NSW Master Champs

Saturday was the Nsw Masters Champs held at Moruya on the coast. Arriving in the little town about 12.30 I was surprised just how warm the weather was a balmy 20 degrees with just a touch of wind. I was later to find out that the weather in Canberra for the day was very average with a top of about 12 degrees for the day.
Everything was very laid back for the registration with alot of the age groups already having raced earlier in the day. We seems to be using electronic timing alot more this year so I had to spend 5 minutes attaching the timing chip to the bike.
I rolled over to the start early and listened to their briefing to make sure there were no surprises out on the course. After that I rode down to the crit tack and started warming up on that. Coming back at the designated start time we line up and get told that there will be a 15 minute delay due to a couple of the age groups being slower then anticipated on the course. So back down to the track and some more warming up.
For the most part there wasn't alot of bling on show, a couple of SRM's one set of lightweights and a set of edge rims, a parlee frame a couple of Pinerello princes but nothing to flashy.
We get called back to the start line and set off for the course. The first 2km through the out skirts of town are neutralised. Around onto the course and we are pulled over and some more waiting ensues to ensure the gap to the next group isn't too small and we will catch them.
Finally we're off and rolling down the hill for about 3km to the turn around then the false flat drag back to the start line. No attacks go down and it looks as though everyone is riding conservatively. I had heard whisperings that the course is hilly so I'm riding the 39t as much as possible to save the legs and keep some snap in them. Right hand turn and off down another hill for about 1.5km through the causeway at the bottom, bunny hop the concrete lips on either side (just to show I have some mtb skills!). Then the 4km drag up to the other turn around. Again on the 39t saving the legs. By this stage I work out the fireworks are going to go off back up to the finish line. A couple of riders slip off the front on the descent back to the cause way dangling out in front by about 100m. Into the climb back to the finish I punch in from 5th wheel as the road starts to steepen and pinch. I fly across the gap, I know I have at least one person on my wheel, as I catch the two in front the guy behind kicks around me and tries lifting the pace as the road starts to flatten.
I go again and catch his wheel into the next portion of the climb. We trade turns back up to the start finish and turn the corner into the downhill. I turn around and at a rough count there are only about 10 riders left from the 17 starters.
On the descent I manage to slip off the front with a Randwick-Botany rider and we are soon joined by his team mate. Normally I would be concerned if I was out numbered like this in an open race, but for the time being I just have to work with the other two to try and establish a gap.
We are caught on the drag back up to the start finish and another two riders get off the front including a Randwick-Botany rider. This is a problem as his two team mates refuse to work after this and starting sitting on. The middle portion of the race really just consisted of attrition with our group reducing to 7 and two up the road extending their gap out of 1.45mins. About halfway through the Randwick-Botany rider up the road disappeared, I'm not sure whether he came back to us or pulled out either way only one rider remained out front with two laps to go of the 17.5km circuit.
Because the Randwick-Botany riders now had no one up the road they started pulling turns and slow but surely we started reducing the gap to the lone rider. With half a lap to go at the final turn we got a call of 45sec and as he came back to us you could just see the lone rider was close to snapping.
With everyone pulling turns on the downhill to try to bring the gap back before the final 1.5km back up to the finish. Through the cause way for the last time and the rider is still dangling off the front but only just. A couple riders try lighting it up the climb but I'm hanging back waiting, for the final 300 metres.
We go through the 300 metre to go mark, and I kick with everything left to try and get up to the rider still just in front, I know I have someone on my wheel but have no choice. Wait for them to jump or try racing for first place if we catch the lone rider. Well I come up short, The lone rider make it to the line but only just. Me I get jumped for 2nd place as I have nothing left from trying to bridge the gap, so have to settle for 3rd.