Bicycle Network Victoria: 3 Peaks Challenge 2012
Peaks Pro Team
Your domestique
The biggest thing a Domestique can do for his/her leader during a mountainous ride is to set the pace. Rhythm and a positive attitude are required for a good climb, so expect lots of encouragement and help with pace setting from the Peaks Pro Team.
Training Rides
Leading up to the event, the Peaks Pro Team will be holding at least one training ride a month in Victoria, check out Twitter #3peaks for updates.
Training Ride 6: Saturday 25 February 2012
Peaks Pro Team Members: Mark & Peter
Start time & place: 7am, Luna Park, St Kilda
Ride summary: From Luna Park, St Kilda the ride will head down along the beach. At Mordialloc we'll jump onto the Nepean Hwy and continue on across to the base of Arthur's Seat. We'll then climb up over Arthurs and continue along to Sorrento. At Sorrento we'll stop for 20 minutes or so for some food and then head straight back along the coast to St Kilda.
Distance: 200km
Training Ride 5: Saturday 18 February 2012
Peaks Pro Team Members: Kevin, Mark & Peter
Start time & place: 6.30am Peak Bike Hub, Heidelberg
Distance: Approximately 150km, 2500m of climbing
Ride summary: A group of 25 keen riders met at Peak Bike Hub in Heidelberg on Sat morning 3 Peaks Pro Team Members Kevin, Mark and Peter and the 3 Peaks 'Lanterne Rouge', Ben. A large group had assembled with a further 30 riders doing the shop ride which had Genesys Cycling Team members, Steele Von Hoff and Jono Lovelock as guest riders. The place was buzzing with excitement at the start. To make things a little more orderly the 3 Peaks riders departed first with the shop riders leaving a short time later.
The ride wound its way out through Watsonia, Diamond Creek where we re-grouped before heading on to St Andrews and hitting the first big climb of the day. The mild weather conditions were excellent for a long ride with a only little fog on the top of Kinglake to interrupt otherwise perfect conditions. Riders enthusiastically attacked the Kinglake climb and regrouped at top before descending down to the Melba Hwy and onto Toolangi. At Toolangi riders were greeted by stunning forests and a chance to test their descending skills on a ripping descent down to Healesville where the reward was the Beechworth Bakery to refuel before commencing the return leg.
Riders filled water bottles and set off toward the Chum Creek Road climb where the climb back up to Toolangi commenced. A solid pace was set on the climb with many of the riders showing that they had been putting in the private training. The Lanterne Rouge could hold back no more and broke away off the front of the group, displaying his climbing prowess. If we can keep him in his place he will be a great wheel to sit at the 3 Peaks Challenge :)
The group recovered at Toolangi while they waited for a rider who had suffered a puncture, soon we were back on the road for the final climb up Mt Slide to Kinglake for a short pit stop before descending to St Andrews and returning over a series of rollers through Kangaroo Ground and Eltham before arriving in Heidelberg for a well earned coffee and a snack.
Congratulations to the riders who joined the 3 Peaks Pro Team on this ride, which ended up being approx 160kms and 2600m. Judging by the smiles at the end of the ride we think everyone enjoyed this scenic and demanding circuit and the chance to test themselves against other riders taking on the 3 Peaks Challenge. Great day and well ridden to all.
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Training Ride 4: Saturday 4 February 2012
Peaks Pro Team Members: Kevin & Mark
Start time & place: 8am Warburton Football Ground
Ride summary: At 8am around 30 riders were psyching themselves at the Warburton football ground to ride Donna Buang in perfect cycling conditions. It was blue sky all the way and the air was cool and humid for the ascent, riders were soon removing layers are they warmed up on the climb. A little over an hour later we arrived at the summit and were greeted with blue sky and wonderful views, this was a chance to refuel and prepare for the descent which was cool enough to use a vest . It is not often you commence a descent sweaty with your vest on and arrive at the bottom comfortably warm and dry, I doubt you could ride in better conditions! Like a long sky run, descending Donna Buang is a real thrill, it put a smile on everyone’s face, at least until the reality of a second effort hit home.
A couple of riders, who were pressed for time, did a single climb, with most opting to take in this glorious climb a second, and some a third time. The traffic was the lightest I have ever experienced on Donna Buang and the ride conditions ideal. Another cracking 3Peaks training ride in the bag and another planned for 18 February which will take us from Heidelberg through Kinglake, Toolangi to Healesville before climbing up Myers Ck Road to Toolangi/ Kinglake and home 150km with 2,500m of climbing.
Training Ride 3: Saturday 14 January 2012
Peaks Pro Team Member: Kevin
Ride summary: Around 100km with 1400m of climbing. This ride travels from Heidelberg through quiet backstreets then onto Diamond Creek and Hurstbridge to St Andrews (re-group) then to Kinglake returning to St Andrews (re-group) then to Panton Hill, Research, Eltham and Heidelberg. It is a hilly course and a guaranteed workout.
Training Ride 2: Saturday 24 December 2011
Peaks Pro Team members: Kevin, Peter & Nick
Ride summary: Departing at 6:30am from the parkland on Burgundy St (near Rosanna Rd), Heidelberg and riding to Eltham, St Andrews and Kinglake, for a short stop before returning. The ride will be around 100kms with the Kinglake climb and plenty of rollers.
Training Ride 1: Sunday 4 December 2011
Peaks Pro Team member: Kevin
Ride summary: The ride went well, 111km with 1700m of climbing. Due to the weather we decided to do repeats of the 1:20 and not go around to The Wall.
If you live interstate, overseas or just can't make it to any training sessions, the Peaks Pro team recommend downloading rides into your GPS from:
Select “Explore” and zoom your map to an area, a list of most popular climbs show up on the left of the screen. In terms of a ride you then need to determine a route based on your start point.
Routes>Search rides. Set your location and search rides based upon location and again download the course into your Garmin or other GPS unit.
Set the screen to metric and put in a search (eg. Melbourne, Australia), you will get the ride distance, elevation and a map. The ride can be downloaded into a GPS unit.
The team also recommend checking out:
Peaks Pro Team Profiles
These elite cyclists join Bicycle Network Victoria as 'your domestique'