There is no 'I' in team

2009 Australian Track Nationals,
Adelaide SuperDrome, Feb 3-8

Day2: Elite Women's Points Race

Now, this was a race I was looking forward to, I was confident that I had good form in my legs, and somewhat pumped after Danny and Birdman's sprint finals, Jessie and I were out to have a good race.

But, sometimes the best laid plans just won't work. In a nutshell, I needed a bigger gear if I was to have any chance in this race and once we were away racing it was too late to do anything about that. Bugger!! Despite putting myself in good positions coming into a number of the sprint laps, I could do nothing but let the bunch go past as I spun my legs as fast as I could.

Clearly it was going to be an uphill battle for me to really perform in this race. I was undergreared, couldn't spin any faster, the field was fast and very little in the way of attacks were getting away.

About a third into the race Jessie got away to join up with a WA and Vic rider, this was an opportunity for me to do something useful! Between myself and one of the WA riders we controlled the bunch for a while letting the girls get some points up. Even managed to cover a couple of attacks that tried to get away. Eventually one of the Tasmanian riders escaped us, trying to bridge, but shortly after everyone was back together.

Not long after the 7th sprint I decided it was time for me to have a dig off the front to see what I could achieve. I managed to stay away solo for almost 7 laps- all the while wishing I was on a bigger gear so I could go faster!!- only to be caught on the line by enough of the bunch to push me out of the points :(

The next 15 laps were pretty uneventful and then there was the horrible sound of bikes and bodies hitting the boards, only this time it was directly in front of me. Somehow I managed to avert my eyes away from riders sliding down the boards and jump up the track to avoid the caranage. Somehow Tess Downing (Vic), Malindi McLean (NZ) and Davina Summers (WA) had all got tangled up and come down. A very unfortunate way for a bike race to end, particularly for Tess who had been racing very well all night was sitting in third.

At the end of the race Belinda Goss (Tas) had a very decisive lead over the rest of us, with Skye-Lee Armstrong (NSW) in silver. Up to the crash Tess had been comfortably in third but there was some debate as to whether it should be awarded to her as she had not completed the race. At one point the score board indicated that Jessie was to recieve the bronze (that would have been an awesome result for the two of us), then that changed to Liz Georgouras (NSW) on count back. In the end it was decided that since the crash was within the last 5 laps of the race, Tess was eligible for the medal.

Congratulations to all the girls on a fantastic race and speedy recovery wishes to the girls who came down.

(Tess was taken to hospital with concussion and suspected broken collarbone, but the lastest I heard was that she has no broken bones but has torn the ligaments and muscle away from her shoulder. Davina is up and about and back on the bike. The only news on Malindi is that she may have a broken arm.)