Club Races
Clark Leads Scratchmen's Charge
Concongella Campbells Bridge Handicap
Sunday 19th September 2010

	Shane Clark

Ararat cyclist Shane Clark was the powerhouse behind the scratch riders when they swept through the entire field to take out the Grampians Vets 53 kilometre Concongella/Campbells Bridge handicap, held last Sunday.

Raced over a new course, the riders left Concongella and headed out to Greens Creek, veered left and cut back to Campbells Bridge, before returning to Concongella through the outskirts of Stawell.

Having recently upped his training regime in preparation for the Grampians Open in November, Clark is starting to hit some form, and together with Sean Prins and Dean Hayward had rounded up the 4 minute riders by the half way mark.

Such was the pace that the 4 minute riders Crystal Wemyss, Alan Barnett and Daryl Elliott could not stay with them, and soon dropped off.

Meanwhile the 8 minute riders Stuart King, Tony Rathgeber and Peter Mayo were in hot pursuit of the limit riders Meg Parnaby and John McIntyre, and finally caught them on the leg back to Stawell, with about 15 kilometres to go.

A few race photos - Click the images to enlarge Names are from left to right.

Alan, Crystal, Daryl Meg and John Shane, Sean, Dean Tony R , Stuart Stuart, Tony, Meg

On the long uphill stretch into Stawell, the scratch riders caught the combined leading bunch, charging past them with only King able to handle the pace and hitch a ride.

In the sprint to the line, Clark was once again too strong, and took out the race and fastest time ahead of Sean Prins and Dean Hayward.