MTB Super Series - Race 3 - Murrenbong

Race 3 of the MTB Super Series was back at Murrenbong, where all of last year's races were held.  After what has been a tough week for me and my family with an emergency trip back home.  I didn't get to touch my bikes until Saturday afternoon, and my race bike still had it number on from race 2...which also says something about how little MTB I have been doing between races.  I did not really study the course profile, but my knowledge of Murrenbong should have seen me increase my gearing quite a bit.  However my hectic week, lack of prep time, reluctance to make late bike changes and most of all laziness meant that I left the same gearing I used at the much steeper Mt Joyce track.

One of the many things I like about Murrenbong is that is only 20 minutes from home, and I only left home after 8am.  I arrive to see that Jacob was racing this round after missing the first 2 races, and that if last year was anything to go by, I was about to get schooled.  Jacob pointed out that the track did not really go through the area where the majority of people had set up.  I also heard that there were a greater number of SS riders this round, and it turned out that there were 7 riders, up from the 4 in the first 2 rounds.  

Again there was to be an alternate fire road start to avoid too much bottlenecking into the single track.  We got away early, and my plan was to stick near Jacob and see how I went.  It became immediately apparent, that despite spinning my legs off, that I was under geared.  Not only were the geared riders disappearing into the distance, but so were the fast half of the SS field.  

With the knowledge that I was running lower gearing that the guys in front, I could only push the gear I had, and hope to make some ground back at the end of the race if anyone was over geared.  On a course I know quite well, I was able to make good time in the single trail, but the flat and downhill fire roads were killing me, and I was easy picking for the average geared rider.

Towards the middle of the race I came across a cramping SS rider who has possibly over geared.  I thought at this stage that I was possibly in 3rd behind Jacob and Peter.  However, I was unaware that former 24hr Age Group World Champ Jeff Toohey, had entered SS until he passed me with 2 laps to go.  I managed to  stick with Jeff for the remainder of the race, not sure if he was lapping me and therefore in 2nd, or passing me, and we were possibly fighting for 3rd.  With about 500m to go, I decided to push ahead of Jeff in case we were racing for 3rd..turns out we weren't.

Around the the 3 hour mark, the track was shortened, presumably  to allow a rider who had gone down to be carried out.  I wish whoever it was a quick recovery.

The final results were Jacob, Jeff and Peter, so congrats to them.  It also turned out that Jacob and Jeff were 2nd and 3rd overall solo.

Another great event on a great course and in fantastic conditions.  I could not believe how awesome those not at the point end were in giving up track for faster riders.