Mont 2007 was all about the course!
From the get-go, Mont 2007 for Felt Racing was all about having fun at this event. With a tumultuous lead up, including team changes and uncertainty about venue specifics, the scene was not exactly set for a race winning performance with the cream of Australian mountain biking riddling the opposing teams. Many months had been spent in training, with the usual sacrifices increasing to place more strain on families and relationships, and Mont 2007 was the outlet for this effort.
Felt Racing was privileged to be gifted a Corporate site for the event, with thanks to Southcott
and we dressed the place up with all our finery. Felt central was the place to be with many people dropping by to check out the latest model Redemption and Virtue 1, check out catalogues from Electra and Ice Toolz and to generally shoot the breeze with the team.
All that gear required a packing strategy second to none, and we all stood by in disbelief as Gerald from GVRaceTech made it all happen. There was so much stuff in there, it was amazing, and almost every single piece of equipment was used to make us as comfortable and efficient as possible. Basically a full workshop, lounge, kitchen and office was fitted in, and we reaped its benefits all day and night, and day...
The long drive up the Hume is always a pleasure. Isn't it....!? At least there was pretty weeds to look at....
During the hours and hours that it takes to get to good ol' Canberra, the heart of the Nation...
G'money wrenchin the new Cola flavoured Redemption, destined to be reviewed in one of the Freewheel publications over the next few weeks, so you can read all about it there. I've got my eye on this particular one also, as it looks like SO much fun to ride. We shall see eh?!
As usual, the pre-race tinker is always a laugh a minute, nerves are replaced by laughter as the team gets itself in order putting race plates on, stickers on bikes, clothing and nutrition laid out and bodies stretched. The group of guys that make up the team are mates first and foremost, so there is constant practical jokes going on as well as good natured ribbing which continues on long into the night.
Getting the final parts tricked up is always part and parcel of racing. Ceramic bearings were the trickery of choice this race, and they actually make a visible difference to the performance of the component in which they are installed.
GVRaceTech was hard at work the whole race, re tuning anything that we managed to shake, rattle or roll out of adjustment on the course. Speaking of the course, it got rougher as the race progressed, and during the night I know I was very greatful to run the whole 120mm/135mm travel settings to soak up the bomb craters that appeared during the night and were just off line. The course itself, from my personal view, was the best enduro course I have ever raced. 80% single track, no real climbing but plenty of uphill, and loads of room to pass with a bit of communication. The first 2k was flowing and filled with little double jumps and not once did I regret leaving transition and entering the course. A big call at 4am, but truthful none the less!
A lot of things were hard at 4am, and equally hard at 6am when the sun was shining and single laps were starting to take its toll. The single lap strategy did turn out to be the best way we could run, contentious as that is. Many teams were running double laps, and it worked for them, but this method was the best for us. Sadly it left little time for recovery, but thats the price you pay... (and pay we did, 45 hours plus in between shuteye.)
Our usual game came into play late in the race as we worked out who would be doing the last laps... After a very rough night, Jack managed to get himself back in order, and punch out some consistent laps, and with one rotation ending and putting us into transition on the hour, the game became one to get 30min laps or better to put me out before the end of the race. Jack smashed out his last lap and snuck in before time, putting Jason out on course with it all to gain.
Jason leaving meant that he stood a chance to put me out for one final lap, and with the Total Rush/FTF/Specialized 6 chasing him around, he smashed out an awesome lap, failing to get me out by just 1min50sec or so. Geared up standing at transition, we were all willing him to get a clean run to get that final lap, but it was sadly not to be, with the time running out somewhere on the last descent.
I'll have plenty more to post up here over the next few days, but thats just a quick update to let you know what happened. The washup - 4th place overall. A relentless race, see-sawing throughout the whole race, with the biggest wins and losses made throughout the night, but more vindication that consistency is the key to enduro racing.
We would like to thank, in no particular order, Felt Bicycles/Southcott for our steeds, GVRaceTech for everything he does for us on so many levels, Hutchinson tyres for not letting is down at any point and providing grip beyond all others, Em our team manager, Mark McDougall for his tireless performance on 2 weeks of training and his first ever 24hour, Nightlightning for burning the retinas of our competitors in transition and scorching the course in front of our tires and everyone else that gave us a little cheer as we raced around the course.
More to come during the week, but thanks for stopping by to hear our story. Check out some of the links on the side bar for other peoples take on the weekend won't you.
Felt Racing was privileged to be gifted a Corporate site for the event, with thanks to Southcottand we dressed the place up with all our finery. Felt central was the place to be with many people dropping by to check out the latest model Redemption and Virtue 1, check out catalogues from Electra and Ice Toolz and to generally shoot the breeze with the team.
All that gear required a packing strategy second to none, and we all stood by in disbelief as Gerald from GVRaceTech made it all happen. There was so much stuff in there, it was amazing, and almost every single piece of equipment was used to make us as comfortable and efficient as possible. Basically a full workshop, lounge, kitchen and office was fitted in, and we reaped its benefits all day and night, and day...
The long drive up the Hume is always a pleasure. Isn't it....!? At least there was pretty weeds to look at....
During the hours and hours that it takes to get to good ol' Canberra, the heart of the Nation...
G'money wrenchin the new Cola flavoured Redemption, destined to be reviewed in one of the Freewheel publications over the next few weeks, so you can read all about it there. I've got my eye on this particular one also, as it looks like SO much fun to ride. We shall see eh?!
As usual, the pre-race tinker is always a laugh a minute, nerves are replaced by laughter as the team gets itself in order putting race plates on, stickers on bikes, clothing and nutrition laid out and bodies stretched. The group of guys that make up the team are mates first and foremost, so there is constant practical jokes going on as well as good natured ribbing which continues on long into the night.
Getting the final parts tricked up is always part and parcel of racing. Ceramic bearings were the trickery of choice this race, and they actually make a visible difference to the performance of the component in which they are installed.
GVRaceTech was hard at work the whole race, re tuning anything that we managed to shake, rattle or roll out of adjustment on the course. Speaking of the course, it got rougher as the race progressed, and during the night I know I was very greatful to run the whole 120mm/135mm travel settings to soak up the bomb craters that appeared during the night and were just off line. The course itself, from my personal view, was the best enduro course I have ever raced. 80% single track, no real climbing but plenty of uphill, and loads of room to pass with a bit of communication. The first 2k was flowing and filled with little double jumps and not once did I regret leaving transition and entering the course. A big call at 4am, but truthful none the less!
A lot of things were hard at 4am, and equally hard at 6am when the sun was shining and single laps were starting to take its toll. The single lap strategy did turn out to be the best way we could run, contentious as that is. Many teams were running double laps, and it worked for them, but this method was the best for us. Sadly it left little time for recovery, but thats the price you pay... (and pay we did, 45 hours plus in between shuteye.)
Our usual game came into play late in the race as we worked out who would be doing the last laps... After a very rough night, Jack managed to get himself back in order, and punch out some consistent laps, and with one rotation ending and putting us into transition on the hour, the game became one to get 30min laps or better to put me out before the end of the race. Jack smashed out his last lap and snuck in before time, putting Jason out on course with it all to gain.
Jason leaving meant that he stood a chance to put me out for one final lap, and with the Total Rush/FTF/Specialized 6 chasing him around, he smashed out an awesome lap, failing to get me out by just 1min50sec or so. Geared up standing at transition, we were all willing him to get a clean run to get that final lap, but it was sadly not to be, with the time running out somewhere on the last descent.I'll have plenty more to post up here over the next few days, but thats just a quick update to let you know what happened. The washup - 4th place overall. A relentless race, see-sawing throughout the whole race, with the biggest wins and losses made throughout the night, but more vindication that consistency is the key to enduro racing.
We would like to thank, in no particular order, Felt Bicycles/Southcott for our steeds, GVRaceTech for everything he does for us on so many levels, Hutchinson tyres for not letting is down at any point and providing grip beyond all others, Em our team manager, Mark McDougall for his tireless performance on 2 weeks of training and his first ever 24hour, Nightlightning for burning the retinas of our competitors in transition and scorching the course in front of our tires and everyone else that gave us a little cheer as we raced around the course.
More to come during the week, but thanks for stopping by to hear our story. Check out some of the links on the side bar for other peoples take on the weekend won't you.
posted by Ash Thomas at 12:04 pm
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