RACE NEWS with Extrab Ias:
Chief of Clan "Wheel Sucker", "hippy", was reported to have won the Thursday night METEC criterium
by a margin of no more than a tyre's width employing the tactics he has become famous for on
aus.bicycle... wheel sucking.
But wait... with fresh information just to hand... In a shocking turn of events, it turns out that
the infamous wheel-hog himself, a man who, on numerous occasions, has boasted of "never feeling the
wind in my face" did in fact initiate a half-lap, solo breakaway attempt!
This break was later joined by two other riders, Rick and Anthony, when the wind-shy hippy slowed
somewhat and appeared to contemplate whether or not he should leave his lunch where it was, or
donate it to the green fields of METEC.
The trio then proceeded to work together to maintain the gap between themselves and the
chasing bunch...
The final lap saw the trio's pace slow dramatically as they duelled for position - none of the three
wanting to give the others a leadout.
Rick took charge and set a more reasonable pace towards the line with chief wheelsucker and Anthony
closely following.
With 50 metres between Rick's front wheel and victory... up he stood and the sprint was on!
Powering towards the line (and I have this on good authority) hippy was locked onto the back wheel
of Captain Leadout a.k.a Rick. The previous night of climbing and sprinting had taken its toll on
hippy's legs and he wasn't sure he could make it around Captain Leadout. In his typical fashion,
showing a total lack of regard for the 'smart' thing to do, hippy moved around Rick too early,
losing his aero advantage. "No matter", he must have thought as he made ground on Rick's blurring
legs, but the line approached fast at top speed and he would have to act quickly...
Lifting his <cough> sizeable </cough> rear off the saddle ever so slightly, hippy flung his
bike foward underneath him, hoping to push his red Michelins over the line before Rick tried to
do the same.
It might have been the gift of longer arms or the fact that "red goes faster", but hippy snatched
victory at METEC that night by the narrowest of margins...
---
BIG thanks to David De Gama and his wife (who's name I've forgotten - sorry!), John Nicholson and
all the riders who continue to turn up to these races even with the low numbers.
Some A&B graders were spotted (you know who you are) after the race - perhaps they were examining
the course before their return to racing METEC next week???
Inviting any other club's riders - If you want to find out what a non-rectangular course (with a
RIGHT HAND CORNER!!!!) feels like.. you know where to find us :-P
hippy