THE Mount Gambier Cycling Club continued its spring series on Sunday, following a three-week hiatus for school holidays.
The race was a 25km handicap along Caves Road, with Jen Buckland crossing the line first in the field of 11.
Riders were faced with a south-easterly breeze which would make the outward leg difficult, before a quick run with the wind to the finish.
With the handicap system in play, first to start was the trio of Damian Buckley, Jason and Jen Buckland.
They were given a head start of six minutes over the next pairing of Spek Peake and John de Pree, while another four minutes elapsed before Patrick Langsmith and Elmer Buckland were given their departing orders.
The final group, consisting of Jami Buckley, Matthew Opperman, Colin Weatherill and Nick Kidman, waited a further four minutes before they set off in pursuit of the front markers.
Riders faced a headwind on the outward leg and worked hard to minimise the time they spent with their nose in the wind.
There was an early casualty when Peake suffered a puncture, which left de Pree to ride in individual time trial mode between groups.
Weatherill was not quite able to hold on to the fastest group and consigned to a long lonely race off the back.
Buckland and Langsmith were caught by the fastest riders within the first 11km, but were able to hold onto the train up to the turnaround marker.
Speeds increased after the turnaround as riders took full advantage of the tail wind.
Jason Buckland held onto the leading group until about 6km before the finish line, which left Buckley and Jen Buckland to try and hold off the chasing groups.
In the ride to the finish Jen Buckland timed her sprint perfectly to ride past Buckley for the victory, with de Pree only 50 metres behind, having nearly made up his six-minute handicap.
Jami Buckley claimed fourth position and the fastest time in the final sprint of the fast men, less than one minute behind the victors.
He finished ahead of Opperman, Kidman and Langsmith.
Following that group were Jason Buckland, Buckland and Weatherill.
This Sunday the club looks forward to a trek out to Glencoe for a race along the Overland Track, with a hilltop finish atop Range Hill.
The third annual Crank the Crater challenge also fast approaches, which will be held on December 4.
