Ray York Wins The Tim McArdle Handicap

09/10/2010

Warragul Cycling Club’s nine race handicap series concluded on Saturday with the 7^th running of the annual Tim McArdle handicap. Tim McArdle was a well respected local doctor and all proceeds from the race are donated to the Tim McArdle foundation. Tim was a Warragul Cycling Club member who was tragically killed in an accident while on a training ride.

The series of nine races have seen 9 different winners. Winners have come from all grades which is a credit to handicapper Shane Stiles ability to devise times that allow everyone a chance of winning.

Stiles has trouble keeping track of form when riders are just beginning their cycling careers. Last week the rapidly improving Andrew DeBona riding off the limit mark proved too strong for the field to take out his first win. This week Ray York in his fourth race start showed massive improvement to confound the handicapper and stay away from a concerted effort to chase him down.

Racing over 5 laps of the 8 km Darnum circuit the scratch pair of Brenton “Ferrari” Jones and Shane “Porsche” Stiles had picked up the Holdens ahead by the end of the Forth lap. Only the deceptively strong 8 minute bunch of Gran Neilsen, Matt Williamson, Zvonko Maric and John Davine were left to be caught. The Jones led charge mowed them down before the final turn. But there was one rider still up the road. Ray York had time-trialled individually for most of the race gaining only momentary rest as the faster groups passed him. Ray took out the win by over two minutes. Brenton Jones took second and fastest time. He benefitted from a great lead out from Shane Stiles. Thommo took third with Stiles finishing fourth. Then followed Jarryd Jones, Rob Monk, Graeme Parker, Charlie Davine, Clem Fries and Peter Finlayson.

The battle for series honours came right down to the last race. The rider who scored the most points calculated from their best 6 results out of 9 races would be the series winner. Cyrus Monk won the series by one point from father Rob Monk. Third in the series was Andrew Debona. Series points leaders below.

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