The appetite for racing is increasing, we opened online registration to non members the previous Sunday afternoon and by that evening, three grades were full. This meant a record number of riders racing at Dog Hill on Saturday afternoon.
Those who rode to the race encountered a strong northerly wind which had an impact on all grades. E grade started with a neutral lap of the 10.1km kilometre course, before the pace started increasing, by the end of the second lap there were only four leaders. At the finish it was only two, with Fraser McRobbie sprinting to the win, with Campbell McDowell second and Michelle Baker chasing the duo to take third.
D grade appeared to be lapping at a fairly consistent pace. Consistent in that into the wind it was a steady pace, but in the tailwind and cross wind section the pace picked up attempting to drop riders. The tactics worked and at the bell only a group of eight remained. The final half of the last lap was frantic and the group imploded and eight individuals crossed the line, each separated by a few seconds from the next. With Jason Kilgour first, Lorenzo Giusto (in his first race) second and Kristain Hoops third.
The first two laps of C grade were fast, reducing the pack from 30 to 15 riders. As the pace eased Simon Rice and Col Tierney attacked and built a good lead over the next two laps. On the final lap the group finally started chasing, but the lead was too much, with Tierney overpowering Rice to take win. Sam Washington lead the remains of the chasers home a minute later for third.
The second lap of B grade saw five of the strongest riders establish a break, with a number of riders attempting to bridge and the bunch just sitting back. Next lap saw the five increase their lead, a group of six chasers in pursuit and bunch falling further back. The remaining three laps saw the bunch slowly pick up the pace and while they caught the chasers, the five leaders remained clear and fought out the finish. With Mikey Hoskens taking the win, from Gavin Wark second and Matt King third.
in the conditions you would expect a breakaway in men’s A grade. While there was usually one, two or three riders just off the front of the bunch. There was always riders willing to chase, the high pace did a lot of damage and at the bell less than half the 30 starters remained at the front. With a kilometre or so to go, it looked like a bunch sprint, until track pursuit specialist Oliver Bleddyn attacked. Bleddyn held on to take the win. Stephen Hall chased hard for second, with Simon Winston taking third.
Women’s A grade had prime sponsored by the Amateur Hour Podcast for the first rider to cross the line on the second lap, this saw Kirstie Robson jump clear of the pack to claim the prize. Robson was joined in the break by Olesya Alutina and the pair built up a good lead. With two laps to go, the pair had close to a minute over the now animated chasers. The pace and the wind took it’s told, with a lap to go Alutina was solo with a small lead from the chasers which now included Robson. A couple of kilometres later, it was all together, and while there was a couple of strong solo efforts, the race ended in a bunch sprint with Dharlia Haines first, Isla Carr second and 2018 Singaporean National Champion Jer Ling Serene Lee third. The Peel District Cycling Club would like to thank Lakes Bikes in Cockburn for providing prizes for the womens race.