Saturday afternoon racing is increasing popular. Last Saturday saw over the largest numbers ever for a Peel Districts Cycling Club Saturday race with over 120 riders taking to the Dog Hill course in Baldivis.
While there was healthy numbers in all other grades, E grade which is for inexperience racers saw two riders take to the course, Michelle Baker rode away from Deborah Reid on the first lap of 10 kilometre and stayed away for three laps to the take the win.
D grade saw 17 riacers, from the inexperienced to the experienced, from under 13 to over 70. While D grade has a reputation for being as being a fun, inclusive grade, this was quickly put to test on the second lap when four riders broke away. The remaining riders chased, however the four became three and slowly increased their lead. After four laps the breakaway had over a minute lead, in the sprint to the line it was Javier Vasquez first, Natasha Pertwee second and Ashton Sime third.
23 riders started in C grade, and while the pace was frantic from the first lap, after four laps with riders attacking and being chased down, a lull before another attack, there was 22 riders in the bunch. The last half of the final lap was fast, with a number of riders being dropped. Adrain Dahl started his sprint early and took the win, with James Porter second and Jay Lindorff second.
While C was fast, B grade was faster, with 42 riders every attack was chased down over the first five laps. On the sixth and final lap, four riders broke away and a chase could not get organised, Even as the breakaway went from from four to three to two, the chase made little impression on their lead. In the end it was Shannon Sime out sprinting Ben Braithwaite to take the win, with breakaway companion third ahead of the chasing peleton.
A grade, saw five riders make an early break, quickly followed by two riders who managed to bridge the gap to make it seven, a couple of laps later, two more bridged to make it nine. The nine then established a solid lead by the seventh and final lap. Which was the signal for riders \to attack. In the run to the line, there was only six riders left. Tyler Lindorf recently returned from the national under 19 championship and national junior world training camp, took the victory, with Thom Perry second and Richard Schroth third.