With a name like the Devil's Cardigan (DC) it has to be good!
The DC is an epic gravel race in the paradise of Blue Derby on the island next to Antartica - Tasmania, Australia.
Winters are cold and days are short. Right when you need a warm cuddle, the devil comes knocking on your door. Held just a few days after the winter solstice, the DC summons you out into the cold onto your bike when you rather be curled up like a ferrat - cozy in bed.
But the vibes are far from devilish. The 100 year old Derby Hall filled with riders lined up for registration - friends chatting and having a laugh. The Hall was stacked with a few canopies including Roll Cycles, Koda Nutrition and The Tas Bike Collective. POC was also a huge sponsor this year supporting the devilish spirit with prize money and gear to go around. And... may favorite of ALL - The Old Spikey Bridge Peanut Butter Co - complements of Derby's main trail builder - Pete - hounding them for their devilious contraband.
This year the DC was ALSO the Australian National Gravel Championships drawing the big players from all across the mainland ready to tackle the mid winter's dream.
The DC is an epic gravel race in the paradise of Blue Derby on the island next to Antartica - Tasmania, Australia.
Winters are cold and days are short. Right when you need a warm cuddle, the devil comes knocking on your door. Held just a few days after the winter solstice, the DC summons you out into the cold onto your bike when you rather be curled up like a ferrat - cozy in bed.
But the vibes are far from devilish. The 100 year old Derby Hall filled with riders lined up for registration - friends chatting and having a laugh. The Hall was stacked with a few canopies including Roll Cycles, Koda Nutrition and The Tas Bike Collective. POC was also a huge sponsor this year supporting the devilish spirit with prize money and gear to go around. And... may favorite of ALL - The Old Spikey Bridge Peanut Butter Co - complements of Derby's main trail builder - Pete - hounding them for their devilious contraband.
This year the DC was ALSO the Australian National Gravel Championships drawing the big players from all across the mainland ready to tackle the mid winter's dream.
The 7:30 line-up for women just broke dawn in the valley of dense fog. The glimmering lights turn down as the sun slowly crept through the chilly clouds.
A bit tense at the start line, I peaked around to find myself the only mountain bike with some pretty serious thunder quads ready for a poppy sprint designed and trained for a good time on the trails of Maydena. Maybe I could hold on... for the first km!
Off we went and I heard Danny - "Yeah Kaydee!!" I took off like an XC sprint up the first 1/2 km to the turn off awaiting my overtaking. Down the fireroad we went and then commenced a proper climb. As I suspected, the pack swallowed me like a school of crill out-pacing a whale. My inner 5 year old sang out "Swim away! Swim away!" as I felt like Dory just truckin' along soon to be swallowed and captured by my very own white whale. I kept pedaling along and rode a bit with a fellow rider - the only other girl on a hardtail - till she dropped back somewhere never to been seen again.
I kept pushing my own pace on my adventure rig to smash my post-covid time last year leaving me 40 minutes ahead of the previous year. Pretty stoked! I even followed MadDog Justin's training plan to see if maybe I just needed a bit of coaching since I've been my own fearless leader forever in all areas bikes and training.
Although I strung together what I could to get fit enough and do all the race things to have a crack, the one major flaw I learnt was to get the right bike in order to be properly and maybe competative. I learnt my 34 tooth ring (no 36s in AUS for none-boost!) did not stand a chance against the big cogs of the gravel rigs on the flats and descents and my not-so-heavy adventure rig just isn't a roady grav bike.
Rolled across the finish line for a good brewsky.
A bit tense at the start line, I peaked around to find myself the only mountain bike with some pretty serious thunder quads ready for a poppy sprint designed and trained for a good time on the trails of Maydena. Maybe I could hold on... for the first km!
Off we went and I heard Danny - "Yeah Kaydee!!" I took off like an XC sprint up the first 1/2 km to the turn off awaiting my overtaking. Down the fireroad we went and then commenced a proper climb. As I suspected, the pack swallowed me like a school of crill out-pacing a whale. My inner 5 year old sang out "Swim away! Swim away!" as I felt like Dory just truckin' along soon to be swallowed and captured by my very own white whale. I kept pedaling along and rode a bit with a fellow rider - the only other girl on a hardtail - till she dropped back somewhere never to been seen again.
I kept pushing my own pace on my adventure rig to smash my post-covid time last year leaving me 40 minutes ahead of the previous year. Pretty stoked! I even followed MadDog Justin's training plan to see if maybe I just needed a bit of coaching since I've been my own fearless leader forever in all areas bikes and training.
Although I strung together what I could to get fit enough and do all the race things to have a crack, the one major flaw I learnt was to get the right bike in order to be properly and maybe competative. I learnt my 34 tooth ring (no 36s in AUS for none-boost!) did not stand a chance against the big cogs of the gravel rigs on the flats and descents and my not-so-heavy adventure rig just isn't a roady grav bike.
Rolled across the finish line for a good brewsky.
I noticed the DC was a flashback to California races similar to the Old Caz, and not quite as gnarly as Lost + Found and Fish Rock but never the less has the epic vibes. A sausage sizzle at the last aid station was similar to whiskey beers in Old Caz!
After this event a few things became very apparent:
1) Gravel bikes and racing are here to stay! (You might be thinking - no-$h!t Sherlock!)
2) I love riding and training and racing... just out of touch last couple years.
3) If you show up to a gravel race, you should probably have a gravel bike... otherwise it's like bringing a sword to a gunfight.
At the end of the day, always an epic time out on the adventure rig!! Lastly huge THANKS to POC for the gear! It is all really quite fantastic and really love the Ricco in the jacket! In case I crash and burn in the wilderness someone might find me! AND the helmet is AUS certified meaning I can race in it. I love my Kali helmets but cannot race in them in AUS as they are not AUS certified. :(
After this event a few things became very apparent:
1) Gravel bikes and racing are here to stay! (You might be thinking - no-$h!t Sherlock!)
2) I love riding and training and racing... just out of touch last couple years.
3) If you show up to a gravel race, you should probably have a gravel bike... otherwise it's like bringing a sword to a gunfight.
At the end of the day, always an epic time out on the adventure rig!! Lastly huge THANKS to POC for the gear! It is all really quite fantastic and really love the Ricco in the jacket! In case I crash and burn in the wilderness someone might find me! AND the helmet is AUS certified meaning I can race in it. I love my Kali helmets but cannot race in them in AUS as they are not AUS certified. :(