Bay Crits Stage Two
Stage Two, East Gardens Short Circuit, Victoria. 3rd of January 2010
Stage Two Sprint (photo: Shane Goss)
Today’s race was much harder for our Honda Dream Team to control, all the other teams were attacking and making the race very hard and fast. It feels like it’s the Honda Dream Team against everyone else in the race! Our team proved that they are the strongest team out there by keeping the race together and being able to hold the pace high on the last lap.
I’d lost a little interest in the intermediate sprint jersey whilst wanting to focus on winning the overall race series so I had a little half hearted go for the first sprint but was hesitant to push 100% early enough so I ran second. I chose to not contest the 2nd intermediate sprint and recovered for the finish sprint. None of the team’s best sprinters are contesting the intermediate sprints so this is more reason for me to save my legs for the finish- as they are doing.
The last lap was fast and until 500m to go I was sitting comfortably behind my team mates, as we climbed the short hill just 400m from the finish riders were attacking everywhere and there was no organisation! I switched wheels a few times until Chloe Hoskings kicked hard early, I followed her but as she was dying a little i was forced to also start my 100% sprint early, into a headwind.. I knew it was going to be a long way to the line so I had to give everything and only just got there in time to take the win again on day two.