Bourkey generously decided to run this race as a favour to Clint so he could race – what a guy. Or (with 4 priceless RROTY points guaranteed for his work) was there a more sinister motive behind a move that could see him climb up to 5th spot in the league? We will of course assume the former and either way we’re very grateful to Dene for putting the signs out, taking care of things on the day and for providing the race results and a few news nuggets woven into the Race Story below*.
It’s pretty rare that a rider asks to be put back into a tougher group in a handicap event, but that’s just what Holly Harris did on Dangarsleigh Road on Saturday afternoon. Maybe it was the opportunity to give herself a final run-out before she jets off to Norway for the MTB World Championships, or maybe she just enjoys making grown men look weak? Whatever it is, she’s a great competitor and we all wish her the very best of luck on her travels and look forward to hearing news from afar soon!
It was also great to provide an Armidale welcome to Dylan Sunderland who made the trip over from Inverell for the afternoon. He was joined in scratch by Dave and Harrison Munday plus Mick Harris. With Swanny home after his own European escapades and Mr President himself back on the road it was more like a school reunion in block. Perhaps in recognition of this, Houlty had come fully kitted-up with a Go Pro to capture the proceedings in glorious widescreen detail. Unfortunately the camera came loose mid-race and went cartwheeling down the road somewhere around the 10km mark. It then became the subject of a grand post-race expedition and search carried out by Johnny and Houlty which was recommenced at first light on Sunday involving the RFS with full aerial military support.
In terms of the actual racing, details are a bit thin on the ground but it came down to a sprint for the first 3 places which Dylan Sunderland just won from Johnny over San Remo, Dylan also grabbing fastest time. We do have official agreement on the all-important Top 5 to ensure RROTY points are allocated correctly (phew), but after that, it’s a bit vague and we lost a few riders in the process although we have it on good authority that they all made it home safely.
At the top of the league, despite “only” getting 3rd place, San Remo has stretched the gap a little further from Jo Wauch in second and she in turn now has a similarly commanding lead over third-placed Billy Mara who hasn’t raced for a couple of rounds. Houlty has moved up two places to 7th and The Cannibal has now ripped into the Top 10 having amassed 50 points for the season so far.
So there you have it, not actually too much detail about the race itself but courtesy of a bit of creative licence, still something of a story. In Bourkey’s immortal words “I can’t tell you what happened during the race but the handicap was perfect, they nearly all came across the line together”.
| Rider | Place | Handicap | Finish Time | Elapsed Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUNDERLAND Dylan | 1 | 12:00 | 56:53 | 44:53 FT |
| SCOTT-HAMILTON John | 2 | 11:00 | 56:54 | 45:54 |
| MILAN Luke | 3 | 11:00 | 56:55 | 45:55 |
| WAUCH Jo | 4 | 00:00 | 57:05 Est | 57:05 |
| HOULT Mick | 5 | 11:00 | 57:05 Est | 46:05 |
| MUNDAY Sam | 6 | 08:00 | 57:05 Est | 49:05 |
| TINDALE Rob | 7 Jt | 11:00 | 57:05 Est | 46:05 |
| HARRIS Holly | 7 Jt | 11:00 | 57:05 Est | 46:05 |
| MUNDAY Dave | 7 Jt | 12:00 | 57:05 Est | 45:05 |
| MURISON Bob | 10 | 00:00 | 57:12 | 57:12 |
| BOURKE Clint | 11 | 06:00 | 57:33 | 51:33 |
| THOMAS Alex | 12 Jt | 06:00 | 57:59 | 51:59 |
| JENNER Dave | 12 Jt | 06:00 | 57:59 | 51:59 |
| THOMAS Phil | 12 Jt | 08:00 | 57:59 | 49:59 |
| SWAN Andrew | 12 Jt | 11:00 | 57:59 | 46:59 |
| McPHIE Lachie | 16 | 08:00 | 58:23 | 50:23 |
| WILKINSON Richard | No Data | 06:00 | No Data | No Data |
| MUNDAY Harrison | No Data | 12:00 | No Data | No Data |
| HARRIS Mick | No Data | 12:00 | No Data | No Data |
* The term Race Story is probably stretching the truth a little this week, so it is probably appropriate to quote yet another European traveller, Phil “Long Commute” Hess and state that all characters appearing in this work are fictitious, any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.