Club Races
Danny does it Again!
Concongella Handicap, Sunday 9th November 2008

	Danny Monaghan

Grampians Vets cyclist Danny Monaghan took out his second race in 3 weeks last Sunday when he sprinted to victory in the 46km Concongella handicap.

Monaghan, along with fellow 6 minute riders Sean Prins and Tom Eldridge, had reeled in the limit riders Meg Parnaby, Shauna Heard, Les Power, Tania Walter and Frank Stokes after the first leg out to Joel Joel.

This combined group then made good time across to Greens Creek, taking advantage of the almost perfect riding conditions.

Meanwhile, backmarkers Ian Blackie, Frank Kean, Rick McIntosh, Drew Heard and Gerard O’Brien had worked hard to catch the 2 minute riders Alan Barnett, Tim Schneider and Mark Uebergang halfway between Joel Joel and Greens Creek.

This formidable bunch of riders then upped the pace to catch the 3 and a half minute riders Leon Gibson, Jamie Bennett and Stuart King several kilometres after Greens Creek.

With 5km to go, the leading group of riders still had a good 500m lead, but under the pressure of holding off the fast closing pack behind, the leading bunch started to fragment.

With 2km to go the gap had narrowed to 200m, with several riders breaking away from both the lead and chasing groups. Monaghan, Prins and Eldridge put all they had left into the last hill climb before the finish, and managed to hold their lead with Monaghan just touching out Eldridge for first place in the sprint, with Prins a close third.

Clcik to enlarge

Danny Monaghan leads the combined limit and 6 minute bunches towards Greens Creek.

The large chasing bunch was only 100m behind, with Ian Blackie taking out the fastest race time of 1 hour 10 minutes..