Handicap Race - Thursday 28 Nov - Whitfield Rd / Coombes Hill (Course 16) - 29km

Another wet Thursday didn't deter a good field of starters in the 34km Whitfileld road handicap last week.

Rachel Greenway, Deb Salatenna, Will Grundy and Sue Hall took of first as the limit bunch. Dick Forrest, Jeoff Jones, Di Condie, Daryl Rielly and Gerard Canavan were next followed by Mark Calvert-Jones, John Eisner, Ian Conrick, Tony Williams, Peter Ellett and David Bock. Craig Wilson, Allan Gerrans and Will Calver-Jones made up the intermediate group being chased by Anthony Plummer, Steve Plummer, Christine Hopkins Mick Feeney and Will MacDonald. Lastly, 20 minutes after limit, the scratch bunch took off consisting of Jock Brega, Foley and Cam Lachal, Ross Hopkins Jarrod Appleton, Damian Grundy and Darren Bakker.

Limit more or less fell apart leaving that group to do a long time trial and similarly David Bock and Gerard Canavan felt the heat of their respective groups. Di and Darryl worked well and got caught half way down the Barwite road by the Tony Williams group who were quietly working away in the wet. Further back scratch and block joined up but it was Allan Gerrans who rode strongly through his group and the next to take the lead heading up the Coombsberg. At the jump it was with some surprise that Ian, John and Tony latched on to Allan and stayed to the sprint finish where Allan pulled away to take the win. Tony rode well to take second over John with Ian coming fourth after leading out. Craig Wilson finished soon after in the money in fifth position.

Thanks to all our helpers and officials and to our sponsors: The Deck and Alpine Butchery. Congratulations to Allan who won the Alpine Butchery best effort for the night voucher.