Solo Twenty-Four from Sixth Row on Vimeo.
Want to know what it takes to win a 24 hour race? Better yet, win it in the Solo Single Speed class? Better better yet, win the World Endurance Mountain Bike Organization Championship and be crowned Single Speed Solo World Champ? Better better better yet, turn around and then win the AMB100 (Australian Mountain Bike) in 100+ degree heat?
Yep, Brett Bellchambers just owned another endurance race, this time in heat that hit 40 degrees Celsius (104 F,) not to be confused with Stringer Bell's "40 degree day" speech in the HBO TV series, The Wire. Brett shrugged off the heat, attributing his tolerance to what fellow Canberra Australians have been subjected to lately, "All jokes aside it actually wasn't that hot, but we've been living in the Canberra heat wave and are kind of used to it, plus I'd finished the race by 11:40 and it only started to ramp up by 11:00." Pretty tough, pretty modest.
Brett ran WTB Nine Line 2.0 29" TCS Tires, WTB Frequency i19 TCS Team 29" Rims at the AMB100, and a WTB Volt Team Saddle, just like when he pedaled 253 miles in 24 hours to Solo Single Speed Championdom. The race started early, at 5AM in order to try to skirt the heat. This meant dodging Kangaroos in the dark.
Mid morning heat led to trying to politely avoid Red-Bellied Black Snakes:
Good guess, but no, the Snake's name is not Matt Clancy, that's just whom I stole the photo from on like, such as, the Internet. Learn more about the Snake HERE. Just kidding, you can actually learn about Red-Bellies HERE
In order to combat the heat, Brett raced with an esky full of ice on his table, though his bottles were hot by half way around his last lap. Once green grass was nothing but barren, dead, straw. Wildfires from 2003 left no reprieve from the tyrannical sun. It was hot and a long loop of hard packed and dusty trails.
Here's to Brett, another amazing feat, this time defying heat. Way to go Brett, congratulations from all of us, yet again.
Also, be sure to check out Rowen Grant's website, the talented videographer who made the stunning video: http://www.rowengrant.com/#_ The Canberra-based artist's site is chock-full of stunning images as well as unique, beautiful videos, worth a peruse.