Sunshine Coast Bike week Saturday 13th March - Sunday 21st March

With the combined support from Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads and Bicycle Queensland, the Sunshine Coast regional Council is staging some great events in Bike week, 13th-21st March, 2010. It will be a festival of all things cycling.....from learning 'How to Bunny Hop a Log' to a Bike Maintenance Workshop. There is Ride to work day (Thursday 18th March forTewantin and Nambour) and National ride to school day (Wednesday 17th March) to be involved in. For more details on Bike week and other ongoing cycling activities go to http://www.travelsmartnoosa.com.au/events/2010/Bikeweek2010.shtml . The team at Cognition are supporting the council with 2 bike maintenance work shops. The first is theory based and will give you the basics you will need to start looking after your bike and the second is a 'hands on' practical so the next time you have a flat you have the confidence and speed to get back on your bike fast. Greg Long, Co-owner of Cognition, an easy going industry trained mechanic and a well experienced rider knows his stuff and is looking forward to meeting you. All activities are FREE!
Please call or email Cognition on 5474 0677 or info@cognitionbikes.com.au

Andy's Race

The Otway Odyssey has been referred to as the hard 100ker going around, boasting some killer climbs. It starts in Apollo Bay on the great ocean road and finishes up at the mountain bike mecca of Forrest. For me I find the 100ker format very challenging, it’s kind of like making a marathon runner do a 5km run. My body seems to respond better to the longer 24hr type events. All the same I still do enjoy smashing myself in a marathon race!

The race started at 7am with over 1000 riders nestling for a good start. The first section of the race was up hill, around 1hr give or take, by the time we had reached the middle of the climb I was sitting around 20^th place, riding my own race, trying to keep some fuel in the tank for later. The first feed station was at Forrest and 67km away, so 2 bidons on the bike and 1 rocket in the jersey made sure I made it to Forrest hydrated. From Forrest we headed out on a 20km single track loop, this was where I started to feel good, knowing that I would pay for it later I kicked it up a gear and started to hammer the trail. Picking up a few more places and notable names. Feed station 2 was at 87km and there we headed out on the Ay-Up Loop. This is where I started to fade, it was a long gradual dirt road climb, maybe 6 km long and in the direct midday sun. Not even my bidon of coke could pick me up, eventually making it to the top, we descended a super gnarly single track that followed an exposed ridgeline, popping back out on the dirt road and eventually the finish. 5:09, was the time and 14^th was the place. Very happy.

Highlights were the steep, long, steep climbs. The sweet technical single track, the wide open fast descents and the cold beer at the finish line.

Next up, DT SWISS Mtns to Beach.

Andy

The Results are In

Well from all accounts the race was hard and challenging and Andy did a fanastic job..... Andy placed 14th coming home in 5hr 9mins . The race itself was probably a little short for Andy as he likes anything that's 12- 24 hours, so coming in 25 minutes behind the winner was great achievement... Congratulations Andy!

The full results were:
1st Adrian Jackson, 4hrs 44mins, he had been seeded 8th and came 4th last year. Adrian is a seasoned XC and multi day racer.
2nd Lachlan Norris, 4hrs 46mins is a road specialist.
3rd Craig Gordon, 4hrs, 48mins is a former World 24hr champion and Noosa Enduro winner.

The women's results were:
1st Judith Arndt, 5hrs 49mins who is a road racer and Pursuit Olympic medalist.
2nd Katherine O'Shea, 5hrn 54mins, a national series race winner who is aiming for the Australian team for 2012 Olympics.
3rd Peta Mullens, 6hrs 1min.
and local Sunshine Coast rider Naomi Hansen coming home in 4th place with a time of 6hrs 3 minutes- Well done Naomi!
For all the juicy details and pictures go to www.rapidascent.com.au/OtwayOdyssey/