Mount Isa's Copper City Cycling Club holds Andy Steffan Handicap Trophy on Dajarra Road

The race was an out and back route starting 1km past the Diamantina Power Station and heading 30km out towards Dajarra. The course is at times undulating, with a deceptively steep hill around the 8km mark, dubbed “heartbreak hill” for obvious reasons.

A northwesterly wind picked up to about 17km/hour right on start time, providing cyclists with a cross headwind for the first half of the race, but allowing a faster, more comfortable return leg.

10 riders fronted up for the 60km event, which you could have mistaken for a ladies race. Just thee men were among the starters, giving the seven local girls a chance to step it up.

Clare Lehmann and Lyn Roughan started at scratch, followed by Bonnie Collins and Vicki Nicholson at 5:30:00 and Kiri Bunker, Linda French and Tammy Green 30 seconds behind. A-grade riders Reece Cooper, David Knight and Matthys Labuschagne left the start line last with a 15-minute handicap. 

The girls wasted no time catching up to one another, with Bunker, French and Green joining Collins and Nicholson within the first five kilometres. The five B-graders stuck together for a few kilometres until Bunker made a move, taking Nicholson and French with her. The gap was widened on the ascent of heartbreak hill with Collins and Green.

Bunker, French and Nicholson were soon in hot pursuit of Lehmann and Roughan. Despite holding what she tells us was a 38km an hour pace, Lehmann was unable to hold on to the pack and was soon left to her own devices. Meanwhile the three A-graders stuck together to catch up with Collins and Green before the turn around. It was also around this point that Labuchagne decided to up the ante, getting a lead on Cooper and Knight who couldn't muster the legs to hang on.

After the turn around the leading ladies bunch split with Bunker and French dropping strong rider Nicholson, proving they’re this seasons duo to beat. Up the back, Lehmann kept a gap between herself and Collins and Green.

The pursuits continued in the final 10 kilometres with Nicholson and Roughan caught by the A-grade trio. Bunker and French managed to keep Labuschagne out until the final 5 kilometres, but Labuschagne proved too strong for the girls, crossing the line first in 1:55:18, 37 seconds ahead of Bunker and French. Cooper crossed two minutes later, with Knight 14 seconds behind.

Nicholson wasn’t far off, making it in under the two hour mark at 1:59:41. Green kept Collins and Lehmann honest to the end.

There’s no CCCC race next weekend due to the Fountain Springs mountain bike race. The next CCCC race will be June 4. This will be a one-way handicapped race starting from the airport and following the Barkly Highway 100km out towards Camooweal. More details to come.