Garmin 24hr
Mud was thrown up like masses of chocolate cake from a demon toddler’s high chair during the 24hr Garmin MTB race held in Redesdale near Bendigo last November.
“Just keeping the bike going in the conditions, every lap for 24 hours with the grinding of the gears and everything like that took a big toll on the body and the bikes,” said Paul Van Der Ploeg from the Felt Otzal X-Bionic team.
The atrocious conditions meant riding technique and good mechanical care were premium factors in determining performance. In this regard, outstanding mechanic Jono Wallace from BSC cycles and a faultless AY UP lighting rig ably assisted the riders representing Outer Edge.
“Our first rider, Craig, came back absolutely caked in mud, we weren’t sure who he was at first, so it was lucky we had Jono to check things out,” said rider two, Blake reflecting on his once pristine Outer Edge riding suit.
Deep mud wallows and poor visibility meant that boulders and other gear damaging hazards were often concealed from view. Punctures were a major issue, with overall winner of the solo single speed section, Brett Bellchambers, summing it up nicely in an exhausted drawl post-race after spending 24 hours on his bike, “It was insane, there was a semi-chance I went mad, some dude went passed me, I don’t know who he was or what he looks like and then I double flatted on the second lap, my bottom brackets gone, I took a whole link out of my chain”.
The race result hinged on the amount of laps a team or individual could complete in the 24-hour timeframe, so sleep was a luxury serious competitors saw little of. Riding out into the darkness, the well-equipped teams were thankful to have the dual dependency of powerful head-mounted light and bike-affixed headlamps.
The darkness of the night-time forest section especially, presented particular problems. Riders needed to be able to scan ahead and see what was around corners as well as the path directly in front of them. Even tooled up with multiple lights, it took a great deal of courage and inner fortitude to go hell for leather given the treacherous conditions - the medical tent got a fair workout! Thankfully, a sense of unspoken camaraderie among all who rode ensured that everyone kept an eye out for their fellows, so countering anything other than a few scrapes and bruises.
To the relief of all, the second day broke in a complete reversal of conditions with bright blue skys and frolicking butterflies fluttering above a miraculously dried out course. This enabled competitors to really let rip and test themselves with confidence.
“We got to experience the trail in both the best and worst of conditions,” said Blake. “It was a great experience, we loved every minute of it”.
For full results, see:
http://www.fullgaspromotions.com.au/
