Dirt rider roundup

There hasn't been much racing for the past month, but that has just given everyone time to get some training. So here we go, a quick update on what everyone has been up to and what's coming up.

Jim Hsu has been training on his road bike up through the hills around Melbourne. I caught up with him at the FTF Wednesday night ride this week and he had this to say:
{Neil} So Jim, tell me how is your fitness shaping up with Tour De Africa only a few months away?
{Jim} My fitness is getting back to good shape.
{Neil} What's on the cards between now and then?
{Jim} The Gravity 12 hour should be fun on the SS, it's been a while since we did a race for fun. I'm looking forward to the road crits [this weekend] for a road race virgin it's daunting... and the XC series during the summer.
{Neil} Thanks for the update Jim, finally just before we go can you stop hurting me on our weekend rides?
I wasn't able to make out Jim's response as he had attacked.

Steve Caddy has caught a mild strain of what is being described as "the bird flu". He's put a good face on it, preferring to discuss the gains in core strength he's made while coughing for the past month.

Ryan Moody declares he hasn't been training because "I feel like the new challenge is to not train and then turn up to these events and just smack myself! It has worked in the past, and the feeling of placing ahead of others, especially when they 'have' been training is extremely satisfying!"

Rumour has it he's been doing a lot of rock climbing to help him deal with the big bumps on the rigid single speed at the Gravity 12 hour. "I will be riding the single speed ridged again and may even sport a carbon saddle just to save some grams and toughen me up some! I'm looking forward to smashing myself up big time, hanging with like minded, non trained MTB buddies while having giggles about awesome berms and whoops, cranking it between trees and rock, and attacking the competition like it's a road race!"


David Rusden has been working furiously down at Baum HQ, and rumours have it we might even see his new bike soon. Potential unveilings may occur at the Surf Coast 6 hour or Kona 24 our... I hope he remembers the times I've lent him my bike.

Neil Robinson, well I've been practising monos and stoppies while trying to get some good training blocks in. Work has been killer, but there are a few races early next year that excite me, and make me want to be faster on the bike. With those goals in mind I've been training super early or late, trying to get some long hours in to my legs. I've done some racing on the track with good results and will race with Jim and Ryan at the Gravity 12 hour, it will be a good chance to see how I'm fairing mentally and physically, I'm hoping I don't regret suggesting the single speed team. Look out for us racing as the B(a)um Bandits.