WITH the popularity of the recent shotgun start, the Mount Gambier Cycling Club once again took to the Caves Rd course for a 20km shotgun start race on the weekend.
A solid field of 16 riders greeted the Commissaire for the pre-ride briefing and covering the full 20km distance was Matthew Opperman and Ash Herrewyn.
They had to chase down five strong groups but in the end were unable to bridge the gap.
Starting 1.5kms ahead was the group of Robert Mann, Malcolm Tirabassi, Colin Weatherill and Gerard Coote, with Bruce McLaughlin, John Cranwell and Richard Schilling starting a further 500m ahead, providing a tantalising target from the start.
The front groups began with Harry Opperman and Jen Buckland 4.9kms in front of the back markers, Michael Dethmore and Jason Buckland a further 500m ahead and the rabbit group of young Jami Buckley, with Spek Peake and Mike Bakker providing encouragement, needing to race 13.2kms.
By the turnaround with 10kms to go, the race was beginning to tighten and the racers were able to gauge their efforts to try and catch the group in front.
The front group worked well and in the end kept themselves away for the whole race, with Buckley taking the win.
The groups of Harry Opperman and Jen Buckland, Michael Deathmore and Jason Bucklan joined with four kilometres to go.
They attempted to hold off the big group of McLaughlin, Schilling, Weatherill, Coote, Tirabassi and Mann.
Harry Opperman managed to hold off the fast-finishing group to finish second but Deathmore was caught right at the line by Mann who grabbed the final spot on the podium.
Next Sunday we will revert to a more traditional handicap format for a 20km race along Caves Road.
