Hanover Ride for Home on East Link

Riders

I think all who took part in the team time trial would agree that it was a great ride.  We had two teams which were very, very, very, very close. However, I have to say that Flemington Institute of Sport - Team 2 did beat Flemington Institute of Sport - Team 1.

All up there were forty two teams in the Team Challenge.  Flemington Institute of Sport - Team 2 led by Captain Mark Higgins came in 15th with a time of 1h59'01'' and Flemington Institute of Sport -Team 2 led by Captain Tony Dalton came in 17th with a time of 1h59'42''. It should be noted however that neither captain led their teams across the finish line.  Captain Higgins and Captain Dalton both crossed the finish line for their team in 5th position.

The run out to Frankston was very straight forward with an average speed in the high thirties and no contact between the teams.  We in Team 1 thought we were going very well.  However, the tension mounted when Team 2, which had started one minute behind Team 1, pulled along side Team 1 just after the turn around point at Frankston.  The two teams then rode alongside each other in racing lines, about two metres apart,  all the way back to Ringwood. 

To an outsider this may have appeared as some form of easy going companionship between two teams both bearing the name of Flemington Institute of Sport. This may have appeared the more so when when instructions given to one team about moving off the front and which side to move to were responded to by the other team. However, if they had heard the odd bit of sledging between the two lines of riders, could have seen the heart rate monitors entering the red zone or been able to measure the output of lactic acid they would have realised that this was a earnest racing.  It was just that on the gentle climb from Frankston to Ringwood neither team could go any faster. 

Also there is the reality check when you look at the full set of results. The Victorian Institute of Sport team came in first with 1h36'46'', Croydon Cycleworks 1h37'46'' etc etc.  However, it was a great ride in a great event. Overall there were 7000+ riders and the Hanover fund raising target of $300,000 has almost been reached and will be exceed in the next few days.  The event was run for the first time in 2010 and the growth in participation and fund raising has been exceptional. 

We look forward to 2012.

Tony