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Criterium - 25mins plus two laps.

This race was the last criterium of the season. The course was a challenging one, not due to technical corners, but due to the road surface conditions and the presence of a reasonable hill at the back end of the course leading to an incline towards the finish. The weather conditions were good, and the field numbered well with Sarah-Jeanne Fraser, Mel Hoskins,  Liz Leydon, Bella King, Jess Griffiths (new to WA, from NSW), Cherie Bonasera, Sue Johnson, Kelly Gray, the SPR girls - Lorraine Hartland, Lisa Wood, Jillian Scanlan, Danielle Longworth of Fleet Mandurah, and my Fleet Teammies Holly & Bec, plus perhaps one or two others that I don’t know. Sally Robbins was also scheduled to start, however was unable to due to an injury. Unfortunately her fans didn’t seem to know that - it was quite amusing hearing the loud cheers for her when she wasn’t on the course.

I was feeling a bit unsure about this crit. I feel like I need more experience with tactics to ensure that I make the most of terrain that favours me, as this course did. My plan was to watch the others initially to sus out what was going on and then try to make some moves. I did this and made a move twice on the hill leading up to the corner before the finish, however ran out of puff with a lap and a half to go and didn’t catch a wheel when the bunch rolled over me.  I chased to the end, but ended up simply providing a windbreak for Bella. On de-brief after the race I learned that I was sort of doing the right thing, just going in the wrong spot. Oh well, that’s what learning is all about. I probably also shouldn’t have spent the whole race in the big chain ring too. That hill really hurt the last couple times I did it, probably mostly due to my poor choice of gear.

Final results:

1. Melissa Hoskins (Plan B)
2. Jessica Griffiths (NSWIS)
3. Sarah-Jeanne Fraser (Eddy Hollands Bicycle Services/Energy HR)
4. Rebecca Halliday (Fleet Elite)
5. Liz Leydon (HubRacing)
6. Lorraine Hartland (South Perth Rouleurs)

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