Tour of Bright

[nailsaslegs]

Anyone competing at ToB this year? Already sold out again quite quickly lucky to get in. 3rd year running for me. This year I will be 20kgs lighter, around 78.1 on Stage 1, and looking forward to it. I always enjoy ToB but this year having a good crack at Stage 1 and Stage 2.

[doggatas]

Hey nails, dragging anyone else over with you? I was gonna (yes I am a gonna, shoulda, coulda, woulda guy) go over. Thought the idea of going over would keep me motivated to ride over the colder months, but yet again I let it slip.

You have certainly done the hard work mate and I wish you the best at the Tour of Bright.

Cheers
Dogga

[Strawburger]

I'm skipping this year and will hope to get a spot next year.

[jules21]

i'm riding in my first one. Masters C. everyone I know who's done it has already extended their commiserations to me.

i'm currently up at Dinner Plain getting a bit of climbing in. and frostbite.

[nailsaslegs]

Hey nails, dragging anyone else over with you? I was gonna (yes I am a gonna, shoulda, coulda, woulda guy) go over. Thought the idea of going over would keep me motivated to ride over the colder months, but yet again I let it slip.

You have certainly done the hard work mate and I wish you the best at the Tour of Bright.

Cheers
Dogga

Hey mate yep PhilZ and I are going over, 3rd year for us, last year Philz was top 15th in C Grade so we both are racing Masters C this year I,m looking for top 10 in the TT and top 30 overall hopefully. It is a fantastic event to be a part of, 80+ field, 3 stages, two epic climbs. And we have the best climbing in Australia to train on! Next year make sure you get a spot Dogga!

Jules - its a fantastic race, even to be a part of it, if your not going for the sprints then just hang on for the first climb, let the climbers do their thing and then it settles down until Tawonga Gap where the field is really sorted out.

[jules21]

thanks Nails - yeah, i definitely will be holding back until the big hills!

[michaelten]

I'm doing it for the first time this year, entered Masters B.
Feeling a bit under done at this stage but there is another 3 weeks of training to go. I seem to be getting every cold or flu going around at the moment so training has been very interrupted, I wish the race was a few months ago my form was much better.
Not sure what to expect as far as placing, tt I will probably suck and should go half decent on the climbs, 63kg lightweights don't usually tt too well especially on a roadie with no aero bars!

[Derny Driver]

Not going this year Rob .... Blair and Sam are still on their "break". They should both be back on the bike soon.
Good luck !!

[jules21]

Not sure what to expect as far as placing, tt I will probably suck and should go half decent on the climbs, 63kg lightweights don't usually tt too well especially on a roadie with no aero bars!

i might be a chance to beat you in the TT but at 85kg i don't expect to see the likes of you up the hills

[nailsaslegs]

Not sure what to expect as far as placing, tt I will probably suck and should go half decent on the climbs, 63kg lightweights don't usually tt too well especially on a roadie with no aero bars!

i might be a chance to beat you in the TT but at 85kg i don't expect to see the likes of you up the hills

I will be 78 so still heavier than most of the Top 10 in the TT, all comes down to power, endurance, training. Masters B will be dam fast.

[nailsaslegs]

Not going this year Rob .... Blair and Sam are still on their "break". They should both be back on the bike soon.
Good luck !!

Thanks mate, first year Im looking forward to seeing how I race, with the Masters State Titles next Sunday, Club Champs then Battle of Bothwell I am using it as a tune up. It will be the lightest I have ever raced at. Cant wait!!

[jules21]

I will be 78 so still heavier than most of the Top 10 in the TT, all comes down to power, endurance, training. Masters B will be dam fast.

damn straight it will! judging by some of the entrants i know of

[nailsaslegs]

previous years C Grade has been won by A Grade riders, and a U17 National TT Champ....sand bagging is alive and well at ToB. Masters Class is the way to go. Not sure about Masters B though

[jules21]

previous years C Grade has been won by A Grade riders, and a U17 National TT Champ....sand bagging is alive and well at ToB. Masters Class is the way to go. Not sure about Masters B though

even to win Masters C you need to be at club A grade level - the times they do up the climbs are scary. i will be a long way back

[michaelten]

Everyone I have spoken to said the grades are rubbish and it doesn't matter what one you enter. Do the handicappers even check?

What gearing is everyone going to run? I normally run a 53/39 with a 25 cassette and climb everything around Adelaide with that, thinking of putting a 27 cassette in case I blow up.

[Strawburger]

I ran 53/39 with a 27 rear last year. Placed midfield in masters b. I am a lightweight and probably needed a 28 or 29 I reckon.

[nescius]

I'm not racing this year, I'm nowhere near fit enough or light enough to be competitive so I would be just throwing my money away!

Last year I raced with a 53/39 and 11-28 and it was fine (fine as in the gearing wasn't the problem). I was about 75kg, had a good TT but was not even close on Tawonga (lost 3 minutes on a 25 minute climb to the eventual winner) and Hotham was a nightmare for me, dropped at the meg then chased like a madman so I bonked on CRB and lost another 12 minutes

Good luck to those who are racing, it's a hard race but it's still fun.

[nailsaslegs]

I'm not racing this year, I'm nowhere near fit enough or light enough to be competitive so I would be just throwing my money away!

Last year I raced with a 53/39 and 11-28 and it was fine (fine as in the gearing wasn't the problem). I was about 75kg, had a good TT but was not even close on Tawonga (lost 3 minutes on a 25 minute climb to the eventual winner) and Hotham was a nightmare for me, dropped at the meg then chased like a madman so I bonked on CRB and lost another 12 minutes

Good luck to those who are racing, it's a hard race but it's still fun.

What grade did you race Nescius? I will be riding a 53/39 with a 11-28.

Michaelten, Adel hills are fairly easy compared to Tawonga or Hotham. Corqscrew is the exception. I would recommend a 27 unless your sub 65kg and race A Grade. No-one checks what grade you usually race in.

[nescius]

I raced C Grade, I was in first place after the TT and thought I had a chance, but I was sadly mistaken. C Grade winner did a 22:31 up Tawonga and 1:19:13 up Hotham. Neither climb was too steep, the pace was just too high, more gears would not have made any difference. I think a standard with 11-28 was what most people went with.

[jules21]

C Grade winner did a 22:31 up Tawonga and 1:19:13 up Hotham.

C grade, lol

congrats on winning the TT though

[michaelten]

I've been told by a few people that have ridden Tawonga that it's no harder than the old freeway or Greenhill rd. Sound right or wrong?
There are plenty of steep climbs in Adelaide, Corkscrew is only one of them. Coach house Rd, Cherrryville Rd, Morgan Rd, Mt George just off the top of my head. There are a lot more climbs than just the usual Greenhill, Windy Point and Norton Summit. I'm not sure how long the steep pinches are on Hotham and how they compare to these climbs.

[skull]

previous years C Grade has been won by A Grade riders, and a U17 National TT Champ....sand bagging is alive and well at ToB. Masters Class is the way to go. Not sure about Masters B though

Plenty of sand bagging in Masters too.

I won't be going this year. Have not ridden much at all this year and I am like you with the weight loss but in the other direction.

[jules21]

I'm not sure how long the steep pinches are on Hotham and how they compare to these climbs.

on the plus side, a lot of Hotham is pretty easy. on the minus side, it's 29km so that leaves plenty of hard bits

[nailsaslegs]

I've been told by a few people that have ridden Tawonga that it's no harder than the old freeway or Greenhill rd. Sound right or wrong?
.

Tawonga is at the end of a 84km race, usually in 30deg heat, the first pinch is steep, it isn't affected by the wind but can be very hot.

We are lucky in Tas we have Mt Wellington right on our door step, 21kms, avg grade 6%, 1200ms with a few kms at 10%.

[michaelten]

For sure there is always the race to the climb, I'm under no illusion it's going to be easy!