The sixth edition of Armidale Cycling Club’s premier early season classic bumped and bashed its way into history on Sunday morning when 20 hardy souls set out to enact events scheduled to take place in northern France later that day. Yes, it was once again time for the Armidale Cycling Clubs very own Hell of the North, the inimitable Thunderbolt Roubaix.
The 16Kg 1987 Jock Bullen Special, affectionately known as BHP Real Steel made her fourth consecutive appearance and performed flawlessly throughout but the star of the show was the rust-orange coloured Cyclops Oran, purchased locally from a Guyra toy shop in 1980. In original condition, including factory rubber and exhibiting a beautiful perished patina, it was a joy to behold as it clattered along the corrugations of New England, showing the hedgerows with washers and even the odd bearing.
As usual, there were some early casualties. Ray’s tyres exploded within 20 metres of the first set of pavé and caused an impressive delay before the bunch regrouped and charged on. There were some impressive efforts from the mountain bike fraternity who dared to challenge tradition with the comfort and agility of their disk-braked suspended steeds. While perhaps on some of the more brutal sectors, these modern-day conveyances may have briefly held the edge, they could not compete with the on-road prowess of the steel-framed, skinny-tyred thoroughbred racing machines. Both the 80’s bikes topped out at an impressive 72kph on the Rocky River downhill section, evoking memories of a past era as frayed brake cables caressed the perished tyre walls in a symphony of imminent destruction.
And so it continued, through Uralla, out to Gostwyck Chapel and onward over dirt, more dirt and the roughest terrain the combined councils of the North West could muster. A brief foray onto the Uralla MTB track allowed Holly and Pete Harris to demonstrate some impressive bike handling skills but also resulted in a 5km flat biscuit chase to get back onto the pack who were really moving at this point thanks to recent import Scott Green on his Malvern Star Oppy. Dave ‘Set and Forget” Symons bravely and gamely hung with the bunch on his Curve GXR but no one claimed to have conquered the appropriately named Dangars Falls Road which was in especially brutal condition this year.
Yes, there were punctures aplenty and innumerable stoppages for all manner of reasons but after several hours, riders arrived at the final climb of the day, the challenging ascent of Dump Hill. Tackled in unison, it was a beautiful sight that brought tears and cheers from fans lining the route and there was a huge roar as the pack swung off Mann St for the grand finale, two laps of the Traffic Education Centre velodrome.
Tired limbs and minds already drifting to thoughts of coffee and cake prescribed a cautious, almost pedestrian first lap but then Andy Robb made a move through the twisties. Mick Harris reacted swiftly. Spinning his MTB 30 x 10 at over 200rpm he couldn’t hope to win a downhill sprint, so the 2018 Club Criterium Champion hit hard up the hill. Swanny led the chase with aplomb, handing off to Lachie with a strong surge coming from Scott Green as the road turned upwards, but Andy Robb held back to time his effort perfectly. Positioned in the chunky slipstream of the Harris MTB until the last possible moment, he came alongside and then just edged Mick on the line for the win and the honour of adding the 2018 Thunderbolt Roubaix to his palmarès.