NEW YEARS DAY- CLOSED CAUSE WE NEED A BREAK! CHEERS
19th DECEMBER 2008
KOM has secured what is thought to be the very last CANNONDALE G-STAR Bad Boy bike in the world! (size large)
A few months ago three KOM customers were lucky eneough to snap up three of the six bikes that landed in Australia, and Santa dropped a G-Star down our chimney last Monday at the same $3400 price as before, so not only is it rare but also a great investment! Forget the stock market, buy yourself a G-star and watch it "appreciate".
19th DECEMBER 2008
FULCRUM RACING ZERO WHEELSETS BACK IN STOCK!
Yes that's correct, after a 12 week delay we received 4 sets today of the magnificent red/black FULCRUM Zero wheelsets, so now is the time to give you and your bike a much needed Christmas present!.
11TH December 2008
BREAKING NEWS...KOM HAS JUST SECURED A 53,56 AND 58cm MASI "Speciale Randonneur" arriving on Monday the 15th of December. (the importers did'nt even know they were coming)
Wanderlust has met its match. The Masi Speciale Randonneur is built for the long haul, and for hauling everything you need to make those long hauls livable. This Masi is a classic touring bike with bar-end shifters, fenders, and braze-ons for racks and panniers, so the next time the road calls, you\’ll be ready to answer. Be quick once they have gone it will be at least another 12 months before we see any more!!
10TH December 2008
KOM GIFT VOUCEHERS AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE ONLINE NOW!
If your looking for that perfect gift for the cycling nutter in your family, look no further than the range of KOM gift vouchers available to be purchased online and delivered to the address of your choice! Nothing says "I love you" like a KOM gift voucher...especially if it has 5 zero's!
9th December 2008
Sydney MTB Summer Short Track 2008-2009. Its back! And by popular request back to midweek. Next race this Wednesday the 10th.
KOM MTB RACE TEAM will be competiting in this fantastic mid-week short track race series.Heaps of fun, well organised and great track make this an uber sweet event. Here are some details:
- WHEN: starting Wednesday 10th December 2008, 5-7pm
- WHERE:St Ives Showground Mini-Wheels Track
- TIMES: Weekday times-Registration: from 5:30
- ENTRY: Kids with MTBA licence: free!, Kids without MTBA licence $10,A, B, C Grade: $10 (+$15 for day licence if required)
- PRIZE PURSE: Heaps! Bring a dump truck to carry away your winnings!
- FURTHER DETAILS:go to "upcoming events" on the kom web page or visit www.mwmtb.com
29th OF NOVEMBER
2008 "Highland Fling" MTB Challenge Southern Highlands NSW race wrap up by KOM rider Pete Baird
Sunday November 9th saw the running of the annual Highland Fling MTB Race – 110kms of fun and games.
Perfect conditions welcomed all the usual suspects to the start. KOM being dutifully represented by Wazza, Zoe, Mikee and myself (the token ‘old timer’) with Henry relegated to feeding duties as he’s recovering from a broken clavicle.
A relatively non-technical course with plenty of fire roads allowed a cyclocross division, this being the choice for Wazza. He even had tri-bars attached to his crosser. (Next year expect to see Warren wearing white and red spotted sluggos as well for that genuine triathlon look! – there were a number of creeks to wade though after all!)
7.30 was start time for all the non-elite riders – and as expected Wazza set off at a blistering pace with Mikee in ‘hot’ pursuit. Meanwhile I was still in the carpark – more on that later. Zoe and the other elite riders had to wait till
8.00am before chasing everyone else down.
Foolishly I had mistimed the start and had to start with the very backmarkers wearing the usual baggy pants and sneakers – the frustrations of trying to get past people riding at a casual pace had my heart rate higher than it would have been trying to hang onto Wazzas wheel. Nevertheless I battled on determined to still accomplish a reasonable time.
Feed station 1 (about 30ms in) Henry informs me that Warren (psuedo triathlete) is leading the cross division and Mikee was not far behind. I headed off in hot(ish) pursuit
40k mark and there I find Mikee at the side of the track with a broken derailleur. I cold see the tears – almost – welling in his eyes! One small miscalculation in gears saw The Rocks power shear the rear mech right of his bike. Game over for Mikee. I left him with a clean handkerchief and carried on. Last thing I heard him say was "if only my core was as strong as Big Daves"
Soon after this lay the only technical climb in the race. My excuse on an incorrect gear choice had me walking at the halfway point and at that point the first elite riders Gordo, Shaun Lewis and Hamish Elliot rode past.
55ks drink station and Im informed Wazza is still ahead of the cross pack. No sign of Zoe and the other elite girls yet.
The second half of the race became a very much fire road affair. Uneventful but enabling fast riding and loads of roadie tactics.
At around 80ks the first elite girl passed me followed by Katrin Van Der Speigal close behind – wheres Zoe I thought? From that point we all huffed and puffed a very quick last 30ks to the finish.
There at the finish line I could see two familiar faces in the KOM kit cheering me on – Wazzas ceramic grin bigger than ever and Mikee still wiping his eyes.
Game over - thats what Wazza thought as hed worn the cross division. How long have you been back I asked? Oh about 50 mins Wazz replied. Hmm well done…..!
Now we all looked out for Zoe only to see her limp home with a severely upset stomach which left her unable to finish. Poor thing.
All that was left now was to chew the cud over the race for an hour or so. This revealed a whole new outlook on the result.
I had mentioned my poor start to the team in reflection to my time and all I heard was excuses excuses from everyone – how dare they!
That was no excuse, it was a reason, so was staying in a dodgy noisy motel, having crappy Chinese food the night before etc etc etc. These reasons amounted to severe time deductions in my mind. Take these into account and I would have nearly beaten Warren!
Looking forward to next year. No doubt Wazza will be in his spotted team sluggos and Ill get to the start in time with my Aero helmet on….
Footnote to prospective elite endurance MTBers, Henry informs me that Craig Gordon was doing up to 6 hour windtrainer sessions in prep for the Crocodile trophy!
So stock up on chamois cream!
Oh yes Gordo won and Stephanie Russle won the womens.
24th OF NOVEMBER
2008 Tour of Southland race report by KOM Team rider Blair Martin
How can you describe the Tour of Southland in just a few words? TOS is more than just a race, it is an adventure- 6 days, 9 stages, 900km, 115 starters (fewer than 100 finishers), UCI 2.2 category, Euro and US pro riders, Olympians including a handful of medallists, national champions, former winners... Then there was the snow storm on stage 4 which was described as “the worst conditions at the Tour in 52 years”. And given Southland’s notorious weather reputation, that is saying something!
5 KOM riders ventured over to the deep south of New Zealand in early November this year. Blair Martin, hoping to improve on last years 16th placing GC, and was joined by David Evans, Andy Crawley, Nathan Page and Alex Malone. The KOM boys were guns for hire, riding for local sponsor “Creation Signs”.
We could all give lengthy stage-by-stage descriptions of how our race panned out, if you had a spare couple of hours...
However to summarise, Blair did indeed achieve his top 10 goal, finishing in 10th place General Classification. On the way Blair picked up a 3rd placing on the tough Crown Range (hilltop finish) stage, and 5th placing into Te Anau. Unfortunately conditions on stage 4 (the blizzard stage) got the better of him, dropping from 4th to 14th overnight, but this gave him the freedom to attack on later stages and work his way back to finish 10th overall.
Despite terrible mechanical issues on stage 1, Nathan battled his way back from the bottom few placings on GC to finish an admirable 39th overall, a result made all the more impressive by the fact he was suffering a virus for the month leading into the Tour. Nathans team riding was critical to Blairs result- especially on stage 7 into Te Anau where Nathans front-riding into the wind allowed Blair to bridge a 4 minute gap to the break.
Alex and Andy excelled in their first TOS experience. Neither were far from the front when it counted, driving the pace of the bunch to limit attacks on numerous occasions. Again this was critical to Blairs chances, and to a good team result overall. Andys aggressive riding and Alexs sound race tactics show that they have a bright future in Tour riding.
Davo was in his element living the dream of riding a major tour. As the second oldest rider in the Tour, Dave will admit that he would suffer more than most in the first hour of each stage. However his exceptional bunch riding skills and tactical nous ensured that Dave finished strongly each day, resulting in the Creation Signs (KOM) team finishing a sensational 7th out of 21 teams. Daves presence in the peleton was essential in ensuring the team kept their heads down and spirits up.
Thanks must go to sponsor Nigel of Creation Signs whos generosity was overwhelming; Carly, Warren, Toni and Brendon (Caz & Waz Management Solutions) for being incredible managers-hosts-friends. The Southland locals showed hospitality which we are so thankful for and all will talk about for years to come: "THE KING" Dave Cottee of KOM Cyclery for ensuring our bikes and equipment was in tip-top shape for our assault on the deep south: Andrew Lloyd for providing us with our Gu race nutrition: Trent at Jet Black for getting us road-ready on our Token wheels: and our respective partners for putting up with us through our relentless hours of Tour training!
20th December 2008
Sydney MTB Summer Short Track 2008-2009. Its back! And by popular request back to midweek.
KOM MTB RACE TEAM will be competiting in this fantastic mid-week short track race series.Heaps of fun, well organised and great track make this an uber sweet event. Here are some details:
- WHEN: starting Wednesday 26 November 2008, 5-7pm
- WHERE:St Ives Showground Mini-Wheels Track
- TIMES: Weekday times-Registration: from 5:30
- ENTRY: Kids with MTBA licence: free!, Kids without MTBA licence $10,A, B, C Grade: $10 (+$15 for day licence if required)
- PRIZE PURSE: Heaps! Bring a dump truck to carry away your winnings!
- FURTHER DETAILS:go to "upcoming events" on the kom web page or visit www.mwmtb.com
11th OF NOVEMBER
2009 GONG RIDE WRAP UP BY 9 year old TOM (mini unit) HOLLAND
The 2008 edition of the MS Sydney to Wollongong Bike Ride has been run and
won with the winner being MS Australia! A staggering $1.7 million was
raised by the 14,000 participants and you, my sponsors, have all
contributed to that total by helping me raise (as at 6pm Monday 3rd Nov)
$2,036.
When dad suggested??? I do this ride it was 30 seconds after having
completed the 50km Spring Cycle (19th October and my first bike ride over
5km) the look on my face didnt need any explaining, even to him. But,
before I knew it, my entry was in, sponsorship emails were sent out and
training rides were being planned.
Fast forward 2 weeks to Sunday 2nd November, I woke up at 6.30am and
attempted to drink a concoction dad had bought from KOM.
He said it would make me go faster (something about blood lactate levels,
Bio-Molecular Science, V02 Max???). The label said it was IOC
approved but all I knew was that it stank.
So, while dad wasnt looking I
tipped it down the sink (but dont tell him). Then it was off to Maisys (a
cafe in Neutral Bay) for a serving of banana pancakes - now this was the
kind of performance enhancing food I could get into. As we walked in, my
favourite song at the moment - "Dance Wiv Me" by Dizzee Rascal was playing
on the TV, I knew it was a good omen for the day ahead.
The Team Tom support vehicle was ably driven by mum and she got us to
Heathcote in record time for my 8.30am start. After giving my team their
final instructions for the day ("Mum, see you in Wollongong, dont be
late", "Dad, remember, youre the domestique.") we hit the road and
joined the thousands of other riders heading south along the Princes Hwy.
The game plan was to get the blood flowing by doing some easy pedalling to
Waterfall (7km away) at our planned average speed of 20kmh. I was then
faced with the intimidating 4km descent down into the Royal National Park.
Dad rode shotgun behind me to make sure I wasnt run over and apart from
locking the wheels up a couple of times we had an incident free descent.
Upon getting to the bottom we settled into a good rhythm with our training
ride of last week around Church Point and McCarrs Creek proving to be
perfect preparation for the undulating terrain we encountered. Before I
knew it we were at our first (and what would prove to be our only) planned
rest stop at Red Cedar Flats. Wading through the sea of humanity we grabbed
a quick muffin or three before getting back down to business and the
looming climb out of the Park. After 2km there it was, the beast I feared
most, 1km of what I was sure would be sheer misery.
I looked up the road to
see at least 40 people (read adults) walking their bikes up the climb. I
felt a tightening in my chest and a loosening in my stomach before hearing
a familiar voice behind me say "Drop it down to your easiest gear, put your
hands on the tops and spin. Dont let it beat you". With that I
found myself starting to move past riders to the point where dad and I
stayed in the overtaking lane the whole way up. Id made it!! The view from
Stanwell Tops was fantastic and I could see Wollongong in the distance. But
then whats this? a traffic jam during a bike ride? There had been an
accident at the bottom of the descent into Stanwell Park so we had an
unintended half hour break before we could roll on. We heard later that
a man had died after having a crash at the bottom.
My legs had tightened up a bit after that break but with some encouragement
from my domestique we settled back into a good pace as the kilometres
clicked down to the finish. 15km out I was starting to chew on my
handlebars so dad handed me a small coke that hed brought along for just
such an
eventuality and before I knew it I was on fire. With 5km to go I gave the
signal to my team to organise the lead out for me into the finish. I told
dad to ride his bike like hed just stolen it and he responded by putting
in a huge turn on the front thereby sacrificing any chance he had for
victory. With 200m to go I pulled out from behind my lead out man to take
the glory and a well deserved hug from mum - she was crying but it was me
that did the hard work!
30 seconds after we crossed the line dad suggested that next year I do the
90km. Some things never change.
Statistics for the Day -
Distance Travelled: 56.5km,
Average Speed: 18.4km/hr,
Riding Time: 3hrs 4mins,
Max. Speed: 44.3km/hr (Dont tell mum),
Approx. Pedal Revolutions: 13,000,
Punctures: 0,
Gels eaten??: 2,
Drinks: 2.5 litres,
Tantrums Small: 1,
Large: 0,
Tears: Lots (my mum),
Big respect mini unit from all the team at KOM! You raise the bar for all us "oldies" and can rightfully wear your KOM jersey with pride. "Live the dream son".
1ST OF NOVEMBER
National XCO MTB Series Round 1, Eagle Mountain Bike Park, Adelaide
KOM MTB RACE TEAM competiting this weekend at the Eagle Mountain Bike Park, Adelaide, Wazza, Zoe, Aido, Chris, Anna B, and Mikee are doing the KOM team proud. Good luck crew!
1ST OF NOVEMBER
PRICE RISE HAS COME INTO EFFECT AS OF 1ST OF NOVEMBER 2008 ON MOST CYCLYING GOODS
Due to the global economic crisis MOST of our bikes have be going up in price due to the collapse of the Australian dollar. All suppliers have promised to review these increases should the dollar return to it's August trading range.
We greatly appreciate your support and understanding during these uncertain economic conditions.
30th of October 2008
TEAM KOM OFF TO RACE THE TOUR OF SOUTHLAND NEW ZEALAND NOVEMBER 2008
Hi Guys,
As most of you know, we (me, Blair, Alex, Andy & Nath) are off to Invercargill (NZ) today & tomorrow. Here is the link to the tour website if you are interested in keeping track of results.
http://www.tourofsouthland.com/
You can also check out the barmy weather in Invercargill at http://www.metservice.co.nz/default/index.php?pkey=190715&ckey=190894
They are expecting 17 deg & sunny on Mon, the first day of the tour! Apparently that's the equivalent of about 40 deg here in Sydney! Apparently the 30+ sunscreen will need to be applied very liberally - No ozone!!
See you when we get back.
Dave
22nd of October 2008
2009 CERVELO'S NOW IN STOCK!
We have just taken delivery of the magnificent new range of 2009 Cervelo's, including the Olympic replica white S3, the new S2 and new RS -framesets only at this stage but we can custom build to your spec as required.
22nd of October 2008
DRAMATIC PRICE RISE FORECAST ON ALL CYCLYING GOODS WITHIN NEXT 2- 6 WEEKS
Due to the global economic crisis all of our bikes will be going up in price in the next 2-6 weeks. Until then, we will be honouring all published pricing as per our web site.
We greatly appreciate your support and understanding during these uncertain economic conditions.
22nd of October 2008
BREAKING NEWS...KOM TEAM RIDER Blair Martin wins the 2008 NSW Roadman point score series and KOM also get 5 riders in top 10!!!!
Dear all,
It is with great pleasure I am sending this e-mail to you all as our very own Blair Martin has won the NSW Roadman point score series for 2008 for overall consistency throughout the year.
Considering Blair missed some to the major events due to racing in New Caledonia it make his result even more impressive.
I want to also add a well done to David (Gaylord) Evans for filling the third place spot, Alex Malone for finishing in fourth, Nathan Page in sixth and Andy Crawley coming in eighth spot.
This is a huge effort getting five riders in the top ten positions in the state when you consider we are just a bunch of blokes who ride for the love of it
TEAM KOM is now ranked as the number 1 division 2 team in the country..WELL DONE BOYS !!!
21st October
Land Rover G4 Selections by KOM rider Zoe King
Just had the most amazing adventure filled weekend while participating in the Australian National Selections for the Land Rover G4 Challenge. The Land Rover G4 Challenge is a global adventure competition consisting of off road driving and outdoor adventure activities such as running, swimming, kayaking, mountain biking, abseiling, climbing and orienteering.
The National Selections was held in the upper Blue Mountains and saw 39 competitors battle it out for 2 male and 2 female spots to qualify for the International Selections in the UK. I was incredibly lucky to get selected for one of these spots!! Christie Sym, also from Sydney, qualified for other female spot. Jarad Kohlar and Matt Shields got the 2 male spots.
All the competitors were highly credentialed and willing to give it everything. The selection weekend threw many various challenges at us. Apart from some crazy off road driving in Land Rovers (including Range Rover, Discovery & Defender) (where I managed to get a vehicle on 3 wheels!), we did orienteering, swimming, kayaking, team exercises, abseiled 80metres free hanging, jumped off 12m cliff into freezing water, mental aptitude tests, just to name a few... Just hanging out with like minded crazy adventurous people was so much fun.
The whole weekend was one awesome experience! At the International Selections in the UK in February, one Aussie male & female will qualify for the Land Rover G4 Challenge finals - a 3 week adventure in remote Asia with 18 participating nations. The winner of the final challenge wins a Land Rover for their country’s National Red Cross Society. Fingers crossed!
11th and 12th October 2008
2008 Scott Australian 24Hr
TEAM KOM/NITERIDERS had an amazing race in this years Scott Australian 24Hr Mountain Bike Championships Beaten by just 36 seconds !!!!!
With the absence of the "night god" legendary 24hr rider (Dave Cottee) this years crew representing TEAM KOM were Zoe ("can some one check my tyre pressure")King, Wazza(current MTB jedi knight)Burgess, Andrew (farm boy) Riordan,and Christopher Reeves (aka Chris Clarke).
Congratulations to KOM rider Peter (Robocop) Baird who finished a respectable 11th in the SOLO mens category, even without his trusty wing man (and son) Henry who broke his collarbone in an attempt to make sure his Dad rode solo.
In the women race TEAM KOM RIDER, Zoe King CLAIMED VICTORY with a mere five second lead on WA's, Jo Bennett , while Bec Henderson of Canberra proved that her brother is not the only talent in the family placing third.
"It was really exciting the prologue was a great way to start the day's racing, I can't believe the crowd numbers, it's pretty daunting having so many people watching the race!
"The race was great fun, but there was a lot of climbing which made the descents worthwhile, overall I found the course here at Stromlo really challenging.
King who has been the shining star of the Australian Sports Commission's "Dirt Roads to London" talent identification and development program also attributed her race win today on the experience she has gain training in Europe across the last year.
"I have been training in overseas for the last twelve months and I think it has paid off, I found I managed to make up a lot of time on the hills today."
All eyes now turn to the course for the start of the 2008 Scott 24 hour Australian Mountain Bike Championship, where 2007 winner, Andrew Bell will attempt to defend his solo title, with team GU Sram Nite riders have fully voiced their intention to retaining their status as Kings of the Hill.
The KOM team was beaten by just 36 seconds...race summed up by Zoe King heard wispering"if only the "night God" was there to help us drive through the night like a diesel locomotive!"
Big thanks to Trent from JETBLACK products as we all used the new Niterider Trinewt LED lights which were amazing.Thanks Trent
21st October 2008
KOM RACE TEAM UPDATE by Blair Martin
The KOM Road Team is well on track for this years assault on the Tour of Southland (New Zealands premier road event) in early November. Recent race results are following:
Beaumont Road Race- Beauie Worlds (Monday 6 October)
KOM were well represented by Blair Martin, Andy Crawley, Dave (Lever's) Evans, and Ben Travers in this installment of the fortnightly World Champs.
After a couple of early attacks amounting to not much, Blair and Dave managed to escape on the tail of an Ant Man Challinor (Mace) attack. Towards the closing stages of what was considered the most decisive break seen at Beaumont Rd in recent times, Blair attacked on Daves command to ride away in the final 2 laps to victory. Levers rolled more the more favoured Challinor in the sprint.
Whilst unsuccessful in bridging to the break in the middle stages of the race, Andy Crawley showed his strength in finishing 4th ahead of Mace rider Phil Chapman, with Travers heading the peleton in the sprint for minor placings.
West Head Race (Sunday 12 October)
With 4 of the 5 road team members competing (Martin, Evans, Crawley and Alex Malone), it was felt to race as a team would be unfair for the rest of the competitors. So it was that every man was riding for himself... It was ironic then that all 4 riders formed the winning break within 5km from the start!
A lot of fun was had, in particular by Crawley who took pleasure in attacking Evans mercilessly. The push for home up the steep side of Acuna Bay was won by Martin, followed closely by Crawley, Evans and Malone. The time of 1:00 was the quickest in memory, showing that the preparation for Southland was coming on just fine.
B Grade was won by Dave McIntosh of KOM.
Heffron Park (Tuesday 14 October)
Form going into this event was obviously good, and with Malone being replaced by Nathan (Law and Order) Page, the KOM squad were itching to shake up the 2km circuit at Maroubra.
Throughout the race held in windy conditions, the KOM riders threatened to ride off the front with Panasonic's Robbie Cater and Liam Kelly of Sydney City. Upon catching C grade for the final time with 3 laps to go, Martin saw the opportunity when hitting the tail wind, and with 2 laps to go rode off the front to victory. Evans and Page finished in the chase bunch after keeping any other riders attempts to bridge to Martin at bay.
The squad are now looking to their toughest ever test collectively- the Tour of Southland, held in New Zealand's notoriously cold and windy Roaring 40s from 3 – 8 November.
4th and 5th of October 2008
Yellomundee MTB GP - October 4th and 5th 2008 TEAM KOM WINS MIXED PAIRS!!
Zoe King And Warren Burgess "SMASHED" the opposition in this years Yellomundee MTB GP - October 4th and 5th NSW in the mixed pairs div. On the Sunday Zoe and Waz completed 15 Laps in a time of 6:06:21. While KOM rider Anna Beck WON the womens SOLO (very hard core, core,core)category in stella style! Congratulations team on a huge result!
16th September 2008
BREAKING NEWS from KOM TEAM riders Alex Malone and Blair Martin advetures racing in New Caledonia Tour cycliste Nouvelle-Caledonie Air France 11th-20th Sept
KOM rider Alex Malone finishes 25th overall, 3 top ten placings on stages. 38th Tour cycliste Nouvelle-Caledonie Air France 11th-20th Sept. A fantastic result in a world class field!
16th September 2008
Manly Warringah Mountain Bike Club and KOM Cyclery presents our classic annual Women’s MTB Skills Day Saturday 4 October, 9am – 3pm
This womens mountain bike clinic is open to all women who
want to learn to ride mountain bikes a whole lot better. The
clinic will see you riding more confidently and tackling new ter-
rain by the end of the day.
Instructors Zoe King (World Cup racer) and Fiona Dick will take
you through bike setup, body position, balance, pedalling tech-
niques, gearing, braking, climbing & cornering techniques.
Then youll get to put it into practice towards the end of the
day with an off-road ride.
Both novice (with some off-road experience) and intermediate
riders are welcome - the group will be split,
according to experience.
For more details and registration information,
see www.mwmtb.com.
Date & Time: Saturday 4 October, 9am – 3pm
Where:Manly Dam and surrounds
Meet Location: Manly Vale Public School Grounds
Common terrain type: Sand, rock, mud, water and whatever else I can find
Skill Level Required: open to all women who
want to learn to ride mountain bikes a whole lot better.
Fitness level required: Average
What to bring: A MTB in good working order and spare tubes, pump, multi tool, etc. Food, Gu's and water for up to 3hr ride.
We hope to see you there! For more details and registration information,see www.mwmtb.com
September 15th, 2008
TEAM KOM takes out 2nd place in the overall teams category Goulburn to Citi Cycle Classic - NE
New South Wales, Australia, September 13, 2008
Team KOM- Northern Sydney CC - Goulburn to Citi Cycle Classic 13th September 2008 race report by KOm team rider Dave Evans
"The KOM Cyclery Team sent a strong team ably lead by Nathan (The Beast) Page to the oldest race in the country. The race was from Goulburn to Camden covering approximately 170km of undulating terrain including twice up razor Back near Camden from both directions. Other team members included Andy Crawley, Andrew East, Dave Evans and Hayden Kegg. Also flying the KOM Colours were Andrew Riordan, Ben Travers and Kor Sietsma.
The race started in ideal conditions with a slight tail cross wind onto the Hume Highway. Dave Evans was the first of the KOM boys to try to get a break going but each attempt was reeled in by the 150 strong peleton. Eventually about 30km in, a bunch got away that included Team KOM captain, Nathan Page. The group was 9 strong and featured very well accomplished riders from around the country. Praties was the only team with 2 members in the break and significant teams to miss out included Virgin Blue (who had a gun team), Mace and Citi Velofix.
The 9 man break quickly put time into the peleton and by the feed zone at the 83km mark, it was fairly evident that this was the winning move with the group holding a 7 minute advantage. The run into the finish was mainly down hill apart from the two climbs up Razor Back. It was here that the race was decided with Chris Jory (FRF Panasonic) attacking up the second ascent and dropping the other riders in the group. Several would rejoin Chris on the decent into Camden leaving a 5 man sprint with William Clarke (Praties) taking the win ahead of Michael Engalnd (Budget Forks) and Chris Jory (FRF Panasonic). Nath Page came in 14sec later to take a well deserved 6th place.
Outside the top 10 but in very solid rides in elite company were KOM team riders Andy Crawley who made a 3 man break about 30km out from the finish line. Andy held on for 14th (7.06 down). Andrew East who flew from the peleton up the final Razor Back finished 20th and 1st in division 2 (7.15 down), Dave Evans 30th (7.37 down) and Hayden Kegg who unluckily missed his feed bag but still managed 53rd (11.57 down), not bad considering only 75 of the original 150 starters finished. Unfortunately, both Andrew Riordan and Kor Sietsma both suffered wheel related mechanicals. Andys brand new Zipps disintegrated after hitting a cateye and Kor had an untimely puncture.
As for the team results! At the time of writing, although still only provisional, it looks like Team KOM- NSCC was 2nd against some of the best teams in the country. Not bad for a group of mates who started training together a year or two ago! Praties won the team classification and other teams in KOMs wake included Virgin Blue, Panasonic FRF, Mace, Citi Velofix, NSWIS, SA.com and JAYCO VIS.
A big thanks to Tania (Daves wife) and Andy dSousa for feeding the boys, and our sponsors, SRAM, TORQ, CANNONDALE, OAKLEY, SIDI and the Big man".
August 29-31, 2008
KOM riders rock the MTB World Cup XC #8, Canberra, Australia, August 29-31, 2008
MTB World Cup XC #8 race report by KOM team rider Zoe King -Canberra, Australia, August 29-31, 2008
The World Cup was held in Canberra on Aug 30/31 for XC Mountain Bike, Four Cross & Downhill. The event being a bit of a trial run before Canberra holds the World Champs in 2009. To have a world cup in Australia was fantastic – the atmosphere was awesome. Some of the pros who had just competed in Beijing made an appearance and gave the Aussies a great racing experience. There seemed to be lots of spectators and cow bells rung non stop!
On Friday the 29th, KOM manager and current MTB jedi knight, Wazza went in the Vet Mens race and won convincingly using the KOM force.
KOM had great representation from Henry & Deano in the under 17s and Peter Baird in the Masters.
I competed in the Elite Womens World Cup race on Saturday. While the field was much smaller than any of the European world cups, six international top 20 world cup riders came, including Irina Kalentieva from Russia who had just won Bronze at the Beijing Olympics, and Catherine Pendrel who came fourth in Beijing and recently won the World Cup race in Canada.
The course was great – a long fireroad climb to break up the pack followed by a nasty steep single track climb, aptly named cardiac climb, followed by more technical climbing up sharp little rock hops. Quite a few A and B lines to choose from. Then came the sweet descent – sweeping berms, fast and flowing. A bit more gradual climbing and some fireroad sections made it an interesting and challenging course.
Irina Kalentieva from Russia came 1st, Rosara Joseph from NZ came 2nd, Catherine Pendrel from Canada was 3rd. Jodie Willet showed some form after her recent racing at the world marathon champs coming home first for the Aussies in 7th position. Katherine OShea was second Aussie in 8th and me in 9th.
The mens race was exiting to watch with heaps of the pro men showing up, including Christoph Sauser, Hermida Ramos, Geoff Kabush, Roel Paulissen, Florian Vogel, Nino Schurter, Liam Killeen, Kashi Leuchs – just to name a few! The spectators were treated to a great race. Chris Jongewaard was first Aussie home in 10th and DMac finishing a credible 12th. The locals showed the Euros how to ride the technical stuff but were outclassed in the pure power stakes.
Big thanks to the organisers, Team KOM and Wazz for a truely amazing MTB World cup event. See you in London!
24th August 2008
KOM TT RIDERS WIN THE 2008 State Team Time Trial! Is there any discipline that TEAM KOM is not the NSW champs at?? NO LETS BE HONEST, WE ARE THE KINGS!
Stu Baker gives his race wrap-up as only he can! Thanks mate.
Hello to all,
Well it was a fine day for Team KOM presented by Team Hubbard at the local State Team Time Trial up in the middle of Idaho NSW, providing about as much positive atmosphere as a ham sandwich in a synagogue !!!
The team consisted of Nathan (Thighs of justice) Page, Blair (Do longer f#!*n turns Dave) Martin, Dave (Mal Meninga arms for the day) Evans and Andy (Check it out I have more hair than all of you put together) Crawley.
Now I have seen a lot of things in cycling but today was up there as Davo decided to give himself some extra comfort while on the areo bars! OK picture this we pack the bikes on the bike rack and used some foam to protect the carbon wheels, makes sense.
Little did I know they doubled as a riding aid! So here we are taping the two bits of foam to each forearm of Gaylord. Electrical tape rules! I then proceeded to help Davo pull his arm warmers over the bits of foam (seriously it was like pushing the paper wrapper covers over a couple straws you get at a cafe).
Anyway they worked!!! But this is my official nomination for HUBBARD OF THE YEAR!!!
After many cluster changes and adjustments all were good for the start.
Nath led out with all Hubbards in tow, early on Andy suffered some breathing troubles and had to let the boys go.(Andy shit happens dont worry about it!)
This left the three amigos to battle through possibly the shittiest time trial course in NSW, well done NSW cycling good to see 1978 standards still alive and well today.
A couple of ks down the road (Mal Meninga arms Evans looked shaky) this was met with the full wrath of Blair but Davo was quick to advise MATE I am a diesel she'll be right!!!
And it was the old man of the team who found his rhythmn and was soon doing some great turns(Davo used his gears YEE HA, after the first thirty kms the boys were riding a super consistent tempo up and down the HILLS (YES HILLS IN A TTT COURSE).
Thighs of justice Page pulled the boys down the descents at over 70kmph with Davo adding support here and the super strong Blair keeping it real up the ascents, rarely dropping under 30kmph.
We hit the flat and once again all went through well, Nath and Blair pulling some monster turns at 50+ Davo did his bit here to keeping the tempo high for the team.
The first lap was fast after all had settled in as we turned for the second lap the paced remained solid all doing their part and above all else a good understanding of who was doing what. The experience of the Grafton TTT
and countless hours training together in similar scenario showed up all the other teams.
As we entered the final turn around Davo had an on-bike vomit ( creating a great Pro Hart mural on the front of his car) at this point Alex and I shot up to see if all was well Davo yelled back with a smile "no worries boys I ll get Tans onto that with a wetex when we get home!!!"
At the final turn around the consistency was right on track all doing their alloted time at the front with great effect, as we entered the final three kms big Nath ripped out the 11 sprocket which was met with Blairs 60kphr turn into the finish!
They boys got some long overdue OFFICIAL recognition for being the best at this discipline at the local level after smashing all comers 18mths ago at Grafton.
Well done to all the KOM boys, huge effort thanks to Alex Malone for all his mechanical work also, thanks to the NSW cycling Federation for.....................................hmmmmmmmmm NOTHING!!!
Cheers,
Stu.
17th August 2008
NEWSFLASH KOM riders Nathan Page and Dave (Levers)Evans takes out the 2008 "Ride for Life" Centenial Park Sydney!
The 2008 Ride for Life held at Centennial Park was moved from the previous years hilly course to a flatter faster 2k loop running through the centre of the park. The KOM Team started with good numbers including Nath Page, Dave Evans, Andrew Crawley (backing up from Beauie Worlds in the morning), Andrew Riordan, Andrew d'Sousa, Ben Travers and Kor Sietsma. The race kicked off in cool but near perfect conditions.
The first few laps saw the obligatory attacks with the bunch pulling them back. About 15 minutes into the 36km race, the first of the serious breaks occurred with Rob Cater, Louis Truba and Nathan Page strting the move. They quickly put 10 seconds or so into the bunch before Brad Mills and Dave Evans noted the caliber of the riders away and bridged across to form a 5 man break.
This break was to be the decisive move of the race with all 5 swapping off evenly to gradually build up a lead of about 30 seconds. There were a few late attempts from some of the big hitters in Pete McDonald and Richie Lang near the end of the race but they were only able to separate themselves from the bunch leaving the 5 breakaways to fight out for the win. The KOM boys were in a good position having both Nath & Dave in the break. In the end, Nath crossed the line 1st and was able to hold off a fast finishing Rob Cater and Louis Truba with Bard Mills coming in 4th and Dave Evans 5th.
Another successful race for Team KOM who are also dominating the NSW Roadman of the year leaderboard with Blair Martin, Nathan Page, Dave Evans, Andrew Crawley and Alex Malone slotting into 5 of the top 6 places.
4th August 2008
NEWSFLASH KOM riders dominate at the State Road titles!
Sundays racing at Kurrajong for the NSW State Road Titles brought a great deal of success for the KOM Squad.
Heather Evans silver in the Elite Womens demonstrates the remarkable versatility of this former champion swimmer and Commonwealth Games rep triathlete. Evans opened an unassailable gap on the field on the first of 3 laps with Canberras Judith May and eventual winner Jemma OBrien. Evans was narrowly beaten on the line by O’Brien in the sprint. KOMs Anna Beck traded the knobby tires for the slicks with success, finishing strong in the bunch.
In the mens Division 2, Kor Sietsma rode himself into two breaks which were unfortunately reeled in, but finished in 7th place in the gallop for the line.
The mens Division 1 race over 165km was full of drama. KOM was represented by defending champion Blair Martin, Alex Malone, David Evans, Andy Crawley (fresh from his Canadian training camp), Hayden Kegg, and new recruit Ben Travers.
On the 2nd of 5 laps the entire KOM squad established a break, which was unfortunately smothered when the pace cars for the Division 2 race got in the way. After a 5km neutral portion of the race, which allowed the entire field to re-gather, racing resumed with Martin and Malone managing to get themselves into the selection.
Unfortunately for Crawley, a touched wheel when attempting to bridge the gap brought him down, ending his race.
With the assistance of brilliant team riding by Evans, Kegg and Travers in controlling the chase bunch, Martin and Malone managed to keep the break away. Malone had the ride of the day to finish 3rd in the race and taking the NSW Elite State Silver Medal. Martin finished 5th, with Evans 10th and Kegg 14th.
Special mention was made of the KOM Squads presence and successes by the officials on the podium.
It is great to see a group of friends with a passion for cycling and for the KOM credo gaining such success in the NSW road cycling scene. "when I ride I am free"!
Blair Martin,
Physiotherapist,
The Body Mechanic.
28th July 2008
NEWSFLASH we have a winner for this years Tour de France -"guess the winning time competition!"
The official winning time was 87:52:52 and Cameron guessed:
87:54:23 Congratulations Cameron, you have WON a Pair of Limited edition Mavic Kysrium SL wheels!
Stay tuned for our next competition
17th July 2008
NOOSA ENDURO 2008 WRAP UP by Timmee!
KOM Team Rider Tim MacCormick takes out 1st place OPEN Men and 1st place in OPEN Team.
For several weeks leading up to the Noosa Enduro it had been raining heavily. This meant that the course would muddy, slippery and wet. It also meant the race organisers would be forced to make course changes.
Making last minute changes to a 100km course is a logistic nightmare and made the 1st 30kms confusing for all riders. While all riders started in sunny conditions the rain started coming down at 10.30am and would not stop for the rest of the day. The Noosa Enduro is made up of two 50km sections.
The 1st section was relatively flat and fast. The 2nd 50kms is made up of big hills like the "mother" (named the mother because it is the mother of all hills) rolling single track through rain forests and dairy farms with endless slippery "hike a bike" sections that would play with your mind. The Noosa Enduro is a fantastic and tough race. Special mention goes to Blair Martin – The body mechanic for getting me back on the bike and Alex Malone – KOM Head Mechanic – for preparing my GT for a wet and muddy enduro.
15th July 2008
NEWSFLASH TEAM KOM RIDER TIMEEEE MacCORMICK WINS OPENS MENS CAT Noosa MTB Enduro!!
Date: Sunday 13th July 2008 Location: Stan Topper Park, Pomona
Stay tuned for further breaking news and podium images......
1st July 2008
RTA Road Rule Changes
Effective the 1st July are some changes to the road rules affecting cyclists. Attached is a link with all the changes.
www.rta.nsw.gov.au/rulesregulations/roadrules/2008nswrrulechanges.html
1st July 2008
September 21st is the date set for the MTB Coffs Mountain Marathon.
September 21st is the date set for the Coffs Mountain Marathon.
The 2008 Marathon has been moved to the warmer month of September.
Lots of dirt trails & sweet single tracks
The Coffs Mountain Marathon is mountain bike heaven set in the beautiful region of Bonville at Coffs Harbour. Its the ideal location for the Marathon being easy driving distance from either Sydney or Brisbane & easy flight from other interstate locations.
NUMBERS CAPPED AT 600 between the Full (400 riders) & Half Marathon. (200 riders)
The Coffs Mountain Marathon was the venue for the 2007 MTBA Australian Marathon Championships. Starting at Pine Creek Forest, Bonville (15 minutes south of Coffs Harbour) You get the chance to ride this fantastic courses is set in the beautiful rainforest of Pine Creek Forest at Bonville This is pure mountain bikers heaven with 97% of the course off road with lots of flowing singles, fire trails to get the heart pumping. Not that you can improve this course much but we have a few changes to the course new 2008.
For more information or entry forms log onto www.twowheelpromotions.com.au
25th June 2008
Caffeine, Exercise Performance and Sleep Research Study
Attached is an email I received which some of you might be interested in.
My name is Ben Miller and I am currently completing an honours thesis in exercise physiology at the University of Sydney (Cumberland Campus at Lidcombe). My study is investigating the impact of caffeine consumption on sleep after using it during a cycling session conducted in the laboratory.
Since caffeine was been taken off the banned substances list in 2004, its use in sport and particularly endurance sport has increased dramatically. Im sure many club members have used caffeinated gels, bars or energy drinks during training or competition.
I am looking for fit well trained men aged 18-35 who are currently cycling > 250km/wk to participate in this study. Upon completion of this study, the athletes will gain increased knowledge about using caffeine during training/racing and exactly how it impacts their sleep. They will also gain their VO2 max value for free, as well as gain a more scientific understanding about their training.
If you think any of your athletes would be interested in participating in this study, it would be much appreciated if this email could be forwarded to any members, discussion boards or if the flyer (included as an attachment) could be posted at any club events. If there are any queries or further questions about this study, please dont hesitate to send me an email at the_corporal_is@hotmail.com. .
20th June 2008
Manly Dam is NOW OPEN
The bike trail at Manly Dam is OPEN again after the recent rain. For more information on the Manly Dam closure and reopening please send an email to
mtbiketrailinfo@warringah.nsw.gov.au
16th June 2008
Shimano R300 Road Shoe gets 4.5/5 in Cyclingnews review
Shimano's top of the range road racing shoe, the R300, has scored an exceptional 4.5/5 "yellow jersey's" in Cyclingnews's latest product review.
Cyclingnews praises the high-end shoes, stating that their excellent power transfer, superb fit, and ability to be custom heat-moulded to your feet puts the Shimano's in a league of their own.
To read the article, please click here
Cyclingnews Shimano R300 Review
For more information, or to order a pair of these beauties, please don't hesitate to contact us.
12th June 2008
Manly Warringah Cycle Club West Head Race This Weekend
If the thought of the NSW MTB State Round doesn't exactly get you all fired up, and skinny tyres and lashings of lycra are more your thing, then there's something for you this weekend as well.
The roadies out there will be in full force this weekend with Manly Warringah Cycle Club holding yet another epic West Head race.
Meeting at 7am at Pierre's in Turramurra for those wanting to ride out to the race, or to ride out an spectate.
For more information, please visit Manly Warringah Cycle Club's Website at: Manly Warringah Cycle Club Race Page
12th June 2008
NSW MTB State Round on this weekend!
That's right folks, yet another NSWMTB State Round is just around the
corner and this time we're heading into the heart of the Blue
Mountains to race at the fantastic Blue Gum Lodge! Blue gum is a bit
shorter in length, but don't let that fool you as Jacobs Ladder is
bound to sap the energy from your legs! Blue Gum Lodge is a private
property with an awesome track and facilities. Because it's private
property we don't generally get to ride there much and generally have
to fit in with other conferences, but we're completely stoked to be
able to host our state round there!
Entries are open and after a bit of a review, we've decided to cut the
entry fee. So for most of us, that'll mean a $15 entry fee! Elite
men and women out there for the cash booty have also been reduced
down to a meager $20. So head on down to the BrightOrangeEvents
website and enter today!
Bright Orange Events Website
Please note: Due to a conference, the venue and track is closed
saturday. Please stay clear until race day on sunday. We've
rescheduled the races to allow for additional practice time so
hopefully this won't be too much of an inconvenience.
Happy Trails, and see you there on Sunday!
Cheers
Craig
NSWMTB XC Co-ordinator
6th June 2008
Manly Dam is currently closed
The bike trail at Manly Dam is currently closed due to the recent rain. For more information on the Manly Dam closure and reopening please send an email to
mtbiketrailinfo@warringah.nsw.gov.au
5th June 2008
Support Your Local Bike Shop with the Mosman Daily Local Business Awards- Vote KOM now!
Here at King of the Mountain Cyclery, we have been chuffed to make the Mosman Daily 2008 Local Business Awards shortlist.
This has lead to no end of excitement both within the shop- even our beloved greasemonkey's are excited!
If you believe in us as much as we do, please do your bit by logging on to the Mosman Daily Website: http://truelocalbusinessawards.truelocal.com.au/mosman_daily.html
and Voting us number one for Business/Professional Service, and Fitness/Sport Category.
We really appreciate your support
4th June 2008
SRAM RED takes first and second at 91st Giro !
June 1, 2008 - Milan, IT
In its first attempt at a Grand Tour, SRAM's RED groupset has won the 2008 Tour of Italy, which concluded this past Sunday in Milan. The SRAM RED-equipped Spaniard Alberto Contador (Team Astana) took the victory nearly two minutes ahead of (2nd place) Italian Riccardo Ricco (Saunier Duval-Scott), who also rode SRAM RED.
Introduced at last fall's Eurobike tradeshow as the lightest (1928 grams), most ergonomic and innovative groupset, SRAM RED has wasted little time in claiming its position atop the componentry hierarchy with a prestigious Grand Tour victory that was pure excitement to witness. With just four seconds separating the two leaders after the penultimate stage, SRAM riders' Contador and Ricco battled until the end of the final days\ time trial.
Contador's will, his team's dedication, and his innovative SRAM componentry came together in a win that surprised many due to the team's late selection, being asked to participate merely a week before the start.
Astana's switch to SRAM RED componentry was instigated by team leaders who wanted to upgrade their componentry and save weight (they saved nearly one-half pound). SRAM RED compact cranks were also evident in the critical climbing stages of the Giro, including the 12.9 km uphill time trial, where gradients reached 24 percent.
3rd June 2008
Rain sets in in Sydney- time to get on ya' bike inside!
As rain once again descends upon Sydney, us cyclists have few options in our training.
Option A: Brave the elements like the hardcore people we are, and inevitably get a cold, which turns into a chest infection...and then you're off the bike for weeks...or
Option B: Be sensible about it all, put a DVD on, and cycle inside on a Trainer!
Trainers are a great way to gain strength and speed (not to mention mental toughness!) on the bike, and we have many options to suit your needs and budget here at KOM, including some great deals on Cycleops trainers (see our catalogue).
See us at KOM for more information- we are the trainer experts!
3rd June 2008
Manly Warringah Mountain Bike Club Social Ride This Weekend
Type of Ride: Fast paced ride rain or shine (won't go if it's snowing)
Date & Time: 8th June 6.20am for 6.30 start
Where: Magical Mystery Tour
Meet Location: Hydraulics Lab, King Street, Manly Vale
Distance & Duration: 2.5-3hr
Common terrain type: Sand, rock, mud, water and whatever else I can find
Skill Level Required: Good/Expert - fast paced ride
Fitness level required: Above average fitness, no beginners please
What to bring: A MTB in good working order and spare tubes, pump, multi tool, etc. Food, Gu's and water for up to 3hr ride.
All welcome however you need to either show your MTBA Club Licence or purchase a Day Licence from the ride leader. First ride free, then $5 for a day licence each time thereafter, however riders are encouraged to take up social or racing membership with MWMTB after attending a number of social rides.
2nd June 2008
KOM Rider Zoe King's standout position in MTB World Cup XC #4, Vallnord, Andorra
43. Zoe King (Aus) 19.39
This is an awesome result for an Aussie amongst a field of Euro locals, and Zoe's best result on the tough world cup race circuit to date.
2nd June 2008
KOM Rider Zoe King Reports to us from Italy
Woke up yesterday to rain... We waited a while then braved the weather and ended up having the coldest ride EVER. Here is the list of clothes I wore on the bike:
1 pair socks, plastic bag, another pair of socks, shoes, plastic bag, thick over booties
2 pairs of nicks, leg warmers (would have worn 2 if i had another pair)
undershirt, short sleeved jersey, arm-warmers, long sleeved thick fleece/wind top, wind vest, rain jacket, gloves, wind gloves, underhelmet beanie, windproof ear-warmer headband, peak cap, buff.
So some of it came off on the hour long climb... but on the descent i needed another full GTX and i was STILL COLD!!!!
We climbed the hardest climb in Italy - a climb called Mortirolo - avg gradient 10.5% (in parts 18%). I borrowed a 27 cassette and was so grateful I had it as I'm not sure I would have made it up otherwise.
"The Mortirolo is considered to be the toughest mountain one can climb in Italy and many professional cyclists consider it as the most difficult mountain to be climbed in any of the three major tours. Lucho Herrera (1991) referred to Mortirolo as being the "Queen climb of Europe" and Lance Armstrong referred to it as the hardest climb he'd ever ridden."
We had to stop on the descent and climb for a few minutes until we defrosted then descended for a while and repeated the process. Also stopping for star jumps to get the blood pumping!
So today its snowing!!!!!!!
Could a ride get any colder??? I am yet to brave it... I may have another story tomorrow!
Zoe
Stay tuned for more adventures of Miss King through Europe
29th May 2008
A Near Perfect Score For the SuperSix on Bikeradar.com
For those who have been watching the 2008 Giro d' Italia and seen the SuperSix in action under Team Liquigas, it may not come as a surprise to you that this is one light and responsive bicycle. So with the buzz running wild about just how good the SuperSix is the staff at Bikeradar.com wanted to give it a go for themselves.
Here are just a few comments from their report.
Stomping on the pedals for quick speed delivers instant results, and getting into a groove on the brake hoods when climbing ultra-steep roads was effortless...
...Mere mortals like us are entitled to the creature comforts of performance riding, and the SuperSix scores big on this...
...The stiffness gurus in Bedford, Pennsylvania understand the benefits of stiffening the steering, and by using carbon throughout the rest of the frame theyve achieved a tangible nirvana for stiffness seekers throughout the peloton...
...Cannondales racing pedigree, starting with the Crest team of the late 1980s and currently with Liquigas and the US outfit HealthNet, has contributed greatly to the credibility and research and development of the 15.1lb SuperSix...
...Known primarily as a fine aluminum producer, riders will be more than impressed with the silky and responsive ride of the carbon Cannondale SuperSix...
Check out the full report at Bikeradar.com
27th May 2008
BMC Working Week Series Round Three- Appin
KOM Team rider Tim MacCormick and Adam Socha headed to Appin for Round 3 of the BMC Working week Series. The Appin course is described as, a fun, challenging course, including that great-fun creek-crossing! Neither rider had ridden at Appin before and both riders were looking forward to a great challenging day. With over 450 people entered (the largest number for Appin so far) meant it would be hard to pass. The weather was great and Tim and Adam finished just off the podium in 4th place.
26th May 2008
ANACONDA MTB Enduro- Alice Springs Stage Race done and dusted(Dusty?)
KOM Rider Anna B and honorary rider Aidoo Lefmann have finally returned from what seemed like a month of solid, hard racing in the red centre
Spanning five days and seven stages ranging from a 60 second time trial up a hill in town, to a 101km off-rad epic filled with corrugations and sand, the Anaconda MTB Enduro had something for everyone (as long as you had something on the bike!)
Standout KOM results include AB's second placing in the hill climb staged- outfoxed by less than a second!
Aidoo shined, as usual, creaming the competition in the more technical stages of the race, taking the 23km singletrack time-trial and the final technical 50km stage with flair.
Consistency and reliability are the key factors in this kind of stage race, and while many suffered from head-on derailleur/rock collisions, and shredded/thorn infested tires, the top-notch SRAM gear and Maxxis tires kept them upright the whole week. (Except when Aidoo hucked onto a sharp pointy rock at 40km and hour...but that's another story!)
Keep tuned for photos to come!
26th May 2008
Ken Dinnerville road cycling classic- 25 May race wrap up
KOM dominated the Scratch bunch in the 93km Handicap event in Dapto on Sunday
. However it was Heather Evans who flew the KOM colours high at the right end of the field, with her 21 minute burglar! bunch getting to the front and finishing there.
In the sprint for first woman, Heather chose life, finishing 3rd and narrowly avoiding a bad stack in the process.
The scratch riders of Blair Martin, Alex Malone, Nathan Page and Andy Crawley set the pace in scratch, not missing a turn the entire 93km. If not for the efforts of a certain well known rider from south of Sydney in closing the gate, and the 35 riders sitting on not and rolling through, line honours should have been a formality. However the frustrations of handicap racing were obvious- if not for the superhuman efforts of KOM rider Andrew East off the 7 minute bunch fresh from 2 weeks of gastro- things could have been even worse. Page contested the gallop to take 2nd fastest, with the KOM peleton including new KOM recriut Ben Travers featuring in the remaining grupetto. The KOM squadra raced honestly and with pride, with the rest of the peleton being served a little of what they will be up against in the opens later in the season.
All is looking good for next weeks Sydney Road Champs at Penrith Regatta Centre.
26th May 2008
Cootamundra Haycarters Handicap 10 - 11 May race wrap up
A keen hardy bunch of KOM-ers (Alex Malone, Heather Evans, Andy Crawley and Blair Martin) attended the weekend of racing a few hours south of Sydney a fortnight ago.
It seems that KOM need to have a word to the handicappers, with Saturdays race being tough for all involved. The limit markers managed to stay away, while the rest of the bunches were left to contest with each other for individual glories.
Sundays race went a lot better for Alex Malone and Andy Crawley, with their 2:30 minute block bunch managing to reel in the front markers in fine fashion. Alex and Andy were instrumental in driving the train, finishing in the gallop. Heathers and Blairs races werent quite as successful, with both of their bunches breaking up and them being on the wrong end of the breaks.
Aside from the handicapping, this weekend is a lot of fun, with the Cootamundra club being wonderful hosts. KOM manage to arrange perfect rental accommodation- a cute little house on the finish line- and we are all looking forward to the second Coota weekend in August.
9th May 2008
Cootamundra Haycarters Handicap
Team KOM are this weekend wheeling it to Cootamundra for the twice-yearly Cootamundra Haycarters Handicap events. Alex Malone, Andrew Crawley, Ric Austen and the husband-and-wife duo Heather Evans and Blair Martin are flying the KOM flag proudly.
Fresh off her win in the 50km Dirtworks MTB event, Evans will be hoping to back up with a strong showing this weekend. Crawley and Malone are in sublime form after their respective win and third placing in the prestigious Blaney-Bathurst race a fortnight ago.
Martin is aiming to kick off his season in the kind of form he finished the last, with this weekends race being perfect preparation for a State-title defence later in the season.
Austen is expecting his 700km training weeks, and completing the recent Tour de Cure, will result in a top showing.
Be assured, results will follow...you have been warned!
8th May 2008
KOM Riders Head out Bush in search of glory (errr....Glory??)
The Anaconda MTB Enduro is a stage race formerly known as the Bullrider MTB, formerly known as the Central Australia Mountain Bike Challenge- but it is on again for 2008!
The last time the race was on, sponsored KOM rider Andy Suicide Crawley was still playing in the dirt, before he grew a love of all things lycra and bikes with skinny tyres with funny handlebars. He took out a podium position in one of the stages
This year, KOM rider Anna AB Banana, and affiliate Aido Noodle Lefmann are taking on the bush for a week of fun and painful MTB'ing from the 18th-23rd of May.
Stay tuned for updates!
8th May 2008
MWMTB/WSMTB Sydney Club Super Series Changes Location for Weekend Race
This Sunday is the third race in the Manly Warringah MTB/ Western Sydney MTB combined club super series for 2008.
Due to some unfortunate events, Manly Warringah Club no longer has access to the famed Arcadia race track, and instead the race has been shortened in length and has been changed to a STXC (short Track Cross Country) format at the St Ives Showground, St Ives.
Anyone who has raced the summer short track series knows what an burning, painful, rip-roaring good time these short tracks are, and this race will be one to impress those who havent raced the short track course.
Racing begins at 9.30 for the juniors, with registration opening at 9am. For the speedy Gonzaleses out there, racing begins at 12.40. Be there or be square, but bring your poker face!
8th May 2008
Manly Warringah MTB Club Chicks Ride this weekend!
This weekend marks the second Manly Warringah Chicks social ride for the season. The ride meets at the Sunshine St School, at the top of Manly Dam, and will be around 2hr, finishing up at Belaroma in Manly Vale for a well-earned coffee.
The ride will be a mixture of challenging rocky singletrack, and fire trail.
Other Info: Dress accordingly, bring hydropak or bottle, tube, helmet, and change for a skinny mocha cappucino. All welcome, however you need to either show your MTBA Club Licence or purchase a Day Licence from the ride leader. First ride free, then $5 for a day licence each time thereafter, however riders are encouraged to take up social or racing membership with MWMTB after attending a number of social rides.
8th May 2008
Dirt Works 100km wrap up from 13 year old KOM rider Henry
Hi Dave
Heres a brief run down of the Dirtworks race on Sunday
Predictably it was very cool start to the race, but the mist soon cleared and the sun came out for perfect race conditions.
over 1300 people competed in total between the 100 and 50k races.
Hamish Elliot had a fantastic race smashing the course record with the time of 4:09:42 for the 100k.
Katrin Van Der Spiegel blitzed the ladies field with a time of 5:01:41.
In the 50k race Erica Obrian won the ladies with a time of 2:24:49 and Drew Robertson took out the mens with a time of 1:51:49.
I was pleased with how I did with a time of 2:33:14 and placing 15 in the open mens category.
My Dad went well placing 3rd in the masters with a time of 2:05:13 in the 50k
Dino completed the course in a time of 2:47:29
Through out the race there were many tragedies with 2 people having to get helicoptered out with 1 of the helicopters breaking down on the road causing major traffic congestion at the ferry.
Another 10 people were taken away to hospital via Ambulance.
Otherwise it was a great event and I am looking forward to next year.
Thanks very much Dave for the help youve given and especially thanks for the rims you gave to me!
Im sure they made me go much faster.
Sorry we dont have any good photos to show of this fantastic event.
Hope to see you soon.
Regards Henry Baird
2nd May 2008
Manly Dam will be open Saturday 3rd of May!
The bike trail at Manly Dam will be open Saturday 3rd of May. For more information on the Manly Dam closure and reopening please send an email to
mtbiketrailinfo@warringah.nsw.gov.au
28TH APRIL 2008
Manly Dam is CLOSED
The bike trail at Manly Dam is now CLOSED after recent rain. For more information on the Manly Dam closure and reopening please send an email to
mtbiketrailinfo@warringah.nsw.gov.au
18th April 2008
NEW Products for April
Introducing OPTYGEN HP The latest in sports performance nutrition!
Optygen HP has been most notably used by Discovery Team during the intense racing of the Tour de France, and less notably used by Andy C and Alex "the Russian" Malone during the weeks leading upto, and during their Killer form at the 2008 Blayney to Bathurst
Optygen is a potent winning formula, manufactured by "First Endurance". Each bottle contains 120 tablets.
18th April 2008
IMPORTANT REMINDER KOM ONE DAY TOUR THIS SUNDAY!
This Sunday the 20th of April, KOM and Manly Warringah Cycling Club are running the One Day Road Tour a very rare event nowadays.
The format is a individual 10Km time trial followed 30mins later by a road race to West Head and back via Akuna (yes, the road surface is now OK). A,B,C,VETS,MASTERS,WOMENS and juniors. It is a tough morning but heaps of fun. There will be a $300 prize purse and we will be contributing $300 worth of prizes so it should be a huge morning.
Prize money is only paid to competitors who have completed both disciples.
The individual time trial starts at 8;00am sharp at the corner of Tepko and Booralie road Terry Hills opposite the service station (When you register you are given a start time with 30 second intervals between competitors). The course heads west along Booralie Road Terry Hills for approx. 5km and at the intersection of Booralie and Thuddungra road a marshal with alert you to the turning witches hat on the road. You then return along the same section of road to the finish time markers (opposite the starting point at Booralie and Tepko road).
The course profile is predominantly flat with a couple of small big ring climbs and one small climb on the return journey...great fun but challenging.
The road race will start 30 minutes after the last competitor has completed the time trial course. A grade this Sunday will be required to do two laps of West head followed by a fast loop through Akuna Bay finishing at the western park entrance to Akuna Bay.
All other grades will start 10 mins behind A grade with 5 min gap between grades and will only be required to do a single lap of West head Akuna Bay.
This could well be the last time we see this format at Booralie road so lets all make an effort to be there and have a great morning of racing, weather forecast is for chance of showers - which in KOM speak is awesome day for a ride!
15th April 2008
NEWSFLASH Team KOM Cyclery Dominate the Mountain!!
Team KOM Cyclery made the annual pilgrimage to Bathurst for the NSW State Hill Climb Championships (Saturday morning), the Criterion Race (Saturday afternoon) and the Bathurst to Blayney (B2B) 110km race on Sunday.
The first event, the NSW State Hill Climb Championship had Dave Evans and Andrew Crawley enetred in the Elite category. The boys got to Bathurst 60mins before their start time with Alex "Nanna" Malone behind the wheel of the KOM van ensuring that their would definately be NO speeding tickets!
A quick 10km warmup around the crit circuit and the boys were ready to go. The start was moved slightly from last year for some strange reason adding a a 90 degree turn and a speed hump 5 metres after the start?? Dave and Andy both went very hard from the gun having not seen the course at all. Both thought after the Time Trial that this would be their downfall with both feeling they went out too hard! As it turned out Dave won in 9mins 13sec with Andy 2nd in 9mins 25secs in a result that would set the tone for the weekend.
The afternoon crits saw Alex graded in Div 3 for reasons only known to the NSW Handicapper. Wins in A Grade at Beauie Worlds and Tepko Rd as well as placings or wins at Grafton to Inverell and numerous other strong results in the past year seem to have been missed!
Anyway after sitting on the front the entire race, picking up the $50 prime with no one willing to go past him but being chased down every time he made a break, Alex was rolled in the downhill sprint. In the Div 1 race, Hayden "Haydos" Kegg, Dave & Andy lined up for the 40min race with 3 primes. All 3 boys rode strongly with Dave picking up the 2nd and 3rd prime which was ideally located at the top of a short but sharp rise. Andy went off the front with a lap and a half to go and in the end managed to hold onto 4th with Dave finishing in the top 10.
Eastie, Nath Page and Andy de Sousa hooked up with the boys Saturday evening for a Pub meal and plenty of laughs in preparation for the Blayney to Bathurst 110km race the next morning. An early start with the team getting their bikes to Blayney 40km away from where they were staying for an 8.30 kickoff. The weather "looked" perfect at the start but after 30 minutes of racing, it was clear that the bunch was going to get very wet (and cold). The early ks were covered at a fairly solid pace with the Mace boys and KOM boys doing their fair share of swapping off. The rain didnt slow the pace at all with the first selection coming at a hill at about 40km where the bunch of 80 was split in two.
The pace remained solid for the next few ks with Nathan "Law & Order" Page rolling his turn only to look around and find himself off the front. Away Nath went for the next 30km or so putting time into the bunch in the rain with the bunch hitting 90kmh on some downhills. Nath claimed the KOM on the dirt road with Dave & Andy taking 2nd and 3rd and catching Nath on the decent. This was where the final selection was made with 10 going clear after the KOM with about 30km to go. Of the 10 in the lead group, 5 were KOM riders and 3 others were Northern Sydney. The lead 10 kept the pace high to ensure they also claimed fastest time. The race was always going to come down to the last mile which was straight up Conrod straight through the hair pins to the top of Mt Panorama.
Andy, Dave & Alex got a small gap along with Adam Socha from NSCC over other 6 riders. Andy endged a few metres clear over the summit and held on for a well deserved victory. Dave was 2nd and Alex 3rd for a KOM sweep. The KOM dominance didnt end with the top 3. Nath Page was 5th after doing a massive amount of work all day as did eastie who finished 7th. Haydos was not far back coming in with the second group in 14th position.
All in all, it was a fantastic weekend with some great results from all the KOM riders as well as Northern Sydney Cycling Club in general.
10th April 2008
Just arrived! Michelin Pro3 Race clincher road racing tires
New for 2008 the Michelin Pro3 Race clincher road racing tires now available at KOM, whose new dual-compound tread is derived from the Moto GP division (and we love Moto GP here at KOM!). According to Michelin, the new tread delivers 20% more straight line grip than the Pro² Race, while the new shoulder rubber offers a huge 40% improvement. Michelin says the Moto GP compounds are also more readily deformable than before to help maintain grip on coarser pavement and reduce rolling resistance. For added security, the Pro³ Race casing gains a new High Density Puncture Protector (HDPP) nylon belt, yet total claimed weight is still highly competitive at just 200g for the 700x23c size. (image coming soon)
10th April 2008
Bookings now being taken for the next KOM Basic Mantenance course.
Basic Seminar Course
Purpose: To gain the basic skills needed to complete emergency repairs whilst out on the road or on the trail. We believe the best way to learn is through hands on experience as such each class has a maximum size of four participants to ensure that everybody has a chance to perform each skill.
Skills covered: Changing and repairing a tube, breaking and rejoining a chain, basic gear and brake adjustment and tips on how to keep your bike in top working condition between rides.
Next Course: Wednesday the 16th April 2008
Duration of course: 3 hours
Fee: $89.95 per person
Bookings are essential, email info@komcyclery.com.au
or call 99081745
8th April 2008
NEWSFLASH KOM Team riders Ric Austen and Alex Malone complete the 1200km Tour De Cure ride!!
Alex and Ric will be arriving home today at 4:00pm at Fox Studios Sydney after 1200km on the road, show your support by being there to cheer them in. Onya boys!
If you would like to show your support for Alex and Ric please make a donation at the Tour De Cure website http://www.tourdecure.com.au/select.html
4th April 2008
The new Fox Flux Helmet now in store at KOM
The Fox Flux helmet is a new pursuit for the company. It's a helmet that combines the freestyle shape with cross country ventilation, taking the best from both worlds into a unique skid lid that looks good on the trails, on the ramps, in the parking lot, even riding down the street. The freestyle shape is best seen from behind, where the helmet has a familiar curve in addition to extending lower than most cross country helmets. The XC heritage is best seen up front, with the visor and big air scoops work together to help channel air flow over the head. A first for helmets is the spoiler atop the rear of the lid. Inspired by motocross, it channels the discharge air flow to keep the helmet streamlined, which means fast. 20 vents let the air come and go as it pleases. The Fox Flux helmet also uses a Detox secondary retention system. Colors are black, black camo, and stone camo. Sizes run from small-XL. Price is $189.95
To place an order or to find out more information please email us at info@komcyclery.com.au
31st March 2008
NEWSFLASH KOM Team rider Alex (the Russian) Malone wins the inaugural "mechanic world champs" live on the Kerri Anne Morning show channel 9 !!
If it isnt amazing enough that our two KOM hombres (Ric an Alex) are supporting this years Tour De Cure charity bike ride from Melbourne to Sydney, this morning on the Kerri Anne show, Alex won the inaugural "mechanic world champs" live on stage! Congratulations to Alex on this amazing achievement.....DC says that it was nearly (nearly) as good as seeing Alex get kissed by Suzie the seal during last years tour...stay tuned for daily updates from the Tour De Cure.
If you would like to show your support for Alex and Ric please make a donation at the Tour De Cure website http://www.tourdecure.com.au/select.html
31st March 2008
Round 5 of the KOM Cyclery Northside Road Champs, West Head – Sunday 30 March 2008
KOM Cyclery Northside Road Champs, West Head – Sunday 30 March 2008
A-Grade
A huge turnout of riders turned up bright & early on a glorious Sunday morning for the Northside Road Champs which for A-Grade was held over 3 out-and-back laps of West Head covering approximately 70km.
A strong A-Grade field rolled down the neutral McCars Creek Rd before the official start line. Rob Hodgeson was first to attack going from the gun up the hill to the West Head turnoff. Knowing Robs strength, Dave Evans (KOM) increased the pace of the bunch & took them back onto Robs wheel several kilometers later. It was then an attack by Dave half way out to West Head on the first lap that would half the field leaving 6 riders to fight it out. From KOM there was Dave, Blair Martin & Andy Crawley, from Northern Sydney Justin Morris and Sam Moorehouse and the always present Rob Hodgeson.
The six rides swapped turns for the next 2 laps keeping the pace high and ensuring that there would be no comeback for those riders dropped earlier. The next decisive move came heading up the wall on the final lap just before the turn around. All 3 KOM riders attacked the climb with only Justin Morris getting across. The four riders, 3 KOM and 1 Northern Sydney were left to battle for the win. The KOM boys made several attempts to drop Justin but he hang in gamely.
Heading into the last 2km, Blair went to the front and kept the pace high with Dave and Justin jumping off his wheel at the bottom of the finishing hill. Justin had too much strength for Dave and went onto win with Dave 2nd, Andy 3rd and Blair 4th. Sam and Rob finish a minute or so down in 5th and 6th rounding out the field for a KOM/ Northern Sydney sweep.
The next of the races in the KOM Cyclery series is on Sunday 20th April.DO NOT MISS THIS CLASSIC EVENT!!
20th March 2008
NEW Cannondale Trail Bikes Spotted in Sydney!
There have been rumours that the latest and greatest Cannondale trail bikes- the Rize and Moto- have been seen railing some local Northern Beached trails.
The Rize is Cannondale's latest bike to adopt the trail-bike tag. With 130mm of travel front and rear, this bike has ultimately been described as "pure, simple, fun" from our trusty contact in the cycle industry.
The Rize certainly borrows from their brother's the Scalpel and the Rush, but adding an extra 30mm of travel making this the ULTIMATE play bike.
The Moto on the other hand, lands in between the Cannondale Prophet and the Perp, and has been labelled as Cannondale's "Big Mountain" Bike.
If you are after a bike for hucking off that massive drop at Beacon Hill, or just riding the aggressive rocky Sydney trails- fast- then this bike is for you! The Moto comes with a fully sick 160mm of trail-gobbling front and rear travel, and is going to be released in three Carbon models.
20th March 2008
Please Read Very Important- NSW Bicycle and Cycling Laws
Under NSW legislation a bicycle is considered as a vehicle. As such,
cyclists are required to obey the road rules, including stopping at
red lights or Stop signs, Giving Way as indicated by signage and
giving hand signals when changing direction. As cyclists have
responsibilities when using the road system, they also have the right,
like other vehicles, to use the road and be shown courtesy and care by
other road users.
A bicycle means a vehicle with one or more wheels that is built to be
propelled by human power through a belt, chain or gears (whether or
not it has an auxiliary motor) and includes a pedicab, penny-farthing,
scooter, tricycle and unicycle. See Australian Road Rules for further
information
Cyclists Also have Special Rights, Including:
- Riding two abreast, no more than 1.5 m apart
- Travelling to the front of a line of traffic on the left hand side of
the stopped vehicles
- Travelling in Bus Lanes and Transit Lanes. However, cyclists cannot
travel in Bus Only Lanes
- Travelling on the footpath where indicated by signage
- Cycling on the footpath if the cyclist is less than 12 years old. An
adult, who is riding in a supervisory capacity of a cyclist less than
12 years old, may also ride with the young cyclist on the footpath
- Turning right from the left hand lane of a multi-lane roundabout with
the proviso the cyclists must give way to exiting traffic
A Legal Bicycle in daylight...
- At least one working brake
- Either a bell or horn fitted to the bike, within easy reach and in working order
A Legal Bicycle at Night...
All of the above PLUS
- Lights fitted and in use when riding at night - a steady or flashing
white light that is clearly visible for at least 200 metres and a
flashing or steady red light that is clearly visible for at least 200
metres from the rear of the bike
- A red rear reflector that is clearly visible for 50 metres when light is
projected onto it by a vehicle's headlight on low beam.
Rememberit is compulsory to wear an approved helmet correctly
when riding a bike. This applies to all cyclists, regardless of age, including
children on bicycles with training wheels and any child being carried
as a passenger on a bike or in a trailer.
Failing to obey road or bicycle rules may result in a fine.
20th March 2008
KOM Easter Trading Hours
- Good Friday 21st March:Closed
- Saturday 22nd March: Open 9am-5pm
- Easter Sunday 23rd March: Closed
- Monday 24th March: Open 9am-6pm
14th March 2008
KOM Special One-Day-Sale this weekend
Rush into KOM this saturday for the very special, rather infrequent and quite rare, One day winter sale Bonanza!
Prices are slashed! Many sizes and a massive choice of colours.
- Water-Proof Jackets and Shells
- Baselayers and Undershirts
- Men and Women's Mid and Heavyweight Jerseys
- Wind-proof vests
14th March 2008
Caution: Akuna Bay Claims Derailleurs.
Please be careful when riding Akuna bay this weekend. We have been inundated here at KOM with bikes with defunct derailleurs after descending the currently unsealed roads.
Please obey all road signage, and take extra care around Akuna while the roadworks continue.
6th March 2008
Finally, the biggest tyre manufacturer in the United States has arrived in Australia, and has hit the shelves of KOM; KENDA.
Kenda have long held the reputation for producing some of the worlds best, quickest, and most reliable tyres for your road or mountain bike. Riders using the Kenda series include; John Tomac (MTB, Road, BMX...), Tinker Juarez(Endurance MTB) , Hans Rey (Trials and Freeride), Eric Carter (MTB) and Brian Lopes (Down Hill MTB)
With riders of this calibre praising Kenda tyres, we are happy to be stocking the following range;
- KENDA Karma, 26x 2.1 in Tubeless and non-Tubeless
- KENDA Super Block 8, 26x 2.1 in Tubeless and non-Tubeless
- and KENDA Nevegal, 26x 2.1 in Tubeless and non-Tubeless
- KENDA Kaliente, 700x 23
28TH February 2008
KOM are pleased to announce that NSW Elite State Road Champion and physiotherapist Blair Martin has teamed up with RPM and Body Balance instructor Dominic Wilson to conduct the first KOM BICYCLE BOOT CAMP tailored specifically to the needs of cyclists.
Details of the camp are as follows:
- 10 sessions over 10 weeks, held in sunny North Sydney
- Each session consists of a "flexibility and core stability" component, as well as an "interval-training" component on a stationary trainer
- You provide the bike, WE PROVIDE THE STATIONARY TRAINER! (It couldnt be more convenient!)
- The initial session will include a basic bike set-up assessment (saddle height and reach) as a way of minimising injury risk.
The cost of the camp is $30 per session ($300 across the 10 sessions), payable in advance.
The sessions are proposed to commence on SATURDAY 15 MARCH, at midday.
The camp is perfect for you if:
- You are new to cycling
- You are looking for an intense on-the-bike workout in a safe environment
- You are looking to gain stability on the bike through improving your core or
- You are a keen cyclist looking for a little extra cycling-specific strength and fitness.
Alternately, if you know of anyone who may benefit (or even enjoy!) such a camp, we would greatly appreciate if you could forward this email.
Should interest be sufficient, we are looking to run a camp in Balmain in the near future.
If you have any further queries, please either email Blair on blairmartin@iinet.net.au
or call Dom on 0402 660 964.
27th February 2008
Round 7 of the NSCC Beauie Worlds
Sydney Sunday 24th February 2008
Round 7 of the NSCC Beauie Worlds was greeted by two of KOM Cyclerys biggest talents in Andy "Suicide" Crawley and Alex "Russian" Malone. Discussion was had as to whos legs felt the worst on the ride up the highway to Beauie Road with racing getting underway shortly after 8:15am.
Andy was quick to say that he was going to "hide in the bunch" only seconds later to begin his onslaught of attacks that would see the bunch stretched out for a good 10 minutes.
Once things settled down "Suicide" saw an opportunity to go up the road with Brad Mills (NSCC) and in usual fashion was quick to act. Alex soon joined the leading pair with Dave Walton (Parra CC).
This proved to be the winning move and eventually saw a 7 man break stay away after 15 minutes of racing. Unfortunately due to the lack of sprinting prowess of both "Suicide" and "Russian", a do or die last lap attack was the only viable option. "Russian" got the gap, only to be brought back by Mills, who then rolled off leaving "Russian" to lead the chasing three out for the sprint.
Results:
4th Alex Malone
6th Andy Crawley
25th February 2008
Australian Long Course Triathlon Championships
Huskisson Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th February 2008
Australian Long Course Triathlon Championships
After having a summer of sharing her time between cycling, running, swimming and travelling the World, Squadra KOM rider Heather Evans took a dip at the Australian Long Course Triathlon Championships at the weekend. Given it has been a good 5 years since her days as a Commomwealth Games Triathon rep, Heather chose to compete in the age-group event.
After emerging from the water in 5th position, Heather soon hit her straps on the bike, exiting the cycle in 2nd position, some 3:45 down on the leading female.and that was the way the race remained, with Heather holding this deficit to the finish.
In speaking to her post race, Heather confirmed that she is looking forward to hanging up the runners and wetsuit to focus on the upcoming Dirt Works MTB race, as this triathlon stuff is just too hard!
Huskisson Criterium
As part of the multisport festival held at Huskisson at the weekend, (centred around the National Long Course Triathlon race), Saturday's criterium was held on a tight, flat L-shaped hot dog circuit. Being hot and windy, and with a national level field (2 x NSWIS riders, 1 x FRF rider and 2 x Drapac riders included), the spotty KOM Cannondale hill-climbing weapon of KOM team rider Blair Martin was certainly going to be stretched!
After a couple of digs at the front in the early laps, Blair made the mistake of missing the winning break of 3 riders- Joe Lewis (National Time Trial medallist), Stu Shaw (Drapac Porsche rider fresh from Tour of Qatar) and evergreen Canberra rider Steve Isbel. While Blair was unsuccessful in bridging the gap to the leaders, after 40 minutes in a 2 man chase at least Blair and his fellow rider had the honour of being the only riders in the race who werent lapped by the lead 3! Blair got rolled in the sprint for 4th to finish 5th, less than a minute down on the leaders.
Blairs parting comments- "Time to get some miles in the legs in preparation for a solid winter of road racing"- go son!.
20th February 2008
KOM Cyclery West Head road race series -Round 3 wrap up.
West Head Sydney Sunday 17th Feb
A fantastic turn out for Round three in near perfect riding conditions for a very tough race. In anticipation of the grueling course, all three divisions set a steady conservative pace for the first half hour, however immediately after the turn around point the attacks came thick and fast.
The three divisions remained intact until the start of the Akuna Bay ascent when the "true hard men" came out to play. The race was won by KOM rider Dave Evans with Rob Hodgson in second and Robby Cater in third. A big thanks you to Pete McNamara for organising the event and for all the crew at NSCC for showing up in force.
Next KOM Cyclery West Head road race series -Round 4 MARCH 16 and dont froget that on the 20th of April the "Event of the Year" is happening- the KOM Cyclery one day tour. Stage 1. 10k Individual time trial along Booralia road-awesome, followed 15 minutes later by
stage 2. 45k West head road race- Ouch! This is an epic morning of racing, so come along for Sydney's last true one day classic!!
14th February 2008
Rain Cramping your Cycling? Get into running with the New Salomon XA Pro 3D shoes- instore now!
If endurance is the game, XA Pro 3D is the name! This traction loaded adventure running shoe keeps you fresh and agile for the duration with phenomenal 3D Chassis technology.
14th February 2008
Manly Dam is open
The bike trail at Manly Dam is now open. For more information on the Manly Dam closure and reopening please send an email to
mtbiketrailinfo@warringah.nsw.gov.au
13th February 2008
Bookings now being taken for the next KOM Basic Mantenance course.
Basic Seminar Course
Purpose: To gain the basic skills needed to complete emergency repairs whilst out on the road or on the trail. We believe the best way to learn is through hands on experience as such each class has a maximum size of four participants to ensure that everybody has a chance to perform each skill.
Skills covered: Changing and repairing a tube, breaking and rejoining a chain, basic gear and brake adjustment and tips on how to keep your bike in top working condition between rides.
Next Course: Wednesday the 5th of March 2008
Duration of course: 3 hours
Fee: $89.95 per person
Bookings are essential, email info@komcyclery.com.au
or call 99081745
5th February 2008
SRAM "RED" now in stock!!
At long last the amazing new 2008 SRAM RED groupset is in stock and available for immediate delivery. Come into the Kingdom to check it out!
5th February 2008
Beauie Worlds is on this Sunday
Beaumont Road Sunday 10th Feb
A reminder that Beauie Worlds is on this Sunday and is set to be a big show down. Team MACE vs Team Adelaide as it's been referred to. Will the MACE boys deliver a flogging, will it just be a smash fest, could the underdogs get up or could it just damm well rain....Don't miss it. On serious note a lot of time and effort goes in to organising the races so get yourself out of bed and come and race your mates. Remember there are awesome prizes to win at the end of the series and the more you race the better your chances are to win so spread the word and bring your friends to race. It doesn't matter what grade you race you can still win the Cannondale Frame and Cyclops Fluid Trainer.
5th February 2008
Manly Dam is currently closed
The bike trail at Manly Dam is currently closed due to the recent rain. For more information on the Manly Dam closure and reopening please send an email to
mtbiketrailinfo@warringah.nsw.gov.au
25 January 2008
Australian MTB National Championships 2008
Podium for Australian MTB National Championships 2008
KOM under 15 team rider Henry Baird carving it up!
KOM under 23 team rider Anna Beck approaching feed zone
Zoe King elite womens showing some "cut legs" just missed 3rd place by 10 seconds
Wazza on the podium taking third place in mens vets with 2nd place winner Mark Fenner
Under 23 womens celebrating euro style!
Soon to be signed to Team KOM...Hugh Suttor going strong.
Wazza and Chris Clarke warming up
KOM team captain, Wazza sucking in some C02 and finishing in an amazing third place mens vets...go you strong angry man!!
17th January 2008
KOM Cyclery have a formidable presence at the 2008 National Mountain Bike Champs
Last weekend, the pointy end of the mountain bike racing scene gathered at Mt. Stromlo in the ACT for a weekend of racing. As usual, KOM were out in full force, and smashed up the competition.
Riders Zoe King, Warren Burgess, Donna Dall, Chris Clarke, Peter Baird, Henry Baird and Anna B smashed up the field in their respective categories boasting their speed and prowess on the dirt.
The conditions were tough; a parching dry heat matched with perhaps the most exposed XC course in Australia, meant for some tough racing, with a gruelling 8.3km lap length consisting of a devastating climb followed by a breathtaking (and somewhat sketchy) descent.
Stay tuned for photo's- coming soon!
24 January 2008
WILDSIDE Piccies
Flat out like the beauty queens these two are.
Who's the most buff?
Picturesque Tassie, land of big mountains and lots of mud.
Warren having a yawn. It was very tiring.
Wazza punching a hill...
Wazza, DC and Chris Clarke smashed after the final stage..go boys!
