Outsiders steal top place
A COLD and showery Saturday was a major change for racing for this road season for the Leongatha Cycling Club.
However, there was a good quality field assembled, bolstered by several Warragul Club riders as they tackled the race from Outtrim, Kongwak, Lance Creek, Wattle Bank and back to Outtrim.
The course includes just substantial climbs and plenty of flat to undulating roads along with a stiff westerly wind.
The classy scratch duo of Stuart Smith and Brett Franklin had a major task ahead as they had Austin Timmins, Thomas McFarlane and Harrison McLean on two minutes with another tough quartet on four minutes.
There was another handy bunch on seven minutes.
Out front there was a duo on ten minutes, a trio on 12 minutes and Robyn Baker (Warragul) and Graham Jans on 20 minutes.
After six kilometres at the T intersection on the Korumburra Road above Kongwak, Robyn Baker had already left Graham Jans behind whilst the chasing trio had not made up any ground.
The scratch duo had almost grabbed a minute from the several bunches just ahead of them but the two minute gaps meant most grabs were out of site of the chasers.
By the time the field was heading along Lynnes Road through Wattle Bank the riders could see the others heading up the road.
The tail wind meant it was hard to close the gaps.
It all came unstuck for the seven minute bunch at the turn from the Inverloch Road onto Stewarts Road and the run back to Outtrim as they broke the road rules and cut the corner using a left turn lane.
Whilst they made it through to the finish with just 13 seconds on the nearest chaser they were disqualified by the race referee.
Just after the turn they picked up Robyn Baker and towed her through to the finish and that enabled her to claim the win.
At the turn there was a large bunch of eight riders still chasing hard and trying desperately to stay away from the scratch duo who were just 500 metres adrift with five kilometres still to race.
Austin Timmins did a big effort and dragged the bunch through until the uphill drag from the bridge to the finish line by the reserve.
He kept this going and got to within around 13 seconds of the leaders and lost his other bunch members in the process.
As it eventuated with the referee’s intervention he ended up second.
Next in was Will Lumby (four minutes) just edging out Harrison McLean, then it was Allan McCulloch (Warragul) and Clem Fries both from the four minute bunch.
In another good ride Oliver McLean came in seventh (10 minutes) as he dropped his co-marker on the first climb and raced a lot of the race on his own.
Tom McFarlane was eighth just ahead of Stuart Smith who was ninth and had the fastest time of 59.32 minutes.
The scratch duo was pedalling between 40 and 50 kph for most of the race and just 30 seconds from getting up for the win. Rounding out the top 10 was Brett Franklin.
The B Grade riders raced over 20km, out and back twice, along Stewarts Road.
Last week’s winner, Thomas Bouquet, started on scratch with Thomas Fitzgerald and they had Kaleb Jans, Greg Bradshaw and Felicity Waddell on one minute.
At three minutes there was a duo of Zach Stubbs-Taylor and Jack Allen, Harry Herbert on six minutes and Sulli Herbert on 10 minutes.
The scratch duo worked well and picked up the one minute trio along with chasing down the rest of the field and should have produced the winner.
However, it is a steep pinch up from the Powlett River bridge to the finish and Kaleb Jans jumped away and opened up a six second gap to take out the win from Thomas Fitzgerald (also fastest time) and Thomas Bouquet.
Next home was Zach Stubbs-Taylor followed by Greg Bradshaw, then Harry Herbert, Felicity Waddell, Jack Allen and Sulli Herbert.
Next week the racing is around the Nerrena-Mardan circuit with the Seniors racing for the George Martin Trophy.
It is also a chance for riders to re-acquaint themselves with the course prior to the long weekend tour session there on the Monday.
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