Peel District Cycling Club raced a criterium on Garden Island for the third and final time this season. The circuit saw the riders racing the technical section along docks into a headwind, before turning into the base for tailwind assisted run to the finish line.
The first grade away was E grade, the group stayed together until two laps to go, when James Gray attacked, got clear and claimed the solo victory. The leading trio of women, chased and then split up on the final lap to see Alicia Reynolds the first women’s finisher, with Leslie Hoops send and Mari Turneer third. Jaco Nel the second male finisher was not far behind.
D grade saw a number of riders getting small gaps, but the wind made if difficult to get away, on the final lap two riders managed to get a small gap, but rounding the final corner the leading rider pedal touched, and they crashed taking the rider behind out (only their pride was injured). Resulting in a bunch sprint which was won by Karri Buchanan take the win, followed by the first male finisher Greg Buchanan (no relative), Pieter Nel was the second male finisher, followed by Benjamin Jackson, then Cathy Bush and Donna Dixon.
The juniors then took to the circuit for their race, the bunch stayed together until the third and final lap, in the bunch sprint Casey Berthelsen was first, Stirling Buchanan second and Oscar Barratt third.
C grade saw the first of the primes. Where the first rider across the line, after a whistle has been blown the previous lap wins a prize, this time generously donated by KD Cycles of Rockingham. Andrew Crack took the men’s prime and Annabel Kidd the women’s. With strong winds and a bunch willing to chase, every break attempt was brought back and in the bunch sprint Lachlan Goldie took the win, with Andrew Crack second and Samuel Paulin third. Kidd was the first women finisher followed by Eylse Lambert and Yael Gardener.
It appear that B grade was racing to same formula. Mikey Hoskens fired out of the bunch to take his 6th prime of the season, while Mackenzie Coupland sat on the front of the bunch to bring him back and claim the women’s prime. Then with ten minutes to go, three riders slipped off the front, next lap three more riders joined them. Next lap the six, still had a lead and were shown the two laps to go sign. The breakaway then increased their effort and on the bell had strengthen their lead. The final lap was a race of attrition which saw Mark Claydon take the win, Jack Dohler second and Cadel Adams third. Coupland was the first women finisher, followed by Eva Czislowski and Katrina Mclennan.
You would normally expect a break to form in A grade, the bunch to sit back for a few laps, then chase it down, another attack to go and repeat, until either a break of the strongest riders formed and nobody had the strength left to chase it down or a bunch sprint. Instead it was a race of attack, chase, a break never formed. Cameron Schmid claimed the prime. The with ten minutes to go Steven Hall made an attempt to get off the front. The next two laps saw a number of different riders bridge to Hall, then fall back. With two laps to go Hall was at the front with Austin Webb and Patrick Saccani-Williams. The trio still had a lead at the bell, with the bunch chasing hard. It looked like the remains of the bunch caught the leaders in the final straight, before Hall kicked again and took the win. Andrei Navalov was second, Matthew Wardynec third with Webb forth.
