Hey all!! The sun has been shining today so the mood in the Savings & Loans/Gen-i team is considerably upbeat from previous days. The weather today started off cold and windy but by the time we had cycled our way to Te Anaui it was a whooooooooooooooooooooooooping 18 degrees and the arm warmers were off for the first time.
Today's stage was a 163km journey from Winton to Te Anaui. The winds were gale force over night in Invercargill so we were a bit sceptical of what we had to fight today but when the flag dropped it was not that windy. However, the race started fast and it was a slight crosswind for the first 12km before we took a right hander into a block headwind. A few guys went up and over some hedges at the start but apart from that it was not too bad. When we turned into the headwind the whole team was in amongst it and Will was in a good group of four but that was bought back. I went across to the next move and seven of us were away, it was a great move and it was gone until the guy second in the sprint jersey came across and then the leader of the sprints did a 2km turn and bought the group back, NOT HAPPY JAN. Will launched again from his wheel but he was covered and then graham was in the move of the day. He was away with four others but found the going really tough and succumbed to the pressure and came back to the peleton. That left four up front and when the yellow jersey of Hayden Roulston called a toilet stop we knew that they were happy to let four guys ride up the road.
When the break was away the Zookeepers led peleton, kept them steady at roughly four minutes. The wind today was mostly headwind with some sections of crosswinds. The speed was a constant 38km/hr. With about 50km to go i attacked with fourth on GC, Gordon Macauley and Tim Guddsell and a Bissel rider. I thought that they would be happy with that. We stayed upfront for about 4 or 5km but it was nullified in due time. Next up was a 3km climb. Nic rode super to cross the top with the front group, Will was a bit back from that, Graham in the next group and i was struggling at the back. However, that all came back together and with roughly 15km to go the peleton split into two with Graham running 11th and Wil, Nic and myself in the next group and couple of minutes behind.
The Tour of Southland is nearly over!!! We have survived the mental and physical battle against the external elements that felt like the antarctica, well now i can call it the south of New Zealand as we have had two sunny days.... Will is extremely motivated for tomorrow as are the rest of us so with any luck i will be reporting on a Savings & Loan/Gen-i led quinella tomorrow. Tomorrow, by the way sees us tackling a 77km morning stage which is notorious for a massive tailwind and has previously seen the peleton travel at speeds in excess of 90km/hr... should be fun, bit of motor pace training. The 9th and final stage sees us tackle 65km and a finish around queens gardens in Invercargill. Hang on, WAIT there is one last stage. The saturday night recuperation party on the town!!! i think if you can make it through that then YOU HAVE SURVIVED THE TOUR OF SOUTHLAND 2007.
Nathan Jones
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