We packed everything into bags just roughly enough to fit everything in the car, as we arrived at Brisbane airport to swap from our 8-seat van to a 12-seat bus and a trailer. At the same time we picked up Chris and Melinda Harper as well as Travis Frisby who all joined the team as we planned to head west. Two and a half hours of 'getting to know you' and a bit of sleeping later we had arrived in Toowoomba for our next tour. For most of us this was to be our second NRS tour, so not quite used to everything that goes on and with no real support team around us, the experience was slightly different than racing for any of the bigger teams.
Again we had to unpack the bikes from our bike bags, put them back together and then get out for a ride to help the legs recover from the previous tour. Just out following our senses until it was time to use google maps to get ourselves back to the house, I could say for myself that I was really hoping to get the legs started was tough. Heading home and with only one kilometre to go we had a slight problem, I had a car pull out in front of me. Lots of yelling and pain later the ambulance arrived later to find me laying on the ground. Everything was happening so quick with paramedics testing me and asking questions before loading me into the back of the ambulance and rushing me into the hospital. I Thought I'd still be fine to race, feeling bruised with the usual gravel rash on one hip it seemed that everything could be alright, until all the news came at once and I knew racing wasn't an option. My bike had been snapped in three places so there was no bike to ride, then the doctor came in and had a look at what I thought was a corky on my left leg only to tell me I had taken a twenty cent piece size chunk out of my leg and I would need stitches. After that it was obvious, no racing for me. Arriving back to the house everyone was a massive help, juiced up on pain killers and barely being able to walk the guys really helped out with everything I needed.
The race started on Thursday with a rolling stage with William Walker taking a very good win and most of the guys finishing in the lead bunch. Except for Dave Parsons who was unfortunately a casualty from the days racing, coming off early in the race and being taken to hospital to be patched up and also have stitches put in his lip. Stage two was set to be a day that helps decide GC, with the final climb taking place up Bunya mountain. Going to the second KOM then racing to get to the finish before the riders got there, I had to give Melinda a crash course in convoy driving as we were two cars off the back. We then left the peloton as they headed west and we went straight to the finish. The stage came down to a sprint finish, with Nathan Earle taking the win ahead of young talent Matt Clarke. Another early stage crash saw Veneziano Blefari rider Andrew Clarkson come down and he was third rider out of the race from our team, at this rate we weren't going to have anyone finish the tour.
Stage three was a team time trial and with no real time trialling prowess in the team the decision was made to take the ride as a recovery spin in preparation for the afternoon's stage four. The profile painted relatively flat picture, with no such thing as an easy NRS race reports told us that the whole day was spent in the gutter with only a group of forty forming the front bunch. As the peloton entered the final lap of Toowoomba's specially built crit course every single rider looked ruined but it was Team Polygon's Ben Grenda who had enough left in the tank to take the win. Luckily no one came off but we did have Travis Frisby retire from the race due to fatigue. The final stage of the tour was set on the edge of town around a 2.4km circuit. an attacking race but no one was allowed to get out of sight. In the end it was Neil Van De Ploeg taking the win.
The whole experience was one that I certainly won't go forgetting ever, the trip away was my first NRS race, my first big crash and one of the first times my horoscope has applied to life. I spent two weeks away with some great guys and I'll certainly be back to race NRS soon.
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