Hi Everyone,

Good to see lots of action at Rifle Butts with some really great racing. The road crew too are getting some good turnouts and it was good to try the time trial over the new Graves Rd course.

Well done to Tina for running around and drumming up some sponsorship prizes which we’ll be giving away over the next few weeks. Consider our sponsors when planning stuff - they’re on our website: Alpine Butchery, Delatite Hotel, The Zoo, The Maze as well as All Terrain Cycles, High Country Cycle Challenge, Tour de Flavour and The Deck.

It’d be good to see a few more of our women out there on the road as well. A lot of members feel a little tentative and undertrained to race but Di does a great job handicapping and it’d be good to encourage as many people to participate regardless of anticipated performance. The road crew have designed shorter races this season so even though you may not feel up to it, have a go.

Road report:

Despite a cool, blustery southerly, twenty three enthusiastic cyclists fronted up for the first individual time trial of the cycling season on the new Graves Road course. With nowhere to hide on the hilly seventeen km course it proved to be a good test early in the season. Allan Gerrans rode off strongly from John Eisner and Rod Stewart and at the turnaround was working his way steadily up the field. Foley Lachal and Laurie Harding were riding with determination and Jock Brega looked smooth as they approached the turnaround. All worked well against the substantial headwind on the return leg and finished in the top five. Christine Hopkins, Tim Ross, Darren Bakker, Mick Feeney and Steve Plummer also had a steady race with good results.

It was Mitch Greenway though who flew down the downwind leg and didn't seem to slow down much after the turnaround at the Broken River. Smashing the field apart he recorded a time two minutes faster than the nearest competitor, Jock, to take the honours for the evening.

All results – CLICK HERE.

Cheers,

John.