RACE 10 brought us to the climax of Mount Gambier Cycling Club Spring Racing Season, the Mt. Sinai Road through Dry Creek to Donovans and return, being arguably the toughest course on the race calendar and only fitting to round out the season.<\/p>\n
This will also culminate in the final placings for the Spring Point Score with the top three placings still up for grabs although Spek Peake had a strong strangle hold on the top spot at the completion of Race 9, but as they say anything can happen in racing, and it\u2019s not over until the fat lady sings.<\/p>\n
Only nine Mount Gambier Cycling Club riders nominated for Race 10, as a number of the club\u2019s junior riders were taking part in the Junior State Titles.<\/p>\n
If the course was not going to be hard enough riders were greeted by strong 30km\/hr WSW winds gusting to 50km\/hr and a light sprinkle of rain just prior to start time.<\/p>\n
This didn\u2019t seem to concern the riders as they went about their pre-race warmup as bragging rights and valuable points were on the line for the season point score crown.<\/p>\n
John Cranwell officiated as a riding Commissaire with Lee Cranwell taking on official timing duties.<\/p>\n
The usual limit bunch of Spek Peak and Porridge Dethmore came to the line but this week with the addition of John Cranwell to give the bunch another pair of legs and add some extra strength on the rolling hills of the course.<\/p>\n
Lee gave them their riding orders at the start line and the race was underway.<\/p>\n
After a gap of four minutes 30 seconds the second limit bunch of Phil Stasiw, Troy Mustey and the ever strong John DePree came to the line and went off in pursuit of the bunch ahead.<\/p>\n
Next to the line was the second scratch bunch which consisted of lone rider Chris Neave who would certainly have his work cut out for him today waiting a further one minute 30 seconds before he could take to the course, to try and chase down the bunches ahead of him. Last to the line was the scratch bunch of Craig Andrae and Morgan Mutch.<\/p>\n
They had now given up a total of eight minutes and 30 seconds to the first bunch on course as Lee counted them down and sent them on their way.<\/p>\n
It is close to 5km from the start line to the first right hand turn on to Princess Margaret Rose Caves Road and even at this early stage of the race John Cranwell had made his presence felt in the limit bunch and was pushing a very strong pace with first Spek and then shortly after Porridge not being able to hold his pace.<\/p>\n
As he made the first right hand turn, he had opened a gap of about 30 seconds on Porridge and 60 seconds over Spek.<\/p>\n
Stasiw, Mustey and DePree were maintaining good bunch speed and working well together and as they rounded the first right hand turn they had made up ground on Cranwell of about 30 seconds as they could see Spek\u2019s rear flashing tail light off in the distance.<\/p>\n
Neave was next to the turn and was holding a good pace and had closed the gap to second limit by 30 seconds. Mutch and Andrae also working well together over the first 5km and had closed on Neave by 30 seconds as they rounded the first bend.<\/p>\n
All bunches were trying to take advantage of the blustery and swirling wind on the first part of the course as they were heading east, but now that they had made the first right hand turn all bunches were heading south and were subjected to a head\/cross wind coming in from the WSW direction.<\/p>\n
As the bunches worked hard heading towards Dry Creek and passed the Caves turn off to their left, the real challenge begins after this point with a series of rolling hills each building in length and steeper gradients before they make a sharp right hand turn and then a short sharp descent into Dry Creek where speeds will eclipse 60km\/hr at the valley.<\/p>\n
The riders are then hit with a short sharp climb that will take speeds back to walking pace making the riders rapidly change gears from heaviest to easiest and stand on the pedals to get to the top of the sharp rise.<\/p>\n
If they miss a gear change it can end the rider\u2019s race such is the steepness of the climb.<\/p>\n
It was through the downhill section of Dry Creek that the second limit bunch caught and passed Spek as riders tried to find the safest and quickest path down the descent and through the valley as they passed him.<\/p>\n
At this point Mustey lost touch briefly with his fellow bunch members and had to adjust tempo to try to catch back on to the back of his bunch.<\/p>\n
Luckily for Mustey at the top of the sharp rise there is a sharp left hand turn and then a further long rise of much lesser gradient which allowed Mustey to regain some composure and make the catch back onto Stasiw and DePree\u2019s wheel and get a much needed break.<\/p>\n
Neave was the next to pass through Dry Creek without incidence and then following hard behind were Andrae and Mutch.<\/p>\n
Cranwell was the first to the turnaround in Donovans and was still holding a good gap before he started back into the rolling hills on his return trip to Dry Creek.<\/p>\n
The second limit bunch rounded the turnaround intact, and shortly after passed Porridge on the steep uphill sections on the outward journey just before the Donovans rubbish tip.<\/p>\n
Neave was the next to the turnaround.<\/p>\n
Having seen the bunches heading back to Dry Creek he could judge how much time he needed to make up to catch them as he headed back into the rolling hills on his return journey to Dry Creek.<\/p>\n
Andrae was the next to the turnaround about 50m ahead of Mutch, but Mutch worked hard to re-catch Andrae and keep his race alive as they started back into the rolling hills.<\/p>\n
Spek was now last to make the turnaround and started the long return trip to Dry Creek and then to the finish line 15km away.<\/p>\n
All bunches were working hard through the rolling hills and the Dry Creek danger zone of sharp turns, steep descents and ascents then into the next series of rolling hills and as they passed by the Caves Road turnoff John Cranwell was still moving well and holding a gap of approximately two minutes over the second limit bunch with Porridge the next to pass with Neave right on his tail ready to make the catch and pass with about one minute 45 seconds to the bunch of Stasiw, Mustey and DePree ahead of him.<\/p>\n
It was Andrae and Mutch that was now working with more intensity and were closing in on Neave and had reduced that gap to just less than a minute when they passed the Caves Rd intersection.<\/p>\n
All bunches made the turn back on to Caroline Road holding their positions, but the gaps were now starting to close more rapidly as all bunch\u2019s legs were now tiring as they were starting the last 5km back into a head wind.<\/p>\n
Neave was the first to be caught by the faster moving scratch bunch of Andrae and Mutch with about 3km to the finish line, Neave jumped onto the back of the bunch and started to work with them to try to catch the second limit bunch ahead.<\/p>\n
Cranwell was working with all he could muster, emptying what he had left in the tank to keep the chasers at bay and with the finish line coming into sight, and a quick look over his shoulder he realised he had done enough and sailed unchallenged over the line for a great solo win after breaking away at the 3km mark.<\/p>\n
The second limit bunch were still working hard but the scratch bunch were now chasing harder with the merged stronger three man bunch finding an extra gear and their pace had lifted as they were closing on the line.<\/p>\n
The line approached too quickly for the positions to change and the second limit started to jostle for position with Stasiw outdoing DePree for the line followed closely by Mustey and then about 20 seconds behind came the scratch bunch with Andrae out sprinting Mutch by less than quarter of a wheel and then Neave about five seconds behind and then followed a couple of minutes later by Porridge and then shortly after by Spek.<\/p>\n
Showing great camaraderie some of the riders rode back out and then rode to the finish line with Spek.<\/p>\n
What a great way to finish a really tough race and an epic season, with eight different winners from 10 races with only two riders achieving a double win.<\/p>\n
Organisers would like to thank the Race 10 sponsor, Mount Gambier Cycling Club with representative Lee Cranwell making the presentations at the race site to the three place getters and fastest time.<\/p>\n
Hope to see all riders out next year for the 2026 Summer Series. Starting 1 February at 9:00am for Race 1, Yahl, Out & Back, = 25km.<\/p>\n