Dromana to Frankston

Only 10-15 minutes out of Dromana another rider cops a puncture. Unfortunately, there is a lot of broken glass on the roadside which doesn’t help our cause. Fortunately, this is the last one for the day. The road to Mornington is undulating as we gain vertical metres through the many short climbs. We pull over to re-group and take a breather in Mornington which is jumping with tourists. Next, it’s onto Mount Eliza and one of the highlights of the day a 2.5km, 3-minute descent at an average 50km/h as we transition back to the relatively flat beach road. It’s a well-earned reward for all the hard work climbing it earlier that morning.

Next hill on is Oliver’s Hill, which is a sketchy descent when combined with fast speeds of almost 60km/h, crosswinds and 50mm wheels. It’s a struggle to control the bike, so I feather the brakes to slow down and get some control back. Fifty metres in front of me I’m watching Jack Blanas get overtaken by a Toyota Kluger and then take a left into beachside carpark right in front of him. I cannot believe the stupidity I am witnessing. Jack survives by the skin of his teeth thanks to his sixth sense for idiot drivers and a great set of disc brakes. Jack was barely shaken and said when you spend 10 hours on the road every day for work, you get used to those idiots. Kudos to Jack, he didn’t get angry or waste any more energy on that idiot. Time for the final long stop of the day in Frankston. The BP is doing a roaring trade in confectionary. 1 pack for $5.15 or 2 for $5.00. Go figure.

Kilometre 223 to 268 Frankston to Albert Park

Fatigue was starting to set in for some of the riders and this is where the strength in numbers becomes valuable. Salt stains are evident on many of the riders’ jerseys and some are suffering from hot spots on the soles of their feet, which makes it painful to pedal. Sometimes a word or two of encouragement to get them closer to the wheel in front or a push to make it easier. Also making sure that they are not the last and fall off the back of the pack. Even having a rider behind you makes it easier. We catch plenty of lights and it gets me thinking that Gruppetto need to recruit a traffic engineer to their ranks to favour those doing 30-40km/h and not 60. We get to Mordialloc and take a quick break. With a sniff of home, the pace starts to build as we are wind assisted on the homebound leg of the journey. Mordi to Black Rock averaging just under 36km/h and to Elwood just under 38km/h, even with a few sets of lights bringing us to a stop. We get to Kerford Road and push onto Port Melbourne to turn around at the very end of Beach Road, only to be greeted by a stiff head wind. I’m glad I’ve decided to call it a day. The group pulls up at Kerford Road, Albert Park and decides what to do next. Beach Road is getting too windy, busy, and risky to consider returning to Black Rock for those chasing the 300km plus target. Aaron suggests heading for Latrobe Uni where you can ride laps out of the wind and closer to home. Brian Devlin and myself are done and announce that we are heading for home. No other takers.

The bunch returns to Kerford Road, Albert Park. Brian and Stan from left.

Kilometre 268 to 278 Albert Park to Northcote

Brian and I debrief the day. Neither of us care about making up the extra 20 or so kilometres to make 300km fort the day. We are satisfied with our efforts. We ride past the MCG, where it’s the tea break on the second day of the 3rd Ashes Test. There’s a significant number of fans heading back towards the city. Some of them glued to screens, walking on the wrong side of the path, and generally not paying attention to what’s going on around them. Seems to be a trend wherever we go. It’s nice to be back in the Northern suburbs, where the bike lanes are bigger and more protective than almost anything you will see on the south side of town. I arrive home with a shade over 278km on the Garmin, with an average speed of 31km/h and a big smile on my face from the achievement. 544km of the Strava Festive 500 Challenge knocked over in 4 days. I come inside and drain the last of my bidons and empty my pockets, one sachet of drink mix and my emergency gel leftover. Nutrition and hydration both get a big tick. I think I’ll take tomorrow off the bike.

Reflections on the ride

Spending most of the day riding your bike might seem overwhelming at first, but when broken down into mini stages, it’s really a process of ride, eat, drink, rest and repeat of doing all the little things right. What do I mean by this?

- Prepare your bike and make sure everything is in good working order a day or two before. My back tyre was more worn than expected and probably should have been changed before this ride)

- Have a nutrition and hydration plan

- Have breakfast before you leave home

- Make sure you are hitting 80-90g of carbohydrate per hour

- Eat at least every 30 minutes

- Drink at least every 15-20 minutes and preferably before you are thirsty. I set an alarm which goes off every 20min as a reminder if I haven’t done so.

- Make sure you are drinking at least a 650-750ml bidon per hour

- Always have two bidons, one with a drink mix and the other with water to vary what you are drinking (if it’s really hot you can always pour water over your head and body or use it to add a drink mix to if that’s more important)

- Consider investing in a frame bag to put your nutrition into, this is much easier than fishing around in your pockets whilst riding. Plus if it’s raining or cold you will need that pocket space for your gear.

- The day of the ride, I set my bike computer (Garmin 1030) to power save mode to ensure it got through the day, which meant I wasn't tempted to look at the numbers and just rode by feel, which I am really happy with that decision. Turned out that I had plenty of power left.

- Change your position around on the bike so you don’t seize up from riding in the one position all day.

- Don’t forget to smile


Unofficial Awards from the day

These are completely made up and judged by yours truly. If you have any others please add them to the comments section.

Outfit of the day – I’m not sure if this is Gruppetto Melbourne legal, but the guy in the St Kilda Cycling Club skinsuit really deserves this for all the watts he saved. Apparently, he is also a KOM hunter, so it makes a lot of sense to wear the aerodynamic kit wherever you go.

Best represented family – The Katerelos family of Chantal, Gabriel and father Steve, were a standout and all three were on the front keeping the pace up on the return leg.

Bike of the day - Firstly honourable mentions to Jack Blanas with his new White Trek Madone, which Jack unashamedly washed down mid ride at the Dromana BP and Stanley Havea on his brand-new Look. Neither of these bikes would be out of place in the pro-peloton, however, the joint winners on the day were Steve Katerelos and Kris Symons on their classic steel framed Colnagos. Just reminding everyone that steel is real, comfortable, and forever.

Longest 3 rides of the day – 3rd Manny Busacca 310.2km: 2nd Jack Blanas 353.3km: 1st Stanley Havea 356.4km

Rider of the Day – There was no debate amongst the awards committee that this award would go to Brian Devlin. Brian is an elite rider, who would not be out of place in a local A or B grade crit or road race. He’s also one of the guys most of us must thank for our many PRs, because we were just trying to hold his wheel, while he did all of the hard work. Brian is also just a top bloke to boot, so kudos to him for putting in so much time on the front and keeping our average speed as high as it was.

Conclusion

What a great day with a terrific bunch of people. The Strava comments were running hot with appreciation of the Gruppetto Melbourne family. I met many of the weekend riders, whom I had not met before and got to link up with a few friends along the way. Thanks to Stanley Havea for organising lunch and keeping the ride orderly and on schedule with his deputies Darren, Jack and Manny. Whether you rode 100km or 350km, well done on your personal achievement of closing out 2021 with your very own odyssey.


Gruppetto - ABC - RMIT Fact check

Correction, it was Manny Busacca who initiated the first Gruppetto 300km ride back on the 27th December, 2017. Never let the facts get in the way of a good story. Thanks to Manny for kicking things off with this ride along with the original 300km gang of Stan Havea, Jason Pendleton and John Piccinin. Several others went along for the ride that day, with many covering 200km plus.