GRINTA
Photo | Jerzy Lau
Welcome to Issue #2 our CX Special There’s just something about CX. It’s tough, it’s unforgiving, it’s brutal, it’s beautiful and it’s magical. One minute you’re bumping elbows and swapping paint out of the starting blocks, and before you know it, you are settling yourself into the pain cave, interrogating the performance of your lungs and your legs to find that knife-edge of physical output that you can maintain right through to the chequered flag. In between that chorus of pedals clicking in right through to the merciful sight of that chequered flag, a multitude of battles are played out. To the fans that heckle, hand-up beers and ring
cowbells, the battles are between riders. To the riders, there are other battles, that are often more fiercely fought: those of the mind. The most intense battles inside the riders’ minds are those of pushing the body to its limits and that of rider against the course. One of the great things about cyclocross is that it’s so tough and short that to win you usually need to take risks and, as a result, the best in the world regularly come unstuck, as they push their bodies, bikes and tyres to the limits over the ever-changing course. Every lap, that dodgy off-camber corner is different to the last lap, the fast line through the sandpit isn’t as fast anymore, a new line has popped up above the single-track
before the berm and now an overtaking opportunity has presented itself… All of these battles are shared alike by Peta, Ren, Garry and Chris as they battle for the podium as they are by those working their way up through the ranks and those riding borrowed bikes trying cyclocross for the first time. We hope you enjoy our CX special, which could not have happened without the extraordinary efforts of two people in particular and whose work is featured heavily in this feature, our CX photo legends Jeff Curtes and Andy Rogers.
Mikkeli Godfree - Editor
BEAUTY-BRIGHT NCXS1
BRISBANE
ADELAIDE (R)
NCXS 2 & 3
FOJCX
CXNC17 & NCXS4
UCI C2_MELGPCX NCXS 5 & 6
Clockwise from above | Blood | Squid inker Anthony Clark, | CrossWatch legend Scotty Rettino having a day | Jeff Curtes
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After gaining an early lead, the two rivals held strong with Garry leading Chris for the whole race, with only one lap left, Chris made a misjudged overtaking effort and came down, leaving Garry to capitalise and ride away for the victory Stacey but one she seemed comfortable with. We were all blown away by this move we’d all come to expect from World Cup stages such as Zolder, but nothing we’d ever expect to see here. Stacey quickly became the crowd favourite and the cries from the crowd spurred her on for a few laps to come. As the race progressed, Stacey began
to drop off and the more experienced riders held their places at the front of the race. Sammi and Naomi continued to battle for the lead, all the while Peta Mullens was working her way through the field after a less-than-ideal start. In the end, Sammi Runnels was able to walk away with the victory after a long battle with Naomi, Peta fought her way back to third and Stacey finished the day in 4th - truly a race far beyond her years and a race I will never forget. After such an intense race, it was hard to think how the Elite Men could top it. With the course now mostly dried out, it was going to be a battle of power. As the field shot away from the start line, we were all expecting to see Chris emerging at the front of the pack but surprisingly, Garry Millburn had opted for a change in tactic and had beaten Chris to the punch. All season, Garry had been fighting with Chris at almost every race only to distanced toward the end. Perhaps this change in tactics would hand him the result he longed. After gaining an early lead, the two rivals held strong with Garry leading Chris for the whole race, with only one lap left, Chris made a misjudged overtaking effort and came down, leaving Garry to capitalise
That tape ‘tho….Millburn and Blood, the battle of the season
and ride away for the victory - a result he had clearly been chasing all season. Chris recovered and held on for second with Chris Aitken soldering through for third. As tents were packed up and the sun began to fall behind the low clouds, Melbourne had produced easily the most exciting weekend in Australia’s young ‘cross history. Not only exciting in the sense of providing some of the most tantalising racing action we’ve had, but also exciting in the prospect it held for the future of the sport in Australia. With the sport growing more and more each year, it’s fantastic to see the local communities getting behind cyclocross to make it accessible to the international field, and encourage them to make the trip to Australia, to start the season on a strong footing and get their hands on some early UCI points. ‘Cross is truly one of most beautiful little communities and I can’t wait to see where it goes.
Alberto Contador with one last stage win for El Pistolero on Alto de l’Angliru.
Two Time National Champ Christopher JBLOOD Jongewaard, always pushing the envelope‌.#cantstopwontstop If the mag had a horizontal format, this would be a cover IMHO| Jeff Curtes
Photographer’s Feature - Gene Kehoe What’s with the name, Genek? Well my name’s Gene and my family name is Kehoe so Gene K is me. I had to choose a number because Genek was already taken, so I went with 12 which has been a number I have used growing up in various sports teams. How’s your Instagram following at the moment? My Instagram following is ok, ha. I don’t really think too much of it in honesty. I’m very lucky to have met some great people through the account and I guess that’s what I am most thankful for. I try not to make the account too much about myself because I’m really not that interesting. How long have you been shooting road cycling? I have always been interested in beautiful images. I grew up going to Melbourne’s Rudolf Steiner School, a somewhat alternative learning based program and art was a big part of their teachings. I personally like to photograph people mostly, if they happen to be on a bike, great. I like cycling too! So as for shooting road cycling I really haven’t done that much, it’s not something I’m 100% interested in. I did some photos for my friend Jesse Carlsson on the IPWR but that was a project I believed in and something I did have an interest in but those types of projects with those particular characters don’t come around all the often. If it was shooting something like the TDU I probably wouldn’t have done it. Are you into all things two wheels or just the road bike? I love all types of cycling, but the road bike was my first experience in cycling and my road bike still is my favourite bike I own. I first came into cycling 6 or 7 years ago, when I purchased my first bike from Cam and Linc at Bike Gallery. I recently started MTB riding and really enjoy the trails out at Smiths Gully. My friend Mars, built a lot of the trails out there and has taken me out a few times to show me the ropes. What I like about CX or MTB is that you have to focus 100% on what you are doing. The clarity and the carefreeness of the exercise is very rewarding. Whereas when you are on the road bike you still have time to think and the problems you may have had at work, or anywhere can still manifest themselves. MTB riding is just awesome it’s something I wish I had of taken up a lot earlier. What is your favourite race or event to shoot? Favourite event to shoot. Hmm if I could choose any event that I would like to shoot, not just events I have shot as I haven’t shot very many, mainly just local club races. I would like to photograph The Mongolian Bike Challenge! My friend Joan did this race a few years ago it looks truly incredible! Where has the bike/camera taken you in the last 12 months? The bike and camera have taken me to the TDF in 2016 where I worked for a cycling touring company as their marketing coordinator. I did a lot of photography work there and took some really nice shots.
I would say this would have been my most enjoyable aside from parts of the IPWR. Who is the most photogenic rider you’ve ever shot? The most photogenic rider would be my Catalan friend Joan. He is one of my good friends and he has helped me a lot with many things in cycling. Joan first introduced me to Rapha and helped me to get a job working in the H Van at events. So yeah Joan if you are reading, thanks. What made them stand out? Well Joan has very distinct facial features and is quite unique. I think it is the uniqueness that makes a subject interesting. Is your life centred around riding, or is it just a job for you? I think I would never call cycling a job. I do jobs within cycling but riding my bike doesn’t ever feel like work. I’m lucky to be involved with two great companies, Rapha and Giant Bikes Australia. Both companies have helped me a lot and I am very thankful for the opportunities they have both given me. I would however love to do more photographic work for both companies. How do you deal with traveling with your equipment?
That is what I loved so much about the IPWR! Anyone could enter, any age, any ability! Everyone had the same chance.
QIANSEN TROPHY A MECHANIC’S TALE... #mechaniclyf
The Qiansen Trophy has been running for four years now and this year consisted of two races. First one based in Fengtai and the second in Yanqing, both approximately 2 hours out of Beijing. Events like the Qiansen Trophy in China are where I am in my element. I love helping those I care about achieve their very best and the teams we take to these places are filled with some of the best. This year I was wrenching for the JBlood Adventures team consisting of Naomi Williams, Bec Locke, Michael Howson, The Real Shaun Lewis, Tom Chapman, Nick Norden, Jo Easson and Angus Dickson. On top of that wonderful mob I was helping the Australian Cyclocross Magazine team of Stacey Riedel, Nick ‘No Shoes’ Smith and Ben Walkerden. With most other team mechanics assisting maybe one or two riders, I knew I could have my work cut out for me with eleven riders, but I love it! Race day is a relatively busy day, for me anyway, especially if I decide to try and race the support race in the morning. It just makes for a very long day in the sun and the heat. It is fairly cold and wintery home in Australia this time of year, not so for Beijing, being consistently around 28-30 degrees. My job pre race is to make sure all the riders have what they need, their bikes are running schmicko and tyre pressures are how they like them. Once everyone is happy, I more or less leave them to warm up and prepare themselves to race. In this time I am organising spare wheels, spare bikes and my tools and running to and from the pits. With so many riders, it’s important to keep on top of who has what wheels or bike and where they are located in the cluttered confines of the pit zone. Then in the hopefully unlikely event of a mishap for one of the riders, I am able to assist them at superhuman speeds – that’s how it goes in my head anyway… 66 www.grinta.com.au
This year both races went rather smoothly for the team and myself. No major incidents to really cause anyone to lose too much time. A wheel change and some air for Howie and a couple of silky smooth bike swaps for Tom and that was pretty much it. However, the whole time during the race you are keeping an eye out, remembering what order each rider will come by, grabbing
The phrase “Pete, I might need your help, I think I’m too drunk for a wheel change” may have possibly been uttered by another mechanic, but who’s to know, we would definitely not be drinking in the pits. the next bike, being ready to grab the next set of wheels, knowing when someone has made a pass and the order changes again. And remember, its about 30 degrees in China this time of year and the pits are of course in the full sun, it’s rather full on. But again, I love it! It was super helpful having Sean Couley from Australian Cyclocross Magazine and Shaun Lewis’ dad Mark in the pits to help out, we were literally juggling bikes and wheels as I threw bikes at them to scoop up the next. A major highlight of travelling with a team and visiting other countries for racing is the people you meet from all around the world, all there for the same reason. This year was my second year at the Qiansen Trophy and it was fantastic to see so many familiar faces. I guess somewhat different to a racers point of view, where during the race everyone around you are direct competitors, from a mechanics point of view the pits can actually be a really friendly vibe. Mechanics from different teams and countries helping each other if need be,
lending tools or assisting to catch riders bikes as they come in for a bike change. The phrase “Pete, I might need your help, I think I’m too drunk for a wheel change” may have possibly been uttered by another mechanic, but who’s to know, we would definitely not be drinking in the pits. I was only too happy to offer my services. It’s a happening little area in the pits and we are all in it together. We are also fairly good at heckling and cheering each other’s riders. A rider came up to me and said, “I heard an Australian cheering my name, it must have been you”. Friendly competition from my end while the riders do all the real work! After the races there is a fair bit of pack up, load spares on the bus and ride back to the hotel, wash a couple of bikes and then make sure everyone has everything from the day. Post race is really about the beers and tales of the days racing. I do like a good party. A challenge for everyone in China I would pretty safely say is food. Endless buffets of fried rice, odd bread, very bad coffee, and dishes that you can’t tell what they are. And it really doesn’t help when the tags on the food make very little sense, an example was a strange looking dish just labelled ‘Aftertaste groping’, mmm yummy! But really there is enough on offer to make a meal of something each time. And if the food is one of the only slight drawbacks, then you’re in for a good time. I am proud of the whole team and their efforts in China and throughout our whole season. I am honoured to be able to join in the adventures and hopefully make trips like these easier for everyone. A massive thanks to the man JBlood himself for making this trip possible for us all. Looking forward to the next!
Peter Arch