Ok, enough of the factual race reporting, it's time for Lisa's Mum to get a look in as we review the 2010 Canberra Tour.
For those not familiar with the literary works of Lisa's Mum, she is a renegade freelance bike journalist hell-bent on earning a spot on SBS's Tour de France commentary team. Some would say she's not a real journalist. Others will say she's not even a Mum. One thing is clear though, and that is she is not to be confused with my REAL Mum, who innocently resides in Adelaide and is quite bemused that she has so many facebook fans.
Lisa's Mum started off the Canberra Tour with team VIS, as it was the only team that could afford her substantial appearance fees. Team VIS consisted of one person (one L Jacobs), which made team strategy a complicated affair. First, there was the issue of team leadership. Mum isn't one to take cheap shots but it was pretty clear that one person wanted to be the team leader and was prepared to step over anyone in her way. Mum suggested a team vote, which was later ruled invalid after it was discovered that 3 votes had been cast. In the end, the team decided to take a leaf from Lance's book and Let The Road Decide. Lisa had put her hand up on the basis that she was the most senior member of the team and also the most experienced. However, it was pointed out that she was also the youngest and least experienced and she went to the back of the queue.
The next issue was who would be team domestique to make breaks and chase down attacks. Lisa did not want to be team domestique, but on the basis that she was the youngest in the team she accepted the role on the condition that she got to be the lead sprinter too. This was ok so long as she could also do lead-out. There were some tense negotiations on whether she could really rely on her lead-out man but she put her differences aside and committed to be a team player.
As the race unfolded it became apparent that the VIS team climber was doing her job but the team domestique failed in not chasing down the decisive attack by Jo Hogan (Prime Estate) in stage 2 that won her the tour. The team dinner table was pretty tense that night as leader and domestique clashed horns and each blamed the other for the tactical error. Lisa stormed out on herself and took to posting aggressive tweets about her uncooperative teammates before coming back and apologising, and then shaking hands with herself and agreeing to move on.
All was not well in the team, however, and the final stage in the tour saw some team infighting as egos clashed. Lisa would launch an attack, only to then counter-attack and reel herself in.
In the end, the team came together but the cracks showed (mostly in Lisa's rear rim after an altercation on stage 2). It remains to be seen whether the damage can be repaired but team management is considering expanding the roster to avoid the huge ego clashes that were seen during the tour.
In the meantime, debate rages over how to split the prizemoney between the team...
