All change after Day 2 and the running of the first long race stage of the week; The Osprey Hydraulics Mountain Traverse. A slightly shortened route was forced upon the race due to the rains last week, but riders still got to endure and enjoy 75km of great riding through Kosciuszko NP to finish on the shores of the fast rising Lake Eucumbene.
Broken cloud greeted riders at Perisher as they rolled to the start line from a ride up Skitube. Despite today being National Frozen Food Day, the ski resort was pleasantly warm for the start.
It appears that Dylan Cooper and Shaun Lewis from Rockstar Racing, and Jason English from Flight Centre Merida had planned to drop race leader, Trek Anytime Fitness rider Andy Fellows on some of the early climbs, a plan that saw the 3 of them fly through the 50km feed station at Nimmo Road. No stopping for these guys. Andy was some 3 minutes behind at this point. With a few kilometres to go Jason English and Dylan Cooper dropped Shaun Lewis and came into Buckenderra Resort together, with Jason nailing the steep, short climb near the finish first and keeping his wheels rolling across the line 7 seconds ahead of Dylan in a time of 2:49:26. Shaun (2:50:10) held on for 3rd. Andy Fellows (2:55:36) dropping over 5 minutes today, Jason English now leads the general classification, with an overall time of 4:19:08; 0:1:55 over Dylan Cooper with Andy Fellows in 3rd 0:5:19 behind.
Ria Johansen (4:25:45) made it 3 from 3 picking up another 3 minute lead over Helen Dorsett (4:28:56). They were followed by British rider, Jane Manning (4:34:56) taking her first podium. In the GC Ria leads Helen Dorsett by nearly 13 minutes with Merryl King, 4th today, dropping into 3rd place, a further 12 minutes behind
Young and old appeared in the Top 10 today with 18 year old Queensland rider Ethan Kelly 8th overall, unable to quite pull in 6th placed 50 year old Garry James. While the oldest rider in the race, 69 year old MTB warhorse Kerry Ryan from Melbourne, finished a credible 25th today.
As this is being written we still wait to see who found the Frozen Spatchcock out on the race trail. There was a big prize on offer for the rider to bring it home!
Tomorrow is a day for early risers with the Ay Up Dawn Raid kicking off at 5-15am, a good hour before rideable light. The Ay Up bike lights will burn bright as the field takes on the challenges of 2 loops of a 12km circuit at Buckenderra Resort – rocks, mud, cows and water will all light up in front of the riders. Then, after brekkie, it is a 40km cruise into Cooma for tomorrow night.
For full event details visit www.wildhorizons.com.au