Footscray 3-Day Tour - Race Report - Dominik Dudkiewicz - 3rd!!

I was under no delusions of grandeur before the start of the Footscray 3 Day Tour on the Queen’s birthday long weekend, having only been back to training for about six weeks after a long layoff. To make matters worse I had crashed during the Calder Park Team TT the previous weekend and hurt my knee. Rather than doing the smart thing and resting it however, I decided to race the Criterium later that day and then train hard the next morning. When I woke up on Monday I immediately regretted my previous decisions. My knee was badly swollen and sore so I stayed off the bike for a few days and come the weekend my legs had gone stale and sore from lack of activity.

I decided to stay out of trouble during the first two flat stages on Saturday and it seems that almost everyone else had the same idea. A strange lack of crosswind kept the bunch together with only one successful breakaway occurring during the first stage, when two riders were literally allowed to roll away from the uninterested Peloton. The second stage finished with a bunch sprint, however I had launched my attack too early and didn’t gain any much needed time bonuses.

Stage three immediately saw several attacks being launched and after going with several unsuccessful breakaways I missed the one that actually stayed away just prior to the final lap of the Maude-She Oaks circuit. Adam Murchie, Steve Pilson and Stuart Morgan managed to put about 15 seconds into our chase bunch in addition to time bonuses and I found myself with a 62 second deficit to Murchie, 39 to Bailey and 38 to Morgan leading into the individual TT on Monday.

I began the 28km TT in about 12th place and knew I’d need to put in a solid effort to move up the rankings. Luckily, I had a secret weapon… my new Cervelo P3sl (Thanks for the great deal Ant!). Conditions for the TT were fairly tough with a strong head/crosswind into the uphill section and a tailwind into the downhill portion.

I finished second in the TT, putting about 90 and 120 seconds into Bailey and Morgan respectively, however I only managed to make up 17 seconds on second placed Murchie and finished third overall.

There’s always next year!