Have you got the John Woodman – Wagga to Albury Cycling Classic scheduled on your race calendar?

The Wagga to Albury is definitely a challenge at 135km in length, but it is a manageable challenge for the vast majority of riders that race in State Opens or take part in the Tour de Riverina. Unlike most handicaps, the Wagga to Albury only has four bunches, typically consisting of around 25 riders per bunch. Due to the large bunches and flat/rolling terrain the bunches tend to stay together and average some pretty fast speeds. This means that the race is usually completed after just 3.5 hours for limit riders and 3 hours for scratch riders.

The route will take you through some of the quietest and most picturesque roads in the Riverina. During the race you will build camaraderie within your bunch as you tackle the highs and lows together and chase down the bunches ahead of you. But beware, there is no such thing as camaraderie at Jindera Gap, just short of the sprint finish!

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/waggatoalbury

Webpage: www.waggatoalbury.com.au

Entries: http://www.nsw.cycling.org.au/

Hi Everyone,

The outcomes from last night’s meeting are as follows.

Sunday Event moved to Saturday afternoon 3pm on the last Saturday of each monthduring winter.

This means this Saturday is the official kick-off!

 The next Saturday will be a Mountain Biking introduction followed by a hot-lap/BBQ ( details to come).  There will be a prize for the rider who can do their 2 laps on different Saturdays in the closest time ( emphasis on consistency not speed!).  Garmins and speedometers will be banned for the timed lap!

These moves have been made in an effort to increase rider numbers (and comfort levels) during the colder winter months.  The time was chosen to hopefully avoid junior sports.

Depending on the success we may schedule events more often – see the website calendar or news for updates.

Regards

Hamish

Firstly a big thank you to all those involved in making the now annual (hopefully!) fireworks night a big success.

To Robyn and Dave Holder for hosting the event and creating a seemingly smoke-free bonfire!

To Dave Jarvis and the Coota Butchery for the fantastic food.

To Tim Meares for holding the Fireworks licence and collecting & selecting the arsenal.

To Penny Nott who had the thankless job on the gate.

To Phil Davies for his generous donation to the raffle.

To Social Secretary Steve Hines for his organisation.

Over $800 was raised for the Mountain Bike Club as we work toward organising events and getting commissaries qualified.

Kenny Clark was the lucky winner of the raffle on the night !

The Sunday Club Event will resume this week – check out the calendar on the website for further updates or tweaks to this format ( ie Longer rides/Mountain Bike Event or the like).

Hamish

Hi All,

Please find attached pictures of an optional training/MTB kit available for purchase through the club. We have had complaints about the registered race kit blending in with the road. Please note that this is not to replace the race kit but a safer training option and a way for the club to raise income to cope with increasing race costs.

Jerseys will be $100 and Bib-knicks $120 (if you want standard short kicks they will be a little cheaper, email me for details). The chamois is the same quality as the current champion-systems race knicks which we have had great feedback about.

Please let me know if you would like to place an order and I will put your name down. If you are unsure of your size please go to http://www.champ-sys.com.au/services/sizing-chart and choose the article of clothing you would like to ascertain your correct size.

email [email protected]

Cheers,

Penny Nott

The first in a series of Monthly Newsletters for the BUGS group will be online soon provided by Rob Power.

Follow this link to the Newsletter or regularly via the BUGS page on the website.

Check out the gallery for photos selected of Coota Riders Only ( sorry if you’re looking for a friend go to the photographer’s website!).  A couple of future club champions in there somewhere too (of the Franklin or Sutherland variety)!

Have a look at the over-keen application of baby oil to Steve Hines’ legs, or Goldy chewing the stem on Brawlin, Darren Russell’s face of pain or Slee and Shaun in the mix at the end!

An interesting article on cycling insurance appeared in the SMH 22/4/13 – it is reassuring to know that we are all covered whether riding in groups or on our own, whether we cause and accident or are the victim.

http://www.smh.com.au/executive-style/fitness/blogs/on-your-bike/make-sure-youre-covered-before-you-ride-20130421-2i8c7.html

For full details of the Cycling NSW cover summary follow this link – Insurance Summary

This race is on April 28th, not in May as the calendar suggests!

See copy of the email below with the link http://tumut.mtbwagga.asn.au/ .

Dear All,

 Cycle Club Event Report Sunday 3^rd March 2013

A very windy morning greeted the riders at the Berthong Road start of Sunday morning’s club event.  In all 18 riders mate it in what were some of the toughest conditions ever contested.  Regular handicapper Rees was away so it was up to the ‘Fox” Manning to decide the gaps for the groups.  This left the backmarkers decidedly nervous as the Fox tends to favour the limit markers in the handicapping (they even ordered coffees knowing there would be a long wait until they started!)

That said Steve Green started the clock ticking off limit, with Phil Davies and P. Lott off the 2 minute mark.  Anthony Dean and Rod ‘Rocket’ Holder left two minutes later off quite a generous handicap.  The fittest man in the club Al ‘Burglar’ Baker and Scott McLeod formed their bunch 1 minute behind this. 

At this stage the block and scratch group’s coffees arrived (along with the double-shot  Chai Mocha for Hines) and they were able to finish them before block headed off at 8minutes and 30 seconds. Block consisted of Dave Jarvis, Hamish Nott, Ken Clark and James Baldry.  The red-hot scratch group consisted of Young riders Lefty Goodman, Shaun Williams, Peter Telford and Coota riders Mark Ward, Frank Stephens and Steve Hines.

The wind buffeted all groups on the way out and things began to splinter up front with groups  separating and other groups forming, mostly the ‘groups’ consisted of Al Baker and one other rider!  Behind scratch were being driven by Steve ‘Mocha’ Hines and the trio from Young and were closing on the block bunch who were still together.  These groups combined and passed some tired riders on the way in but the wind and some surging were hampering their efforts to catch Holder and Baker up front.

In the finish Rocket and the Burglar were able to work out who was going to cross the line first and Baker took the honours after virtually riding solo throughout the whole trip.  No doubt a stiffer handicap will be awarded next week!  Holder took second with the super strong Mocha-fuelled Hines just being pipped by a boarding house scrape of butter for third in the sprint for fastest time. Pete Telford who rode 39minutes for the trip took the honours  – extraordinary considering the conditions.  Shaun Williams took 5^th in his comeback to club racing this week.

A reminder to all that the Stock Fair is on the 16^th March and that entries for the Southern Division Championships in Breadalbane in April close with the Cootamundra Club Secretary on the 23^rd March.

LIVE UPDATES ON CLUB RIDES – ROAD AND MOUNTAIN BIKING

 The Club has taken the step of starting a TWITTER account.  This is in an endeavour to keep people posted of ride changes for those that miss the Thursday discussion evening at the Globe!   Also for last minute changes based on weather, or cancellations the information can be broadcast to all interested parties from the location essentially LIVE.

The idea is to post a ride update on the day of, or around the start of a ride so that those considering the ride or who are running late can meet the ride if they so wish.  We are aiming to start with road rides and add in Mountain Biking.

If you have a Twitter account follow Coota Cycle Club if you are interested – you can do this from the new button on the homepage.  If you don’t have an account you can create one via this button too.

For those unfamiliar with Twitter see below.

With most people owning a smart phone these days the information is at your fingertips instantly IF you choose to have a look at the feed.

That said to see ‘Tweets’ (messages from the Cycle Club) you need to have a Twitter account and follow the Coota Cycle Club, and you do need to download the APP to your phone!

To sign up to Twitter you will need an active email address and a username (usually something quite obscure and anonymous unless you are a celebrity!).  Once the account is created Twitter prompts you to follow as many people as possible – you may have to choose 5 people then 5 more (which you can UNFOLLOW after if you wish).  Then look for the SKIP option to speed up the process! Search for Coota Cycle Club and FOLLOW to get ride messages – you should see the club logo.

You can follow and unfollow as many people or organisations as you wish but you can make it simpler by following less people!

Finally reply to the email to activate the account and download the APP to your smartphone.