With racing stalled in the past few months, without a commissaire available to officiate at each race event as required by Cycling Queensland, seven members of the club put up their hands to undertake study and accreditation to attain Level One Club Commissaire qualifications.

Frank Long, Steve Carson, Max Shawcross, Natalie Palmer, Robert Blythe, Allan Woode and Lyn Roughan were put through testing by Queensland Cycling assessor Greg Bates. This took place over two events - a criterium or street circuit took place on Saturday afternoon and a 40 km known handicap road race on Sunday morning.

Seven C-grade riders were first off the mark at the mineside criterium circuit on Saturday afternoon. With warm conditions and light winds, conditions were ideal for racing. Riders raced for a timed 15 minutes plus two laps, circuiting the street block, while some of the trainee commissaires took control of the race under the supervision of Chief Commissaire, Greg Bates. Natalie Palmer registered a win over Dennis Potter, having dispatched the remainder of the field through strong riding. Palmer's time of 17.17.09 saw a victorious return to the club for Natalie.

The combined A and B field was a hotly contested 20 minutes plus two laps, with A Grader Brendan Seal leading the field off for the first few laps at a strong pace. B-grade Rider Linda French was the first to be dropped, followed eight minutes later by Lyn Roughan who couldn't manage the increase in tempo when A-grader Max Shawcross took the lead on the front of the bunch. As the race wore on, the pace was relentless, and Dave Knight was dispatched off the back towards the end of the 20 minutes. When the whistle blew for the last lap, the pace increased further. Disaster for Rob Blythe on the final corner, as his back tyre disintegrated under the pressure of a full sprint and he hit the bitumen. Blythe only required stiches to a gash in his knee but was covered in road rash. No result was recorded as all riders pulled over immediately to assist where they could.

Sunday morning saw a small but determined field turn up for the first official road race in many months. With all club commissaires passing the accreditation process, guest commissaire Glen Bates officiated at the event. The Val and Joe DiLegge Memorial trophy race was a fitting return to racing for the club. Val and Joe owned a bike shop in Mount Isa for many years, and were credited with helping many a novice get started in cycling over the years. Unfortunately, both stalwarts of the Mount Isa cycling community passed away within a year of each other and the Copper City Cycling Club acknowledges their significant contribution to the cycling community by holding the annual event.

The format of the 40 km race on the Camooweal Road is a known handicap. This involves all riders starting together after handicap times are read out to riders prior to the start. A-graders Max Shawcross and Brendan Seal were given a scratch or nil handicap and new rider Lynda Jones the largest handicap of 12min 30 secs. The remainder of the bunch were at various times in between according to ability and recent riding form.

A known handicap usually means a fast start off the line, as those with the lesser handicaps need to immediately start clawing back precious minutes. Shawcross, Seal, Ron Pickering, Lyn Roughan and Rory French formed a bunch briefly at a furious pace from the blow of the whistle. Roughan and French were quickly tailed off due to high speed. A chasing bunch consisting of Dennis Potter, Linda French and Tony Sweeney pursued the pair, and they both succumbed at George Fisher Mine and joined to make a pack of five. Blustery winds did not assist the bunch with the race against the clock, to try to remain ahead of their handicap against the A-grade pack. Meanwhile, Lynda Jones who was supported by an injured Frank Long, continued to pedal strongly with a good possibility of winning with a handsome handicap.

At the front of the race, Shawcross and Seal managed to unhitch a determined Ron Pickering before the turn at 20 km, leaving Pickering to battle into the fierce headwind solo. The chasing pack had swindled to four before the turn, and the internal tussle between riders commenced. With mother and son duo, Linda and Rory French both having a 5:30 handicap, Dennis Potter with 8:00, Lyn Roughan who only had 3:30 had to continue to attack to weaken or dispose of her rivals. Potter suffered a puncture, leaving only the two French's to be unhitched by Roughan's surges into the headwind. Linda French was disposed off on the last incline, with a determined surge by Roughan. Under 17 rider Rory was not such an easy task and Rory and Roughan made a pact to not attack and work strongly together to make good pace to increase their chances against the A-graders.

Seal is quickly becoming a sprint legend in the club and was the first rider across the line ahead of Shawcross in a time of 1:15:24 - 3 seconds clear with Pickering weakening in the second half of the race to come in 4 minutes later with an adjusted time of 1:18:54. It was now a waiting game for Seal until the other riders crossed with the line, and handicaps applied against their race time.

Despite the handicaps, the strong ride by Seal saw him victorious by 4 seconds to Shawcross and third place rider Rory French, whose adjusted time of 1:15:41 saw him come within 17 seconds of victory.

Copper City Cycling Club would like to invite all riders back to racing now that the official obligations have been signed for a return to proper racing.

n A race calendar will be issued shortly and if you would like more information regarding racing including membership, please contact Jenny Potter via email at jgtfpot1@tpg.com.au.