Life on and off the road

Tara - my new ride for 2015
It's only been a fews weeks post crash and it's been all action stations on many fronts.

The first week was focused on assessing current state, verifying the scans and blood tests by the doctor.

I visited the surgeon who inserted the pin from my original crash to assess the impact of the fracture and bent pin. The good news is that the bend is minor enough not to cause misalignment in the clavicle and we can just let it all heal in place.

Then when all was confirmed to be good to go and heal, a little bit of physiotherapy to get some movement back into my neck, upper back and more mobility after coming to a sudden stop at over 40kmph.

When I setup my bike again for the first indoor session there was some great relief to get my restless legs spinning over, the blood flowing after days on pain killers and anti inflammatory drugs.

In summer it is not that usual for me to smash out an indoor trainer session, but the first few sessions have been an awesome endorphin rush. A frustration and emotional release while pushing the pedals from building up over the summer to get ready for my first race and to have that ruined and everything reset.

I've been dieting still and eating fresh, clean foods, my body was in shock and instantly I have been carrying 3-4kg more than usual making my whole body feeling foreign. I'm looking forward to the days where it all feels easy and the only hurt is the self inflicted push of the legs and burn in the lungs... ahhhhh!

A photo posted by Shane Miller (@gplama) on

In the mean time, I've been travelling for work in the last week and unable to carry bike bags so I managed to line up a session at Hall Cycle Training in Perth. These guys have the setup nailed! I rocked up early in the morning in kit with my shoes and smashed out an interval session on cyclops spin bikes with it all hooked up to a resistance power meter that took no prisoners.

The extra nice feature was the session was all recorded and saved back to my Training Peaks account for my coach to check out.

Post by Veronica Micich.


The next session I booked in for was at the Athlete Lab in Sydney. I had a morning free before work to wander in and see a group session in progress. There were rows of cyclists watching race footage and following an interval session all pre-programmed to their FTP. On the massive full wall projection they had each individual's power/speed/cadence up there so they could look at the numbers and just RIDE!

It was a humid morning, but the 50 million fans kept the air moving for my intro session that was located off to one side of the main stage. I have to admit that it was not my best day, but I struggled through the 5min intervals and felt more refreshed after a shower and ready for the day ahead. The workout files can again be hooked up to Strava or Training Peaks.

Post by Veronica Micich.

I'm not a gym girl and wouldn't know what to do in one, but I'm in my element in a spin room. One thing I noticed that impacted me was bike fit. Setting up the position (if you know how you like to ride) is really important for a good session and also for the long sessions to prevent injury.

I'm back travelling for one more week to some different areas in Sydney so I'll see if I can find some more places to check out and spin it up! In the mean time, enjoy the Summer people and I'll see you out on the roads when i can use my left shifter and breaks :)

A photo posted by v0nm (@v0nm) on

I picked up my new bike from The Ride Cycles - Her name is Tara! Fully equipped 2015 Tarmac with:

- 11 speed Shimano Dura Ace
- 40mm Roval carbon clincher race wheels
- S-Works Quark power meter

I'm looking forward to getting back out on the road soon!
Bike build in progress!! Check out that RAD paintwork!

A few extra essential items
The Ride Cycles putting out their best carpet for Tara's launch

Tara and Von at the BelAir lookout in Adelaide last month

Tara resting in the little ring on the side of Willunga waiting for Ritchie Porte to win the stage of the TDU.

Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race 2015

First of all - I am so happy to get a start my first 2015 race officially with Building Champions Women's Squad in the inaugural Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.


Post by Veronica Micich.

I was very excited to ride with our guest and great athlete Rachel Neylan who had been so strong in Ballarat to come second in the National Championships and had competed strongly for our team at the Women's Tour Down Under coming in 5th overall.

It was also great to be back with my regular team mates Minda and Lydia to race along side them and share training stories from the summer.

Fitting in some long training rides and short sharp efforts in preparation for this race, I was looking forward to the awesome gruelling course.

Here are the highlights from GreenEdge:


Unfortunately I got caught up in the crash featured around 2:20 on the video about 13kms into the race. I thought that I could avoid getting caught up in the wheels that were crashing on my right, then I was forced into the grass and I thought that with a bit of CycleCross I'd be ok, until some bikes slid across the grass in front of my front wheel and I got an awesome ramp and air off a pair of Zipp wheels at 41kmph, did an epic flip over the handlebars ending up by the fence.

I picked up the bike, reseated my bottles, checked my wheels and was back on the bike in only 45 seconds. Chasing, chasing, I could see the peloton. I got a mini motor pace and could see the bunch still pulling away. How fast were they racing? My ride was gone in what seemed like an instant and I motored myself along solo to bridge the gap.

Verita Stuart who had been caught up in the crash came past me after Barwon heads and I held her for about a minute then realised I could not go the same pace and we'd lost sight of the bunch. Another 10km or so I did a check on the shoulder and realised it was not so good. The Sag Wagon caught me up and I reluctantly got in the van. My first ever Sag Wagon experience - I was initially angry and then relieved when I started to get nauseous as the waves of pain hit me.

Blue line indicates the original straight line of the pin. Red box shows the new fracture site.

I made it to the finish in time to see my team mate Rachel Neylan being handed the awesome winners trophy and when I jumped the fence to give my team mates a hug I realised how bad my injury really might be. We had some welcome lunch to celebrate Rachel's win that was organised by our sponsors Feelgood Fitness Bendigo. I went home for a shower and to get out of the kit (which did not have a scratch on it) and headed in for the scan to confirm my suspicion that I'd re-broken my left clavicle.

Positive things I noted about the race:
- The team presentation the day before was awesome way to represent the sport, our sponsors and a nice public event. We felt special for those 2 minutes on stage.
- The setup and organisation was the best ever encountered in a race. Separation from the crowds, space to warm up out of the elements without having to pay for the privilege as revenue raising from race organisers.
- Great team entry, accommodation and good amenities for the athletes.
- How lucky we were to race on such prominent main roads I've trained on in high traffic and bad weather over the years.
I've got to take a different path to racing now to what I had planned for this part of the season. A few work trips in February and March with more spin classes than summer deserves, but we will see how I can mix things up for the next quarter instead. 

Thanks for all the well wishes and hits on the site. Over 20k now!! You Rock!



An interview of Rachel with us packing up in the background.

2014 in Review

Well if you had have told me what this year had in store for me, I would never have believed it or could have fitted it all in.
  • Started a new job as a Senior Delivery Project Manager for Microsoft Australia.
  • Competed in 41 races (not including stages in Tours)
  • Cycled over 13,000kms 
  • 540 hours on the bike
  • Currently holding 211 Strava QOM's
  • Riding my bike in WA, SA, VIC, ACT, QLD
  • Australian Masters 1 Time Trial Champion
  • Victorian Masters 1 Metro, Road, Time Trial and Criterium Champion
  • St Kilda Cycling Club Time Trial Champion 
  • My first bike review published in RideOn Magazine



Mega thanks to Kosdown Performance Cycling for supporting me for the last three years. Kosmos Samaras is a great supporter of developing racing cyclists and David Downie (the owner of Kosdown) is a great supporter of cycling. Shane Miller has encouraged me to keep pushing boundaries and my fitness goals and Stephen Lane has supported and helped me to achieve them! I'm a big fan of everything these guys do and will be there to cheer them on too.



2015 Plans:


  • Continuing on as a Specialized Women's Ambassador.
  • New Cycling Team - Building Champions Women's Squad. Three of the KPC riders are now on this team (Lauretta, Emma and I)!
  • Spectating at the Road Nationals in Ballarat and Tour Down Under.
  • Racing the National Road Series Races.
  • Racing Victorian Road Series Races.
  • Racing the 2015 Tour of Fiji and learning more about the country.
  • I'd like to extend my riding adventures to Tasmania and Northern Territory for the first time.

Thanks to all my supporters online and on the roadside. I'm looking forward to more cheers and fun this year!

Riding with my BCWS Chicks

Shimano SUPERCRIT 2014

I was trying to pretend that the Shimano Supercrit was not going to be a big deal. My legs and lungs were still suffering after Tour of Bright and travel to Perth for work and I've just been feeling tired. Then the preparation for the day started up and slowly I started to feel excited... the last race of the year!

The SKCC criterium circuit is great for me with its wide sweeping corners, long straights and fast finish. I had heard the preparations for the day were big, but the setup was MASSIVE! Double decker viewing platforms, team tents, massage station, food trucks, drinks and ice-cream.

We met up at the Flight Centre Active Travel tent for a few team pics and to register, then I quickly departed to a quiet spot to warm up properly and not get distracted and nervous. The women's field was huge with 65 starters.



The BCWS ladies lined up on the front of the grid and shuffled mid pack after the neutral laps and the pace slowly wound up each lap. It was windy in the main straight and nothing was getting away. There were actually good opportunities to move up on such a wide straight circuit, but you had to be very aware of the way the bunch was surging and darting across to not cross any wheels.

There were plenty of attacks, but it was almost like that swarm of machines from the matrix that swallows itself and feeds on itself - There was no leader. I was buoyed by the fact I'd made it halfway through but there were more sprint laps to come and I started to scramble at the back. At around 10 mins to go there was a crash in the middle of the pack on a corner. I slowed to dodge around the bikes and riders blocking the road, but the race was gone. I rolled around to the commissaire at the start line to get a lap out, but 6-7 of us that were held up were denied.



Back into the race we went, and the pace picked up again as the last 3 laps got faster. The whole bunch was strung out and by the time I came out of the back straight, the leaders were going into the final corner! In no time at all I'd made up a few more places finishing mid pack and doing my own victory salute for the final race of the year!

I was still pumped from the atmosphere, mad beats, commentary and caffeine high days later. I hope that next year I'll be fitter, stronger, more confident and in form to give this a real stab instead of just hanging on and following wheels.

It's pretty great to be involved with companies that love and support what you do. So it was great to have a little bit of space to meet up, the ladies warm up and catch up with Josh and the gang from Flight Centre. We will be doing more with these guys in the coming year. If you're planning travel, you can go through him too on the BC Womens Squad contact form.

Now I'm looking forward to enjoying my food, rides and adventures before the seriousness sets in again for 2015 season. Happy Riding and Adventures to all!
 

Tour of Bright 2014

It's the last tour of the year. It's mega mountain stage finishes. It's a massive classy race that was one of my first goals on the bike - Finish Tour of Bright. This year's goal - finish Tour of Bright in A Grade.

At the end of last years tour I was pretty sure that I was not going to enter again. But after 6 months when entries opened up, race amnesia had set in and all I could remember was sun, hills and needing a drink on Tawonga.

The grading system was back in full swing and my entry was moved from B to A. In addition I was invited back to join the Building Champions Women's Squad to flesh out the team.

It was great to see Minda, Tayla, Georgia and Nik again. We also had a new teamie from NZ, Lydia Rippon who is a great little climber.

Stage 1

Post by Building Champions Squad.

The first stage is my cup of tea - A 13.6km Time Trial. I knocked 0:01:34sec off my time from last year. I had better power, pacing, new Specialised Shiv TT bike, new skin suit, helmet but it was not quite enough to crack into the top 20 in A-Grade. I rolled in 23rd, 0:01:47 off the winner - elite National TT Champion Flick Wardlaw. (Results)

Post by Jo Upton Photography.

I can already see the things I can improve on for next year: position, end of race pacing, helmet and making sure I'm at the start line on time ;)

Stage 2

The next stage was the 93km Rosewhite loop. I felt really comfortable in the group however it was pretty rude awakening to have 60+ riders on 1/2 the road when we had the luxury in the National Road Series to have rolling road closures. Interestingly the entry fee is about the same!

Looking over my files from this year and last year the race in B-Grade played out almost exactly to the minute to the A-Grade race... well from my power/speed metrics.

The pace was steady heading out from Bright with a few attacks pinging off the front, but they were all chased down and nobody was interested in going solo for so long. The new sprint point was interesting as it was on a fast bit of road and we could all see where it was before it came up.

I expected the competition to be white hot on Rosewhite, but it was very steady and I hung on at threshold with the group all the way to the last 200m where they kicked and I dropped off to chase back on the descent.

It was so flowing and fast to the Kiewa Valley Hwy, that I went to the front and rolled turns with my team mates over the rolling punches. That was the nicest moment in the whole tour. When we turned onto the Highway back towards Tawonga the peloton kept on the pace but it was really hard to move up as the group was kind of static.

The pace picked up for the sprint and I still had trouble moving up after that with the small climbs coming out of Tawonga. The stage took us 02:35 to get to the base of the Tawonga climb. Almost exactly the same time as B-Grade last year but at least this year it was overcast and I had drink in my bottles still. I think it was the first time I have climbed that side and not been fried by the sun!

As the tail end of the group turned the corner I could see the leaders already up the road and turning the first hairpin! I climbed the hill at the same pace as last year and was relieved to get to the end as it was threatening rain.



Sure enough it started to pour down and my team mates urged me to descend in the rain. It stopped by the time we got to the bottom and met Nik and Emma who paced us back to town. It was great to see them and to have a friendly wheel.

Stage 3

It rained all night and all morning. I was secretly hoping the stage would be called off, but they shortened it to finish just past the toll booth at the road to Dargo.

There was enough of a break in the rain for us to have a dry start on wet roads. The good thing was it was warm so we rolled out without warm warmers, dodging puddles. The peloton pace was ON from the gun and we were scrambling in neutral to get onto the group. Out the road it was very hard to move up to contribute. The times when I could, I had to go up the windy side and then attack to close down breaks or jump on them as they started.

As it came close to the sprint, the pace dropped so I moved up and jumped on the front to lift it up as everyone was looking side ways as to who would move first. We reached the base of the climb 12mins faster than last year and it was gogogo from there. I was at the back when we started and climbed through the tail of the group to the boom gate. By then I could see the leaders disappear around a few corners but they were long gone, ascending like angels.

I really don't know how they do it?! I enjoy climbing hills but when they take off, it must be the power to weight - they just FLY!

In previous training I'd had a 11-25 cassette on going up The Meg climb and the 200m seemed like a special kind of hell. This time I had on the 11-28 and while I was maxing out going up there, I was able to pass a few ladies and spin over the top. Make no mistakes though - this is the back of the pack and it was cat and mouse with the remainder of riders as I solo'd to the top.

Halfway through the false flat it started to rain. It got very cold and I started to have a very bad day. The ladies dressed as bananas at the drink station looked nice and warm and I asked them for a hug to warm up when I passed by.

Cold, wet and muttering like a mad woman (C) Peloton Cafe

There was no let-up in the drizzle or the gradient, but I was going to finish my first A-grade race on a very hilly course. It really started to rain in earnest and I just got over the finish line, ate a sandwich and got some less-wet windproof clothes on. As Shane was also racing there was no car to pick me up. The tour doesn't offer any way off the mountain either, so I put my wet gloves back on and took off my glasses to try and get down safely.

Post by Building Champions Squad.


Minda and I regrouped and found the van with Emma, Nik and the rest of the team mates there. We were shivering in the sun as we wrung out our socks. I giggle now, but it really did suck.

Post by Building Champions Squad.

I think I told Emma that I loved her about 50 times on the drive back to Bright with the heater on 35 degrees and we were still freezing. I managed to warm up my hands enough to hi-5 Georgia for a ripper climb. She came in 8th on the stage and made it up to 11th overall on the tour. I'm so impressed and wish I had the youth and low body weight to do that!

Overall I came in 50th in A-Grade which is the bottom quarter. I'll never be competitive in a hilly race against the mountain goats, however there are other ways I can contribute in a team in a race like this with amazing riders of high calibre. I'm really happy to be able to be part of the team and watch our climbers battle it out up the road. There will be more hills ahead in 2015 and more to come. I'll just have to work out a way to get up those hills faster ;)

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