Stage Six: Adelaide Street Circuit - Lucky

In the morning, before the final street circuit:

I'm disappointed, says Terence. My Parrot Team is rubbish.

Not enough parrots in it, says the Pesquet. And too many spiders.

I WON yesterday, says Dedalus.

He did, says Daniel O'Connell.

But nobody saw me, says Dedalus.

They did not, agrees Daniel O'Connell.

Silence.

If Baby Pierre was here, (but he isn't), he would say:

What Dedalus needs is a bright flag, to signal his presence, but he hasn't got one.

.......

Afternoon.

Adelaide is humming, and buzzing.

Streets are closed, buses diverted.

The 20 lap street race has started.

All Richie Porte has to do is stay on his bike.

Same for the others.

But if Richie does, he'll be the winner. And this will give him a big boost of confidence for the rest of the season.

Richie rides methodically, in amongst his BMC team mates, aware of these things.

Sweezus rides by, with Arthur and Pablo and Diego.

Yo, Richie! says Sweezus.

They look happy, thinks Richie. Even though they've got no chance of winning.

They'll be going surfing, when the Tour Down Under is over,

Richie remembers the time he met Arthur in Beijing, in a backstreet hutong, with Kong, that middle Tang poet.

Yeah. He'd been in some race but DID NOT FINISH.

 Gaius was there too, chasing a fossil.

How many circuits have they done now?

Nineteen.

Caleb Ewan looks good. So does Peter Sagan. And Kumpy.

Gaius is pedalling hard. He'll be glad when the race is finished.

Then he'll get on with looking for some sort of native plant weed controller that a bandicoot might find palatable.....yes, roll on the finish.

Vello and David are being held up by Marcel Duchamp, who insists on explaining his kinetic optical device.

It's a globe cut in half with black concentric circles painted on it, says Marcel.

Yes but..., says Vello.

Tell us later, says David. Oi, look out there!

A scooter wheel cuts in front of Duchamp's bike then spins round to whizz under his front wheel.

Marcel wobbles, and rights himself. He's not a bad rider.

Just one of my kinetic works, says Marcel Duchamp. But I've never considered them art.

Did that scooter wheel have a bright flag on it? asks David.

I don't think so, says Vello.

Lucky, says David.

Shortly after, the race ends.