Mario Races Bicycles

The second stage time trial was very short at 5.5kms. My aim if the weather would play along was to hold an average just above 40km/h. I can do that for 8 minutes with some effort.

You weren't allowed any aero equipment but I brought my mass start race legal aero suit to shave off some extra tenths/seconds. I figure if the other racers have 80mm deep sectioned wheels then I need a way to nullify their advantage.

The first 1-2 kms of the time trial went very well, slight tailwind meant that I was holding a low 40s average like I planned.

The second half the wind picked up however, slowing my pace down dramatically, at one point I looked down and was only doing 34km/h, i'm sure I got even slower than that.

I was gaining on the rider in front of me, who started 30 seconds earlier and so I thought my pace was good. About 2/3rd the way through the rider infant of me passed the rider ahead, I was able to pip them both at the line putting 30/60 seconds onto each of them.

I was able to pickup my pace dramatically in the last kilometre, which means that I didn't pace myself very well overall, it was a bit difficult to judge with the wind and no power meter, I was going sole by feel and what little information I was getting from heart rate/speed.

I finished 7th overall, 29 seconds behind the leader.