The Peel District Cycling Club was well represented in junior and masters men at the recent State Criterium Championships.
In the under 13 men, will there were a few attacks, most of the riders stayed in a group until the final lap when a Midland Cycling Club rider attacked. The bunch did not panic and the lone attacker was caught within sight of the line. The two strongest riders Baden Grey from Peel and Joshua Howe then launched their sprints, putting daylight between themselves and the remaining riders. In the end Howe took the title from Grey.
In the under 15 men Peel’s Jordan Dawson was aggressive from the started, by the end of the first lap there was a breakaway of four, two laps later it was a breakaway of two, Dawson and Sebastian Barrett from Midland, after 20 minutes and lapping every rider except one. Barrett out sprinted Dawson to win.
In the under 17 men, tactics played a major part in the race. With everybody watching favourite Craig Wiggins from the Albany Cycling Club. There were a number of attacks, Bryce Lanigan from South West Cycling Club being the main instigator. Lannigan was away, got caught, got away with another rider, then he was of the front. Everybody looked at Wiggins, as Lanigan rode away to take the State Title. In the sprint for second Peel’s Tyler Lindorff looked good, only to lose it on the line to Wiggins, with Kye Bonser of Track Cycling WA third and Lindorff fourth. Conor Leahy from Peel, was prominent in the chase on the last lap and finished ninth.
The Masters Men was an aggressive race with 45 riders starting the race and only 15 riders finishing. As riders lapped on the 800m course had to withdraw. One of the main instigators was Peel’s Luke Pledger, who was constantly attacking, with a little over a lap to go Pledger attacked and stayed away to win.
Pledger then backed up that by starting in the next race, the Open Men’s Championship and finishing a very credible 8th behind former World Tour professional Graeme Browne and ahead of a few younger National Road Series riders.