Click photo to enlarge
Zookeepers-Cycle Surgery's Hamish Bond relaxes after stage
six of the Tour of Southland yesterday. Photo by NZPA.
Breaking his bike near the start of the 134km sixth stage
of the Tour of Southland wasn't enough torture for novice tour
cyclist Hamish Bond yesterday.
The double world champion rower also had to endure
light-hearted ribbing from his Zookeepers-Cycle Surgery
teammates at the end, who claimed they'd sent Bond the long
way, via Twizel.
Bond (23) finished in 89th place, 25min 20sec behind stage
six winner Jeremy Yates and about 23min behind his team
leader, Heath Blackgrove.
"It wasn't too bad today, but I snapped my bike seat post. I
am too fat and the bike is not made to take my weight," Bond
told the Otago Daily Times afterwards.
Bond was disappointed he could not work in the main bunch
yesterday for Blackgrove, who finished ninth yesterday and is
fourth in the general classification.
However, he had been able to catch a back bunch and the ride
had still been a good experience, he said.
"It was only three or four minutes to change the bike, but
the main bunch had well gone. I was miles behind. I was never
here to wear the yellow jersey. I am just here to help out
Heath and Glen [Chadwick] as much as I am able."
Another thing Bond wanted to do yesterday was test his hill
climbing against his team mates on the gruelling Crown Range
zig-zag hill at the end of the stage.
He backed himself on the climb, was pleased to find he had
the strength for it and felt he did it well.
Bond is using the Tour of Southland to build his knowledge
and skill in cycling, a sport he does as cross-training for
his world championship and Olympic rowing bids.
He's certainly not fat, he wasn't miserable and his team is
still leading the team classification.
It's just that Bond weighs about 90kg and as a rower, has a
more developed upper body compared to elite cyclists.
His type of build doesn't particularly lend itself to hill
climbing.
Bond had hoped to display his strength on the flatter and
more undulating parts of the course, where bigger, powerful
cyclists can build up a good head of steam.
The switch between rowing and cycling was not too hard, Bond
said.
"Rowing is 10% arms, 20% back and and 70% legs. Cycling is
95% legs and 5% stupidity."
Blackgrove said the team valued Bond's contributions and was
not about to beat up on him.
"And have you seen the size of his arms? We couldn't get near
him anyway."
Bringing in an athlete from a different discipline added a
new element to the team campaign and the cyclists were
learning as much from Bond as he was learning from them,
Blackgrove said.
"He's awesome. But he should shave his legs."
