Last Sunday saw the second running of the annual Lara Devenish Memorial Race for D grade. Lara was a friendly (but fierce) D Grade club member, who took her own life in August 2014.
The race coincided with fund raising activity for Lifeline, which raised almost $1000. Which included a raffle for a number of prizes including a Cameron Meyer signed Orica Green Edge jersey, which was won by junior Cassandra Glorie who finished 4th in her race. Which was won by Dakota Sime, with Madison Mcauliffe second even after a 30 second handicap and Dakota Ramos was third.
With three members of the National Road Series team Satalyst Verve Racing, it was going to be a tough day for A grade. There were a number of attacks early, then a six rider break was formed with all three Satalyst Verve Racing members, Logan Calder, Tim Sellar and Theo Yates, along with Wade Longworth, Ryan Willmott and Troy Fitzgerald. The breakaway built up a solid lead as the bunch never organised a chase, riders attempted to bridge across in ones and two, but the gap was too big. With a lap to go Sellar attacked, dropping Willmot and Fitzgerald, forcing Longworth to chase and allowing Calder and Yates an easy ride to the finish. Calder took the win to celebrate his birthday. Yates was second and Longworth third.
B grade saw an attack from the start, very quickly a breakaway formed and lead for most of the race. Before being reeled in slowly, then more attacks started, none where successful, it was looking like a bunch sprint until Andrew Crack attacked on the final lap, got a gap and stayed away to the finish to take victory, with Cade Zulsdorf second and Jordan Dawson third.
The first few laps of C grade where frantic, dropping a few riders, they then slowed and the race became a cat and mouse tactical game, before a flying final lap and a bunch sprint which was won by Luke Colum with Rob Collins second and Richard Ramos third.
With only rider in E, Saffron Pedrana, was given an A grade chaperone and started with D grade. While Pedrana had trouble keeping pace with D grade once they started chasing hard, Pedrana had no trouble chasing and passing D grade riders who got dropped.
The main event saw the D grade regulars, supplemented by riders from other grades who raced with Lara and since been promoted and race director and A grade regular Adam Wise. Chris Rouse attacked from the start, but was quickly caught and then dropped a couple laps later. The pace was then kept high. Which resulted in only half the D grade regulars who started the race still in the bunch for the final few laps. With a little over two laps to go, Clint Hort attacked, got a gap, before being reeled in, just before the bell for the final lap. In the resulting sprint it was Dave Simmonds first, Zoe Stolton second and Hort third.
For the full results and details about next week’s race at Parklands (Mandurah) visit pdcc.asn.au