Stage Three: Glenelg to Victor Harbour - Not Rational

In Glenelg, before the race, Terence is talking.

Terence: This is the plan. Listen.

Baby Pierre: How come?

Terence: I'm the manager.

The Pesquet: He is the manager. What's the plan?

Terence: Keep up with the winner.

Dedalus: That's a good plan. I'm going to keep up with the winner.

Daniel O'Connell. And ride past him.

Dedalus: What?

Daniel O'Connell: Then you'll be the winner.

Baby Pierre: If you want to be the winner.

Terence: Everyone wants to be the winner.

Baby Pierre: Not me. A free thinker doesn't have to be the winner.

Daniel O'Connell: What does he have to be?

Baby Pierre: Whatever he likes.

Terence: That's it. You're out of the team.

The Pesquet: So who's the team leader?

Terence: No one.

Dedalus: I will be!

......

The race starts, in warm and humid conditions.

Marcel Duchamp is in a low mood this morning.

Marcel Duchamp: It's called the Shockwheel.

David: And you didn't invent it?

Marcel Duchamp: Apparently not. Well I did, but independently.

Vello: Have a Power Bar.

Marcel Duchamp (chomps on his Power Bar): Thanks.

David: It must have been part of the zeitgeist.

Vello: The Shockwheel? Must it?

David: Artists are often the first to come up with new concepts.

Marcel Duchamp: That's very true. I came up with the concept of depicting the fourth dimension on canvas.

Vello: Was that your 'Sad Young Man on a Train'?

Marcel Duchamp: It was. Elementary parallelism. Two sorts of movement. The young man is moving within the train and....

Vello; Yes, yes, we get it. Was that before or after Einstein?

Marcel Duchamp: Meaningless question. It was simply a part of the zeitgeist.

David: I already pointed that out.

Vello: Elementary parallelism, my dear Watson.

Marcel Duchamp: Ha ha! You fellows have cheered me up. Would you like me to explain the Shockwheel? It incorporates shock absorbing properties by using bow spokes...

Vello: Not now. It's raining.

Sweezus rides by, led out by Arthur who is doing the right thing by his leader, for a change.

Sweezus: Did you see Izaguirre?

Arthur: Blood all down his back and shoulders.

Sweezus: Yeah. Could've been me. Hey look! A weird scooter wheel! Is that Dedalus?

They climb Sellicks Hill, but Sweezus doesn't get King of the Mountain.

Dedalus might have, had he been larger.

....

Gaius is pedalling mechanically.

He is nearly in Victor Harbour.

His mind is preoccupied with the bandicoot he saw yesterday.

Yes, when this is all over he ought to get onto it.

Blackberries are the problem.....

The bandicoots rely on the blackberry shrub for food and shelter but the blackberries are an invasive species......

At its core the universe is not rational.

Where did that come from?

Schopenhauers's bicycle! Gaius can't help agreeing.

Peter Sagan powers by, chasing Caleb Ewan, followed by Niccolo Bonifazio.

The crowd cheers.

Gaius looks up.