Skinner Too Strong
With the long weekend on the horizon and some of the big guns on marshalling duties, this Thursday’s night race had a reduced starting field of 15 riders, all seemingly a little anxious about wind conditions on the Barwite Loop course.
With David Bock off limit at 11.30 followed 3 minutes later by Craig Wilson at 8.30, they battled the Coombesberg hill and the wind as lone riders. The group of Tim Hall, Alex Green, Wayne Arazny and Ian Conrick where next off at 6.30 followed by Michael Pearce, Belinda Cipa and myself (Rob Skinner) at 3.30.
By the end of Graves Road Belinda was struggling with the early pace set by Mike Pearce and up ahead we could see Alex Green losing contact with his group. The Coomsberg’s Hill was making it hard for Mike on his vintage 3 speed steel bike, so I pressed on, in an attempt to catch the group ahead before the top of the hill. Too scared to look back to see where the Block group of Tim Ross, Darren Bakker, Matt Hoskin and Steve Duke were, having started 2 minutes after us and not even thinking about the scratch group of Steve Brown and Bruce Halket starting a further 1.30 minutes later.
Over the hill there was no letting up with riders hitting the Barwite Road corner at high speeds and having to work hard to keep on the right side of the white lines. Matt Hoskin found himself hitting the gravel and onto the grass before recovering and getting back into the race.
Having worked with Tim Hall for half of Barwite Road, we got our first glimpses of Willo in the distance, so it was time to kick it up a notch having Willo in my sights, catching him not long before Mansfield –Whitfield Road.
Turning into the Mansfield- Whitfield Road I had a sneaky look over the shoulder expecting to see groups closing in, but to my surprise I couldn’t see anyone and thought that maybe I’m in with a chance here. That thought quickly changed as the uphill of Whitfield Road and the head wind hit me hard. Once over the slight rise in the road I had a bit of respite and could see the lone, lonely figure of Bocky up ahead, having ridden the whole race by himself, I asked myself did I have a chance to catch him without being caught myself?
Heading down towards Mt Battery Road all I could think about was how weeks earlier I was sure Janine and I were to battle it out for first place only to get swamped by the scratch group before Mt Battery Road, however this time I was onto Mt Battery Road with only Bocky in front with 400 metres to go.
Once again the handicapper had done a brilliant job. I edged pass Bocky only to be rapidly slowing toward the finish line managing to hang on for my second win of the season, finishing seconds in front of the fast finishing Bruce Halket, Steve Duke and David Bock 4th. 50 seconds was all that separated the top 10 riders. Mike Pearce finish 5th on his 3 speed vintage steel bike ahead of Brown, Hoskin, Ross, Willo and Tim Hall, rounding out the top 10.
Bruce Halket took out the fastest time of 32.37 minutes and Tony Copland was presented with a Mansfield Hotel voucher for his fantastic photos throughout the season.
Thanks again to the Commissaires, marshals and volunteers for this week’s race.
