Winning Ways! Reed All About It
Eureka Cycling staged a handicap on the time honoured Windmill circuit on Sunday 16th October. This was a bonus event for club members, which only came about after the Victorian Road Cycling Championships at Burrumbeet were cancelled due to last week’s flood event - leaving the date open for the local club to race.
Thank you to our volunteer race day team, who were able to deliver the event with precision!
Road marshals - Rick Calvert and Julie Connellan
Commissaires - Bill Goldfinch and Graeme Parker
Club house - Lois Goldfinch
Media - Steve Crowe and Peter Livitsanis
The Windmill circuit (east of Learmonth) was in reasonable state, with no debris and just the usual amount of pot holes...
Eighteen riders pinned on numbers as the cloud cover thinned out to realise a cool, yet pleasant sunny Sunday morning.
Jennifer Collier set off at 19 minutes as the lone Limit rider, with just a three minute gap on Sharon Boyd, Geoff Edwards and Dennis Shaw, who rolled away from the start line at 16 minutes.
Luke Taylor was welcomed back to racing in the 10 minute group, which also comprised Darryn Reed - who had been pushed out with instructions to pull on the front but not to ride away. Peter Lamb and Peter Livitsanis made up the quartet and both men were very happy to have two such strong engines in their group.
Jason Birch, Tony Mirabella and Dean Wells rode off at 6 minutes, which may seem like a luxury, but heralded that some powerful riders were making up the back half of the field.
Second Scratch saw Stu Brien and Dayne Pearce join forces with half the Lake Health contingent - Jarrod King and Paul Tabbitt. These powerhouses enjoying a two minute gap on the Scratch trio which consisted of Ash Braszell and the other half of the Lake Health contingent - Shane Nankervis and Michael Pierce.
Time gains out on the course were hard won, with a constant south westerly breeze effectively nullifying the race. It assisted riders along Sulky Road past the quarry and on Coghill’s Creek Road through Blowhard, then was strong enough to be annoying on the rest of the circuit. This gave the larger groups a slight advantage and they were the only real movers on the day...
Mid race and Jennifer was gradually losing metres to Sharon and Shaw. Edwards had fallen off their pace, yet still forged onwards.
The 10 minute group was moving well. Reed was happy to be at the head of the donkey, rather than the tail this week and complied diligently with the handicapper's instructions.
Smooth track turns and longer pulls by Taylor and Reed saw the bunch averaged over 36 Kph and promised to put the bunch in with a chance of the win.
The six minute group was going ok, however they only caught glimpses of riders in the distance - both up the road and behind them.
Meanwhile, Second Scratch was hammering along and taking time out of the 6 minute group and pulling away from the Scratch trio!
All said and done, this was one of those days where almost everyone was having a good ride. With each bunch riding smartly, the numbers would tell the story...
Final lap! Despite their speed, the 10 minute group didn't see the front of the race until the last time through Blowhard. They caught and passed Jennifer as they raced up the rise towards Crick’s Road. The new race leaders - Sharon and Shaw - were just ahead as the 10 minute men increased their pace to rocket past.
Whoosh! Shaw made the back wheel, Sharon didn't. The new race leaders power on...
Back at Blowhard, Second Scratch roars past the 10 minute group. Birch, Mirabella and Wells all make it aboard the express train. At the front of the pack it’s one hammer after another - Tabbitt - Brien - Pearce - King - boom, boom, boom, boom...
The race leaders approach the final corner, where a gust of wind and a flick of wheels sees Shaw onto the gravel. He recovers and is able to stay in touch.
The little rise on Donovan’s Road gives the slightest reprieve from the wind, but increases the fatigue just that much.
Lamb is suffering and when Taylor decides to up the tempo (in the 53x11 if you don’t mind!) Lamb calls it quits.
The race is down to four chances as they race inside the 2 Km to go mark. Further back down the road Second Scratch catches sight of the riders ahead. Tabbitt goes into full pursuit mode, stretching many rubber bands in the process...
Taylor attacks again as they climb towards the highpoint on Donovan’s Road. Reed and Shaw dig really deep to grab his wheel. Livitsanis loses precious metres, however once over the top of the final rise the pace eases and he makes his way back into the fold.
With the finish line in sight and nothing behind them, the four men settle for a sprint.
Taylor and Reed are on the front, almost side by side. Shaw has Reed’s wheel and Livitsanis is on Taylor’s wheel.
Reed jumps with 300 metres to go. Shaw is right on him and the two shoot a few bike lengths clear before Taylor finally finds his sprinting gear...
But its all two late, Reed has a commanding lead and sails across the line in first place! Shaw is locking up nearing the line but has enough to hold off a fast finishing Livitsanis, with Taylor just behind.
Second Scratch sense they are in with a chance for Fastest Time. They’re only 500 metres from the line when Tabbitt goes to the front yet again and drives towards the flag.
Brien, King and Pearce are all planning their sprints as the metres tick down. They launch almost as one, with King taking the final prizes.
Windmill Handicap (52.5 km) results:
1st - Darryn Reed (10 min)
2nd - Dennis Shaw (16 min)
3rd - Peter Livitsanis (10 min)
4th - Luke Taylor (10 min)
5th - Jarrod King (2 min)
Fastest Time: Jarrod King (2 min) in 1h 20m, ave. 39.8 Kph