The Melbourne Cup weekend is always an excuse to take the Monday off from work, go away with family and friends and squeeze in a few extra rides. That sounds relaxing but with the Tour of Bright only 5 weeks away, training has increased and food consumption has decreased all in the hope to climb well in the first week of December. Tour of Bright is the last VRS race of the year and arguably the race that riders focus on the most. Masters A grade competition in 2016 has been red hot and a number of riders are training with the intensity of a full time pro rider; some because they were pro riders and know what it takes to win.
A few of the CharterMason Masters team went to Bright over the long weekend to enjoy some of the amazing rides on offer. Saturday saw Mt Hotham in all of its glory. Little to no wind, snow and sunshine at the summit which made it easier to enjoy the 110kms and 1800m of climbing. We were invited to ride with TriVelo/Giant Celtic and thoroughly enjoyed their company. A great bunch of riders who look to be peaking perfectly for Tour of Bright.
On Sunday we headed out to Mt Buffalo, which arguably offers the best views of the region. It was sunny on the way up before the weather turned at the summit. It’s moments like that when you’re thankful to have the Sub4 Roubaix top, gilet and long sleeve gloves. It was wet and freezing but we managed to keep relatively warm on the slippery descent. Quality kit cannot be overstated on a ride like that!
Day 3 started with a casual ride from Bright and up and over Tawonga Gap before stopping for a quick coffee in Mt Beauty with Brad from VeloOne. Once sufficiently caffeinated, some headed up to Bogong, Brad went all the way to Falls Creek village and those racing Tour of Bright opted for the less social ride of doing Tawonga Gap repeats. There is nothing social about 2000m of solo climbing!
Riding the Alpine region of Victoria is good for the soul. The riding is great and there’s plenty of family activities but be warned, the weather can always turn quickly on the mountains and you want to have quality kit like Sub4 to ensure you get back safely for a hot shower…….and a big breakfast.