The Peel District Cycling Club Criterium Championship coincided with the Midland 100 which included the State Under 19 Road Championship. So much to the relief of the older club members, the younger riders chose to start the road race season early and race in Gidgegannup rather than Smeaton Way criterium circuit in Rockingham.
Over the course of the criterium season, there have been experiments with handicapping the juniors. Each week the back markers have improved beyond expectations and taken victory. This week was no different, the last trio to start Dakota Sime, Madison Mcauliffe, Tommy Ryan filling the top three places, with Ryan first, Sime second and Mcauliffe third.
Tommy Ryan, then backed it up by racing E grade. The race broke up early, with Anita Watters riding away to take the win . Ashton Sime restoring family honour with second and Ryan third.
The strong easterly, which was a block headwind on the back straight made breakaways difficult. D grade saw a number of attacks, none were successful, the stop, start nature of the racing saw the bunch shed a few riders. There was only six riders in the reduced bunch sprint, with Matthew Colum first, Mitchell Crook second and Clint Hort third.
C grade followed a similar pattern, a large number of attacks, twice three rider breakaways were formed but they never lasted. In the bunch sprint it was Richard Ramos first, Chaice Kelly-Wilson second and Tim Watson third.
B grade with more riders, saw even more aggressive racing, with riders constantly getting off the front of the bunch, only to be brought back a lap or two later. In a close bunch sprint it was Michael Polmear first, Dominic Da Silva second and Kurt Harmer third.
About 20 minutes into the 60 minute A grade race, there was a breakaway of five strong riders. The worked well together and built a solid lead. After another 20 minutes of racing, the chasing bunch realised they were not going to catch the five and dropped back into survival mode, to avoid the embarrassment of being lapped. The breakaway stayed together until the bell and then exploded on the last lap. With Ryan Willmot winning the race to the line from Matthew Peterson, with Luke Banham third.
The younger Peel riders were successful in the Midland 100 with Conor Leahy third in the State Under 19 Road Championship. Tyler Lindorff first and Jordan Dawson second in the under 17 mens and C grade combined race. Dharlia Haines winning the Womens C grade race. The full results of the Midland 100.