Baucau to Loihuno

Distance – 65km
Altitude gain - 1095m
Going – Significant winding climbs over mountain range, downhill for 20km
Surface – 1st half decent quality bitumen, second half poor quality dirt/bitumen mix, final section off road.

The UN security contingent that travelled with us guaranteed our safety, but they weren't able to guarantee a good nights rest. On the floor of an emptied school room I managed sleep in 1-2 hour blocks, it seemed like the whole town was out to party. Not perfect recovery for stage racing.



This stage would be the first time we saw the top 20 riders seeded at the front. I'd been in that top yesterday, right up until the cramping. I had to settle for a row or two behind in the midst of the pack.



The race started, and when the front of the bunch accelerated, my legs didn't have an answer. They turned the pedals, the pedals moved the bike, but the bike wasn't going fast enough.

I began the mental shift needed to race at this speed, I was not going to be in the front bunch, the price to be paid for yesterday's pain.

I rode with a small group up the climb, pulling turns early, then doing my best to sit in and get others to work for me. At the short descent half way up the climb I pushed to the front, looking for fast lines through the broken bitumen and round the off camber corners. To my surprise a small gap opened up behind me.

Easing back on the legs I crossed the bridge that marked the bottom of the descent and the start of the King of the Mountain (KOM) climb. A rider bridged (no pun intended) to me and attacked moments later, I stood up and hit back. The legs, though not fresh, were feeling more responsive than at the start of the day. I passed the rider, grinning. The grin was for me. Maybe the day wasn't lost?

Up the climb I pushed, working to open up a gap and expose everyone else to some pain. A few kms in I looked back and saw one of my team mates bridging up, I eased back just a fraction to allow him to my wheel. As we continued up the steady gradient another rider joined us, one of the Timorese team. Despite them climbing well I just felt I had their measure, I'd opened them up once on a descent and once on a climb and I felt I could do it again.

I pushed towards the top of the climb, getting a small gap before the road turned downwards. The way forward was still bitumen, but it was often cracked and broken. We rode at full alert, as holes and gravel often followed corners.

Through the town of Ossu we were soon well and truly off the beaten path. Through river crossings, down descents covered in fist sized rocks. A wise man once said, "brakes only slow you down". With that advice in mind – floating, bouncing, skidding and grinning – I managed to catch some of the riders from the front group.

The road-track (can't call it a road any more) levelled out and up ahead I could see a few riders. Have I mentioned I love to chase rabbits yet? Head down, racing along dusty fire road, sideways through drifts of sand, I could smell the finish. Through another creek crossing I caught two at once. Clicking through the gears, I put valuable seconds into them.

Round the corner and on to the bitumen, there was the finish line. I slowed slightly to mono over the line, and almost had a hard chasing rider collect me and my hard earned place, it was worth it. :)

The fast, rocky descents on the stage collected a few scalps, with a few riders hitting the deck.



Hidden away, down a small goat track our camp site had a water hole filled by a fresh mountain stream.



After such a fast stage there was enough time to perform some bike maintenance. If I'd fully comprehended how long it would take to clean my chain link by link I might not have been so eager..



Stage time: 2:09.31
Stage place: 23rd
Overall place: 23rd

2 stages down. 3 more to go.