RACE 9 of the Mount Gambier Cycling Club’s Kidman Law Co Spring/Summer series was held on the familiar Caves Road course over 25km on Sunday morning.
The big drawcard was the chance to see Australian track cycling coach Tim Decker in action, with 20 riders lining up.
With some Junior riders involved in a training weekend, their race was not held, with the Seniors keen to get started.
The first group to leave consisted of Jason Buckland, Jen Buckland and Damian Buckley.
They took advantage of the tailwind-assisted ride down to the turnaround to try to keep the other riders at bay.
The next group, which left six minutes later, consisted of Mike Bakker, Madalene Cleary and the young pocket rocket Elmer Buckland.
Following one minute later was a group including Paul Brooker, John Cranwell and Bruce McLaughlin.
A further two minutes later the group consisting of Spek Peake, Craig Andre and Patrick Langsmith were given the orders to begin their chase, followed a further two minutes back by Malcolm Tirabassi, Rob Mann, Jami Buckley and Riley Hill.
The final group to leave had another three minutes to wait – 14 minutes after the first group had left – which included Decker, with Nick Kidman, Dave Bryant and Matthew Opperman.
The younger riders involved in the track training weekend were feeling the effects of their efforts over the previous couple of days and found it difficult to hold on to their respective bunches.
Some of the bunches had merged on the tailwind journey towards the turnaround point, but the leading group of three had managed to hold on to an advantage for the return leg.
All riders shared the load on the way back into a headwind that only lessened in effect once the riders had turned into the finishing straight, about four kilometres from the finish.
The limit riders rode above their anticipated average speed, but could sense the groups behind edging closer.
With less than two kilometres to the finish they were finally caught by the two groups who had started just behind them.
Just as they began the final ascent towards the finish line they were caught and passed by the scratch bunch, which succeeded in passing all riders in the race.
This bunch was assisted by a strong turn on the front by Decker just before the catch was made.
In the final sprint to the line Bryant managed to finish just ahead of Kidman and Opperman.
