Pop Stewart, Norma Adams & Alf Walker Hcp 2025 - Race Report
There's something about a
handicap race which draws out the optimist in all of us. Perhaps today
will be our day, when the handicapper gets it right. By that I mean,
let's us in with a chance to win, perhaps even a place would be nice. My
confidence was high, with the 11min group of 10, the largest of the bunches,
accounting for almost a quarter of the field of 45. But first I would
need to survive 75kms or three gruelling laps of Balliang's infamous Granite
Road circuit.
The day began with a carpool out
to Balliang with fellow travellers Steve (Brunswick CC), who swapped his race
number for a marshal's flag and Seb (Hawthorn CC), my 11min group accomplice.
If you haven't done a carpool to a race before, I thoroughly recommend
it. Between the banter, the tactics and the laughs, you won't be left
alone with your own thoughts, stressing about the race.
Meanwhile my Brunswick teammate and fellow 11min bunch member Che Dungey, left home a 5:45am and rode out to Balliang in 3.5hrs. Let's see how he feels after two hours of hard racing.
While the riders just turn up,
pin on a number and race, race director Andrew Gannon with a serious fear of
missing out, had made a trip out Balliang a week earlier to ride the course
three times. On the morning of the event, he rode the gravel one more
time and shared firsthand his experience of the best line to take. For
that we were grateful. The gravel was deplorable and the first 500m
neutralised and the first aid van parked at the 500m mark, about the place you
were likely to lose it either on the deep corrugations or the quicksand like
gravel if you veered to the right.
The 11min bunch of 10 had spread of ages from about 16 to 62 and a significant numerical advantage over other smaller bunches. We worked cohesively and got around lap one together. Hitting the gravel for the first time, loose water bottles with valuable carbs went flying. The power was down, and it was no time to stop and recover lost bottles. Bad luck Che!
By lap two, the seams began to
unravel somewhat, with the younger riders gapped on the gravel (too light to
keep the power down).
By lap three we had the 15min
bunch and the lead car within striking distance and we passed them heading up
the Granite Rd Hill. A few brave souls hung on and even put some hurt on their
higher fancied rivals.
Hitting the gravel for the final
time, Ross Allen (11min) led the bunch out hard. The corrugations for the first half of
the gravel were akin to being “shaken to death “, I’ve never experienced
anything quite like it. I managed to draw level with the lead riders and put my
own version of hurt on them, but two will normally beat one any day of the
week. My time at the head of the race was short lived. Alex Hoffman (15min) and Ross reeled
me in. Just when I forget to have one eye on the road in front and one on the
road behind, scratch riders Angus Moller and Jude Dodd flew by, with Alex
catching their draft. Meanwhile Ross and I duked it out for 4th place and he
got the better of me on the day.
Pop Stewart Trophy and Fastest
Male Jude Dodd
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Jude Dodd, Angus Moller & James Maxted |
Angus Moller, second place
My power meter was uncalibrated, so I was going mostly just feel and knowing that we were couple minutes behind the next bunch. Someone told us we are one minute away from the next group of five, so we knew once we caught with them it would be alright.
Norma Adams Trophy and Fastest Female, Alana Hribar
This is probably my fourth of fifth Pop Stewart, Norma Adams & Alf Walker Hcp and each year I've learned a little more about these three eponymous figures in the life of the Brunswick Cycling Club. Legends of our club which have laid the foundations of what we have today.
Thanks to the team of
commissaires, drivers, first aider and corner marshals who ensured that the
event went ahead without a hitch.
Mal Jackson (Coburg CC) wins the inaugural
Self Righteous Cyclist "ultimus eques" (last rider) award.
Mal a water bottle with my home made carb mix is coming your way.
And how did Che Dungey feel after
5.5hrs of riding? He felt like a lift home, so I obliged and he joined us
for the trip home and the post ride review that only a car pool can deliver.
We now turn our attention to the Hell of the West, a graded scratch race over the same course on Saturday 31st May.
Rider participation by club
22 Brunswick
10 Hawthorn
2 Caulfield Carnegie
2 Bendigo
2 St Kilda
2 Geelong
2 Coburg
1 Blackburn
1 Newcastle & Hunter CC
1 Mornington
1 Footscray
Nice write up, footage and result MK!
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