Jodie Batchelor gets 3rd in the Vic ITT Championships

This was the first time Jodie had entered the State Individual Time Trial Championships. The event was at Newstead and hosted by Castlemaine Cycling Club on Saturday 23rd August 2008. The race was 20km over an undulating out and back course.

In the lead up to the race we had decided to build a time trial bike for her, however all the parts only arrived about 3 days before the event. So we didn’t put it together as she would not have had a chance to ride it before the race having never ridden on aero bars before. David started only 17 minutes after Jodie, so she rode her normal road bike without the disc wheel or the time trial helmet. She did have a nice set of deep-rimed Corima wheels on the bike though.

On the start line she was feeling good and got into a rhythm early and her heart rate was were it needed to be. She kept the girl in front within site but knew that the girl one minute behind (Kerrie Howard also from Caulfield Carnegie CC) was fast. Once Kerrie went past she lifted her pace and was able to maintain a constant distance from her. On the turn around though Jodie must have been a bit slow as when she looked up Kerrie was gone. There were a few riders she could see in front and she just kept her focus there and maintained her heart rate and cadence. She could see her one-minute girl still in front and felt like she was gaining, by the time she finished she was spent and knew that what ever the result she gave it all she had.

Jodie finished 3rd and was totally ecstatic. She was 2 ½ minutes behind Kerrie who won the event. 2 ½ minutes is a fair time gap but Kerrie (she is currently training for the World Masters Track Championships) is a really classy rider and rides many grades higher than Jodie. So to finish in the medals and to have maintained her rhythm and heart rate was a fantastic outcome. Also as they merged the age groups due to entries. Jodie's time actually made her first in her age group (although no medal for that).

Jodie (right) with club mate and Gold medal winner Kerrie Howard (left) at the Victorian Masters ITT Road Championships