AUSTRALIA Day heralded the first blue ribbon event of the racing year for the cyclists in the Copper City Cycling Club – the Australia Day Criterium.
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Riders signed on for a timed race on the closed-court, half-kilometre track around the Buchanan Park car park in hot conditions in a fast-paced war on pedals.
With the aim of the club to build junior ranks, five new riders signed, swelling numbers enough to justify a separate race.
Race one was a four-lap effort for the youngest juniors. Showing great mettle, three of the four starters had a great showing at the North Queensland Triathlon race only 24 hours before. Tristan Nicholson, Shayla Nicholson, Stephanie Marsh and Natalie Marsh pushed off to cover the distance.
With Tristan a little stronger than the rest of the field, he powered on lapping riders. He finished the four laps in a time of 4:42 to cross well ahead of the next rider - Shayla Nicholson. Third place was well deserved by Stephanie Marsh, and Natalie Marsh deserves an honourable mention for her effort.
With numbers down on last year, it was decided to combine all grades in the senior ranks with C Grade to cover 15 minutes plus one lap and a combined A and B field to push on for 20 minutes before the bell lap making a rolling start for the 16 combined riders.
Once the race was on, it didn’t take long for a sizeable group to hit the gas and leave the other riders gasping for breath behind them. Rory French fancied his chances against the field despite limited training.
John Braithwaite, Matthys Labuschagne, Craig Nicholson, David Knight, Vicki Nicholson, Geoff Marsh and under-17 Brayden Nicholson split the other riders off and powered forth.
There were a number of attacks by the protagonists to try to whittle down the field. Matthys Labuschagne tried his luck a third of the way through the time with a hard turn of speed.
The rest of the peloton were up to the task and brought him back to heel, but he paid the price for these heroics and dropped off the back with Brayden keeping him company.
Next Braithwaite, not so fresh from his triathlon efforts the day before, put in a good solid burn to break from the pack and made some space with others unwilling to take up the chase. Without a partner and with the fatigue in his legs, he was slowly reeled in by the chasers.
It was then a matter of time before the last lap turned into a super test of cornering and acceleration.
With the club championships now a distant memory, French powered through and showed his sprinting prowess to cross first ahead of Nicholson and Marsh covering 21 laps in 21:13 and claiming his place in club history.
Braithwaite was fourth and Knight fifth in a tightly packed surge for the line.
Vicki Nicholson crossed as first B grader. Tony Sweeney, Lyn Roughan and Linda French finished two laps down on the winners.
In the C-grade pack, Jason Ahearn, Allan Wood, Kiri Bunker, Michelle Lee and new junior rider Madeline Ahearn circuited behind in their own battle.
Wood was the first C grader to cross in 16:31, with Bunker second, and Lee taking third place.
Under-17 rider Madeline Ahearn pulled out after several laps with an injury but rode well for her first outing in adult company.
The next race is the second in the Thirty Series on February 8 on the Dajarra Road start. Registrations start at 7 am for race start of 7:30 am. It will be a sealed handicap with handicaps revealed after all riders have finished and the winner calculated.
All enquiries should be directed to coppercitycyclingclub@gmail.com.