Conrick claims gold in Black and Tan .......................
Sponsored by George Chalks Day Spa Retreat
Thursday night's road race was the prestigous Black and Tan event or 'The Hell of the North East'. It's a bone rattling gruelling race that covers a distance of 30 kms half on bitumen and the remaining on dusty dangerous loose gravel. A strong field of local and interstate riders from The Tour Down Under registered for the event [this is the tricky bit I don't the other riders handicaps etc. can you please complete this for me].The blustery conditions made challenging riding for the start at the BP Roadhouse with Dave Clarke and Dave Jagger the starter then holding back the trio of Williams Bock and Conrick let them go, as Williams was briefed on the race tactics of Conrick he immediately jumped on the back wheel othe pacemaker and continued there until the first turnoff onto Scullys Lane as the road had just been graded it presented a slippery loose surface, Bock also scenced Conricks bold move to attack on the dirt they dropped Williams who to his credit kept grinding away . The smooth bitumen was a relief for the pair who appeared to be working well together until Conrick hit the turbo button and took of up Coombes Hill like a fart out of a pair of hemp pyjamas , the teaming up with his new live in partner / manager George Chalk seamed to be paying off ,as George stated I gave him a pre race rub down and a my tip ..... if you are behind don't go to hard or you will blow it.The rest of the field appeared to been some way back this inspired The Little Aussie Battler to get his Colnago flying down to the Barwite Rd with that turn the strong wind presented a challenge for Conrick as this section of the race is open to those blustery head winds these conditions make it hard riding especially in a solo attack as this one.Thanks to Georges new training program and a few weekends away to Chalks retreat in Daylesford it appeared that 'The Garden Gnome ' was going to have a" crack".The corner of Barwite and Mansfield Whitfield Rd was a comforting site as the wind would push him further ahead of Halket ,Clarke Mc Munn etc who would be working together to gain on the leader who was making his way up to "Gerrans Hill" and down to the Mt Battery Rd turn off it was now that Conrick had to dig deep and draw on his bike handling skills and endurance to keep a lead on the gaining peloton who would have been averaging 35 kms and pushing hard [as George would quote]. The clouds of dust could be seen as the gravel sharp rocky surface greeted Conrick who was continuing his dominance as a quick look over his shoulder Wilson ,Hall, Gerrans Mcdonald etc. couldn't be sited, the final descent from Mt Battery presented further hazards as the relentless bone breaking road lay ahead, but Eisner and Bock where gaining ground on the leader but with victory in his sites and now on the bitumen Conrick enjoyed the last kilometres to take gold , Eisner and Bock sprinted over the finish line with Eisner claiming second place followed by Bock . Many thanks to the volunteers who very week make our evening rewarding and most enjoyable. If you are anyway interested in helping out at the club or bringing your family along to these events you will be more than welcome to join us, the club also invites riders of different ages and levels to ride on Saturday and Sunday morning leaving at 8am from the Botanical Park .Please remember to enter next week course 6 ride by 8pm Wednesday night to Di Condie 0438513355 Compiled by Ian Colnago and George Avanti