Racing 31 July

While many local sporting events were canceled last weekend, ACC’s 40km handicap went ahead on Dangarsleigh Road (not that you’d read about it anywhere but here). And although a number of riders thought better of venturing outside, the road was sufficiently dry by early afternoon that a few hardy souls took to the start (it turned out to be safer than staying inside with one nameless person injuring himself doing intervals on the home trainer – fortunately Haydo was back on the bike by Thursday).

The course was marked out with two out and back laps to the 10km mark. Phil Bookalil and Wilfried Keller started off go, with Phil setting a cracking place and Wilfried doing his best to hang on. Next to leave were Lachie McPhie and Cameron Scott off 7:30, followed by Phil Thomas and Andrew Swan at 8:30. John Scott-Hamilton and Andrew Kirk started at 10:00, but their chances went out the window when Kirkie got a flat tire and lost two minutes while John fixed it. Unfortunately it went flat again straight away, and Kirkie had to borrow the neutral service vehicle to go home and get a spare bike.

Meanwhile it had started raining again, and at the end of the first lap Wilfried hopped off and asked for $1.50 back. Chief Commissaire and Treasurer Ken McDonald wasn’t having any of that though. Phil B continued on strongly, while behind him the next two groups had combined and were making steady progress overhauling him. They eventually made the catch just after the final turnaround, and on the homeward leg Phil T and Swan steadily put time into the rest of the field.

Phil T was too strong in the finish and took the win, while Phil B finished an excellent ride with a third place. If only Phil H hadn’t been away it could have been a clean sweep for the Phil’s. Kirkie and John eventually made it back in, with the former attempting to claim a lap out for a mechanical.