With the trophy races now coming thick and fast, another of the testing 60km handicap races was ridden by 15 riders on Sunday May 22 on the Dajarra Road.

An overcast day that bore little wind were the conditions that greeted the peloton as they set off once again in handicap format on the single carriageway of the Dajarra Road.

A nice group of four departed with the start of the clock – Frank Long, Tony Sweeney, Derek Skora and Lyn Roughan and a hot pace was set immediately. 

Linda French and Tony Cridland had to wait four minutes before departing.  A long seven minute gap then ticked by before David Knight and Denis Piltz turned a pedal, followed at 13 and half minutes by a trio of Clayton Green, Matthys Labuschagne and Doug Humphries. 

John Braithwaite and Mick Palmer were once again packmates at 15:30 and the back of the field left at 17 minutes flat as defending champion Les Rayner and Cloncurry Rider Danny Walker set off.

With the wind and conditions near on perfect, the front markers worked very hard to lift their average knowing that to have any chance they needed to keep a healthy gap well into the race. 

Frank Long in particular rode like a demon driving his pack mates to keep pedalling harder.  At 36km Roughan drifted off leaving the trio screaming towards the line.

Back in the field French was riding a solo 50km journey, having dropped Cridland at 10km on the only significant hill. 

A group of five had formed between groups three and four and this was where the speed and fastest time of the day came from. 

Unfortunately Braithwaite and Palmer and Walker and Rayner were unable to form up into a super back marker group and although the backmarkers made up time, without any sign of bridging over to the front groups the impetus went out of the chase.

Meanwhile the front trio kept their pact and worked together until the final sprint, with Long leading out Sweeney to take the honours and Skora in third. 

Labuschagne took the best time of the day at 1:39:38.

The Scarborough Family Shield was run from the far turn point of the 60km race with Denise Walker setting out eight minutes in front of Clare Lehmann. 

With both women having to time trial, Lehmann swept past Walker and crossed the line in 1:14:16 with Walker crossing just under five minutes later.

This Saturday is the Ride of Silence – a memorial ride that takes place world wide that acknowledges and remembers those who have been killed or injured whilst riding. 

Leaving at to Overlander Car Park at 9:30 am (be there by 9:15 am), a very slow pace will be kept enabling all riders to complete the 15km route in complete silence through the streets of Mount Isa. 

Next official race is the Presidents Trophy 60km Handicap to be ridden on a double loop course on the Camooweal Road from the War Memorial stop on the way to Camooweal on June 5. 

There is a one loop 30km option for C Grade.

Check details on the club Facebook page – Copper City Cycling Club Mount Isa for upcoming training rides.

For all enquiries please email coppercitycyclingclub@gmail.com.