Behind the scenes: a cyclist's week in Ballarat

A lot goes into one road race. For the men’s road race on Sunday and the woman’s road race on Saturday each represents the culmination of a nervous week.

Here is a preview of that week leading into the national championship from the glamorous (or not so) perspective of a domestic rider.

Riders arrive in Ballarat a few days before the race. Many arrive on the Monday or Tuesday preceding the weekend road races given that the Time Trials take place on the Wednesday and the Criteriums on the Thursday.

First step is to organise a roundup of all the riders from the airport and then to flock as quickly as possible to the accommodation. The lucky ones have serviced apartments. The not so lucky ones will be sleeping on top of each other in teeny weeny Jayco caravans. Let’s just say, if the weather gets hot, these little beauties get even hotter. Like a 1960s crock pot, these cabins will have you resembling a slow cooked lamb shank by the end of a hot summer’s day.

Next step, riders build their bikes. The absolute worst and most excruciating part of travelling with bikes is the process of disassembling them and putting them into a cardboard box, or custom bike bag, and then re-assembling on arrival. In truth for most riders it takes only a few minutes. The mental anguish of doing it race in race out, however, does manage to get you down! Give me a pair of footy boots any day.

Next step, go for a ride. Anyone who has travelled on a plane can testify that it always manages to knock you round. You get stiff. You get dehydrated. You get no exercise, but damn it’s exhausting. A lot of the time you don’t feel like doing it, but going for an easy ride always gets the body back in sync.

Upon return it’s supermarket and dinner time. If you’re flush with prize money from the last race then maybe you’ll choose to eat out each night leading up to the big day. If not, it’s time to cook up a storm. Many domestic riders are familiar with the regular servings of *insert generic pasta sauce here*, with some beef mince, some vegies and garlic bread. There are variations, but most times dependability, repeatability and speed of assembly make this the meal of choice.

The days following arrival will follow a similar routine and a similar pace.

Race day is a frenetic rush of nerves and organisation.

Conversely, pre-race days are more of a canter, a tranquil process of allowing the body and the mind to slip into race mode.

If you are doing the Time Trial you will go and perform a course reconnaissance the day before. On race day you will get yourself psyched up with caffeine, music and perhaps some mental imagery. It’s imperative to note that most riders will have their last meal at least three hours before their start time to avoid leaving their lunch, and their dignity, out on the course.

The lead up to the Criterium follows a similar path to the Time Trial, differing only perhaps in the ‘line up’. For such a fast and brutal event – typically one hour plus three laps of a roughly one-kilometre circuit – it is crucial to start at the front. As such we will see riders battling to be at the start line even 20 to 30 minutes prior to the start.

That leaves the big one. The national road race.

You wake up. Nerves hit you. Coffee first? Food first? Or do I need to, oh yep, I do, nerves have hit, off to the bathroom.

The pre-race meal of choice is often Pasta Bianco, a traditional Italian combination of pasta, olive oil (extra virgin only), a little salt and a little parmesan. As most AFL players now know, the days of a pre-game steak are long gone. These days it’s a glorious festival of gluttony involving inordinate amounts of carbohydrates.

This just leaves a few hours of wallowing in the glory of our high glycogen stores before we clip in, roll out and tackle the big race.

The lead up is simple. Boring if you will. It involves patience, dedication and the willingness to stick to what is tried and true.

As race time arrives, we discuss plans, quadruple-check our bikes and hope for the best.

Finally the waiting is over. Finally the nervous thoughts can be banished.

Finally we can simply ride our bikes.