29 Oct 2008

The Manning Valley Cycle Club kicked off the criterium season a week later than expected due to poor weather the week prior. The club welcomed new and old members to the 2008/2009 criterium season.

 

The juniors were first away under a handicapped start. Nine juniors started and finished the three lap race with first place going to Jordan Blick in his first ever race. The fast finishing Jahl Nichols off scratch took out fastest time. Strong rides by all of the juniors will see a change in handicapping for next week.

 

First of the senior grades to set the fast paced Kolodong circuit ablaze were A and C grades. A grade was a tough race with Dan Aldridge, Josh Blick and Beau Harper taking their form and fitness from the road season into the criteriums, as it appeared other riders were suffering behind the onslaught. In the penultimate lap Rhett Pattison made a decisive move which saw him gap the bunch by a considerable margin. An effort by Aaron Wooley reeled Pattison back to within striking distance while Aldridge towed Harper and Blick to finish a close second and third to Pattison.

 

C grade also blazed around the Kolodong circuit in this section of the evening’s events. There were also big numbers in C which made for exciting racing. In this race the results saw Karen Hoskings returning to cycling with a show of power taking first from Wilf Alley and Mal Saad.

 

B and D grade were the last events for the night’s proceedings. There were again a mass of numbers in these grades which is a prediction for a strong and exciting season ahead for the club. Unfortunately the weather was not able to hold out for the last two races of the day. This saw Lloyd Ninham the commisaire stop the race after two laps due to the safety concerns on an increasingly wet track.

MANNING VALLEY CYCLE CLUB