Hanover Team Time Trial 2012

Your TdL 2012 team representatives, all dry and raring to go...

 

Congratulations to all the boys for flying the TdL flag with distinction on what through the coffee shop window appeared to be quite a tough morning...

 

After a personal send-off from Simon Gerrans, we departed at ~6.40am.

Following a spectacularly fast lead-out from Stewie and Alan, we settled into formation, just in time to look up and see a very dark foreboding cloud approaching, sure enough it dumped on us and socks were soon wet through. The rain and headwind persisted till the half way turnaround point, but the group rotated remarkably well in the tough conditions. We reeled a few teams in but probably fair to say more passed us - satisfying however that we caught one or two of the passing teams on the return leg.

Due care was taken to avoid the sandwich boards on the inside lane, as the pace slowed and fatigue set in. Fingers were icing up for gear changing at around the 10km to go point, whereupon Stewie put in a powerful turn that blew the group apart. Russell and Alan eventually caught him approaching the Mullum Mullum tunnel, but the rest of us struggled to stay in touch until some of the more senior members employed their descending skills in the warmth and dryness of the tunnel.

We crossed the line (7th member as Cycling Rob was timeless) in a respectable 2 hours 10 mins, around 2 mins shy of last year, not bad given the absence of 2 notable hardmen and the much more trying conditions.

Coffee and pizza were devoured back in Clifton Hill where we were joined by Serge and Bill from the Flemington squad who tried to convince us they finished in under 2 hours, but this was very much an "unofficial" time.

Thanks to Jim for gathering the troops together to support such a worthwhile cause. I for one would be happy to leave the TTT to others, but it's a tough discipline that we can now appreciate better.

Cheers Michael