2012 Tour of Friendship Stage 2: 85km ITT

We take off from The Rich Hotel.  We are set in with the M40's again.  Hmmmm, how do I feel about this?  My riding has improved, I should be able to hang with them once I get in a groove.  I fight in Vietnam to keep good position, so I hope it pays off here...

For the first 25km, fairly uneventful.  There is a surge and my poor positioning caused me to fall back for a bit.  I bear down and put myself in the middle of the group.  That will be ENOUGH of that.  

We are on the right, then the lane gives out to gravel.

I bunnyhop to the paved road along with the group.

thud...

thud...

thud...

Flat on the front.  35km in to the race...85 to go.

And...what goes through my head.... one of my daughter's iPod songs:

Riding solo....riding solo... riding solo......sooooolooooo

I get a switch very quickly, but the pack is long gone.  I ask for a push, NO... I try to get behind the motor cycle for a pull, NO!  I try to draft off of trucks.... NO

Okay... well, its early.  I can't catch the group, I have to find my comfort level and resign to work hard.  I know with more then 70km to go at that point, there is a very good chance many other girls will fall out and I can just pick them off... 70km a lot can happen.

And it did...

I passed three fairly quickly.  The fourth hung on my wheel.  Okay, I got 5th, my GC will be smashed...no chance for anything better then 5th.  I make the woman rotate but not long.  She can't hold the speed, but I really needed some rest.  We pick up a few others... but eventually, they can't hold... I can't be bothered... I take off.

Its always a tough decision.  Stay with the small group and rest so there's a chance for the next day... or just take off and try to preserve something.

At the end of the route, a 10km out and back.  I pass the finish line so I have 20km to go.  I see Alex with Nick and he gives me the thumbs up.  At that point, I am humiliated...I start to cry... all those weeks of training...and it comes down to a freakishly hot day, flat tire, and not being pushed back (I was suppose to, it was stated very, VERY clearly the night before).  

I just do what I can do to finish.  Hopefully everyone sucks at climbing and somehow, I shine a bit and I can take some time back.  Those are my thoughts, get to tomorrow, put this one to rest.

I cross the line... put my bike on the truck... get lunch... Now I have to tell everyone what happened.

Alan Grant told me: "Get a stage win tomorrow, Tina!"

I eat with the Spice girls... "You can work with us, you are strong!"  Maybe, but now tired.

I never see Alex and glad...I'd just cry and I was already humilated and I didn't want to admit it...  I just shrugged it off and laughed with everyone else.  What could I do... I got a flat.  I didn't plan it.  Really, it was my fault, I know better then to be on gravel... if I were better placed in the group perhaps it wouldn't have happened, but then again, maybe it would have.  

I take the bus back to the hotel.  Alex meets me and has taken care of getting me a room, ordering me a massage.  I was so relieved, last year, often there weren't enough rooms.  

Had a shower, pulled myself together and started to think about the next day.  What else could I do.

When Bobby returned my wheel, I asked him, "Hey, aren't we suppose to get a push back to the group when we get a flat?"

"Yes, that didn't happen?"

"No, today or last year".

"Your time will be adjusted"

Suddenly, I was back in the race.  I got the same time as the last girl in the group to cross the line.  It was a full minute behind the winner, but I was really relieved.  Worried that the other women would be angry, I didn't ask.  I explained to them that I didn't get a push, Bobby adjusted my time... I didn't ask...  but reminded them I was exhasuted now...  They seemed to feel the adjustment was the right thing.

aauugghh....

live and learn.

Luckily, I came to the race with the attitude of having fun... and even with the day's event, I was having fun.

2012 Tour of Friendship, Day 1: ITT? REALLY?

So, I have NEVER done an ITT.  NEVER.  Well, if you count the Thursday rides in Taiwan where we'd go 1/2 way around the airport one at a time...  course, I always lost.

7 km Individual Time Trial...you, the wind, the road, and a clock.  Go all out, then give more!

11:08, not a stellar time, but good enough to place me #2, 2nd only to the gal who specialized in ITT, brought an ITT bike, suit, and pointy helmet.  

AM HAPPY!

After day 1, team "NVL-Seven", 2nd place in GC.

Dogma for sale!

Yup, Gj's given up the Dogma!

Ridden very little (compared to me!!) as Gj typically used another bike for riding.  This was his 'Sunday Best' and he probably put less then 4,000kms on it since I bought it for his 40th birthday 6 years ago.

Details:

2005 Pinarello Dogma FP AK-61  Magnesium  Fassa Bortolo Team Edition

Custom made for Fabio Sacchi with lot of Fassa Bortolo gear extra.

  

Up for consideration is an authentic 2005 Team Edition Fassa Bortolo

Pinarello Dogma FP AK-61 Magnesium.

This bike was bought from the Pinarello factory in the Summer of 2006 after the closure of the Fassa Bortolo Team and Fassa Team riders Alessandro Petacchi and Fabio Sacchi joined the newly founded Team MILRAM in 2006.

This is a truly unique bike and has the race-number tab on the underside of the top-tube and also has the FB-13 as part of the frame serial number on the bottom bracket.

The frame also has the SACCHI name stickers as well as his #3 on the seat stay.

It is worth noting that Sacchi was part of the lead out train supporting Petacchi in several wins during 2005 and prior years and that he won the Milano  - San Remo stage race that same year.

The Bike is fully original and as ridden by Sacchi.  The only modification was that I changed the Deda Newton Stem from a 150 to a 130 as this reach was a bit too long for me.  I can include either stem and up to you.

Bike as all Campagnolo Record 10 sp ULTRA and the Magnesium Tubing is Dedacchiai AK-61

Pinarello Dogma AK-61 is to my knowledge the only Magnesium frame road bike that went to mas production and Pinarello was very successful with this model being the choice of the Fassa Bortolo Team and Alessandro Petacchi.

2006 was won on the AK-61 Dogma as well and by Spaniard Pereiro.

Frame condition is good but as this was a race bike, there are some small scratches here and there.  I will not attempt to rate overall cosmetic conditions as I find this purely subjective.  I will say it is a beautiful bike and the scratches as noted are mostly found on the White section on the down tube.

The (custom) dimensions of this Frame are listed in the diagram as well as several pictures of the actual bike and ………also what appears to be the same bike in pictures with Sacchi (cannot guarantee this)

I am approximately 180cm tall and the bike fit me well but a bit “stretched out” and too much of a hard core racing bike for the riding I do nowadays.

Buyer of asking price of USD $4000, will also receive the following to outfit your Fassa wardrobe:

• Full Kit; shirt and bibs and socks all new
• Fassa jacket (used but as new)
• DMT Flash Carbon Petacchi edition road shoes (used but as new) size 42 EU.
• Gloves (used)
• 2 ELITE Fassa water bottles (66mm)
• Petacchi framed Dogma poster
• Shop banner Pinarello Dogma with Petacchi
• New Pinarello Bar Tape
• Original Pinarello Bike box (as shipped from the factory)
• Pinarello stickers

The Bike has MOsT  Pinarello in house brand Wheels and Continental Pinarello edition tires.  These wheels are not the high end race wheels once used on this bike. The Campagnolo Neutron wheels that came with this bike are not in good shape and I am not comfortable selling these – they where added to the bike but not the original wheels  - (Sacchi used Bora G3 Wheels as his race wheels.)

The current Pinarello wheels that will come with this Dogma are virtually brand new and tires appear not worn / new.

The SIGMA computer is also original and has not been changed since the bike was a FASSA Team Bike.

Please see the PDF file with pictures of the Bike and all the gear as described above.

This is a truly unique bike and a collector item.  This is not a forced sale and I am firm on this price and it is relevant considering the price I paid and as little use the bike has had since I acquired it in late 2006.

USD$ 4000,-

For more information, reply and I will contact you.

In search of a mountain...

With this years unbeleivably intimidating Tour of Friendship coming in just two short weeks, I am desperate for some real climbing.  The race profiles show pitches of over 20% in some places and 10% as an average! 

My little Phu My Bridge is 4.8% at best....

So... off to Vung Tau, there is a hill with some steeper pitches and for teh effort, its the best climbing that can be done here in a day.

From Russia with Love.... I board the noisy HydroFoil for a $10.  Easy trip down teh Saigon river to the Ocean and dropped off at Vung Tau.

 The other side of the Industrial Park.

 My Phu My Bridge....how I don't miss climbing IT today....

 The top of the hill, the "Lighthouse Hill".  It is a 2.3km hill, probably 2.5 from the main road, but the first stretch is really dodgy.  The last bit is also really bad, rough road, broken harsh pavement and very narrow.

 WHOA....what is that in the background?  Trees?  Blue Sky?  OMG...  its nature!  Where are the 24 wheeler trucks?  Where's the exhaust?  My lungs are in SHOCK!

 So pretty!

 Peaceful..

 Serene....

 I am still smiling....  sweated through at least 4 water bottles....  super hot and windy..

 But, I gott'r done!  Eight climbs, 1050m.  I knew I didn't climb 'well', but nothing was a struggle.  I tried harder gearing trying to come up with some idea of HOW 24% would feel. 

 My hostess, Ms. Sang (Mr. Thang's girlfriend) cooked an AMAZING meal for us and her middle daughter.  Quite honestly, it was THE best Vietnamese food I have ever tasted!  I met her at the HTNA tour.  She travelled along with the team.  She was so helpful and clearly, very delightful.  when I told Long I was coming for some mountain training and unsure if Alex could come, he arranged for Thanh to meet me.  He also looked after me during the ride.

 Traditional style eating, on the floor.  Sadly, I am so inflexible, I had to stretch my legs.  I was a bit embarassed.

 Thuy, Sang's daugther (came home early from work to help her mom w/ me!!) Sang, and Thanh.  They treated me like a princess. 

On the ferry at 1:00pm, home by 2:45.... exhausted, sunburned, and happy!

Happy until I analyzed my climbs.... but that's another story!

Sunrise delight....

Everytime I hear the word delight, I think of "Turkish Delight" a candy that the white witch gave Edmund....

Then of course there's Afternoon delight...

But, I enjoy....the sunrise delight...  a fast paced morning ride.  I am happy to report I am no longer in the back of the pack, but rather mid to front... I pull, I get my put in my place, I laugh, I have a blast!  All of this great fun happens before 6:30am.

A dutch man named Toon filmed the following from his handlebars.  It was his first ride with us...

I am in the bright green jersey and black shorts.  Rather, I am the only one with hair sticking out of my helmet.


Daily morning ride in Saigon, district 7 from Toon Santen on Vimeo.

Mui Ne again...

I was emailing a friend and he reminded me that my blog has been quiet.  Yeah, probably.  I don't really find a lot of fulfillment in writing about our daily rides in teh Nguyen Van Linh.  I have been much more successful sticking with the guys, even on fast days.  I pull on the top and no longer vie for the not so coveted 'caboose' position.  Mr. Back of the Pack and I.... no longer are riding partners.

Gjermund's folks are in town so we planned a two day trip to Mui Ne (my favorite riding place that is accessible).  I took off at 6am and did some hill repeats, then Gj met me and we headed north to this really great area.  There are a few lakes and the scenery is beautiful with the red sand/soil and trees.  The environment is quiet and serene (as serene as it can be with motorcycles...)

Just beautiful and peaceful.  So happy I am in the kind of condition to enjoy this ride and see this part of Vietnam.  So glad Gjermund joined me for the last part of the ride too.  Unfortunately, he rolled over some glass and got a flat.  He was able to ride back to teh sand dunes and took a Xe Om back to the hote.

Nothing like the name of a Singaporean Pub on your b-hind to accentuate its size!  LOL!

Funny

Just cracks me up!
Being a mom means you are the 'jack of all trades'.  But now that my kids are getting older, it seems to possess very different challenges, some I was never prepared for!