I was absorbed in a radio interview with the great man himself today. It was like receiving a bonus track on a CD (for those that can recall that satisfaction). The bloke has put together a great event. The 65 km was quality. Great location, excellent course. Even the jersey had this soft latex like material on the arms that were just.. better. Cadel himself actively participated. Welcomed the crowd. When Hamish took the piss out of him, he laughed like one of your mates would at a BBQ. Quality.
The numbers have swelled since I first did this ride in 2017. 4000 I heard, resulting in the first time that I’ve experienced that which occurs at all major run events. It took sometime to get to the start line to commence the ride. 13 minutes to be exact. Never does that happen for a cycling event.
The ride to Barwon Heads was like one great big peloton, a sea of blue, which amazingly behaved itself (no group crashes this time Around The Bay Geelong to Melbourne 135 km 2018 ). The only situations were caused by the marshals on their motorcycles. In attempts to break up the group, they just created a concertina effort. Fast. Slow. Fast. Slow. Need to have a word to them Cadel. I mean, it’s not le Tour. I reckon it even managed to take some seconds of my time. Idiots.
This is more or less a flat course. You climb out of Eastern Beach, gun it to Barwon Heads, wave at the crowds lining the main drag in Barwon Heads on both sides of the street (practising for the main events I assume. It felt like the float parade at the Ballarat Begonia Festival back in the day. Gave you a buzz on the way through. Love the cowbells! Did you see you the aerial shot of the signage on 13th Beach today. Gives the European efforts a run for their money. Just normal Aussies showing their support. On Australia Day and all. Go figure!) and about the half way point, have a rest at one of the best locations for a stop in the world.
Why is it always difficult to find a group that feels your pace after the first rest stop. No matter though, today we had a tailwind seemingly all the way back to Geelong after splitting off from the 115 km participants near the farming backlots of Torquay.
Groups start forming again after 15 km or so of time trialling as you turn to cross the Barwon and head back through Breakwater and into East Geelong for the final few clicks of the ride. Eastern Park have the only real hills on the course (as far as my legs were concerned anyway), which controls what the marshals couldn’t and naturally breaks up the groups to avoid packs across the finish line.
This has been an excellent ride on the two occasions that I’ve done it. NPS score of 10. Next year I’ll think about the 115. Must make a weekend of it and hang around for the main events myself.
Great gig Cadel. You are a class act.