2018 Preview!

Thanks to our supportive 2017 sponsors and some new ones for 2018, the Alpha Sports Altitude women's team is looking good for next year!!

Alpha Sports
Toowong Orthodontics
Allsports Physiotherapy
Dynamic Bike Fit
AG Jewellers
Orange Theory
Handlebar Mustache
Collins Financial
Stonehouse
Celissa Event Management

QRTS Round 4 Wrap Up!

Stage 1 was a hilly ITT from Palmwoods to Montville. Faye was our best placed rider after the time trial, with some of the other ladies achieving some personal bests during the morning!

Stage 2 was a criterium around the streets of Cotton Tree. It was a fast paced race with lots of attacks, and the ladies worked well together. The race ended in a reduced bunch sprint after a crash on the second last corner caused some chaos. 

Sprinter Faye managed to avoid the crash to get 5th place overall in the crit. Unfortunately our teamie Grace connected with the pavement, and needed to visit the Sunshine Coast hospital. With the team rallying around her, Grace is expecting to make a full recovery and to be back on the bike ASAP.

Stage 3 was another stage filled with some excitement, with both sprint points and KOM points on offer, at a challenging circuit around North Arm. Faye was again our best placed rider on the day, finishing in 9th! Jena, Dy and Nat did their best to help protect Faye and the team's overall GC position for the QRTS series.

Thanks to Craig from sponsor Dynamic BIKE FIT and Pete PDitty Images for the photos.
And of course a huge THANKS to all of our sponsors who have been with us for all of 2017!

Optomo
Allsports Physiotherapy
Toowong Orthodontics
Stonehouse
Collins Financial Group
Handlebar Mustache Apparel
Pedali Custom Apparel

Less than a month to go to KPCC's Cunningham Classic

An iconic SE Qld race. The first time I attempted it, I was a real “rookie”. I had only recently started road racing and didn’t know how challenging the race would end up being. The beginning can be tough. It’s also a real mixed bag. Having done it a few times now, I know that it can be a relatively easy run into the KOM, or it can be a really demanding section if everyone decides to push the pace. The KOM itself is often a section of “natural selection”. You’ve either got the legs on the day to be up there with the front group or you don’t. And then the fun begins after the KOM. With half the race still to go, and you have the rolling hills and headwinds to contend with. But out of adversity comes the rewards. It’s one of those races that’s truly character building. I distinctly remember rolling turns in my first Cunningham with another 4 other C grade level riders (3 ladies and one gentleman) from the top of the KOM to the finish. We’d missed out on going with the attack on the KOM and had to settle for being one of the chasing groups on the road. Everyone did their fair share for the remaining 40km or so. It was a fulfilling feeling to cross the line together as comrades, even though we didn’t know each other at all when the race started earlier that day. People I met as a result of that first Cunningham are still friends today, and that’s of great significance to me.

If you can't do it in 2015, consider the Cunningham Classic for 2016.

Sizzling Summer Series 2015, rounds 1 and 2

Our team racing debut for 2015 happened at round one of Logan Cycling Club's annual SSS.
Ladies (A grade) racing for Koiled-Petbarn-Seight during this early criterium season include:
Melanie Parker, Alex O'Dea, Faye Goodyear, Rachel Edwards (team captain) and myself.

25 women were there to complete in women's A in round one.  Pretty good numbers for a local Brisbane race. Local teams included Data #3, Campos and Koiled-Petbarn.  A few NRS and international riders were there to keep us honest too (Kat Garfoot and Macey Stewart from Orica GreenEdge, Hayley Jones from Bicycle Superstore, Nicole Moerig from Boss Racing, and Ellen Skerritt from Rochelle Gilmore's new Aussie High 5 development team).

The pace was high from the start, with lots of attacks (as is typical for the SSS series).  No breakaways stuck, and the bunch sprint saw Macey finish a comfortable first, with Hayley second, Nicole third, Faye (Koiled-Petbarn) fourth, and Rachel (Koiled-Petbarn) sixth.

First prime Macey (Orica), second prime Zoe Watters (Campos).

Round two was similar, with good numbers of ladies racing, and the pace was kept high for much of the race.

No-one was keen to see a breakaway go, so it came down to a bunch sprint again.

This time we were slightly more prepared than 2 weeks earlier,

and we gave Faye a good lead-out, so that she could demonstrate her developing sprint prowess.

Faye (Koiled) first, Macey (Orica) second, Nicole (Boss) third, Rachel fourth.

First prime Macey (Orica), second prime Jazzy Hurikino (Campos).

This means we head into the third and final round of the series this weekend with two riders in the top six.

Should make for an exciting final race.

Photos thanks again to Pete Dunlop, ESI photography and Logan Cycling Club!

Gratitude - a lesson for now and the future

Gratitude (thankfulness)
"Gratitude is an emotion expressing appreciation for what one has—as opposed to a consumer-oriented emphasis on what one wants or needs. it is a facet of positive psychology: Studies show that we can deliberately cultivate gratitude, and can increase our well-being and happiness by doing so. In addition, grateful thinking—and especially expression of it to others—is associated with increased levels of energy, optimism, and empathy."

#sockdoping

White socks.  This used to be the "standard" for cyclists.

But how things have changed.

In the last few years, cyclists all over the world have taken on a #sockdoping trend and brightened up their feet.

Maybe because it is easier to keep socks clean when they don't need to be a crisp spotless white? ;)

Anyway, here are my latest favorites, with a few (of course) from our current #Koiledtineli sock provider Handlebar Mustache.

If you haven't tried it yet, go on and #sockdope.  No doubt it will put a smile on your face.

Socks by: www.hbstache.com

www.sako7socks.co.za

www.4shaw.net.au

www.theathleticcommunity.com

www.attaquercycling.com

www.ornotbike.com

www.panachecyclewear.com

Gold Coast Cycle Fest Criterium

Designed by Robbie McEwen, this tight 850m criterium circuit was set up in the central plaza area of the Gold Coast's Metricon Stadium.

Not long after the start-finish line, riders entered a tight left handed corner (it almost turned back on itself), before then negotiating another tight right hander, followed immediately by another tight left hander.

This led into a straight section of around 300m which then became another slight right handed corner, which also then became a tight left hander.
This last left corner then led you back to the finish line straight.

In summary, 4 tight corners in around 1min30 to 1min45 depending on the level of attacks in the race.  That meant lots of out-of-the-saddle sprint efforts in that period of time.

From the first lap, Nikki (Koiled-Tineli) and Ellen (Holden), applied the pressure and strung out the field.

Then only a few laps in, Ellen counter attacked one of the other women on the front, and got a slight gap through one of the tight corners.  From then on, Ellen continued to attack and found herself quickly in a one person break.

Only a lap or two later, Nikki attacked the already tiring bunch, and found herself also in a one person solo effort,

chasing Ellen in front, yet being chased herself by the remainder of the bunch.

Due to the tight circuit, very soon the chasing bunch was reduced to only five riders (Rachel and myself from Koiled, Sharon, Abbie and one other).

Neither Rachel nor myself were willing to chase down a team mate (Nikki), so that left 3 riders to do the pursuing.
Not surprisingly Ellen hung on for the win (with her current terrific NRS form),

with Nikki coming in second, followed by Abbie (3rd) and Rachel (4th).

Definitely an exciting race circuit and a lovely weekend. Thanks to Pete Dunlop for the photos again (with start line photo by Stacey Bowden).