Just another tour, you might think to yourself. But as one of the riders who took part in the event, I can say that is not that case! With each passing kilometre came new memories, and with each passing day came a new town and a new motel! It's as if I've crammed a whole month into the span of a week. To fit that week into one update is a tall ask, so I'll try my best to summarise it...

Day 1: 32km Criterium starting inside the Spirit of Tasmania - fast pace from the start, with Praties unable to show much dominance but also achingly close enough to smell a win.

Stage 2: 54km Spreyton to Mole Creek - A very hilly stage with strong winds to spice things up. Praties was well represented in the harsh conditions.

Day 2:  40km Criterium at Marist College - a ruthless course, starting on a hill, cresting and then taking riders downhill over 3 speed humps at 70km/h. Then back up the hill, all but 30 times!

Stage 2: 76km Burnie to Mooreville - Another hard day, where I thought there were KOM points on offer at the top of the major climb. I managed to get over the top in a small group, only to find well... no KOM. Heavy rain made the course alot of fun, with dangerous descents and diesel covered climbs. I thrived in the conditions, although my legs felt otherwise.

 Day 3: 116km Smithton to Stanley - Our top GC rider punctured in this stage, so I gave him my wheel and waited for team support to help me out. Once back in the field I tried to recover, only to be faced by a hellish 10 laps of a wind blown climbing circuit. I chugged along with a team mate, just to get to the finish as fresh as possible for tomorrow.

Day 4: 36km Criterium in Ulverstone - Just another blistering criterium. I did my best to pull my load but with speeds near supersonic I struggled to have much effect on anything except my brakes. I thought I'd save my legs for the afternoon stage.

Stage 2: 78km Ulverstone to Pengiun - Lots of climbing today, but I managed to stay with the main field. That is until one of the riders lost touch with the bunch, downhill at 70km/h. Only he would know how the hell to do that! The same rider then made the same selfish error 3km later. I rolled in with team mates, and sorted the issue out with "that" rider.

Day 5: 80km Launceston to Georgetown - a fast rolling stage. I chased one or two moves from Budget Forklifts and Drapac Porsche, then sat in the bunch to save some legs. Later I tried moving a train of team mates through the peleton. Once I did this, Drapac attacked and I had no choice but to "chew my stem" as I chased them down. Will Clarke then took over, and follwed the move to no avail. The entire Praties team then hit the final 1000m, with all of the riders leading Will Clarke and Kyle Marwood out for the sprint. I moved some guys into position, only to go the long way around a traffic circle and end up 20m back. Praties were then swamped by the Fly V squad, and lost formation, and a possible stage win.

 Stage 2: Georgetown to Scottsdale - A rolling stage, and I once again foiled a Budget Forklifts attack, along with several other minor moves. With 30km to go, I blew from a days hard work and grovelled and crawled to the finish line.

Final Day: 52km Criterium in Westbury - With $200 on offer for every sprint prime, everyone was keen to have a good ride today! I was too, but in short my legs were wasted from the previous 5 days racing. I hung in there until there were 9 laps to go, where I was promptly dropped from the field. But I got my moneys' worth before I was dropped. I had an argument or two with an SA.com rider who struggled to understand that he was not taking my spot in the bunch, but that I was taking his. He got it eventually, so now we can be Facebook friends! ;-)

A long hard tour, but I'd relive it any day, except today, tomorrow or the rest of this week in fact!