Club Races
Limit by
a Whisker
Rifle Butts Short Course Handicap
Monday 21st March 2010
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Les
and Meg |
Strong, gusty westerly winds greeted
cyclists on Sunday morning as they tackled Horsham’s
Rifle Butts circuit over 47km.
Such conditions normally
favored the back markers, but Meg Parnaby and Les Power
used their 11 minute handicap to set up a good lead.
Further
back 7 minute markers Tom Elderidge, Tony Rathgeber
and Peter Mayo found the going tough, and were in sight
of 3 minute markers Gerard O’Brien, Stuart King
and Daryl Elliott on Rifle Butts Rd.
However, strong
riding by Danny Monaghan and Sean Prins had brought
fellow scratch markers Tim Schneider and Drew Heard
up to the middle markers, with the three groups combining
as they passed the quarry with about 10km to go.
A
high speed chase after the two front markers ensued,
but Parnaby and Power were showing great form to hold
the chasing riders at bay. At the finish, the chasing
bunch fell 50 metres short of catching the leaders,
with Power and Parnaby crossing the line together,
with the finisher unable to separate them.
King won
the bunch sprint for 3rd with Monaghan taking out fastest
time of 1 hour 12 minutes 26 seconds, averaging and
impressive 39.5km/hr in very trying conditions.
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