Black Sheep Cycling: Well, welcome everybody back to the much anticipated post Peaks Domestics podcast. If I can just kick off this pod by saying a massive thank you to everyone who was up at Falls Creek, who came up to us and said hello, said they listened to the pod. So many people said, can't wait for the debrief. So there's a bit of pressure on this one, but ⁓ we'll kick straight off into it. I've got We're going to keep it pretty relaxed, going to debrief our weekend and obviously it was a huge weekend cycling. The classics also kicked off with Strata Bianchi, sort of the sixth monument that was run and won. And of course the Probello was also happening there in Sydney. So let's roll into it. Hollywood, hello mates. You don't get higher than high when you are at Falls Creek. The master, the Messiah, he gave his speech to the disciples and how are you mate? Hollywood: I am terrific, what a fabulous weekend it was and I can only echo what you said. ⁓ Thank you for all the messages I've got ⁓ in my DMs or on Instagram thanking me for the event or just being, ⁓ yeah, so that was really, really sweet of a lot of people and no, it was good and I saw a lot of black sheep jerseys out there which was good and black sheep bibs. You would have seen the guy on the white bibs in our... ⁓ Marko: Thank you for the event. ⁓ Hollywood: group with the light blue top on so very good lots of black sheep out there at Falls Creek which is good. Black Sheep Cycling: And well we pretty much didn't see him but apparently he was there, Mark O'Brien. How you going? Hollywood: No, was, yeah, I didn't see him. Marko: Looking at the video recording I look weathered It was a big day yesterday with my son obviously a over old tills I actually last night started getting a bit of a get a bit of a swollen throat so was getting a bit worried still a little bit this morning but um lucky I'm Teflon coated and it appears to already be gone so I'm back back for Belgium Q tomorrow Black Sheep Cycling: Hahaha! ⁓ the man does not rest. All right, I reckon what we do team is I think we get straight into peaks. That's why the people are here. We'll touch on Strada. I've got notes ⁓ at the end and of course where we got to with Pro Velo and Will Hefferton just giving the double bird to everyone when he crossed the line in the Sydney round there. So keen to get your take on that Marco. But I reckon we go through our day maybe from the first finisher to the third finisher, all within pretty much an hour. Marco, kick us off. How was your day, mate? Well, the only time I saw you was obviously at the very start line where we got a rare photo together. ⁓ That was it. But talk us through it. Hollywood: ⁓ yeah, that was it. Marko: Yeah, why didn't you hold the shoe down falls correct descent? Yeah. Hollywood: ⁓ fuck, I got dropped so bad. My god, that was scary. Black Sheep Cycling: ⁓ says the guy, says the guy that totally unnecessarily dropped the entire 2000 Peloton, but go on. Marko: Oh man, I can't help it if my lovely new Propel was extra fast down there. Plus I had the 50 to 11 tilt so was pretty big gear. it was quite fast straight out of the gates in my Saint Vinny's hoodie that I was wearing over the top to keep me warm on the descent. yeah, just cruised, well cruised, went relatively quick down the descent but it felt very much in control. Hollywood: You Marko: I felt like I wasn't taking any risks and suddenly there was actually a decent gap there with a guy I used to race with, Firmstone. Firmstone was real keen to get a head start on Taunga. So he was like, oh, let's just keep pushing on a little. So was like, sure. So then got to Taunga, got to cruise relatively speaking up that. no prize money there and I wanted to wait for people to ride up to Harretville anyway. So got to the top. Hollywood: ⁓ great man. Marko: topped up my bottles because as per, I only had about half a bin filled up. So I topped up the bottles, took off the undershirt and the arm armors, hid them in a bush. And then by then the group started coming up. then yeah, jumped into the group, chopped off to Harretville. And as I discussed last week, I was hoping that I'd have buddies after Mount Hotham to get me around the back. And I was real keen to go for the Hotham K1, but as you guys are well aware. It was a putrid headwind on Hotham. So that was very, very sad, but at the bottom it seemed okay. ⁓ I stopped at Harretville, ⁓ went to the bathroom, gave everyone a couple of minutes head start and then ⁓ gassed it from the bottom and caught everyone before we got to the middle flat section and only Adam Blaziewicz followed me for a K or so and then he left me to go on my way. then, ⁓ yeah, got up towards the top of. Half of them sort of backed it off by the time I got to the top, realizing the KOM wasn't in play. And then it was about 10 meters of visibility, bloody cold, so I'd taken off arm warmers end, undershirt at that point. So I just had to flick on the maps on my computer so I could actually see if there any corners coming up. I could cross to dinner plane and just follow the yellow line on the side of the road. But yeah, I got to dinner plane and then quickly got my bottles and some food and... Thought it was too cold to wait around too long So I was like I may as well just wait for the guys a bit further down the hill when it clears up And we get back out of the fog Yeah, so then just kept pushing on a little bit and then still felt pretty good and as I went through Omi I was just fueling really well Yeah, I about 60 odd grams of carb in the bottle The soil nutrition and then a mix of different gels that I kept knocking back and the winners bars they had on course as well Yeah, I kept on smashing bars and gels and bars and gels. I was probably doing 110, 120 grams of carb and still felt decent. I was like, oh well, I'll just keep pushing on and gassing. was getting a little bit of a sore back, which might happen on, if you've only ridden a bike twice and then do three picks on it. so the position was pretty close, but not quite perfect. But yeah, basically just kept trucking around to the back of WTF and then. Black Sheep Cycling: Mm. Marko: Yeah, I was just lucky that I'd packed my headphones because I wanted to have a crack-up Hotham comm and I thought it'd be nice to have music to listen to at Hotham but then just had my music pumping away the whole way around. was lovely, Tills. And then obviously you hit WTF and it's not a good time for anybody. But yeah, I still felt relatively in control. I wasn't cramping at that point, which was lovely. Got in a bit of a rhythm. I was having some issues with my lower back on there after pushing on for a few hours and then... Black Sheep Cycling: If Marko: The worst thing possible happened, no reception, my music stopped. I started that. I was no music then for a few K of it and all I could hear, it's like when you have plugs in your ears when you're sleeping and all I could hear is like, like puffing in my ear. So yeah, the soothing sound of yourself dying. But yeah, I felt all right. didn't, I started having a couple of little muscle twitches then as we got over the steepest stuff, but it still felt. Hollywood: Yes, I had the same issue. Yeah, yeah, Marko: relatively in control, which was nice. And then we had a tailwind for that section anyway, so it was all amp for that. And then my music kicked back in once we got over the steep stuff, so that was really exciting. Given I have a mix of all sorts of stuff to pump up, could be, for all it might be, Rufus, could be Daft Punk, could be Ramstein, you never know what you're gonna get. Could be Adele, but a bit of Lincoln Park, one step closer, popped in, which was timely. Unfortunately, about 15k to go, I around a corner, I clipped the edge of a rock and could feel my tire gradually going flat. So that was my deal. I was like, oh, it'll seal, it'll seal. And then it wasn't sealing. So then I've pulled over and pumped up my tire and then got going again thinking, oh, maybe then it'll seal with a bit more air in it. I didn't realize at the time that I'd shredded the entire sidewall and even scratched my rim a little bit. So I was very sad about that on my new wheels. But yeah, so I got to about seven or eight K to go at that point. I was back down to 20 PSI. So then I was like, well, I think it'll still be quicker to rim bash than to stop and put it. Hollywood: ⁓ wow, these six grand wheels just rim bash. Black Sheep Cycling: know that feeling. I know that feeling. Marko: Yeah. Yeah. What wasn't full rim back, was about 20 psi. So like every corner I had to take it about 5k an hour. So I didn't roll the tire. And then I was just avoiding any bump because if you hit a bump, then you'd actually feel the bottom out. So it was just a very sketchy like coming into that final downhill section, a few potholes and then also going over the little spoon drain coming into the finish shoot. It was just like, geez, it'd be bad to lay it down here like that peanut that didn't enter and crash there. Hollywood: Yeah. Marko: But yes, fortunately, I made it around the corner and crossed the line. But yeah, so had a good friend say that if I broke the record, he'd put up quite a bit of money for me to break the record. So I was very sad. Why not get a record? No. Starby. yeah. Brooke Starbuck, an absolute legend of a man, but he called me on the way out and goes, oh, mate, you know, if you do this, he's a very generous human. fortunately, I didn't get the... Hollywood: Is that Kel? Black Sheep Cycling: I was gonna say, Hollywood: Ah, he's a dude. Marko: would have been nice to take him out for dinner with his own money but what was it to be? I ran one by for the day so I had the 52 on the front and I guess a few people have actually reached out going I had the one by go on there but I never actually touched the top cog which is a 46 anyway I think that'll just be ornamental for Ed's life hopefully unless I'm maybe on boar boar but yeah I had heaps of gears with a 52 38 on there anyway so didn't really impacted me, didn't notice it, and you've got heaps of rain, and it looks cool. I like the aero ring on there anyway. ⁓ yeah, really, great. Enjoyed the day. I was really well organized. You can't control the cold weather on top of Hotham, which I thought no one really saw that coming. ⁓ I did send a jacket ahead to dinner plane, but decided not to put it on, because I thought I'd be back out of the fog pretty quick, which wasn't the case. yeah, when you hit those first few descents, was like, ⁓ this is actually... Black Sheep Cycling: Mm-hmm Hollywood: God no. Black Sheep Cycling: Mm. Marko: A bit dicey and quite cold, but the rest of it, you couldn't have asked for more when it comes to the weather. just, certainly for me anyway, I don't know if you guys found the same thing, but if I had the nearly the whole where in the loop, I just had headwind in my face. Like it was apparently not because obviously you got KOM from Omeo through to WTF, but ⁓ on Strava, but yeah. Yeah. But Black Sheep Cycling: Wow on your own, on your own Marco. You could go a lot quicker eh? If you had friends and you weren't just keep, you just didn't keep stopping and waiting, how fast do think you can do it? What's time? Marko: Yeah. Yeah. Well, Plappy messaged me. Plappy messaged me saying, Oh, maybe next year I can try to stay back and like, we can chop off the whole thing and see if we can go sub six. He's had FOMO. He was asking me all about it and then the conditions. think the conditions from last year's event, if you had that weather and then he had PLAP so that we could gas it up to longer, not have to stop and then gas it all around the whole thing. I'd love to see. Hollywood: Yes! Black Sheep Cycling: ⁓ my gosh. Yes, the great man, let's get him. Marko: how quick, like someone asked me how fast I thought Pog would go around there on his own. I was thinking something like 6.15ish if he was on his own the whole day. Whereas yeah, if I had a plop to chop off with, I'd imagine we'd go pretty quick. Sub six seems optimistic, but if you had a Peloton around there, they would obviously eat that up pretty quickly when you look at the speed that they did for Strata Bianca, which had more vert than Peaks and the average 42K now. So. Black Sheep Cycling: Well, I think we worked out with the what's the POG did at Worlds that he'd do peaks in 535, close to 535. Marko: Yeah, yeah, but what you did for the entire it. Yeah, that doesn't surprise me at all. I guess that has the ⁓ the peloton effect as well. But yeah, if he just slotted in by himself, it'd be great to see. ⁓ Black Sheep Cycling: Well there's no car that could go fast enough so he'd have a drag like he did at Strata Bianchi for most of it. And imagine the crowds, the crowds that would come out. Marko: Yeah, it's hard to tell them. Yeah, well I saw, we get to Strata a little bit, but like, yeah, so we did 380 watts for the last two hours of Strata, just like trucking on his own at the end of 250 or whatever, 200K I think it was this year, but yeah, like it's just, it's hard to get your head around it. You think, oh, I'm moving pretty well. And then even against the weaker world tour guys, you're getting sorted. And then they've got these very clear hierarchies of steps up and up and up. And then you've got a guy that's just like. another level beyond. So it would be incredible just to watch, not to actually be a part of, because I don't think I'd actually get to ride with him at all because he'd be out of sight in no time. But yeah, very, very cool. It's hypothetical, but we might be able to get Australia's next best sing of Luke Platt to finally come to it. Black Sheep Cycling: Yeah, I'd love to know what he thinks Puffy can do. all right, my, yeah, well, Richie wanted to do it. He obviously had a bit of a big year, Richie, but I think, I think we'll be able to get him, get him next year. And obviously he's a bit involved with the lodge that's up there. So, ⁓ yeah, no, definitely. well, yeah, my day, my weekend started, obviously we decided to keep the stitches in, ⁓ went and saw. Marko: Yeah. Hollywood: Then we get Richie as well, get Richie as well. We'll recruit Richie as well. Black Sheep Cycling: the dock and we thought, yeah, keep the stitches in, give it a bit more reinforcement. And then when picked up, if you guys are going to keep plugging in your bikes, picked up ⁓ a brand new Cupra car from Brighton, which I got the CEO to pick up. So massive thank you to Brett down there at Brighton. They're really good cars, actually. They're very similar to Skoda, ⁓ but very sporty. we ripped that down to the high country. So if you were being pressured from behind by a Coupra branded SRAM car that was being driven by the CEO. That was her. We had that many cars pull over up the mountain. She found the sports mode and... Marko: I'll be back. I was going to say this feels like genuinely though, driving up there, if you get a clean run in front of you for uphill and downhill, it is so fun. I love leaving from North Wolf Creek every year because no one's, no one's leaving straight away from Three Peaks except for me. Black Sheep Cycling: Yeah. Yeah. Hollywood: ⁓ my God, it is. Black Sheep Cycling: Well we called Lee and he was car sick so he wasn't good. Hollywood: ⁓ yeah I was car sick. I've driven up there in my car before and ⁓ my god it hugged the road it was so good taking my car there. yes. Black Sheep Cycling: So no, that was a front. Big thanks to Cupra. So we got up there. ⁓ Saturday, Plug for Black Sheep debuted the Worlds punter world champ kit, which was really fun. just little peacock, peacock, peacock, peacock around. Needed a bit of motivation. I was still struggling to get down the stairs at that stage. ⁓ Hollywood: You were very proud rocking around all in white looking a million dollars. ⁓ my god The feathers are out Black Sheep Cycling: But yeah, just a really, I think what people miss who haven't done peaks is what makes it so unique is that you know that everyone that's on that mountain ⁓ in that whole sort of township is doing peaks. So the entire chat is just like, you know, so positive and so, ⁓ it's just such a lovely, like it was just. Hollywood: And the crowds Matilda, what about the crowds like line like going into to Tawanga or the crowd on the side of the road. It's like a race. It's incredible the people that come out. Black Sheep Cycling: Yeah, yeah, yeah, like everyone yelling out and I couldn't believe people came out in in Harrietville and ⁓ yeah, and then we had like a bit of music halfway up Hotham, whoever that legend was, ⁓ where my soul was leaving my body. But ⁓ yeah, so no, just and that's what you love everyone just having been so positive up there talking about what time you want to do or then after, you know, debriefing the day. But yeah, getting into Sunday, we obviously wake up to mist. Hollywood: Yes. Yeah, that was good. dropped. Black Sheep Cycling: and like how chilly it was at the start line absolutely shitting myself about this descent. But I was really fortunate I ended up going first 10 wheels and feeling quite comfortable and then after the ticket booth yeah it obviously just lifted and became like warm again. And then you've got those few little rollers which I was a bit panicked about about how hard people might go up there. ⁓ But it was sort of alright even though you're looking down doing 350 watts thinking okay. Hollywood: Yeah, me too. Black Sheep Cycling: And then, yeah, a bit nervous about getting my gear off in Mount Beauty. But I just felt like each day was like a step, like a piece that I just focused on that piece and then I couldn't think about the next piece until I'd gotten through what I was in right then. So the descent was a really big piece, I thought. And then, yeah, there was this big focus into Twanga around, you know, around that. Hollywood: Yeah. Yes. Black Sheep Cycling: just under 25 minutes. And it started pretty well. You could feel that it was pressure. ⁓ I just thought Steven, like we had ride leaders like Steven Lane and Paul and they were just unbelievable. And like, just to like know that if, okay, Steven's just behind me, Paul's just in front of me, ⁓ it's okay. So yeah, we did to Tonga in 2450 or something. So bang on. And cause I'd already gotten rid of my clothes, just descended ⁓ at the front. Hollywood: That was so good. They are elite. Black Sheep Cycling: with the crew and got to Germantown and actually the Germantown to Hotham was one of the worst sections for my knee. Like I was under, I don't know, yeah, like when we would, so we all, like we had like Hollywood, a chop of what felt like 60 people were chopping off. Yeah, but I was in a world of pain through there. I think just leaning on the hoods, leaning down on the hoods and having to put pressure. Hollywood: ⁓ wow. It was a bit like North Road Long though to be honest wasn't it? You know that's so big? That's what I was thinking. Black Sheep Cycling: down in that position, I was extremely uncomfortable and I was also most nervous about Hotham. I thought if I'm going to, this will be, it'll be Hotham that I make or break eight hours. So we hit ⁓ Hotham, I'd just come through a roll near the front so I could try to sit near the front and it was all good. I knew the hardest part would be past the Meg, which was all good. Thankfully my caffeine kicked in after that and felt pretty good until Hollywood: Yeah, me too. Black Sheep Cycling: Like it's just so hard to get your head around, I've got to sit in this uncomfortableness for an hour and a half. Like this feeling that I have right now, which is so hard, is going to last for 90 minutes. Like that is such a long time. Yeah. Hollywood: Yeah. But you pray, you just can't wait for that middle bit where it's sort of false flat. You're like, it feels like it's almost downhill and you're like, oh thanks, I get a little bit of a reprieve. Black Sheep Cycling: that's that moment. Yeah, and I was writing like I was... What's that? Marko: You really gotta break it up in your way, Tills. Like you've gotta, I think you gotta really just break it up in your head, I think, because the way I look at it, you're basically a 30 odd, pretty much max effort. And this is what we talked about before, that if you wanna do a fast time, you have to be okay with going well above what you want to on the climbs, because that then puts you on a bad group for the rest of the day. And it feels... Black Sheep Cycling: Yeah. Mmm. Hollywood: So true. Marko: counterintuitive in that you're like, ⁓ I'm like on my limit and we still have 107 to go. But like you have time to recover on the flights and being the wheels with a faster moving group. then, but I don't know we said before, how heavy did you go with fueling and then caffeine as well? Like, is knowing that often the crunch point to be really on. Black Sheep Cycling: Mmm. Yes. Yeah, so I was aiming to have over 100 grams every hour. I didn't have a coffee in the morning, which was something I would never do. And I think just the nerves of starting, like I absolutely didn't need it. ⁓ I was taking a slow release inflammation, Inflam tablet for my knee and had Panadol on me, which I had six for the day. Thank God I had. And I had one of those new tropics at Germantown just before Hotham made. They are rocket fuel. Hollywood: Hi, guys. Marko: Yes, sir. Black Sheep Cycling: ⁓ so I could feel that, ⁓ feel that hit, ⁓ but yeah, you also just trying to let go of the Watts because like not look at the Watts as much, just knowing that you're so much more capable than you think you are because looking down doing what mine like 88%, 90 % of my FTP you think, no, you're not going to hold this, but you have to. ⁓ and then it just really, then it re my lower back was absolutely killing me. Hollywood: SIS. Black Sheep Cycling: in like a lot of pain there. And then that CBR after that little bit, we couldn't see a thing. I couldn't see it. Like you couldn't see 10 meters, 50 meters in front of you. It's the first time I've ever climbed Hotham not knowing where the finish was. ⁓ and I actually couldn't get my bearings as well. I think I was starting to really lose it. And, ⁓ and there was, it's not really, I wouldn't call it a false flat, but you, you're not out of the saddle there. It's sort of this bit after CBR where Hollywood: ⁓ Yeah, that was so hard. Black Sheep Cycling: it drags up for quite a little while and that's that sort of hard flat stuff which was really hurting me is where I really started to come off the front of the top five wheels and I was going backwards and I was just like in the worst hurt and then suddenly thank God it got to the top I didn't even know that that was the top and just gassed it even though you couldn't really see and all you could see was people's backlights. So thank God people had their lights on because you could so easily run into the back of someone. And thank God I saw Stephen Lane. I've never been so relieved to see that bloody guy in my life. I could have pulled over and hugged him. And I knew then like I'm sort of going to make it and pulled into dinner plane. They were yelling five minutes or three minutes or something. ⁓ Changed everything. Changed everything. Hollywood: Yeah, it's so true, very true. Black Sheep Cycling: And as I was leaving, I see the bloody Peeps Messiah coming in. I see Big Bird here coming in and I'm thinking, ⁓ shit, he's gone, man. He's not getting this. ⁓ I won't spoil it for anyone. I'm thinking ⁓ he's gone here because we were doing about 60K an hour out of there. And yeah, pretty much all the way. like, I hardly... Marko: Thank Hollywood: that. Black Sheep Cycling: to be honest, even though I was a ride leader after that, hardly took a turn. ⁓ think Paul and Steve and the guys, were mostly at the front. We'd also dropped Hayden, who was the other ride leader, through there. ⁓ And then, so yeah, it actually feels a lot easier around the back. I think we had a bit of a tailwind and I was just so excited that I felt like I was gonna make it. I'd also lifted my saddle a little bit in dinner plane and that helped a lot with my lower back. ⁓ Marko: Yeah. Black Sheep Cycling: got to Angler's Rest, they said we're stopping the refuel water. I probably didn't need it. It was sort of nice to have. Went to the bathroom, couldn't go, just hurt my knee. And then rolled out of there for two minutes. And when we got to the back of falls and they said you got two hours, I was just, yeah, I so excited. Yeah, it felt good. We still able to just sort of do some high watts and mostly rode with Paul and Stephen up the back. And I've actually got to give a shout out to What's his name? Max McNaughton, I think it is, who reached the last 7k. I said I'd give him a shout out. I was like, who the fuck are you? He sat on the front and brought us home in the last 7k. And I cannot tell everyone how elated I was. I was like cheering the last 7k, just trying to encourage everyone, like, let's go. And yeah, it got across the line and yeah, I'll give you some stats later, but. Yeah, ride time of seven hours 31 and official time of 7.38. And I just can't believe like when we used to speak about Tory's times, Hollywood, were just like Tory Barry's times from last year. We were just like, there's no way, there's no way we will ever get anywhere near that. And we ended up beating it, which was just crazy, crazy day. yeah, that was the day. Hollywood: Yeah. I and Marko: Talking to Nipul Kolari about this tills on the faster times is like, it's incredible how much faster the equipment is. I was like, well, also, think, because everyone knows these faster times are possible, even for the sub seven for the men, think that they're, everyone's drilling it harder in between as well. Like, so instead of just easily rolling through, everyone's sort of pushing on a bit with the chop off, everyone's feeling better as well. And then also the stops. Black Sheep Cycling: Mmm. Marko: are very efficient. Nick had said something like, oh yeah, and like a dinner plan, then you have like get your bottles and like have lunch and I'm like, lunch? I was like, think my stoppage time like. Black Sheep Cycling: I know. No way. You gotta hear this stoppage time. gotta get to Ollie. I stopped for seven minutes. We gotta get to this guy. Get to this guy. Alright son. Here we go. I'm... Excuse me. Marko: Yeah. All right. Hollywood, you go tell your story. Yeah. Hollywood: Well, it started off well. I had a fight with Matuda on the start line and we didn't talk all day because we handle pressure differently. I like to be jovial and carry on. Matuda likes to be focused and that was a clash, but that was okay. Black Sheep Cycling: Wait, wait, you became nonverbal all day. I encouraged you at various points. You said nothing to me because you're a shitmate, but yeah. Hollywood: Yeah, yeah, I know I didn't want to talk to you. So, but honestly, I was, I said to Ellie the night before I said honestly, hand on heart, I reckon I'm a 40 % chance of going sub eight because I like, because you know, I just thought I'd written a check my ability couldn't cash. So I just didn't know I really because I've done it. had done it 14 times and always done 10 hours. So really didn't know whether I could do sub eight. I just wanted to try. So. At the start, I thought it was all over. I believe 200 riders passed me on the descent. I was so scared. I had to talk to myself and say, Lee, what is wrong? Because I'm generally regarded as an AK descender. Pretty good, actually. And I'm like, I'm descending so bad. I'm wobbling. I'm shaking. What is wrong? I said, Lee, pull yourself together. And normally the part I hate, which you mentioned before, Matilda, is that uphill. I couldn't wait for it so I could actually ride my bike. And I hammered past a heap of people. Black Sheep Cycling: Hmm Hollywood: plot there and I thought ⁓ good my legs feel really good so and then but luckily you guys towards the bottom back it off and everyone sort of regrouped so I was so happy with that because I could just weasel my way back on and I actually thought there was a time going down I thought I've fucked it I might as well sit up and wait for Ali because it's just not happening I've gone already but I got back on And then Tawonga was okay, like Stephen Lane and Paul. Like Stephen Lane is incredible. Like he spoke to me the night before and said, what's your FTP? I said, oh, it's 344. And he said, how much do weigh? I said, 83 kilos. He goes to his little calculator book thing. goes, oh yeah, you should just be able to make it. You'll be sitting on 90 % of your FTP up. Tawonga, that's about, I go, what's that? He goes, that's about 310 watts. I'm like, oh, okay. And then sure enough, I did exactly that, what he said. He's just so bang on with that stuff. And I got over to Taunga which was fine with you guys. Like I slipped back a bit but I was fine. And then when I got to the top I quickly took off my arm warmers and gloves and like the bunches went down. Usually I show off under the Taunga descent and catch everyone. And I was sitting on my chop tube, I was hammering and I couldn't see you guys. I'm like, oh fuck, I fucked it again. Already I'm gone. Black Sheep Cycling: Mm. ⁓ my god. Hollywood: I couldn't believe it. I thought I've done it. I've blown it. And again, luckily you guys sit up a little bit down the bottom. We'll just sort of take it. And I got back on. I thought, ⁓ geez, that was close. I'm off to a flyer. But at least I got all my clothes off. Black Sheep Cycling: Mmm. Honestly, can I just say, just so you know, you've got a new name and it's called Boomerang. Because it just kept coming back. Hollywood: ⁓ yeah. I know the yo-yo seriously and then going to Harriettville I couldn't believe how quick that went normally that just drags because we're in a good group and I felt like it was on North Road long just a big bunch rolling it was I'm like ⁓ this isn't too bad actually over somewhere in Harriettville I'm like ⁓ wow this is great and then I was one of the first around the corner to go up Hotham and like in Matorda I thought this is where you can make or break you can sort of bullshit your way up to Tonga but Hotham's another beast lost some traction on Meg but got back on but then just past the ticket box it sort of I started to lose the wheels and I I didn't panic so much but I was I was losing wheels I thought I'll wait for me at lunch it'll be okay but because you couldn't see ahead I couldn't tell how far away you'd gone because you could like everyone said it's only 10 meters away so I was like I can't see everybody I was just with a couple of guys and we get over to the top and normally I'm good on the descent I couldn't see and I was a bit scared I'm like I was just sitting on the middle of the road pulled into lane Black Sheep Cycling: in. Mmm. Hollywood: and I saw a couple of pink jerseys like Paul and Steve and you and went, ⁓ yes I've made it, fuck! And they said, we're going, hurry up! I'm like, ⁓ god, just quickly grabbed my valet, put my food in my pockets, ran around behind the tent, did a wee, came out and you guys were gone. I just went, ⁓ you... Black Sheep Cycling: If. Hollywood: And then the other ride leader was on the side of the road. said, they've gone. He's like, what? said, yep. And then we just hammered and hammered and hammered. And I was descending like I hit 86 Ks an hour in one of those descents. I was just flying with another four guys. Then I'm like, I couldn't see you guys. I'm going, no, he's fuck heads. I was so angry. And cause I was so angry, I kept riding harder and harder. And then when the road opened up miles away, we could see the bunch. I'm like, there they are. And then we'd hammer, hammer, hammer. We get into clear. Black Sheep Cycling: Ha ha! You Hollywood: ⁓ I can't see him again. ⁓ no. And then it wasn't. So when did we catch you guys? Finally. Black Sheep Cycling: You called us? Yeah, oh, near Omeo, like past near Omeo, just before Omeo. Yeah. Hollywood: Yeah, 10k is out from Omeo or something. Yeah, that long drag climb. I'm on my meta glasses trying to ring Yeet to say, tell them, because I could see him. just needed you guys to back it off for 30 seconds with catch. we did. Then we got back on. was so angry. I went to the front and started bombing down the next descent. Shane Cockerall, my teammates going, the Phoenix, the Phoenix, he's risen from the ashes. Black Sheep Cycling: we would have. I thought you were just so gone, mate. Hahaha Yeah, you had two teammates in that group. Don't be angry at me. ⁓ Hollywood: Oh, God, yeah, I know. anyway, and then, and then we got this, we hammered and then when we stopped at, what is it, Anglers, I just... filled up my water, I think it was like a 10 second stop and just got back on the bike and rolled. And then I know we hit the bottom of falls at six hours and you said, ⁓ we'll make it. I'm like, no, things can go wrong. Cause you just don't know how your legs gonna perform. And there I just let the group go cause and I felt good. I thought I've got two hours. I've done this multiple times. I'll be okay, just relaxly. And yeah, I finished 7.42, but my total stopping time for the whole day was two minutes and 50 seconds. Black Sheep Cycling: Mm. ⁓ negative Nancy here. Hollywood: So it was two minutes 40 at lunch and 10 seconds at ⁓ anglers. That's it for the day. Two minutes 50. But to be fair, I trained for this because when I was doing Flinders Sorrento, we just had this thing where I said, we're not stopping. We'd stop at BP Frankston quickly. that was, because normally like when we do that, we have lunch, we stop, we fuck around heaps, but I trained for that and it worked. So. Black Sheep Cycling: Isn't that amazing? minutes and 50 seconds. Hollywood: Yeah, I was ⁓ very happy, very surprised and like I got PBs everywhere for the whole day. But what's interesting, people have been messaging me and asking me what was harder, the warning or three peaks. So I can give some comparative stats even though they are different because the warning is easy but when it's hard, it's ridiculously hard then I get dropped and then it's... Black Sheep Cycling: ⁓ Mmm. Hollywood: easy but for warning my TSS of 359 for peaks it was 453 my heart rate average for warning is 134 with a max of 170 for peaks it was 137 with a max of 164 and then power for warning 226 with a normaliser 257 for peaks it was 236 with a normaliser 265 so my numbers were Marko: you Hollywood: higher for Peaks but it's it's it's Peaks is just a sustained long effort whereas Warne is easy, ridiculously hard, easy it's just all over the joint it bounces around so look it was a great day I have to take my hat off to Paul and Steve as ride leaders as you said they're just so calm they know it so well they work well and hard together they're like I just felt like I was in safe hands and what I found really different between 10 hours is Black Sheep Cycling: Mm. Mmm. Hollywood: The 10 hour bunch is very transient. People come and go, people try and get nine and a half. Some people can't keep 10. It's all over the place. But with eight, that group that gets over Tonga together, 80 % of them stay to the end together. Like that bunch stays together the whole day. it was, yeah, look, it was such an enjoyable experience. I'm happy I've done it and ticked the box to prove a few people wrong who said I couldn't, but it was a tough day because I got dropped a few times. Black Sheep Cycling: ⁓ Mm. Mm. Hehehehehe You were so grumpy. ⁓ dude. Hollywood: But I can say... I can say, I'm not just saying it, like Marco, we both had a new propel and it was such a big secret because the global launch is 1pm Friday. I picked it up from the shop. They had to shut the shop, had to park it in the back, had to sneak it in my car. I got up Friday morning at 3am and went out at 4am to ride my bike in an all black kit so no one would see me. I'd be done and back before anyone could see me and I thought, yep, the position feels okay. And honestly, I'm not just saying it, having a new bike, you got that new Black Sheep Cycling: Hmm. Hollywood: bike syndrome it felt amazing it was comfy it was so fast it handled well i was wrapped i was very lucky i had that the new 2027 propeller was great Marko: It's also a risk factor though, of course, going into big things. then. Black Sheep Cycling: God yeah. Huge. Hollywood: ⁓ god yeah. Marko: Like for someone like me that any tiny millimeter can set off lower back pain or sciatica. Like I was very nervous. I went out on Hell Ride Saturday and position was just completely wrong. I was having a shocker. ⁓ I love the feel of the bike. It seemed to carry speed so well in the hand. It was awesome. But I'm like, this is just wrong. But also I was like amped to try it for peak. So then, you know, got home, tinkered a bit and then shot up to Falls Creek. So was sort of, yeah, in that first like kilometer of peaks, was like, here we go. Let's see how. Black Sheep Cycling: Mmm. Marko: feels and like it was 99 % right but it can also ruin your day as well if you don't have it dialed in so um yeah fun but yeah it's awesome Hollywood: ⁓ god yeah Yeah, I was I had Because I've had a the guys at John Ormond had my yellow propellant and cam cam tech was amazing He did it to the exact millimeter said even your nose tilts on the same angle all this So he was so pedantic with it So it was good, but then I was riding and who was in our group Matilda Andy from SMP who does bike fits He told me twice your fits not right your seats too far back and I said mate mate I've had a bike fit from Melbourne bike fit. I feel comfortable. Everything feels great. He's like, ⁓ no, I'm Black Sheep Cycling: ⁓ yeah. ⁓ that's not helpful. ⁓ Hollywood: thinking dude he apologised afterwards said I probably shouldn't have told you that during your ride because it makes you think but honestly it's just because I'm ugly on a bike that's all it is elbows out like frume all hunched over I look terrible but I've had a good bike fit from my friend Tommy at Melbourne Bike Fit and everything was perfect it's just I'm ugly on the bike Black Sheep Cycling: Yeah. ⁓ Marko: Well, think, sorry, sorry, Tills, I was just going to say before we move on that I think both of you guys, for different reasons, should just be so proud and stoked to yourselves with how well you did. It's pretty phenomenal. Obviously, Tills, you weren't sure if you're going to be able to start at all and we'll sort of chat in every day about the progress and the swelling and everything. yeah, I think you both should be so proud of yourselves. You've done incredibly well. Yeah. And it's exciting now. You can go and go sub seven and half next year. Black Sheep Cycling: You go, man. There you go. Hmm. No, like it definitely because I coach myself to it as well and I had two goals which was World's Grand Fondo and this and like it's such a relief to get it done and to you know I'm interested in coaching and I just sort of felt like I had to do it myself before I could sort of pass it on to anyone else. ⁓ Hollywood: ⁓ god, no, no. Black Sheep Cycling: But interesting on the day, let's chat a little bit about the day. It didn't seem as good a conditions as last year, but the times were faster. We had 49 % of writers finish under 10 hours. So yeah, really, really impressive. some. Hollywood: No. Wow. Marko: I think the rolling distance was certainly worse. ⁓ I think I was the actual event, think I had just under 280 average and then like normalised to 315. Black Sheep Cycling: Yeah, no go. Mmm. Marko: for the day, which could then, yeah, it should have been quicker, but it's also the weather wasn't that good, but I think because it was cooler, people aren't falling apart so much with dehydration. So that was probably the big part of more consistently going quick. And then also, as I was talking about earlier, I think once people realize that certain times are possible, they were committing to it. And as you said, you had big group role like North Road, and then everyone's sticking together and working together and knowing the pit stops are literally that just pits Black Sheep Cycling: Mm. Hollywood: Definitely. Black Sheep Cycling: Yeah. Hmm. Marko: stops where you go in and out real quick, keep going. I think when you're going with a clear goal of what time you're going for, that sort of had a lot more people at a similar level on the same goal, which made everything a lot quicker. Black Sheep Cycling: Definitely, like because I didn't have hero numbers, like I didn't have my best ever numbers anywhere, but I think it's just trying to have which that you know, obviously Stephen Lane speaks a lot about is it's like your 80 to 90 percent best effort all day. Like it's not being like a hero on any one of the climbs because on the Tuonga I was quicker this time than when I did it last time obviously by myself. Last time I did it by myself I did 310. Hollywood: Yeah, yes. Black Sheep Cycling: watts which is my FTP where this time I did like 290 but we obviously went 20 seconds or so quicker and then up Hotham yeah it's sitting at around 270 and then yeah up the back of fours you're closer to 240 but for the day I did um I did 232 normalized which is 3.4 for me watts per kilo but um and I both shat ourselves when Stephen Lane said oh I think to average, to go under eight hours, have to average 30K an hour. And that just was like, what the f, what the F. And we actually averaged 31K an hour. So yeah, like it's, it's, yeah, it's pretty amazing. Hollywood: Yes. What? Yeah, I was 30 and a half. I was a bit slower. Yeah. It's pretty cool. I had the same issues as you Marco, because when I was dropped, just said, hey, meta play music. And I was playing music in the glasses, which is great. And then I was just sort of bobbing along to the dog pound and Tupac. And I'm like, this is good. But then obviously no internet that dropped out. And I got really dirty. I'm like, hey, meta play music. And it's like, cannot play at this time. I'm like, ⁓ Black Sheep Cycling: Hahaha Marko: Yeah. Hollywood: Where's your fucking internet? Because I need it just to get me through when I was on my own just chasing. I was, I was, I was angry. I just thought I'm just... ⁓ yeah, I just, yeah, I am, yeah, I'm very lucky I didn't give up. I am. Had to listen to my own advice until the end of speech I gave the night before. No retreat, no surrender. Fight, fight, fight. I kept saying it people kept telling me. I said, yeah, I know I've got to take my own medicine. I'm fighting, mate, I promise. Black Sheep Cycling: You were such an angry banana that day, it helped. Thank god you didn't give up, man. ⁓ so yeah, that's... Yeah. ⁓ I know. Oh, I've never seen you so nonverbal for so long and everyone's coming up to me going, oh gee, Hollywood's quiet. And I was like, I felt for you though, cause everyone talks to you where I just want to be left alone and everyone, everyone gives it to you if they see you. So yeah, no, it was very exciting mate when you came back and yeah, I knew then you were going to make it. So yeah, no, well done. Hollywood: Yeah, I was just I was just concentrating. Marko: Thank Hollywood: I know. I don't mind talking, I don't mind but... ⁓ I didn't. You just never know the back of falls. You just don't know how you're gonna respond. Like honestly, I had cramps, but in my arms, because I'm so weak and fragile and skinny and I don't do any lifting, my arms started cramping from being out of the saddle, my biceps. I'm like, ⁓ my legs are good, but my arms are cramping. It's just, ⁓ Black Sheep Cycling: Ha Mmm, good. yeah, and then we ended up not that this was on my radar at all, but we're four minutes off Justine Barrow's record. Like, I just can't believe, yeah, honestly, that's, stop it. What? No! No! Hollywood: You should go for it next year. If you go for it next year, I'll do it again. Yeah, if you go for it. Yes, because I just reckon I've got to get skinnier and I'll be okay. Because I won't do the warning next year. I won't do the warning next year. just... Black Sheep Cycling: ⁓ God, I don't think any of our friends or family will allow us to try to do it again. Let alone my work. ⁓ God, trying to work and do it was too hard. Anyway, ladies and gentlemen, Peaks 2027 is open. A massive thank you to everyone that did it, that contributed to it. It's just such a good vibe up there ⁓ and just really positive, no dickheads. ⁓ So yeah, apart from that guy that didn't enter and he ended up crashing into the barrier. you know. Hollywood: Early Bird Special. Black Sheep Cycling: we're gonna rename that last corner Karma Corner. Hollywood: Good. Karma Corner. What ⁓ about some of beautiful stories? Like I got to meet James Hurd, of the Essendon football, Brownlow medalist, who is doing it with his daughter and Stephanie. And I thought she would be fine because she does half-eye mans, but he hasn't been riding that long. I thought to myself, I don't reckon he'll make it, but ⁓ mate, he made it. Both him and his daughter made it. She helped him around. I thought that was beautiful to see a daughter and dad do it. Same with Sarah. ⁓ Black Sheep Cycling: ⁓ yeah. Mm. Hollywood: Hogan and her dad Craig like they they wrote it together so you love seeing love thing things like that you had ⁓ Rhino Keith and Norm Smith medalist he did seven seven four what did he do seven thirty something and and then Wayne Swass Wayne Swass another Black Sheep Cycling: Hogan. ⁓ yeah, three, three premier ship AFL players up there. Wayne, Wayne? Yeah, Wayne was up there. Mmm. Marko: I that, that's pretty awesome from my squad up. Yeah. Hollywood: Yeah, Swata, Swain Swassa, another AFL Premiership player who had done it multiple times, failed a couple of times, never done sub 10, got a coach, put his head down, he looked fantastic. and he got his goal, he did like 9.45 so I was wrapped for him so you know it's just such a great community up there of everybody and ⁓ I loved it and it was great going down there and just seeing the last riders come through and you just think anyone who says they can't do it because of whatever it's just an excuse because some of these people that come through at the end you'd think they couldn't ride to the milk bar and they have done three peaks so honestly I don't want to hear the jibber jabber excuses stop procrastinating Black Sheep Cycling: Mm. Hollywood: you finger out you're limiting yourself with your excuses anyone can do it you've just got to have a strong mind and put in the work and you will succeed because I'm telling you some of those people who do it have got no business finishing and they bloody did. Black Sheep Cycling: Okay. Marko: Yeah, I had a Keaf at the bottom of Hotham wishing me luck for going for the KOM up there. So like when you have legends of another sport coming up and then wishing you're lucky, I in your cycling endeavors, it's pretty cool. And then being a lesson for my entire life, like heard he was God. So now seeing him as a, just a regular puncher on a bike, that's so good. Black Sheep Cycling: Yeah. Hollywood: Yay. Yeah, definitely. ⁓ yeah, he's doing it next year he said. He sent me a text yesterday and thanked me and said he'll be back next year. So, ⁓ mate, he's such a lovely guy and his daughter, beautiful. Black Sheep Cycling: Mm. Marko: I it. It's so cool. Black Sheep Cycling: Yeah, we had Dave Sharma, the senator for New South Wales. We had an Olympic swimmer there as well. And I think what I love as well, when they come to peaks, they're not those people. They're just a peaker. And they were just getting around as normal. And I think what I love is everyone has their battle. It's as hard it is for the person trying to go sub 8 as it is for the person just trying to make time cut. So yeah, some really good stories out there. So again. Hollywood: Get your snowman. Yep. The CEO made it, too. The CEO made it, made it. ⁓ Black Sheep Cycling: CEO 13th lucky 13th we got a true CEO of bicycle network she got through. Hollywood: Yeah she did sub 10 Marko: I was having a look on the Facebook page for Pete and everyone and there was like someone put up a picture of and there's like someone lying on the ground and go, that's me lying on the ground of falls with like a double cramp. Like thanks for this person that came and helped me stretch them out and get going again. Black Sheep Cycling: Mmm. I'm sorry. Imagine seeing someone on the ground and you're at the back of falls and then you're like, all right, I'll get off my bike and that's what people do. There was a heap of those stories, sacrifice their own time to go help someone else. Yeah, it was good. No, good vibes all around. So yes. Hollywood: So good. Marko: Yeah. Yeah. Hollywood: What a legend. Marko: Yeah. Hollywood: And Matilda, not one ambulance call out for the day. How's that? Not one ambulance transfer. That is incredible. Like two and a half thousand people sold out of van, wet descent, foggy at the top of Hotham and not one ambulance call out. Amazing. Black Sheep Cycling: No. Yeah. No, had only one medic had to go and help someone who hurt their arm. ⁓ no, we had a helicopter that come in on the Saturday to get someone that had crashed. Yes, I've given Ricey call. He's all good. He's got some sore ribs. but Hollywood, he appreciated the message that you sent him. Actually, I did have to tell you. You sent him a video message and he appreciated that. Yeah. Hollywood: That was ricey. Yeah, poor guy But you know what? He's such... Can I say? I gave him video message to get well. But then I appreciate what he did because he was texting me because obviously he was tracking me for the day and I'd get these messages through my glasses. Well done Hollywood, you're on track. Good job. You're smashing it. So I'm getting these messages in my head in my Oakley Metaglasses. So was actually he repaid the favour. So thanks, Reisi. You're a good man. I hope you're feeling better. Black Sheep Cycling: AHHHH Jesus boy, you've already got enough head noise without that. But yeah, really good. then, yeah, Ali and I on the way down, there was some traffic issues with the traffic light. So we ended up ⁓ Marco traffic managing. If you did miss us, I was at one end of the traffic light and Ali was stopping cars from coming up and I was just calling people through. Hollywood: Yeah. ⁓ you did well with that. Traffic managing. Black Sheep Cycling: ⁓ on the red light. was a very good advertisement for Cooper and Shreem because their car was standing right next to it. yeah, a very long day trying to get home. ⁓ That's a wrap on Peaks. Let's quickly pump out ⁓ Marco Strada Bianchi. Talk me through very quickly on the mens and I'll touch on the womens, which was absolute cinema. Marko: Thank Hollywood: You Marko: Well, I wish I didn't watch the men's before I did Peaks, because I got too inspired to go solo. Hollywood: I wanna finish. Marko: It's pretty straightforward. think talking points would be UA looked awesome. Jan Christen, the first time I've ever seen him do something for another rider. So perhaps it just seems like a UAE thing where whenever Pog's not there, they have a bit of ⁓ an internal battle to finally get their own result. But Jan Christen laid it on the line on Mont Saint Marie, blew it to pieces, only about five or six left there. And then Poggy went around on a descent, opened it up like a Pidcock followed, but then dropped his chain. And then ⁓ that was all she wrote. I think the biggest talking point everyone's seen is Paul Saxas closed the gap which I don't think we've seen anyone Close the gap to Pog once he's opened it up and then he blew which is fine But yes, we just had a Poggy show for the 80k solo It was a bit of an entertaining race behind as they came back together with Del Toro, Saxas, Pidcock, Jorgensen ⁓ Yeah, Kristen was still in there and they had their own little match but Paul Saxas showed he was clearly the second strongest, rode away Black Sheep Cycling: Mmm. Marko: on one of the last climbs there and then towed del Toro to the base of Via Catarina up to the finish and then blew him off the wheel. I think we really are seeing, as a 19 year old doing that, he's just off the show. So Pogge went on what he's fourth in a row, which is amazing. saw, yeah, he, the last two years, was the last two years he... Hollywood: Cool. Black Sheep Cycling: 19 what what ⁓ my god what do you mean Hollywood: I know, 19. 19. Marko: Pog, saw, averaged 340 for the last two hours the last two times and then this time he did 380. So he's clearly at a whole new level this year and yet success wasn't that far off him. And I had seen a few talks of what Pog had done in the off season and taken the Madone KOM after riding full gas for hours before. So he's at a whole new level, which isn't great news for cycling fans wanting some entertainment, but witnessing greatness is amazing. But I think I'm not going to be shocked with Paul Success on the podium at the Tour de France this year to say the least. I is, I don't know. Yeah. Black Sheep Cycling: ⁓ How's the pressure? Imagine the French crowd. Imagine what the French crowd's gonna be against Poggy. If poor Sexus is chasing him down, they're gonna have the urine gate and like throwing and ⁓ my god. Hollywood: Bye-bye. Marko: Yeah. Yeah. Hollywood: But can he do it for three weeks though Marco? Do you really think Paul Sexes can do it for three weeks at 19? Marko: I think so. He hasn't done a three week race clearly, so we don't actually know that for a fact. But even if look at how he was in the... Hollywood: Yeah. Black Sheep Cycling: 19 he has no endurance how is that possible? Marko: At Dauphiné last year, he was top 10 and then he got better as the season went on to the point that he was at the Euros being second there and then on that same climb at the Ardèche Classics a couple of weeks ago, he matched Pogge's climb from the Euro. So his level's already stepped up another level from last year. I think it's realistic to think I think he's at the level of what Jonas has been the previous year. So we'll see if he can do it for three weeks. ⁓ There's clearly a lot of other fantastic riders and the Red Bull boys will have something to say. I, yeah, I think he's actually the level above del Toro when it comes to longer climbs. Del Toro probably still. Black Sheep Cycling: 100%, yeah. Hollywood: What's the bet, Eni? I'll throw a heap of money at the end of the year to get him across. Marko: Well, it's next year. Next year he's out of contract. I did see Dan Benson talking about that he hasn't, they've offered him renewal and he hasn't extended beyond the end of next year. But I also heard that UAE, that UAE were circling as well, which I don't love to hear. Yeah. Black Sheep Cycling: Hmm Mmm. Hollywood: There you go. Black Sheep Cycling: Mm, definitely not. Hollywood: ⁓ go away. Fuck off you, I ain't no- Black Sheep Cycling: There's no way, like surely not, like surely not. Like you can't be on the same team. I saw that and I reckon that's a good shout, HiH, because Ineos also confirmed they've just got another $60 million. And like, if you just throw that straight at that kid, it's, ⁓ and the agent's done so well not to lock them down, but Kudos also to Decathlon. They're just looking, they're everywhere at the moment this season so far. Yeah. Hollywood: Yes. Unbelievable. Marko: Well, I want him to stay at Decathlon. Like I think if he stays at Decathlon, they're French, they're building, like they're working so hard, are like super team budget now as well. ⁓ Black Sheep Cycling: Mmm. Marko: They've actually been performing like out like they had three guys in the finish there. ⁓ Like they're doing so well. So I think it's not a bad thing for them to say to Kafflon they now speak English at the dinner table as well. Not that that's great for Paul Saksas himself, but it shows like they're pushing forward with some of the staff that they're getting in. So I don't think it's a negative for him to be there. And then the van risal equipment's excellent and Swiss side wheels like they're everything about their setup now is really high level. So I'd love for him to stay there and actually get Black Sheep Cycling: Mm. Marko: results for a French team as well. yeah, I'm excited. Black Sheep Cycling: Surely there's a billionaire, a French billionaire, that if that, they can guarantee, you know, you can be, like, that's a pretty easy sell to be a part of that. Yeah. Hollywood: Hmm. Marko: Well, think CGM, Artils, like I think CGM who came in, they are a massive sponsor. They're now one of the higher budget teams. The fact that they brought in guys like Koi and at the start of this year, they've got Luca obviously DSing there, but they went pretty hard on their recruitment strategy over the off season. And I'd imagine now that'll continue as well with the guys they get to support success coming forward as well. So I'm excited. He was incredible, but yeah, the actual race itself, Pog was incredible, amazing to watch. Black Sheep Cycling: Mmm. Mm. Mm. Marko: again but you're not really tuning in to watch a whole 80k solo but there was a moment where I'm like hang on a minute are we gonna actually have like a bit of a show down here and then Boggy lit it up a bit further and rode away but yeah I'm excited to see what happens. Black Sheep Cycling: Well, ⁓ Well, mate, well, I think if you watch just the, could get away with watching the Instagram highlights of the men's race, you must go back and watch at least the 30 minute highlights on SBS. And what was hard about the women's race is they only got 50 kilometers of coverage. So by the time the coverage went live, Hollywood: What about the women's though, what a finish that they had. Marko: Thank you. Hollywood: Yeah. Black Sheep Cycling: It was already all the favorites. was only the favorites pretty much that were there and big names ⁓ that were in a very reduced group. There'd been a stack of crashes and different things happening. So you're already banged straight into like pure entertainment. ⁓ But Elise Shabby straight off the front with Vordachek, who was a bit of a standout writer here in Toot Out Under. But it is like Elise Shabby. Diamonds in the legs just all day like it was just ridiculous how she rode I'll give you a quick summary and then get both your your comments But essentially least shabby water check we come in there off the front being ⁓ chased Pauline Franprevaux gets a mechanical And then they're still at the front. They're being chased down ⁓ Vodachek's told not to work because they have ⁓ Alisa Longo-Borghini in the bunch and she's the favorite for their team with UAE. So that comes back together. LBL lights it up again. Cash has sort of dropped a little bit through a corner. Anyway, there's sort of like top five, six riders with another group of the main favorites with Demi Vollering had had a puncher. That's what happened to her while she wasn't in that group of favorites. And whilst we're looking at this five also off the front. ⁓ Just before with the chasing group at about a minute down, the chasing group with all the biggest, some of the biggest names are directed the wrong direction. So they go off course completely down pretty much someone's gravel driveway and they're practically out of it. But even then we've still got ⁓ like, listen, this was the seven that got away. Marion Boss, Puck Petersey, Hollywood: Hehe. Black Sheep Cycling: ⁓ The world champion Magdalen Valaries, LBL, Franziska Koch, who we talked about last week. She's been the signing of the year. Cassie Niemodoma, who has done this event, who's done Strata nine, no, she's done it say like nine times. She's been in the top 10 on all occasions except one when she crashed out and she's gotten second three times at this event. ⁓ And so ⁓ LBL does a massive drag, drags a heap of them away. Magdalene Villari is the world champ, brings back Elise Shabby to this front group and they come to the final drag ⁓ into the Piazza who's just, ⁓ god, can you imagine being there? I'm so keen to watch it as a fan one day on the ground. And ⁓ Mariana Vos has dropped, Puck Peters has dropped, the world champ's dropped. So it's these four that just go to the line together and it was like a track sprint them trying to go for this one corner. And the favorites in Cashew Neodoma and Alisa Longo Borghini, they squeeze each other into the final corner along with Frenzy Esquire-Cock who sort of drove, like was going for an attack. And up on the inside comes the unlikely winner, Elise Shabby. It looked like Cassie Nemedoma wasn't in the right gear either and she just got the jump on them. I loved Matt Keenan's commentary. There was like a Stephen Bradbury coming from behind and Elise Shabby for FDJ after losing their number one rider in Demi Wollering wins Strata Bianchi, Cassie Nemedoma in second, FDJ fill the podium. Hollywood: you Black Sheep Cycling: with Francesca Koch and Elisa Longer-Belguini, she has to settle for fourth, but if you have not watched this, you have to go back and watch it. It was pure cinema Hollywood. Hollywood: Yeah, no it was good. I was going for Cassia. I thought when she snuck up the inside she was gonna do it but as you said diamonds in the league she just went past and see you later. And she was so distraught, she so close but yet so far away again. Black Sheep Cycling: Ugh, not the second place for Kasia Mako. Marko: Yeah, I think I went to Sienna a bit over a year ago when I was over there and that climb is so bloody steep. So to watch them, which I told my wife every time we walked up the hill without fail, like back into the piazza, I'm like, oh, they're very, yeah, so she was sick of hearing about it, but it is such a beautiful. Hollywood: It's nice air by now. Black Sheep Cycling: Mmm. you Marko: such a beautiful city and then the actually having that close of a race going up the climb like that at the end of their race was awesome. Like I think I haven't been that excited about coming into the finale for quite a while. And I mean, there was that one year we had Vanderpool going in with Alaphilippe and yet to see Vanderpool's. power as he punched up there and blew everyone off the wheel. But then having a race like this where it's a real who's going to get it moment up there is awesome. It was very, very exciting. It was a bit more like a ⁓ flesh, like up the murder we sort of style. Black Sheep Cycling: Mmm. Marko: a bit more of an unknown rather than someone just riding solo up a hill and going, ⁓ that looks, that looks nice. But yeah, so I loved it. Really, really great for FDJ in that they had two on the podium, even without Demi, which I think should send a few shockwaves through the other teams, head into the rest of the classics. But yeah, I love it. It's one of my favorite races to watch. I think on the men's side in particular, it's a shame that they've, well, they've made it little bit easier this year on paper, but it's still a bit too hard. Like was the glory day. ⁓ Black Sheep Cycling: Mmm. Yeah Marko: equivalent of Van Arte. Yeah, well it was a clashing of titans when you could have the GC guys, so Bernal or Pog, whoever there, and then you could also have Van Der Poel, Van Arte, Van Avermaet, like a bit more of a balance of, because you don't get to necessarily see those classic guys from ⁓ the liege guys battling with the rubé guys kind of thing. Black Sheep Cycling: They need to change it back. They need to change the course on the men's side. Hollywood: you Black Sheep Cycling: Mmm. Marko: But yeah, I still very much enjoy it. It's a beautiful race to watch. Pog is phenomenal. He's going to continue on his record breaking ways. The women's race was far more entertaining, yeah, I'd say go back and watch that and watch the highlights of the men's anyway, because watching their raw power still is incredible, even if you shouldn't lock in to watch an 80k solo. Black Sheep Cycling: ⁓ Just quickly on that, had Perry Neese also start. It's just like flooding now. ⁓ Perry Neese and Torino Adriatico has also started. So we have these two world tour races co-currently happening. Luke Lampardi, I actually might get him on the podcast. I was chatting to him after his win, the first win for EF, which was really exciting for the American to get that done on stage one on Perry Neese. Hollywood: Hmm Black Sheep Cycling: Stage two, Max Cantor, who is a huge unit for Astana. got the win with Lawrence Piffy, our friend of the pod, just getting in second. And then ⁓ in Torreno, I think Filip Pagana in the individual time trial averaged something like 60k an hour the entire time. Marko: Yeah, think he, yeah, he smashed the record. Do see it was like 22 seconds to second, which was his teammate, Tom and Aaronsman. He blitzed the course record, which Alvin often used that course. Yeah, I think it was about 15. Black Sheep Cycling: Hmm Marko: ⁓ which is a new record there. So awesome seeing Joe doing that. And I'm really keen to see what he can do at Milan San Remo. And on paper, should suit Roubaix, but he's never pulled off a big result at Roubaix. But ⁓ on the Luke Lamperdi side, it was nice to that if you get a win at the tier drop, you can win at Paris-Nous. ⁓ Black Sheep Cycling: BWAH! Hollywood: Ha Marko: Yeah. Coming for a race in summer here and then stage two with Tantor winning. I think that was largely down to Astana doing a ripper job in the lead out. Cause if you watch it back, Lampardy was in the seat. He didn't even open up his sprint at all. He's just in the wheel waiting to get through and he's just boxed in. So it's not necessarily the deepest sprint field there and it appears that Luke's actually quickest if he gets a clean run. yeah, incredible job by Astana to pull off the win and nice for Pithy to get a bit of a confidence booster before the Flemish classics kickoff. Black Sheep Cycling: Mmm. Mmm Mmm. Well, yeah, we'll catch up next week on wrapping up those two stage races. And then the next, the next classic is your favorite Hollywood, but that's not till the 21st of March in Milan, San Remo, the easiest race to finish, the hardest one to win. So we will break that down in a couple of weeks. Hollywood: son Remo love it Marko: Thought you meant the grafting name Varell. Black Sheep Cycling: ⁓ Nice segue Marco. It is the Grafton to Inveril this weekend. ⁓ Another part of the Pro Velo Super League. I'm going to say Pat Eddie. Hollywood: Who's gonna win Marco? Marko: Um, Julian, Julian Baudry, Baudry is going to win it. Hollywood: Man, to Matilda, who's gonna win the women's? Black Sheep Cycling: ⁓ Sophie Edwards or a Det Lynch. Maybe a Det Lynch. It's usually a Bunchy in the women's. The women's is a very different race because they don't have the mountain. ⁓ but, ⁓ just quickly, Marco, Will Heffernan gave the double bird across the line when he won. Was that to Keish Bodhirop or who was that to, ⁓ when he won the GP Harbour, ⁓ right race? Marko: Yeah, she's flying. Yeah, she's a, yeah, yeah, hard to. I don't see that. Yeah, maybe that was just his salute of choice. I actually don't know any back stories here. I know that weff was racing in Keisha. I wasn't aware that he wasn't continuing racing with them this year. But I did see obviously you only have six guys you can select for your team and no one else. Black Sheep Cycling: hahahahah Yeah. Marko: It's a real shame that you don't actually get to utilise your whole team. So I'm not sure if he's still registered there and just racing as an individual here or if there's been some bad blood behind the scenes. I think the other one that could win the Grafton is after last week, so I have to give a shout out when Hollywood warned me that my guns playing KOM was in strife, that Ollie Haines went out from the Cobra 9 team and clearly held on the car and took the... No, no, he went... Hollywood: this. Black Sheep Cycling: Hahaha Marko: after my KOM by 20 seconds. Hollywood: Well you know what, you've just ruined it because we were actually, I've been speaking to him, we're going to have him on today as a surprise, just dial in for him but because the peaks are such a big episode, said to him, until you've got him we'll get him next week but you're blowing it now because we're going to surprise you and have him on. Old Ollie Sims, he's a good man. Marko: Yeah. Yeah. Well, before. Yeah, yeah, he's from all reports. I haven't crossed paths with him too many times. He was bright and did a great ride there as well. But from all reports, including Richie Port, incredibly talented. He's had some really nice results over in Europe already as well. And he's really young. So he's definitely worth keeping an eye on. But for all listeners, if you want to jump on Oliver Simms Strava and just keep flagging that ride over the next few weeks. Black Sheep Cycling: hahahaha ⁓ Hollywood: Yeah, good kid. Is there any other stravas you want to promote that some people can go out and get? Have you still got the one and twenty? Have you still got the one and twenty com? Yeah. Black Sheep Cycling: Yeah Marko: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I do have the one in 20. Yep, you can go for that. Yeah, you got reinstated. No, I missed it by two seconds. So I got King Lake. King Lake you can get or, yeah, yeah, King Lake or Mount William and the Grampians. That's my pride and joy. I'll leave, so off you try, go off to the Wimra. Go check out some of the local. Black Sheep Cycling: Did that get- that got reinstated? That's good. You've got the wall? You've got the wall? Hollywood: ⁓ that's Canty. Canty. ⁓ have you got King Mike? Black Sheep Cycling: Okay, just. Speaking of, we gave Poggy a massive razz if he was to do Peaks. The telly who's more realistic to do Peaks one day and probably just tow you around Marco is Sarah Gigante. She was following Peaks very closely because her mum, Kerry, her mum was doing it. Sarah gave her mum an entry into Peaks challenge. So a good idea for a present. Sure did, easily. Hollywood: because her mum was doing it, yes. what did Kerry finish? ⁓ well done Black Sheep Cycling: easily and with really bad gearing issues. we were talking about Sarah lot and I would love her to do it but if she's doing it means she's not in Europe. But Sairs, I know you listen, we're ready for you man. Marco needs the chop off. Hollywood: Yeah, that's... Marko: ⁓ What I'd love to see till now and say what I'd love to see till with Sarah because you know how much flack she copped at the tour ⁓ For her descending. I'd love for her to come in all these worries online I'd love to come along to Falls Creek and go right. This is what a in talking ⁓ bad descender looks like and Hollywood: Yeah. Uh-huh. Black Sheep Cycling: Mmmmm ⁓ Hollywood: She would smoke everyone down falls descent. She would smoke them all. Black Sheep Cycling: Smoke. Hollywood: Yeah yeah she'd put 10 minutes into everyone. Black Sheep Cycling: Yeah, that's so true. All right, team, a massive thank you to Black Sheep Cycling. You now know they do custom kit as well. So if you want to get involved in that, reach out to them. ⁓ Info at Black Sheep Cycling. ⁓ Everyone at Peaks Challenge Falls Creek, huge congratulations to Bicycle Network. It was a very, very positive event. We had an amazing amount of volunteers, though. So thank you if you offered your time. Marko: Yeah. Hollywood: Entries are open. How long's early bird on four? Black Sheep Cycling: Oh, let's just say the next 72 hours. No, it's about, it's a couple of weeks. It's a couple of weeks. So get it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Hollywood: Alright, so get it. The cheapest prize you'll get in the next couple of weeks and do it. Sign up, commit and have that goal to chase. Black Sheep Cycling: Yeah, it's a good one to have on the horizon. But it's been fun. Thanks to everyone putting up with us while we're in the build up to Peaks challenge. I promise I won't talk about it for another six months. Guys, Hollywood, well done. Sub 8, baby. Marco. Hollywood: Thank you, same to you. think maybe that, did you fake the knee? Was that just an insurance policy in case it didn't work out for you? Because you were moving beautifully. Black Sheep Cycling: I wouldn't mind. The only reason I'd do it again is maybe to see some, I'm too scared. Peaks has too much drama for me. I don't want to go through that for the worst week of my life. But it's amazing the difference seven days can make. Marco, I hope all your athletes got around okay. Yes. Hollywood: such a tough day, so stress, it's good though. ⁓ God, Marko: They did, yeah. All of them did a fantastic job. I was really, really happy. It is such a cool event that's well worthwhile. Even though previously I guess I've been coming there trying to pick up some cash, but now I just like love the atmosphere there. Love how excited everyone is and getting up and about. So it is just an awesome event and getting a rail down some of these descents with a fully closed road is such a... Hollywood: So good. Black Sheep Cycling: Yeah, I was thinking about that, Mark. I feel like we need to promote that more. Because it is pretty insane that probably the best alpine climbing in the country is closed road. That the Falls Creek descent is completely closed. And to be climbing Hotham for that to be closed. It's pretty amazing to have that shut down. And Twonga's closed? Yep, yep. Twonga's closed. Hollywood: Mmm. Toonga's closed as well, isn't it? Yeah, the descent down there's closed, that's good. Black Sheep Cycling: ⁓ and the back of falls ⁓ as well. So it's like, it's a lot. Hollywood: And they had new hot mix there too, that was beautiful. ⁓ that felt good. Yeah. Black Sheep Cycling: We almost got all the potholes but we couldn't feel them all so just into Alan you want to get out there and just... Alright team we dragged it on thanks so much for staying with us thanks to everyone that popped in and gave us so much love and we really appreciate it it's very very grateful. We will speak to you next week bye for now and congratulations if you got round. Hollywood: Come on, just into lift. ⁓ Thank you. ⁓