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No 33, April 2004

All out for Audax

I have just returned from the Audax Alpine Classic.Audax is a world wide group formed in France. It organises challenging rides and the Alpine Classic is the most difficult of the Australian rides. The Alpine Classic is hosted in Bright, a beautiful town of 2,500 people in NE Victoria. There are 4 climbs in the 201 kilometre ride, Tawonga Gap, (both sides) 885 metres, Falls Creek 1,560 metres and Mount Buffalo 1,330 metres.After deducting the altitude of Bright this amounts to over 10,000 feet of climbing for the day.

I started at 6.20 am with Suzy Jackson, also from Bike North, but from the 10 km to 30 km mark I was overtaken by almost everyone. I tried to catch on to a few peletons but could not keep up, even when going down hill. When I stopped for a banana at the 30 km mark and wheeled my bicycle on the grass I noticed that the rear wheel was not rotating and cutting a track in the grass.

The trip back up Tawonga Gap was horrible because it was the steepest climb and in the hottest part of the day. I had to arrive at the Bright checkpoint by 3pm to be allowed to continue to Mt Buffalo. I did not expect to make that time so I had the fastest ride in my life down Tawonga and into Bright, where I arrived with 4 minutes to spare. I took a 20 minute break to recover from the "race" and set off for Mt Buffalo, another difficult climb. I had to get off several times and walk when my heart monitor exceeded 200 bpm.

70% of the way up Mt Buffalo one of the sag team motor cyclists advised me that I was coming last and asked if I wanted to retire. I decided to push on and up to the top. Unfortunately I am reasonably good on a fast down hill sprint and lost my claim for last position by overtaking 3 other cyclists. I streaked into Bright 5 minutes short of 14 hours after starting and unfortunately, 30 minutes after the close. After a little negotiating the organisers agreed to extend the deadline and I was given the certificate of completion.

One of the more experienced riders said you have broken a spoke, your wheel is badly buckled this is the end of the day for you (yes, I know I am thick, but because of the way it broke it was difficult to see).The buckle was so bad it was touching the brake or the bar for 100% of each rotation.

After a lengthy stop during which I bound the broken spoke and removed the brake (the only way of allowing the wheel to rotate), I phoned my support team of one and asked her to drive out with my spare wheel. She arrived when I was 15 km up Fall Creeks road. I swapped my wheel but the replacement did not have the right gearing for hills, although I did have a straight wheel and brakes. Up to the Falls Creek summit and then back to Tawonga Gap.

I felt great after the ride. I do appreciate Simone Magri, also a Bike North member, pushing me to join in the ride. I had read about the Alpine Classic in the Audax calendar and dismissed it as too demanding for me after 10 months of cycling.

Suzy Jackson did very well and finished hours before me. I was very touched that she and Perry, her partner, waited for me to complete the course – a lovely person.

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