2014 Tour of Bright Masters B report
I don’t like writing particularly long, or overly detailed blow by blow accounts of race reports for a few reasons. Firstly, I don’t think I can ever do justice to everything that happens in a race due to the experiential nature of racing. Secondly, like many others I tend to forget a lot of detail (race numbers) etc in a big stage race. Finally, I don’t think anyone really wants to live vicariously through the race report of a 36yo guy racing Masters B. With that in mind, here goes…
Preparation
It may have been 5 years between stints at the Tour of Bright and a few things had changed. No longer were the grades based on age, but now they were based on grading and often questionable handicapping. Given that I did not race the first year (2012) of this grading system, I had selected Masters B which I had raced previously at the 2013 Stratford to Dargo Classic. Perhaps one of the least well attended grades year round, I had very little idea who I was racing against as I’d not competed in a VRS race in 2014.
The training leading up to Bright consisted of 8-12 weeks of specific training, and a solid base post my November 2013 operation to remove my hardware post Stratford to Dargo.
Here's a chart of my various interrupted builds to make it to the 2014 Tour of Bright startline.
I chose not to train with the approach that more is better, but rather that higher intensity and good recovery is better. This meant that most weeks I was training between 8-12 hours, with the occasional bigger week. While people love to talk in kilometres, I think this is useless as 100km on beach road in a group is not the same as 100km solo in the hills – but, for what it’s worth my weekly average was under 300km, and I did one week > 400kms. My thinking was that with an ITT, a 93km stage which really only had 2 climbs, and a final day of less than 65kms, training didn’t need to be massive distance or time, it just needed to be specific to the demands of the race.
Stage 1
I had been waiting over 2 years to race my time trial machine at the Tour of Bright. The day had come, and with the help of Stuart Vaughan who lent me some fast wheels I was able to realise my TT dream.
The Malvern Star Oppy c/o Genesis and Jono.
After a solid warmup on the trainer, the racers were greeted by warm and humid weather at the start ramp. I was being pursued by Stage 3 winner and eventual 2nd overall on GC Paul Martinico. My goal was to avoid capture, and catch some riders on the way.
Mission accomplished.
I was 6th fastest at the split at the top of the climb, but faded somewhat on the second half to come in 16th, 47s down on the winner. I was pleased with the effort as it was a PB, and riding with a rear disc makes a totally awesome noise. Also Paul didn’t manage to catch me, so that was a bonus!
Stage 2
Overnight the weather forecast was predicting 90% chance of showers. A cool breeze greeted the racers for the first road stage and with the exception of an isolated and welcomed shower on the Kiewa Valley ~10km from the final climb up Tawonga East it was a warm and humid ride.
The pace from the start was frantic as soon as the flag went down. We averaged 45kph for the first 33mins with breaks trying to go off the front. This was somewhat nervy, but it wasn't very demanding if you were hiding in the pack like I was. A few riders (four I think) got up the road and went on to take the first sprint and KOM points at the top of Rosewhite gap. For the rest of us, it was pretty uneventful except for a strange crash on the right hand turn into Happy Valley Road which saw Brad Jones turn his wheel into a pretzel and take off a lot of bark on his left side (amazingly he finished, and wasn't last!).
The other highlights of the stage were:
Staying in the big chainring for the entire Rosewhite climb, where we averaged 28kph (4.4kms @ 4%)
Managing to take a nature break on the move
Staying with the leading climbers up Tawonga until 4kms to go
Setting new power PBs and timed PBs up Tawonga
Outwitting, and outsprinting all but one of the racers (amazingly this guy was built like a trackie!) nearby at the end of the stage by launching a sprint 400m out from the line
Experiencing a cryo shower post race
~1.5kms from the top of the stage finish. 17th on the stage +2:06.
The Yeti in his natural environment. -140 degrees celcius. Yes, that's not a typo!
I have to say this was an experience. I only went in after the previous three NRS riders exited alive.
 Stage 3
I wondered if that cryo freeze had worked. More so, I wondered whether my legs would function after a tough Saturday.
Thankfully the bunch was well behaved on the way out to Harrietville, only on the gas for the two sprints. I managed a good position through the town to start the climb in the top 5 and held good position and managed to obtain benefit from drafting alongside the other climbers.
The serious GC contenders were riding a soft tempo, a pace that I could hold for hours. This was, for me, an unusual experience as my previous races in M 1/2/3 resulted in the doors being blown off in 2-3kms from the base. This false tempo didn't last for long, and on a steep turn before the Meg the riders lifted the pace and blew the doors off many riders. I managed to dig deep and make my way back, but knew that repeated efforts like these weren't going to go down well.
Then we hit the Meg. This is 400m at an average of 9%. I'm sure it's steeper at points, but it's certainly an interruption to the smooth climbing up until that point.
Here's where the serious contenders moved away, and here's where I scrambled and gritted my teeth to make it over with the racers who were still chasing. I was pleased up until this point, and in all reality knew it was a race until the false flat, so for the next 3.5kms post Meg I did everything to stay with 3 riders so that we could maximise our chances on the false flat.
We were joined by some much needed firepower from behind a kilometer into the false flat section, by which time the roads were drenched and the skies had opened. Some riders (not me) pulled big turns to limit the damage to the leading group ahead, and by the end we only lost 1 minute to the mountain goats.
Glasses on for visibility due to the spray off the road. It was a fast series of bends at speed on slick roads.
The stage had been shortened by 10km due to inclement weather, so we were to finish on the first 2.5km climb after the false flat. It was arguably an epic finish, with torrents of water streaming down the final climb as we sprinted to the line. I managed to follow the leaders in my group and came in 11th +1:09 on the stage winner, Paul Martinico, and 13th on GC +3:37 on the winner.
The highlight of my day was the ride home with Murph, where we endured a localised hailstorm while being motorpaced by a totally awesome Canberran driver - he made our trip back from Harrietville as good as it could have been.
Epilogue
An annual event, the Tour of Bright is a must for the serious amateur (and semi-pro) cyclist. It was good to return and race this year, and exceed my somewhat vague expectations given I had not raced many Masters B races.
Right now I don't feel like thinking about the 2015 Tour of Bright, periodisation, formal training programs, nutrition etc. However, I'm sure to feel the calling to return to what is one of the most iconic stage races on the Australian amateur calendar.
Sharing the journey with my family and other riders, as well as making new friendships along the way is something that has made the sacrifices and all the training worthwhile.
Rooming up over 3 days with Andy, Calvin, and Francis was a great way to experience the race. Racing alongside Murph, a veteran of more than 10 Tour of Brights and Dom (Yetti) who stepped up to Masters B after returning to racing in 2013 in Masters C was a fantastic experience. Also, the hi-jinks with the Don and DT (who both excelled in Masters C) made the weekend one that I'll never forget.
Finally, to everyone else who's read this far and been able to encourage me and share my passion for cycling and racing along the way, I thank you. You were the ones who pushed me to continue on Stage 3 when I felt like sitting up no fewer than half a dozen times after the Meg.














