This time last year I travelled to Warrnambool for the
inaugural Tour of South West. After 2 days and 3 events of tough racing, I came
away with the win. Because of that I look back on ToSW fondly and greatly
anticipate this year’s event.
This year’s racing uses the same circuit as last year, but
in a change from last year, offers individual women’s grades. After last year’s
7 female starters, I must admit I am surprised to see 3 women’s grades with 30
in A grade, 15 in B and 38 in women’s C.
Tour of South West offers 3 stages, a road race, time trial
and criterium. For A grade women the road race is 85km, 5 laps of the 17km
circuit. The undulating circuit itself would not be overly hard on a calm day,
but unfortunately Warrnambool is not known to be calm. The strength and
direction of the wind is what will decide the difficulty of the race. Last year
it was freezing and blowing a gale which made for extremely tough racing.
Stage 2 is a 12.7km time trial that’s difficulty will once
again be determined by the strength of the wind. It starts with a slight
downhill and then undulates for around 7km before it reaches the toughest climb
of the circuit which is 300m long and has a gradient of 7%. From here is
flattens out a little before turning left back onto the finishing straight
where there is a gradual incline to the finish.
Sunday’s final stage is a criterium around the Warrnambool
cemetery. The 1.2km circuit includes a 300m climb of 7.5%. The climb starts as
soon as you turn the first corner after the finishing line meaning there is no
roll up to it, but rather a near standing start. This will mean those not
strong enough and who miss the jump will be left behind. Although the downhill
that follows provides the opportunity to get back on, many repeats will
eventually crack even some of the strongest riders.
Hopefully as a team we can get some good results, we have myself, Nik McNamara, Kate Finegan and Jo Wall lining up this weekend for the ToSW.
