Peel District Cycling Club returned to the Alumina Road circuit last Sunday, with an extra event due to popular demand. A junior for race was added to allow riders under the age of 15 who are not confident in racing with older riders, to race against their peers.
This did mean the numbers where down in E grade, as a few regulars decided to race juniors. The result was a fairly conservative race, with the a late attack by Kit Boulton securing the win and first male rider. Jaco Nel was second, narrowly beating Kristeen Hapi into third and first female rider, just ahead of Keely Bunton the second female finisher.
D grade with more riders was a far more attacking race, with Noah Gowland establishing a solo breakaway about halfway through the race and only got chased down at the start of the final lap. In the sprint finish it was Thomas Crigan first, Ade Richardson second and Greg Buchanan third. Closely followed by Alison Duffy and Karri Buchanan the first and second female finishers, Cathy Bush the third female finisher was not far behind.
The junior race was next. Shorter than E grade, it saw some very fast lap times as E grade regular Alexander Gardener attack on the second lap and ride the next two laps alone, faster than E grade to take a solo victory. Stirling Buchanan chased alone to take second and Hunter Murphy was third.
With the largest field of the day 43 riders in C grade, you might of expected aggressive racing. However, after a few tentative attacks, the bunch started circulating at a relatively high pace of 42kph making attacking difficult. The was 41 riders in contention for the bunch sprint which was won by Luke Calum, with Jordan Chamberlin second and Andrew Crack third. Belinda Alcock was the first female finisher, Katrina McLennan second and Annabel Kidd third in a very chaotic finish.
B grade saw lots of attacks, chasing and counter attacks. It quickly became apparent it was the same half dozen riders attacking and trying to form breakaways, another half dozen chasing everything down and twenty riders just waiting for the bunch sprint. In the end it was a bunch sprint with Toby Brown taking the win, Elar Kalda second and Calum Milne third, Amanda Nabi was first female finisher, Jer Ling Serene Lee second and Megan Game third.
A grade saw a flurry of attacks, then suddenly Andrei Navalov was alone off the front and building up a commanding lead. Two of the strongest riders in the race Brecht Van Gastel and Brodie Cullen set off in pursuit of Navalov. The pair inherited the lead, when Navalov’s chain snapped, putting him out of the race. Van Gastel and Cullen continued to build up a lead over the bunch. Van Gastel took the win with a well time sprint, Cullen was second and Mathew Wardenyc, recently promote from B grade took out the bunch sprint for third.
