14/10/2006
Chief Race Director Chris Beales added more variety to the clubs race program this week by introducing the King of the Mountain points race to the clubs riders. The race would take the riders around the traditional Shady Creek circuit but instead of the regular finish line near the Shady Creek Hall today’s race would finish at the top of the 1.5km climb up the Col de Shady Creek. As well as the mountain top finish, points would accrue each time the race went over the top of the climb.
In A grade only Shane Stiles and Luke Hanley showed up. They decided to have a bit of fun with the B graders for the first two laps and then have a race for themselves. In B grade a large field took on the 3 laps with 3 king of the mountain (KOM) sprints. Despite no points on offer the first time up the climb, Mark Oakley-Brown decided to take off and try to surprise the rest of the field. He surprised no-one as the other strong riders in the bunch easily jumped across to him. He did succeed in dropping Rob Monk and Paul Yeatman from the group and if it wasn’t for Shane Styles and Luke Hanley pushing them over the top of the hill then providing a two man tow truck they would have ridden three laps on their own. Paul and Rob did manage to tack onto the field for part of the second lap but this was short lived. The first time up the climb with points on offer Geoff Thomson showed he’d be the man to beat by easily sprinting over the top of Tim Lee with Chris Beales in third spot. The 2nd climb saw Thommo in the lead again with Beales in second spot and Tim in third. The final climb saw the same order again. Overall Thommo was too strong.
In A grade Luke Hanley proved the stronger climber and took all three KOM’s from Shane.
No C graders raced this week.
The D graders rode 2 laps with three hill climbs. Juniors, Cy Monk and James Lalor joined Liz Watson, Pam Benstead and Noel Mason for the race. Cy led the field over the hill the first time up but the second time, when there were points up for grabs, Noel and Pam put the pressure on. Cy still managed a point for third spot. Liz Caught Noel and Pam on the descent and they managed to work together until the final time up the hill. Cy and James found the pace a bit hot on the second lap but the both completed the race which was a great effort. Handicapper and Chief Judge Staff Duncan could not separate Noel and Pam on the line and a dead heat was the official result. We’d better put in some money for some new glasses for Staff for his retirement present. Liz was third, Cy fourth and James was fifth.
