LIMBC Stages 3 + 4

I'm feeling a bit flat right now and even super syrupy Malaysian Red Bull doesn't seem to be kicking it..

It's because I've just had a couple of short, disappointing stages in the last two days.

First off was the second XCO, yesterday. This race was supposed to be a 7hr enduro which they reduced to 6hrs (fine) then to a short cross country race (not fine!). The UCI track inspector was not sufficiently satisfied that the course was safe to ride multiple times as it would have meant riding through suspect water courses and bogs so they had no choice but to cut this section of track out. Which meant the track was now 4km long instead of 7km, a bit short for a 6hr enduro.

Anyway, it's all good XCO training I guess!

My start was average despite having a much better grid position due to a decent effort in the first XCO. My mind was telling my legs to sprint and my legs were chillin' out at the beach... However, they did eventually fire up, enough even to put in a couple of sprints when I needed to. Then after a few laps I looked back and saw the race leader, Lachy Norris hot on my tail. As we were near the finish I gave it all I had and made sure to stay in front of him so I wouldn't get lapped until after the finish line so I could complete another lap before being pulled. The *expletive* commisaires thought differently and soon after passing the finish line I was pulled. I didn't agree, caused a fuss and stated my case strongly and probably loudly and won myself a reprieve, I could do one more lap. However once I'd almost finished that lap, they once again tried to pull me off the track before the finish line (I know it all sounds confusing, I was pretty confused by this stage) and this time I wasn't getting a second shot...

Anyway, I finished 34th and was also a bit disappointed with my lack of technical skill on some of the slippery, rooty, muddy climbs. Not a great day at the office.

Then came today's stage. The King of The Hilll. An all-tarmac, 26km point-to-point to the top of the largest hill on the island, Gunung Raya at 900m ASL.

The mass start (all categories?!?) was fast and furious. Fortunately I managed to stay with the lead bunch and for the first 13km we cruised to the bottom of the climb. Once the incline started I was totally prepared to find a happy zone at threshold and climb like I've done a hundred times before. And that's exactly what happened. And I was faster and stronger than a lot of people, even a few riders questionably pushing the 'no slicks' rule. This was until my front tyre started leaking. My Furious Freds were letting me down. A slow leaking front tyre isn't a huge hindrance on a climb but I certainly noticed my efficiency dropping and on the one or two short descents on the way up I had to descend with stifling caution. I topped her up twice with a C02 cylinder but that meant stopping, undoing valves, redoing valves and losing my valuable rhythm. I lost a bunch of places that I just couldn't make up and came in 50th. A really disappointing result today. I KNOW I could have done a lot better.

The kick in the nuts? Once at the top I topped the front tyre up again and it held all it's air on the commute back to base. WTF!?!

Photo's can't illustrate the frustration and disappointment I'm feeling right now so here's some gratuitous travel pics and some slightly related riding pics!

Myself, Andrew Mock and Paul VDP not looking as wary as we should have been before today's mountain climb stage. Mocky went onto have a good day (finally!) as did Paul considering all his domestique work of late!

Not sure why I'm smiling here.. the top of Gunung Raya, I feel like I have to conquer it again now!

This guy deserves to smile, Dan McConnell takes victory in King of The Hill stage. He and Paul VDP broke away early and Dan held onto the lead to win by 30secs!

We went swimming in this waterfall after stage 3 and it pissed down rain. The waterfall went from a tame trickle to this gargantuan, heaving cascade in minutes. And there were chicks in bikinis everywhere. The only good part of today.

Just a shot of the awesome tropicalness of Langkawi from the Westin Resort balcony.

Once again, Garmin data HERE of stage 3 (note, the last lap I did is not shown because I'd already stopped it timing and forgot to start it again) for those interested and none yet for the mountain stage, my Edge is playing up...grrr, another source of frustration (not to mention this fucking useless hotel internet!).