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MMBCC Kit
Club kit is now available on the Ventou web portal.
Here is the link to the Ventou MMBCC page. If you don’t already have the code you need to get access, email Bruce for the code.
The Ventou MMBCC Portal is open for a limited time only!
Small field - big results!
By Damian Grundy
It was a small turn out for the first Gravity night of 2025 on Tuesday 28 January. It is possible that the heat of the day had discouraged some, however by 6pm the temperature was quite tolerable; certainly less severe than had been experienced a week earlier for the first XC night.
But even with small numbers there is always a high level of competitiveness. Lots of points to prove and many different battles between riders.
Two courses were set, with Cam Dobson and Adam Baker setting the first course and yours truly arranging a second challenge. Both courses were long by Rifle butts standards.
As usual the riders started at 30 second intervals.
For me, I was most happy to complete both runs without incident and I am glad that this seemed to be the case for all the competitors.
Ryder proved once again that he is a talented rider across most of the racing disciplines. He produced the fastest time on both courses and with a 2 run combined time of 9min46sec was overall 25seconds faster than Damian Grundy with a 2 run combined time of 10min11sec. Archie Smith was 2 seconds slower overall than Damian in 3rd.
I would like to thank Cam and Adam for setting the course, and then Cam again and Tim Ross for managing the timing.
XC Night on Tuesday 4 February. Hope to see you all there.
Archimedes, Carl and Curnow
By Ian Cervelo
A beautiful warm summer evening greeted the start of the Howes Creek 25 kms handicap race on Thursday 30 January. It was reduced to 18 riders but had the welcome appearance of a new member, Simon Mulvihill.
A light south-easterly and a few undulating rises challenged most of the starters, giving some of the lighter-framed riders an equal footing with the stronger riders who had downhill momentum. With the above conditions, riding in a bunch and rotating turns, effectively gives each person a rest, tucked in behind the leads, who act as a windbreak.
The club handicapper, Mr David Moore, plays a critical part in this event, spending endless hours planning, selecting and judging the previous form of each rider and how they are to be grouped. Often we front him, in a good-humoured way, after a couple of drinks at the Mansfield. The Handicapper (please note, not an underworld crime boss) may get the sad story of “how come?”, “why me?”, “he should” etc.
With the race at the halfway mark and a tailwind home, the stronger groups worked together very effectively and gained on the rest of the field.
Three kilometres from the finish everyone is trying to gain the slightest edge, finding the gap to power through the field, and sprint to the finish at speeds of up to 60-70km/h.
The eventual winner on the night was Steve Curnow, who with his wife Lise, had just finished the 700km Great Alpine Walk.
In second place was the former Mansfield identity, the quick and clean shearer, Carl Simmons, now residing in Euroa. Carl clocked the fastest time of 37 minutes and 55 seconds averaging a credible 39.4 km/h!
Ian Conrick, fresh from an intense training camp at Club Med Phuket, took third place but an unnamed person commented that Cornick’s side profile looked more like a holiday at Club Pizza.
So back to the remaining riders and my new bestie, Mr Moore, the *Archimedean-like mathematician, astronomer, inventor and the engineer of modern calculus” who applied these rules to 12 cyclists so that they all finished within a minute of each other. Well done again Mr Moore!
As usual, many thanks to our volunteers, the ever-present photographer Tony Copland, the ongoing support of The Brown Family and the welcoming staff at The Mansfield Hotel.
Newcomers and onlookers are always welcome at the club. Please see the MMBCC website for further details or call into All Terrain Cycles, High Street, Mansfield and ask any of the helpful staff.
*footnote: Archimedes died at the siege of Syracuse in 212 BC, aged 74. So you’re safe for a good while yet Dave!
Another bike for sale
The Espresso Velo coffee bike.
Upcoming Events
Benghazi Handicap, Lancefield, Anzac Day - 25 April.
Dirty Pig and Whistle, Creswick, 3 & 4 May. Already a few from Mansfield showing interest in this gravel event.