So with the Subway Avanti team training camp in Christchurch out of the way I headed back to Auckland and gridded up for the 100km Flyer.
Team GMC Coaching had 13 riders on the start grid as either build up for Southland, K2 or Taupo.
The day dawn with crap wind and rain so it was gonna be a tough day for all... When I woke that morning I didn't realize how tough.
The race started with 2000 people and took off like a rocket, after 25km 4 of us were away with Myself and Carl Williams representing Team GMC aswell as Aaron Strong and Sam Lindsay.
We worked well together till about 30km to go (and were even leading the bunch by 3mins at that stage) when whilst I was on the front leading I rode straight into an oil slick that hadn't been there on the 1st lap.
I went straight down like a sack of crap before I even had a chance to react.. big Carl went straight inot me (all 96kg of him) then Aaron and Sam piled into him.
We all got up and fortunatly old Acky was following in the car and was on hand to help Big Carl.. I got going 1st and kept going for the win with Aaron 2nd...Sam still won the Junior prize and Big Carl went to hospital.
Debb's Watson had crap luck and had somebody crash in front of her, so she went straight over them and hit the deck hard, being the trooper she is, she got up and kept hammering only to have shock set in and start throwing up! ...she was lucky enough to have Jianni from ibike on hand to help her to the hospital (where I bumped into them later whilst getting stiched up myself).
Michael Mchardy was in the front group of about 40 5km into the race when he went down a pot hole and over the handel bars, fortunatly he was'nt injured and got up.
Clinton Stanshall had 3 punctures and a crash but rekons he still had a great day ...hahahah Sadist!
The rest of the Team GMC Crew seemed pretty happy with thier day out!
Stats:
1 x broken Bike (Carl)
1x Seperated Shoulder (Also Carl)
1x Cracked Elbow (Debbie)
3 x Stiches (GMC)
3 x Punctures (Clinton)
1 x complete set of wrecked kit including sox,helmet,shorts,top,shoe covers, arm warmers (GMC)
1 x near hypothermic wife (Mrs GMC)
www.gmccoaching.com