TWO Mount Gambier Cycling Club girls finished one-two in a 10km Summer Series junior race on Sunday.
Molly Opperman and Freya Miller showed their strength to claim the top positions on the podium from a field of five.
Eddie Buckland was first to begin, followed four minutes later Molly Opperman and Miller, with Jami Buckley with Elmer Buckland heading off with seven minutes on the clock.
By the halfway mark, Eddie Buckland remained in front, with Opperman beginning to draw away from Miller.
Buckley and Elmer Buckland worked together to try to reign in the rest of the racers.
Opperman caught up to Eddie Buckland with the finish line in sight, continuing on to finish first, with Miller sprinting hard to claim second.
Buckley finished fourth with the fastest time, followed by Elmer Buckland.
The senior riders faced a 25km course along Caves Road in almost-ideal conditions.
The southerly breeze tested the 28 riders on the way out, but provided a welcome tail wind home to the finish line.
Greeting the starter first was Jason Buckland, given a seven-minute head start on the rest of the riders as he prepared to time trial all the way to the finish line.
Next to leave was a group of five riders containing Chris O’Donnell and Mark Brooksby in a welcome return to racing, along with Jen Buckland, Pru Riddoch and Shane Fiegert.
After 11 minutes the next group of riders set off, with Jamison Buckley promoted after his victories in the preceding weeks, Spek Peake, Mark Wight, Liam Fielding, Dave Delaland and Michael Dethmore.
They were followed two minutes later by a group of Riley Hill, Bruce McLaughlin, Harry Opperman, Matt Fiegert and John Cranwell.
With 15 minutes already on the clock, Paul Brooker along with Phil Stasiw, Dean Zeven and newcomer to the club Rowan Kruysse, joined the chase, followed three minutes later by the penultimate group of Malcolm Tirabassi, Colin Weatherill and Ash Herrewyn.
Finally, 21 minutes after Jason Buckland had left the start line, the scratch bunch containing Nick Kidman, Dave Bryant, Rob Mann and Matthew Opperman began their chase.
With the headwind leading out to the turnaround point, some riders found it difficult to hold on to the bunch they began with.
Unfortunately once the riders were out of the draft of their fellow competitors, it made for a long, lonely ride to the finish line.
By the halfway mark, Jason Buckland was still leading, but only just holding on before the next group caught him.
The pace picked up on the road back to the finish line, as the tail wind helped the riders along.
Apart from individual riders who had been dropped, each of the groups were working well together and closing in on the groups ahead.
By the finish line the first three groups had joined together and managed to hold on in front of the other three.
Fiegert was the first to begin the sprint down the final hill, but ended up being swamped by the group behind.
In the end it was Brooksby (54:08) who emerged victorious, followed by Hill and Peake to round out the podium.
Kidman won the sprint for fastest time honours (56:21 elapsed, 35:21 race time), despite finishing in 17th position.
As fastest female, Riddoch received a red rose for her efforts and Brooksby was awarded chocolates for his victory.
