Duncan, Dave and Imran decided to ride together after collectively agreeing that their fitness was not altogether up to scratch. Reports are that they enjoyed the ride - a good argument for cycling these races regardless of fitness for the cameraderie and experience, after all, you would rarely pick the Jock route for a training ride.

In the same spirit of friendship and camaraderie we have gone to great lengths not to publish that Dave actually walked his bike up one of the hills. What are friends for? (pushing - ed.)

The two Tims had mechanical difficulties of sorts. Tim Fair - who is out riding in a class of his own - was recruited as the Hi-Q team's "fetcher", bringing drinks from the support vehicles into the peleton. He actually led the race into Nelspruit, but between there and Boulders had a tangle with another bike, stayed upright but broke a spoke. He got a replacement wheel, but couldn't make it back to the leading peleton. His old wheel also had his timing chip, so we can't record his time - probably a very good thing for the rest of us.

Tim Born engineered a problem whereby his bike became stuck in gear that looked like 53/17 - not the gear you want to be riding the last 30kms of this race. Further, remembering that the race used to be sponsored by Lebombo bananas, he decided not to pack extra food - but with bananas being as barren as the Barberton nightlife, he bonked and the cumulative effect was that he crossed the line groaning like my Toyota Hilux after the gearbox failed. (......the tough get going -ed)

I rode the race faster than I did three years ago when I was younger and fitter, but also noted a steady stream of my old Johannesburg cycling partners passing me. Gary Beneke, my old cycle coach, finished more than half an hour in front. I also collapsed at the finish in a flat body-wide cramp and have basically slept this whole day after, waking only to attend to this race report. The issue, I have concluded, is preparation. I probably rode 60% of the programme I set down, and in the end it wasn't enough. I put on weight leading up to the race, and basically took off the last week with a tear away trip to Johannesburg involving profuse amounts of the demon drink. All of this fun seemed pretty stupid indeed on the Hilltop ascent...

But the sob story of the event must go to Carlos. Eyeing some sexy pedals in Anton's shop the Friday before the race, he managed to buy, but not test them. That is, until the morning of the race, at which stage he found they were not a fit for his shoes and he was in Barberton without tools to fix. However, to his credit, he dashed back to Nelspruit, attached his old pedals and then picked up the race for a start from Nelspruit, finishing in good humour.

Due to a foot injury Werner only took on the 105km race, but he seemed to have no problem disposing of the distance and finished like a steam train.

Special thanks go to Carlos for attending the check in on Friday and picking up all our kit and also to Bill who turned out to take the photo record.

The Jock marks the start really of the new cycling season, so onward and upward - look out for the 94.7 training calendar on the website shortly.

So let's conclude with a few observations on what we have learned from this last race:

1. There are many training supplements on the market which, with varying degrees of legality, will help your race performance. Alcohol is not one of them (despite our sponsor!). Jim Leggatt
2. If you are going to try some new equipment on the day of a race, make it a wristband. Carlos Sales.
3. After four glasses of wine, two weeks before the race, you can ride Boulders faster than Ivan Basso after a fix. Jim again.
4. Check the race sponsors include at least one banana grower. Then ride with an energy bar in your pocket. Tim Born.
5. Unless you are his wife, don't share a room with Duncan. His hands wander. [Name withheld]

Cyclismo ver 2.0.0 July 23 2006 © Billos.ca