We Love This Game - Mount Vic PNP XC

Tall tales and lies from the boys who fronted for the 3rd round of the PNP XC series on Mount Victoria.

Tigerbone's M1 Hat-trick

After a week of 'rain dancing' from Davo & Hiskey it finally stopped pissing down the evening before the race. A technical course at the best of times this was promising to be a romp home for the experienced riders. So there was only one chance for me and that was to climb like Spiderman on 'E' and from the outset.

Got to the race start and decided to check out the dreaded Ski Slope, after all the rain it was not as bad as I had ridden if before. A little slick yes, but no more so than Slacky's baby-oiled legs for a Friday night romp of The Knob. To my surprise and maybe even benefit, Marco had taken the chute after the bench seat out of the race and turned us down after the top of the Dovetail.


Tks for Pic- Nige Sanders

The banter started... Slackboy was King of the Velodrome and was intending on repeating his efforts, why would anyone deny him that. Davo was keen to take a chocolate bar back from Angry but the rules had not been set out and Ed and I had a sneaky bet on the side as to who was going to do the fastest long lap, he conceded on the grounds that he had a shitter and ate mud the whole way round (Ed you owe me a bike clean, lucky for you I have already cleaned mine after yesterdays efforts).

The race kicked off and I was boxed in from the start, but luckily everyone went to the outside of the 'drome and I snuck through on the lower track just in front of Hiskey, and sat in behind Slacky The Draft Machine. His 29er kept on rolling and he stayed true to his word winning The 'drome sprint. Then it was back into slumpdom for him as we started on the hills and I took over. Testing the waters, I started up the first hill vowing NOT to look back and I didn't until Josh pulled up next to me at the top of the first climb (Ohhhh to familiar ground once again!). First to the Ski Slope and I felt right at home. During the course of the race there were good vantage points to look back over at riders behind so I took every opportunity to do so. Davo was hot on my heals and nailing the down hills, the man can move for a girlie Single Speeder. Hiskey took over from Davo at some stage and I could feel the heat of him breathing down my neck.


Tks for Pic - Adrian Rumney


Coming into the Veledrome for the first time, I had about 3/4 of a 'drome lap on him, which in my mind was still not enough. Lap 2 and I had visions of me and the porcelain gods about to talk. I managed to keep it down (I think I ate tooo close to the race start). I was loving the course too much to throw the towel in and I have never DNF'd (touches wood - cheap lol). Coming into the final lap and into the last looong climb of badminton hall and Jordon (Pro/Elite) past me like I was standing still, much to his delight he made it obvious he was stoked to be passing another BLR member, I laughed.

Final lap of the velodrome to take out Master 1. Stoked to see Nick "I'm not a burglar" K cruise in to also win for BLR in the Senior Men's class.

Big ups to Slacky for designing a fantastic course, which will pretty much be the same course for the Nationals this year. Sadly for me Slacky is taking the Run/Walk out for Nats. What a great day out. Great friends, great racing, great weather and a few brews to finish off.

Next race and its back to my old stomping ground. Belmont Bronx where I grew up and used to run through the trails we are about to race Woot Woo!

Tiger

===============

Nick - Sandbagers anonymous

Hi my names Nick and I'm a dirty sandbagger.

I never meant to be one, it just happened. To be fair this was my first true xc race in a long while. I've never shaved my legs and think trainings a dirty word. Add to it a new bike and as Davo pointed out the least pro attitude of anyone on BLRT. Still with a 15min winning margin there's no two ways about it - I burgled that shit.

PnP with the help of our own trailmiester Slacky, put on a cracking course. Uncharacteristically I pre-rode the course, not once but twice, the week before and it was awesome, fast, technical and frankly brutal as hell. Torrential rains on Friday and Sat wouldn't change what surely the best race course in the lower NI. Lining up with the guns of M1 was excited to be back racing. Took it easy on the velodrome taking positioning over placing for the gate till some cunzor cut my lunch at the last minute. From there it was the a short uphill where I latched on to the back of the chasing group of Jonty, Davo, Hisky while Tony steamed off the front with Josh trying to hold onto him.

Mr October soon dealt to Josh though and he dropped back to our chasing group. Spent most of the first lap riding together till we dropped Davo as he realised SS'ing is a bit silly and Jonty with a crash down Badminton. Towards the end of the 1st lap Hisky and I broke away from Josh reaching the velodrome just as Tony was exiting it. The second lap was all about consolidation as neither Hisky or I had the will or form to try chase down Tony. Utilising my cross skills I used the climb from Badminton to the gravel road as run up putting a solid 50m on Hisky.



Tks for Pic - Adrian Rumney

Hanging on was the story of the 3rd lap as fatigue and lack of conditioning stepped up. Continued my run of a couple of spastic crashes per lap on the uber greasy downs but otherwise kept out of trouble. Crossed the line 1 min down on Tony but nearly 2 1/2 and 3 mins ahead of Hisky and Josh respectively.

Wellington had put on a great day as we sat around gasbagging and knocking a couple of Tigers back. Was a little embarrassed with my placing so didn't bust out a rambling speech or even thank my sponsors, what an amateur.

Cheers to all involved and see you in Belmont for round 4.

Harry Potter
==============

Dave - "I'm not as heavy as they say I am"

Apart from a couple of the Crosstafarian CX races, I had not raced since the Screaming-O back in March and then the bike leg of the PGT in April. I knew the lads would give me a beasting as they already had rounds 1 & 2 in their legs. I missed round one due to partying in Blenhiem, then missed round two as I was in the UK eating and drinking with family for three weeks. Still, I practiced on the course and could clean everything on the singlespeed pretty well, even in the wet, so felt confident of a good ride and figured if everything went well I might even sneak into the top 5.


Tks for Pic - Eventwatch

After the usual entertaining banter and catch ups, the horn went and we charged off around the velodrome. I managed to keep pace ok and true to form, I cut Nicko's lunch coming through the gate to put me into around 6th. I somehow found the strength to haul the bike up to Alexandra Rd pretty well and must have surprised Hiskey and Jonty by riding straight between the two of them on the steep section. I surprised myself.

I found the legs to get onto the back of the Tigerbone express heading towards the skislope and it was Tigs, Josh, Me heading down there. I traded places with Josh a bit and headed into the run up the Matterhorn in second I think, with Tones just about in sight at the top. These were all the best bits of riding from me. It slowly unravelled from there as I started losing power and concentration. I managed to nail all the tech stuff pretty well, but then made silly mistakes, usually involving trees leaping onto the track and giving my bars the good news, while I went over them. I also pulled out of my pedal on the dovetail climb during a hard effort and slammed my chest onto the stem. It has left quite a nice mark.


Tks for Pic - Eventwatch

I was always close to Jonty in fourth, but my stupid mistakes and lack of power kept me away from him and I was peeved at myself about that. It was only about 30secs at the end and some of that was me going wrong at the end and not crossing the finish line for a few seconds. Doh. Still, Jonty is a bit of a legend and if he saw me closing, he would have found a way to pull away again I think. Everyone was pretty much broken at the end. I rode the last part of the course with EdWIN Crossling and he was battered and walking the same as me on the climb up from the badminton hall. I enjoyed scraping mud off my tires and throwing it at him disrespectfully.

Great news at the finish when I discovered Tigs and Hinge had won their classes and got 1 & 2 across the B Course for their efforts. They really are the team hardmen at the moment. And many thanks to Mr October who in a blatant show of shameless self promotion, brought out a box of Tiger beers for the post race debrief - Good man!

I'm looking forward to Belomont now, where once again, I'll be campaigning as hard as I can and targeting another Top 5 result amongst the tough company of riders in this year's M1 field.

Good job everyone, and good job to the Godfather and his crew for such a slick event. In particular the excellent marshalling from Bushies Rammer and Wonderwoman. And great tailend action from Mono.

Davo

=======================

Angry utilises the seal gag.

I would be lieing if I said that Slacky's custom built Mt Vic course in the wet made me more nervous than queuing up to my first Blue Light Disco with 2 beers in my backpack. But it was race day, so I decided to have a go and concentrate on riding the tech smoothly rather that fast as I didnt want a date with A&E.

Race started in the velodrome and I couldnt clip in properly arrhh.. and the rest of the field shot off as fast as date night at the Aldred's, Slacky won his usual lap of the velodrome cementing his aspirations to be a "Good Roadie". Into the Ski Slope on lap one I ran it pretty hot keeping off the front brake, managed to squeeze between the log exit and launched off and landed perfectly on the other side, my 6yr old son, Alex, has been teaching me mad huck skillz which are now paying off now - thanks Alex!


Tks for Pic - Adrian Rumney

Caught up with Slacky towards the end of the first lap who was sitting on the side of the track foaming at the mouth looking pretty stuffed - Suspect he may have blown a seal.

The rest of the race went well, (loving the water tower DH!) only one stack on some slippy roots which wasnt bad and I managed to hold it together a lot better than I thought I would in the mud, for a well deserved Top 6 finish.

==================

SlackFail. Mysterious bodyfail hinders him on his own course

I always knew that Toight Tiger and "I only gained 1kg in the offseason" Hiskey were the men to beat at teh Mt Vic round. Even with me designing a course that worked for me a bit better. But I knew without a shadow of a doubt, that I, come the end of the day, would still be the king of the Velodrome. And after plenty of pre-race banter thats exactly what happened. Even with my fat arse throwing off a draft that would make a big rig Kenworth happy, no-one got close enuff to take advantage. Those small calfed weaklings need to bring some noise to challenge me.

Slackboy OWNS the velodrome.... Pic by Rammer.



Once outa of the Velodrome, I settled into to being passed by everyone. I wasn't feeling 100% so I settled into a good rythmn and paced myself, confident that roll of cheese Aldred would blow like a scout leader sooner or later. Unfortunatly that plan went by the way, and although I pulled back lots of time on the descents in the first half, my legs were falling away a bit. Going up the Matterhorn (bloody Tony!!!) and the 3 elite boys of Stu, Brendon and Jordy caught up to me, and I sat on their wheels until the dipper. Up the dipper and I wasn't feeling too hot, and the 3 gapped me a bit. Down the badminton single track and I caught them up again, super slippy in there. However going up the climb out I graciously let them go to preserve their ego's. And up the turn into the rooty section and blam, shortness of breath, black spots, lack of balance, not cool. Pulled off and sat down on the side of the track with head between my knees and tried to gather myself.

Massive massive thanks to the riders that came past, all whom enquired to make sure I was ok. Thats why mountainbiking rocks folks right there. After a while I was ok enuff to get up and I shakily walked back to the velodrome. Walked cos i couldn't balance very well on the bike and it made a good crutch.
Not really sure what went on, I felt better later in the day, but what can you do.
That makes 3 outa the last 4 races up Mt Vic that I've DNF'd. Not a record I'm proud of.
But don't worry, I WILL own the nat champs. And the next day I will attempt to poduim at the DH as well (attempt that is)

==================



See you all for more lulz, tire buzzing and bar flying at Belmont.

BLR