What an absolutely great day out!

The event was extremely well organised and the facilities were great. Top points to Lifecycle for setting this up.

The roads were smooth except on some rough edges and the 40km loop had a few climbs that only just made you flick down to the little ring a few times. The headwind was the hardest part (I can say that as I only did one lap of the 40km course was off the back of the groups with my nose in the wind - but others who did both laps said it got stronger on the second lap).

Gold Coast riders had some very good results with Jon Cantwell defending the overall and taking the fastest time. Mark Brady, Riki Lanyon, Garry Elliott, Shane Foley, Will Grey, Nicholas Booth, Steven George, Dave Boe, and Paul Howard all placing very well and taking out high placed honors.

Peter Roper and Hayden Roper both had bad days at the office with Peter getting taken out and badly injuring his nose and being taken to hospital for stitches, and Hayden suffering a mechanical with a broken derailleur cable. Tim Francis lent a hand to get Hayden back to the start/finish line and set up to take some pictures of the groups coming in.

Speaking of broken bike bits Peter Gwynn's Cervello was written off in a crash towards the end of the race as part of the lead bunch came down. After waiting months for it to come in it wasn't great.

Robin Francis went off with the first bunch and had a hard day at the office turning back after getting caught by the scratch bunch on her second lap (rode further than I managed). Sean and Louis Evangelista, and Drew Cox also finished the race after being set off on pretty tough marks. There were a few other Murwillumbah and Goldstars riders on the start sheet that I didn't catch up with - I hope your rides went well and apologise for not mentioning you.

As for me, this was my second ever handicap and my first at an open event. I was absolutely rubbish but I loved it!

I recommend this type of event (and this one in particular) to anyone who likes road racing. I felt like I was going to be ill from about three minutes in until I finished (DNF'ed but it was fun - in a sad sort of painful way). My heart rate was at LT for 1h 15min. I was taught something in my first bunch as the chap the wheel ahead of me told me the reason I wasn't rolling through smoothly was that I drifted back off the front too soon and as such had to push hard to get back on. I listened intently as I watched the group ride off ahead of me not to be seen again (I think I was disrupting them too much and no one seemed overly concerned with my fate except me - 8km in and out the back already).  I think they rolled smoother without my assistance. I couldn't believe the frantic nature of the start as a lot of the riders raced time trial pulls before settling in.

Can't wait for next year - Might even hang in with my mark until the 10km mark next time! 

Rob Craig