08 road nationals

Well the road nationals for this year have been and gone. It was a good day bar the weather (12 deg and rainy to start with and then a cool windy day, thank god for the tent Shano!!!). Had a blast as usual with a good group turning out at the team tent for the feeding. I was on the job for the Credit Ag boys with a few others (Gerro's lady and his brother). Many a laugh was had in the tent between the laps and feeds with the usual suspects stiring it up.
It was a strange race with the field letting a split go on about lap 2. The race didnt heat up for a while allowing the split to get 6 mins on the bunch. The Credit Ag boys lit it up a few times to get it happening but with little help from anyone else the laps ticked away. Once the proceding attacks came on in the last 6 laps the field did the usual splitting up and the non contenders fell away and pulled the pin. Renshaw was handing out the advice to some of his fellow races comming through the feed, making me crack up!! (I was amazed at one of the feeds I did how Renshaw got the bottle out of my hand)
The end result was Matty Lloyd sneaking away and catching what was left of the front split and eventually pulling the win of his career. Good to see the national jersey heading to the Euro shores for display in the big races of the year.



Gerro was unlucky again this year but was one of the few who gave it everything to win the race. Last couple of years it has never played into his hands.....next year it may, I hope! A top 5 finish is nothing to be unhappy about.
Ritchie gave it a nudge and finished the race which in itself is a massive effort in itself... No way would I want to race that course 16 times. He was happy with the end result which proves he is farther along than he thought. Hopefully puts him in good stead for his US season this year.
T Lowe was out in his new Slipstream colors and was in it till the the end...(man I want some of them argyle socks!!!)
Even Ben Day said Gday as he flew past in the feed. He was another still there at the end.


My car had never had that much money attached to its roof racks


Gerro's 08 race bike (mmmmm to small for me!!!



So it was a fun day with amny a laugh shared, but alas no luck for the Credit Ag boys. Looking forward to TDU next week and trying my hardest to get over west to check it out..... but as I am off to the US and will see some of the Tour of California and the MTB worlds this year it may have to wait till next year.

Happy pedaling