Who is going to the Alpine Classic?

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cyclotaur
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Re: Who is going to the Alpine Classic?

Postby cyclotaur » Wed Jan 24, 2018 6:43 pm

grumped wrote:I agree with cyclotaur re families taking advantage of the set-up. My non-cycling wife enjoys being in Bright for a few days while I have a pass to ride all day. She looks forward to the trip as much as me, even with a young daughter to look after on the event day. I am not looking forward to the heat, especially the section from Omeo to Trapyard Gap. That is about drink and food.

The Cadel weekend possibly could have an effect on numbers, but previously the Alpine Classic clashed with the last weekend of the TDU. It will be interesting to see what happens to the cost in the coming years. The new organisers should remember tickets for 3PFC were still available in the week of the 2017 event, whereas previous years it sold out months in advance, so beware making it much dearer.

And Mr Cyclotaur was a star at the Tawonga Gap drinks/water stop last year.
I'm just back from my first visit to TdU because they don't clash this year. We did four rides in 4 days in serious heat but nothing longer than the 64km day out to Willunga (got picked up and brought back to Adelaide) - perfect prep/taper for the AAC200. I'll be disappointed if they cancel the 200 on Saturday and can't see it happening. I don't believe the temps will be 40+C on saturday, and only 22 is forecast at Falls Ck as far as I can see.

And thanks for the kudos re: the last water stop, but I rode last year and was on the water stop in 2016. :wink:
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Gassy
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Re: Who is going to the Alpine Classic?

Postby Gassy » Thu Jan 25, 2018 11:08 am

The forecast temps have dropped slightly for Omeo 34 to 32, and Falls/Mt Hotham by a couple as well. Bright's still saying 35. Melbourne was forecast to be 39 earlier in the week and now 33.

However, it's going to humid and thundery... we're going to be sweating a bit, and you might need a rain jacket!
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cyclotaur
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Re: Who is going to the Alpine Classic?

Postby cyclotaur » Sun Jan 28, 2018 4:26 pm

Rode the 200 at 6:20am - damp roads up Buffalo but nice and cool !! 4am starters would have ridden away in the last of the heavy overnight rain.

It was pretty warm, as always, but not oppressively so, but still waded into the Ovens after the ride as I was nearly cramping from Mt Beauty back to Bright and the left leg cramped badly after the finish. I had to lay the bike down on its side to get off !!

Very pleased to have completed the 200 under 11 hours (just !) as I've previously stuck to the 130/140 distances. :D
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march83
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Re: Who is going to the Alpine Classic?

Postby march83 » Mon Jan 29, 2018 9:08 am

I did the 200km. Almost a perfect day on the bike, took 7hrs 19min which I was very happy with. PRs on Buffalo, Tawonga Bright side and Falls.

6:20 start meant no rain, but the wet Buffalo descent was slightly slower than I would have liked, not worth the risk to go any faster. My legs were great til the last few km of Falls when they started to fade. I got stuck behind traffic on the descent off falls (a marshall bike, a 4WD with a trailer and a rental car) so I couldn't fly down the hill like I would have liked, but that sort of thing is going to happen. Getting over the top of Tawonga Beauty side was a bit of a grind because my stomach wasn't real happy, but as soon as I got over the top and started to shed body heat I was feeling great again and motored back into town. Finished strongly and home in time for lunch.

Everything else about the day was just fantastic. Volunteers were awesome and I got a massive kick out of seeing the number of different people taking on the challenges and some of their gear. Felt sorry for the 4am start 200km guys I was passing on Falls because that is just a massive day out on the bike...

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Re: Who is going to the Alpine Classic?

Postby vaypaz » Mon Jan 29, 2018 4:08 pm

I did the 4am 200km Buffalo Sunrise. First 2 hours rained almost non stop and things were pretty lonely and demoralising as I went up Mt Buffalo in complete darkness with nobody else around me. The descent wasn’t much better with wet roads and being cold.

Falls Creek is amazing and the highlight of the whole day. Beautiful scenery and had to resist the urge to jump off the bike every 5 mins to take photos. Worked harder than I had originally planned going up and was destroyed at the top, but scoffed down 6 pikelets in 6 seconds, got a coffee, discovered my headphones were working again after the rain broke them, the sun was shining and I felt 100% again for the descent.

Tawonga Gap in the heat sucked, and got a front wheel puncture on the descent with 10km to go. Not fun swapping a tube out with flies and sweat my face on the side of a highway with minimal shoulder.

Target time was 10:30 but finished in 11:00 inc stops and puncture repair. Pretty happy with the result considering my first proper climb ever was the 1/20 just over a year ago.

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cyclotaur
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Re: Who is going to the Alpine Classic?

Postby cyclotaur » Mon Jan 29, 2018 4:12 pm

vaypaz wrote:....
Target time was 10:30 but finished in 11:00 inc stops and puncture repair. Pretty happy with the result considering my first proper climb ever was the 1/20 just over a year ago.
Nice effort, agree on those pikelets - had a few at Buffalo and a few more at Falls ! :D
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Re: Who is going to the Alpine Classic?

Postby vaypaz » Mon Jan 29, 2018 4:17 pm

cyclotaur wrote:
vaypaz wrote:....
Target time was 10:30 but finished in 11:00 inc stops and puncture repair. Pretty happy with the result considering my first proper climb ever was the 1/20 just over a year ago.
Nice effort, agree on those pikelets - had a few at Buffalo and a few more at Falls ! :D
Haha I felt like a 5 year old again walking into a kids party when I walked into the food area of Falls Creek

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cyclotaur
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Re: Who is going to the Alpine Classic?

Postby cyclotaur » Mon Jan 29, 2018 4:18 pm

march83 wrote:I did the 200km. Almost a perfect day on the bike, took 7hrs 19min which I was very happy with. PRs on Buffalo, Tawonga Bright side and Falls.
Awesome effort - I suspect you have (relative) youth on your side... :wink:
march83 wrote:Everything else about the day was just fantastic. Volunteers were awesome and I got a massive kick out of seeing the number of different people taking on the challenges and some of their gear. Felt sorry for the 4am start 200km guys I was passing on Falls because that is just a massive day out on the bike...
Ditto re: vollies - I did it one year (2016) and it was great fun and inspiring to see the riders gamely plugging on late in the ride. Led directly to me stepping up to the 200 distance.
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Re: Who is going to the Alpine Classic?

Postby vaypaz » Tue Jan 30, 2018 8:49 am

Quick video I whipped up of the ride

https://youtu.be/umOgBrte33s

hamishm
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Re: Who is going to the Alpine Classic?

Postby hamishm » Tue Jan 30, 2018 1:41 pm

vaypaz wrote:Quick video I whipped up of the ride
Nice one.

I rode the sunrise 200km with 3 mates. I didn't mind the rain on the way on Buffalo, it kept things nice and cool. The fog and the steam pouring off the road on the way up was surreal. I was glad it didn't get too hot later on, as Tawonga Gap in the direct sun would've been nasty. We had some decent breaks and finished in 12 hours which was fine by us.

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Leethal
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Re: Who is going to the Alpine Classic?

Postby Leethal » Tue Jan 30, 2018 2:10 pm

I decided to ride the ACE250 starting at 6:20am, being my third crack at the distance. Like most I was woken up by the cracks of lightning and thunder at 3am, and wondered if anyone would still ride at 4am, seems a lot did. In all I preferred the day being slightly overcast and steamy compared with being baked under the Sun between Omeo, Falls and Tawonga.

Having done no rides longer than 130km for several months (work and other commitments) I was careful to ride within my power zones and took it easy up the three major climbs on the day. Also figured I'd take the time to really look at the scenery and took heaps more photos than I've previously done. And as always, I met and chatted with new ridding buddies along the way to pass the time. In each of my three rides it's amazing how quickly the mood quietens from Anglers Rest on the approach to W.T.F corner.

Without doing the proper long distance training, I ended up doing two short/quick walks once past W.T.F , to get my HR down and cadence back up, and the rest of the day went well. Made sure I popped an electrolyte tablet in every second bottle and took a couple of salt tablets before Raspberry Hill, to avoid any cramps. Ended up finishing in ~10hrs 40min (~25 mins down from 2016), including about an hour cafe time, as I always end up chatting too long with the friendly vollies, who were fabulous yet again!
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MichaelB
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Re: Who is going to the Alpine Classic?

Postby MichaelB » Tue Jan 30, 2018 3:25 pm

I went to do the 130km version a few years ago (the one that was Bushfire affected), and tackling Buffalo & Falls Creek was the 1st serious 'mountains' I'd ever done.

Loved every moment of it, and would love to head up there with a few mates (but in Spring rather than the height of summer) and spend a week pootling around, as the rides are nice and challenging without being OTT.

Congrats to all those that participated (esp to those doing the 200km versions and more :shock: ).

Interesting thing re heading to Bright (from Adelaide) is that it doesn't cost that much more to go to Europe for a couple of weeks .....

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Re: Who is going to the Alpine Classic?

Postby hamishm » Tue Jan 30, 2018 4:34 pm

MichaelB wrote:Interesting thing re heading to Bright (from Adelaide) is that it doesn't cost that much more to go to Europe for a couple of weeks .....
Really? My Outback diesel could do the 1800km round trip in under $200 of fuel, plus accomodation is feasible for under $200 per night for 2-4 people.

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Re: Who is going to the Alpine Classic?

Postby MichaelB » Tue Jan 30, 2018 8:44 pm

It will still cost more, but the riding is soooooooo much better.

Matter of value too. Next best option and still good

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Re: Who is going to the Alpine Classic?

Postby grumped » Wed Jan 31, 2018 10:26 am

vaypaz wrote:Quick video I whipped up of the ride

https://youtu.be/umOgBrte33s
Thanks for the video.
I was in the rain to Harriettville, but it was not too bad. The clouds kept the temperatures in low double digits on the climb to Hotham. We had cloud cover for most of the ride, especially on Back of Falls, which made it "easier" than in the sun and heat of last year.
Last year I stopped several times on BoF, so this year my goal was to not stop bar the first water station on the climb and at Raspberry Hill, which I did. By the time I was at the base of Tawonga my endurance was gone, so it was a stuggle but the descent was bliss knowing the last tough part of the ride was done.

The vollies help make the event, many of whom have done a sterling job for years. It will be interesting to see who will be a vollie for next year's event with the new owners.

Finally, huge kudos to the riders who attempted the ACE500, changed to the 320 then the 250 course. Phenomenal effort by JE to complete it in under 26 hours.

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queequeg
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Re: Who is going to the Alpine Classic?

Postby queequeg » Wed Jan 31, 2018 10:49 am

grumped wrote: The vollies help make the event, many of whom have done a sterling job for years. It will be interesting to see who will be a vollie for next year's event with the new owners.

Finally, huge kudos to the riders who attempted the ACE500, changed to the 320 then the 250 course. Phenomenal effort by JE to complete it in under 26 hours.
I was hoping to get back this year to have another crack at the 320km after least year's mechanical before BoF saw me hitching a lift back to Bright (wife had to drive 2 hours to Omeo to rescue me). Sadly, injury intervened and ruined my entire 2017.

Last year there was a rider who did his own version of the ACE500, by first riding the ACE250 in reverse, adding an extra climb up Tawonga at the end, then lining up at 4am and doing the ACE320. He ended up with 565km in just under 36 hours (he slept in between the two events), and claimed his HRS Hall of Fame for hitting 10,000m elevation (The Journey).

This year, that same rider came back to do just the ACE320. He already held the course record, but with the favourable weather this year, he smashed up BoF and completed the whole course in 11hrs20min elapsed, lowering the course record by something like 40min
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Leethal
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Re: Who is going to the Alpine Classic?

Postby Leethal » Wed Jan 31, 2018 11:09 am

queequeg wrote:I was hoping to get back this year to have another crack at the 320km after least year's mechanical before BoF saw me hitching a lift back to Bright (wife had to drive 2 hours to Omeo to rescue me). Sadly, injury intervened and ruined my entire 2017.
Similar occurred to me for the 2017 event. I'd ridden a tour of the French Alps in August and kept up the training through to January, but succumbed to a major (non-cycling) injury requiring hospitalization the day before the event, needless to say I was devastated.
queequeg wrote:Last year there was a rider who did his own version of the ACE500, by first riding the ACE250 in reverse, adding an extra climb up Tawonga at the end, then lining up at 4am and doing the ACE320. He ended up with 565km in just under 36 hours (he slept in between the two events), and claimed his HRS Hall of Fame for hitting 10,000m elevation (The Journey).

This year, that same rider came back to do just the ACE320. He already held the course record, but with the favourable weather this year, he smashed up BoF and completed the whole course in 11hrs20min elapsed, lowering the course record by something like 40min
Wow, I didn't know this story, what an amazing effort, thanks for sharing!
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Re: Who is going to the Alpine Classic?

Postby warthog1 » Mon Oct 15, 2018 9:14 pm

biker jk wrote:
Be careful because if you have a Zipp 188 hub they have a tendency to shear at the drive side flange.
Indeed they do. Did just that today :x
Dogs are the best people :wink:

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Re: Who is going to the Alpine Classic?

Postby grumped » Mon Jan 21, 2019 9:26 am

The BOM's outlook for Sunday is out, with Bright forecast to 23 to 30 degrees, 50 percent chance of rain - zero to 8 mm on Sunday.
Omeo is top of 31 degrees, with a chance of rain. Their Met Eye has the highest chance of rain on the ACE250 course being around 2pm, so if it rain then I would not care.

I bet the organisers will keep a vigilant eye on the outlook as Friday is forecast to be 39.

No matter what, it is always a great time to be on a bike in one of the best spots in this country to ride around.

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queequeg
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Re: Who is going to the Alpine Classic?

Postby queequeg » Mon Jan 21, 2019 11:32 am

grumped wrote:The BOM's outlook for Sunday is out, with Bright forecast to 23 to 30 degrees, 50 percent chance of rain - zero to 8 mm on Sunday.
Omeo is top of 31 degrees, with a chance of rain. Their Met Eye has the highest chance of rain on the ACE250 course being around 2pm, so if it rain then I would not care.

I bet the organisers will keep a vigilant eye on the outlook as Friday is forecast to be 39.

No matter what, it is always a great time to be on a bike in one of the best spots in this country to ride around.
Wish I was there, but still have a dodgy leg and excess weight to shed! They are running the ACE500 again for the total nutters. I am told the record of 23.5 hours will be beaten this year
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Re: Who is going to the Alpine Classic?

Postby hamishm » Tue Jan 29, 2019 11:30 am

It was a bit wet. I didn't ride the event, but I rode Buffalo to the Horn starting at 7am and it rained most of the way up. Under 10 degrees at the top.

Friends who rode the 4am 200 said it rained pretty much until they got to Mount Beauty. Friends on the 250 said it was freezing up on Hotham and Falls Creek.

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Re: Who is going to the Alpine Classic?

Postby madmacca » Tue Jan 29, 2019 2:16 pm

Did the 250 on Sunday, knocked 1.5 hours off my time from last year. :D

After the 4am start, it was 7.5 degrees going over the top of Hotham and raining - this was a little more severe than forecast, and while most riders had rain jackets, they were not packing warm clothing for the descent (myself included), and some of the more slightly built female riders were borderline hypothermic on arrival at Dinner Plain (and many of the men not much better). Kudos to the vollies at DP, who were well equipped with hot soup and trash bags to wear under jerseys for the segment down to Omeo, and blankets for those who needed them.

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Re: Who is going to the Alpine Classic?

Postby Gerry.M » Tue Jan 29, 2019 2:56 pm

hamishm wrote:Friends who rode the 4am 200 said it rained pretty much until they got to Mount Beauty.
I rode the 4am 200k, and yeah - it rained all the way to Mt Beauty... The original forecast was for slightly warmer weather on the mountains and 20-30c in the valleys so a large number of riders (myself included) only had short sleeves.
Descending Buffalo was around 12c but when you're soaking wet and only have short sleeves it makes for a teeth chattering ride, and painful too as it made me tense up so much more from the cold combined with constant braking in the rain - arms and shoulders were pretty sore once we got back into Bright.
Over Tawonga again in the rain and the descent into Mt Beauty was cold but not as bad as Buffalo (or maybe I was just numb from it by then).
Finally stopped raining as we started up Falls and I actually managed to dry up a little which made things more bearable. Went straight for a coffee once I reached the top to try to warm up and grabbed a garbage bag for the descent, which I wore under my jersey.
Actually made for quite a good insulation layer, plus the temp had risen slightly by then and the road had mostly dried up.
Over Tawonga again in what was probably the coolest weather I've ever done that climb in (usually 35+ by that time of day) and enjoyed that flowing return descent which was all dry by then.
Was glad to be back in Bright for a well earned beer :)

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queequeg
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Re: Who is going to the Alpine Classic?

Postby queequeg » Tue Jan 29, 2019 3:44 pm

Word is that Jono E, who did the ACE 500, had a 31 degree difference in temp between the two times he went over Hotham. I think on Saturday it was 37 degrees over the top, and on Sunday when he did it the second time, it was only 6 degrees.

During my failed attempt at the 320 2 years agp (busted spoke in rear wheel 200km in), the temp was in the mid-30's all day and it was just energy sapping. I had been riding extremely conservatively so I was actually feeling just fine. Hopefully 2019 will see me regain some fitness, lose the weight and be in a position to head to Bright for some climbing!
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Re: Who is going to the Alpine Classic?

Postby hamishm » Tue Jan 29, 2019 4:08 pm

It was the 10th year I've been to Bright for the Alpine and it was the coolest weather I can remember, and also the wettest. Last year was also wet climbing Buffalo at 4am, but not for as long. It would have been quite a good year for it if you didn't get too cold and were in shape.

I was just back from 4 weeks (non-cycling) holiday so in no shape for 200km of hills. Next year hopefully.

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