Torquay Criterium has super-tight finish

THE first Torquay Criterium has been run and won, with cyclists racing on a closed road circuit in Torquay North on Saturday.

JM Homes Surf Coast sponsored the criterium, donated race sprint primes and cash prizes for the winners, and also ran a barbecue that raised money for charity.

The debut event – held on a circuit comprising Castles Drive, Beacon Boulevard, Boneyards Avenue and Sawmills Way – was the fourth race in the Geelong Cycling Club’s Summer Crit Series.

Competing in six grades (including a social criterium), cyclists lapped the circuit for a specified number of minutes and then raced to be the first rider to finish the final lap.

Jared Bailey won the A Grade race with a time of 43 minutes 54.361 seconds, getting across the line less than a hundredth of a second ahead of Tim Bennett (43:54.423).

The other race winners were:

• B Grade – Ashleigh Leone (38.56.808)
• C Grade – Adrien Limsowtin (28:39.307)
• D Grade – Kellen Harper (28:31.558)
• Junior – Fraser Clark (24:28.666).

For more information on Geelong Cycling Club events, head to geelongcycling.com.