Mt Buller XCO - National Round 2

Adrian walks from Start Grid after passing on last minute advice

It was a clean, explosive start as I sprinted with the bunch up the village road. As we rode across the stoney entry to the single track it became a little erratic, more so as any rhythm was sapped while the bikes got bounced across the tops of the rocks scattered along the trail. I was sitting in 6th position as we filed into the wheel-to-wheel charge down Gang-Gangs and into Split-Rock. Things began to stretch out once the climbing started with positions three and four slowly pulling away from Michael Brill (at fifth) and me (sixth). The course levelled once on the Village Family Trail and the speed rose as the gears made their way down the cassette. Passing through the village, the opening lap of just over 15 minutes seemed about 10 minutes quicker than that as the road climb to Gang-Gangs was back on the cards.

The field had spread just enough to make a clear run of the dusty descent. Behind me I could hear Michael's chain slap, not gaining but not getting any less faint either. We had swapped places midway through the first lap and were enjoying the speed of the approach to the cork-screw style left-right bermed descent of Split-Rock. Back at the base of the single track climb to the Village Family Trail I worked a smooth pace across the rock strewn trail, accelerating through the switch back climbs. I opened a slight gap but Michael had that closed again as we crested the steepest of the course's climbs.

Climbing through the third lap I caught some more of the veteran field that had started a couple of minutes before us, driving hard from the exit of the last switch back climb up to the Family Trail to get onto the rear wheel of Adrian Scott for the open road traverse of the alpine village. 

Becs and Adrian U were on deck at the feed zone offering bottles as I passed through. Adrian handed me a fresh bottle as I headed off for the last lap and that last climb of the paved village road. Thanks team, it worked seamlessly. Keeping focus on the 5 minute descent of Gang-Gangs I let the bike drift where there was room and centred it through the minor rock gardens of the trail. The Split-Rock descent section that followed was more technically demanding, it was about committing to the best banked lines as the track showed inevitable signs of wear. Once reaching the lowest part of the course the hairpin signified the start of the climb back to the village which featured several switchback climbing corners.

Popping out onto the Village Family Trail I pushed hard to where the course veered left down an over-grown four-wheel-drive track. This provided a fast approach to a mild pinch where I picked up another place as I pedalled over the crest. I figured that I had best give everything I had left into the last effort up the steepest climb that loomed ahead so as not to lose the place I had just gained, so I kept feeding the power in as the climb steepened, drilling it out of the saddle to the gravel road above. The gravel road was a fast, open descent running into a sketchy esses which led into the second last of two short gravel pinches, the last one tipping back to the finish line. I held position, crossing the line with 3 seconds clear of third, creating a double take moment for me as it was announced I had come through in second place.

The consistent effort over the multi-lap race was my best result to date. Mechanically I stayed out of trouble, although the lead-up week had thrown a few challenges my way with the forks needing repair. However, cheers to Peter and Zeke of Topgear Cycles who were 100% supportive as always, and had me ready for the weekend. Physically it was up to me to deliver from the training that Pedallab is so good at prescribing. Thanks Jen!

Wonder what the view is like a little higher up...