So we’re about three weeks away from the big event. During most of my training rides, there’s a point where I think “why am I doing this?” but I’ll be at the Oval for the start. So, below is my early plan for approaching the hills:

Center Avenue: First hill. I’d like to position myself in the front half of group, just to see what the pace of the leaders is like. The cobbled false flat should give me a chance to move up in the group if necessary.

Ravine Street: Perhaps worth pushing the boat out a bit to see if I can position myself for a tenth place finish? The last stretch on Sharps Hill provides a good opportunity for bridging, if need be.

Berryhill: Position myself in the front half on the descent to the climb, simply to avoid the chaos on the hill. Otherwise, this hill will be a sandbag as I’m not a sprinter.

High/Seavey: Likely a sandbag, unless I happen to be in good position before the start of the hill.

Logan: Get good position before the hill simply to avoid problems.

Rialto: Sandbag.

Suffolk/Burgess/Hazelton: Stay out of trouble at the bottom, and perhaps see if it’s worth taking a dig near the top?

Sycamore: No need to sandbag this one, but at this point, I doubt I could even dream of challenging for a single point.

Canton: Stay. Out. Of. Trouble. Two approaches, I supposed. One: try and stay near the front of the group, knowing that the pace on Coast will be brutal. Two: stay at the back and just wait. The only problem is that there will be a conga line of people trying to successfully do the hill clean.

Boustead: Sandbag and stay out of trouble.

Welsh: Hmmm. Probably best to stay near the front, as there are some sections of poor road surface, so it would be nice to pick my line.

Barry/Holt/Eleanor: I’m guessing that being in the front half is preferable, given the narrow streets and the steepness of Eleanor.

Flowers/Tesla: I need to ride this hill a bit more, just to judge what sort of effort I can put in on Flowers and still have enough juice for Tesla. Likely a sandbag, though, given that it’s number 13.

Posted on 6 November 2008