So lets get this out of the way first..... time trials are not cool! Time trials on a bypass in the pouring rain even less so, However when included as the first stage of a stage race sometimes a time trial is a necessary evil.
So after making the oh so ugly adaptations needed for riding such an event (tri bars etc...) and double/triple checking we had everything needed packed for the stage we were on our way to the start, a short ride following the lead car and we were there.
Next followed 2 hours of sitting around in the pissing rain waiting to warm up, luckily the triple checking of the bag meant we had remembered to take the big coat with us so managed to stay relatively warm/dry huddled under a gazebo. Looking around at the competition it was easy to pick out the locals, with full TT bikes, Skin suits, aero helmets and mainly because they were the ones with sun tans.
Soon enough it was time to warm up and Izie chose to warm up on the open side of the bypass where as Lou chose to warm up on her very cool folding roller/turbo device. Once warmed up and stripped off all unnecessary clothing I made my way to the start ramp with Izie.
Now, After all the worries of riding on the wet slippy Maltase roads it turned out the most dangerous part of the course was the start ramp, a flimsy wooden board with a shiny plastic surface it was less than ideal to say the least. Watching the last few men try to sprint down the ramp showed the extent of the problem with wheel spin aplenty. A quick warning to Izie about the ramp and an even quicker run round the ramp I got there just in time to watch Izie carefully make it down the ramp and on her way.
A jog through the pit area back to Lou who was still warming up on her Rollbo (roller turbo) to warn her about the ramp, Then another walk to the start this time with Lou who again safely made it down the slip 'n' slide.
All I can do now is wait... fingers crossed my job as mechanic is done for the next 30 or so minuets until both my riders are finished safely without any punctures. Lap by lap I see each rider pass by the pit area and can tell that both are on for good times, both looking very smooth and moving considerably quicker than most of the women's field (and some of the mens).
Once both Izie and Lou had finished, warmed down and recovered a little bit it was back to waiting for the rest of the men to finish so the organises could do presentation. Luckily the weather had decided to brighten up a bit so a slightly less miserable wait this time.
The presentation came and the women were up first, which I found slightly odd as the men rode first... But anyway, Lou in 2nd place and Izie only 20ish seconds back from Lou, and in 6th place, both riders in a good position going in to the following days stages. Awesome!!! (Must have a good mechanic ;)
Back to the hotel to grab a quick shower and it was time to find some dinner, A short walk down to the sea front and to a lovely café we had discovered a few days earlier, Via a small detour to buy a belt, some how i'd managed to pack a pair of jeans that don't fit... Idiot boy!!!
After dinner we set about cleaning, checking and de-TTing the bike. This lead to riding round the bike storage area and a quick lesion in track standing for Izie who started to pick it up surprisingly quickly once we corrected a few basic mistakes she was making.
A longer than expected walk found us in a much less touristy area and in a gem of a little coffee shop with by far the best coffee we've found since being here. So good in fact we tipped more than the bill itself.
Stuy
(Team Mechanic)
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