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Club Races
Elliott Wins at Polkemmet
Polkemmet Road Handicap
Sunday 13th February 2011
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Daryl
Elliott |
Horsham cyclist Daryl Elliott took
out the tough Grampians Vets 54km Polkemmet Road handicap
last Sunday, in an eventful race which left a trail
of riders along the road.
Light winds greeted the riders
at the start, but increased as the race went on, adding
an extra degree of difficulty, particularly to the
stretch along Lake Road past Lake Natimuk.
Les Power
and Merv Thompson headed off with a 19 minute lead
over scratch, pursued by Meg Parnaby and Peter Mayo
five minutes later.
These two groups came together
38 kilometres later, with Parnaby and Mayo breaking
free soon afterwards to make a bid for home.
Six minute
riders Tony Lloyd, Tom Eldridge, Andrew Reid and Damian
Rabl found the head wind stretch past Lake Natimuk
testing, allowing the 3 minute riders Crystal Wemyss,
Daryl Elliott and Peter Parnaby to gain rapidly. Shortly
afterwards, these two bunches came together at about
30 kilometres into the race, becoming a larger and
much more powerful group.
Further back, the scratch
riders had suffered the loss of powerhouse Sean Prins
early due to a puncture, leaving an impossible task
for Peter Wemyss and Drew Heard to reel in the riders
ahead.
Turning back onto Polkemmet Road for
the return journey, the combined 3 and 6 minute riders
worked well together until Lloyd punctured crossing
a stretch of road under repair, then gradually riders
dropped off over the hills to leave a small group of
Elliott, Eldridge, Crystal Wemyss and Peter Parnaby
bearing down on Meg Parnaby and Peter Mayo, who were
still out in front.
The two leading riders were finally
overtaken with about 10 kilometres to go, with Daryl
Elliott going on to take out the sprint from Tom Eldridge
and Crystal Wemyss.
Elliott also recorded the fastest
race time of 1 hour and 30 minutes, an average of 36kph.
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