Club Races
O'Brien Breaks Clear for Win
Horsham - Rifle Butts Short, Sunday 24th May 2009

	Gerard O'Brien

Grampians Vets cyclists tackled Horsham’s Rifle Butts 46km circuit on Sunday, and the strong, blustery north-easterly wind ensured the homeward leg would be a true test of the riders stamina.

Limit riders Meg Parnaby and Tony Rathgeber made the most of their 17 minute advantage to set up a good lead over 9 minute markers Les Power and Peter Mayo

The scratch markers Danny Monaghan, Daryl Elliott and Drew Heard rode at speeds approaching 50km on the downwind leg to Nurrabiel, but made up little ground on 2 minute 30 second markers Alan Barnett, Gerard O’Brien and Sean Prins who had caught Power and Mayo along Rifle Butts Rd and were in pursuit of the limit markers.

Approaching Haven, Rathgeber broke clear of Parnaby in a desperate attempt to hold off the chasing bunch, but was caught with one kilometre remaining.

At this point, O’Brien launched an attack which went unanswered and went on to record a comfortable victory, followed by Prins with Barnett third.