The Peel District Cycling Club returned to Garden Island for the second time. With road works, there were changes to the course, the most significant was racing in the reverse direction and the accompanying right turns, which are normally rare in races.
Women and men of similar ability ride together, even though there are in seperate races. Which often see women and men work together for mutual benefit and other times even though they are not directly racing against each other, be very competitive. This was the case in D grade when Harry Alcock, Sophie McPhail and Leslie Hoops broke away and worked together to get a good gap. In the sprint Alcock was first across the line by a narrow margin from McPhail who won the women’s race ahead of Hoops and Turi Innes-Manning. Kit Boulton was the second in the mens race and Jaco Nel third.
The D grade saw the bunch split, reform, split again and reform again. Just when it looked like a bunch sprint finish, Leon McGough launched an attack with less than half a lap to go and held on for victory. Lachlan O’Brien and Greg Buchanan lead the chasers home for second and third. Donna Dixon won the women’s race from Cayle Berman.
C grade was a tactical race, at least for the 12 women who made up a third of the field. Two of the strongest women’s teams, attempted to split the race. When this did not happen, the leading women riders marked each other out, so in the bunch sprint, even though they finished mid pack, less than 0.1 second separated Teneal Attard who took the win, from Mikayla Smith second and Scarlett Sibbel third. At the front B grade bound Robert Kidnie took another impressive win, from Keith Prevost, with Andrew Crack third.
B grade was simply a race of attrition. With a headwind down the long straight, if you lost time in the technical section before the start finish line, you never got back on. It was not only individuals riders getting dropped, but groups of riders. After 40 minutes of racing, half the riders were in the front bunch, with the rest spread around the course. Doug Stewart led out of the final corner and sprinting first, but at the line it was Matthew Wardynec first, Jack Dohler second and Kye Bonser third. Also in the main bunch was the top three in the women’s race with Kate Nelligan first, Amanda Nabi second and Marion Bundt third.
A grade started with the usual breakaway forming, being chased back, counter attack going away, then after 15 minutes of racing breakaway specialist Patrick Sacanni-Williams was alone at the front. The gap was never consistent, however, Sacanni-Williams made sure the gap was enough so that after 50 minutes of racing he took a solo victory. Stephen Hall took the bunch sprint ahead of Nick Bolt.