With the criterium season coming to close, Peel District Cycling Club raced the Smeaton Way circuit in Rockingham on Sunday for the final time this season. The Smeaton Way circuit has reputation for being windy and the weather did not disappoint, with a howling tailwind down the finishing straight. However, this meant a block headwind on the back straight which made breakaways challenging and once riders were off the back of the group they stayed off the back.
E grade was first group away and stayed together, until two laps to go when Jenny Sammons attacked, stayed away and took a solo win. Jaco Nel took the bunch sprint for second and first male rider, Alicia Reynolds was third closely followed by the third female finisher Mari Turner.
D grade saw a few attacks, a few riders out the back, but the bunch was together approaching the bell, for the final lap Campbell McDowell attacked, the combination of junior gearing and a tailwind, which saw McDowell pedalling really fast to try and gap the older riders. The attack was unsuccessful and it the bunch sprint. Marty Hickey took the win, with Sam Castle also racing on junior gears taking second and Caleb Datson third.
The juniors then took to the circuit for their 10 minutes and one lap race. Charlotte Khorshid rode away to take the win, Declan Dyer out sprinted Charlie Alcock for second, with Olivia Janjetic was not far behind.
There were more attacks in C grade, breakaways formed and were brought back. The bunch was altogether with two laps to go when the sole women in the race Belinda Alcock attacked. Next lap Alcock lead had grown to almost 200 metres. Rounding the final corner Alcock was still in the lead, the margin had shrunk and the bunch was chasing hard. Jeff Choate launched out of the bunch and caught Alcock on the line to claim the win. Thomas Crigan was third, with Samuel Paulin fourth and the third male finisher.
Due to lower than usual numbers, A and B grade raced together. This was a baptism by fire for B grade riders. While there is only a small difference in average speed between the two grades, there is significant difference in the intensity. In the average B grade race, the average speed would be around 42kph, with a fast lap around 45kph and a slow lap 40kph. With A grade the average would be 44kph, but a fast lap would exceed 50kph and a slow lap under 35kph.
A few B grade riders paid the price and got dropped as A grade riders drove the pace. When the pace eased a rider would attack, both A and B graders took turns off the front, but they all got reeled back in. In the bunch sprint it was all A graders with Brecht Van Gastel first, Kye Bonser second and Wade Longworth third. Jeremy Smith was the first B grade finisher, Mikey Hoskens second and Clinton Carlyle third. Eva Czislowski was the first female finisher and Rachael Wales second.
