actionpactpix: Wellington Cycling Club

Full pictures (200 of them), are up on actionpactpix
Full results and the MRPA points see Wellington Cycling Club

For A & B grade 80kms including a very steep (17%) climb in Beverley's Road, was going to be a tough race for the Wellington Cycling Club Road Champs. The C graders still had the very undulating Stockdale Road to contend with and a 50km race (or was that 60km?....)

Being in a car with the club president is never dull, and later we were joined by Aaron Wain thanks to a puncture, and so the entertainment value went up another notch.

Around 22 riders started the race, with nearly half the A grade field experiencing some form of bike mechanical problem during there race, it was an eventful day. From my vantage point:-

- Race started without a hitch, Gary Cotteril just making it to the start line on time
- A Grade had a 1 minute start on the B grade field, then it was only 30 seconds, hang on a minute, has Simon Whitford broken away from B grade, passed A grade and now racing on his own in the distance???
- C grade started to shed on the first few hills, it was going to be a long day for some.
- Aaron punctured :(
- Then Dave Arnup punctured :( (Another A grade casualty)
- Simon still racing ahead, and it is around 45km into the race??
- Simon gets caught by a couple of other B graders, in simple terms, three B graders are now ahead of the A grade bunch of 8 and don't look like getting caught.

- Hills get bigger

- A grade reels in B grade
- Hang on Dave Arnup is back on the bike and chasing hard??
- I think that is someone elses bike? I was very confused now.......just take pictures! ;)
- Back on Stockdale Road, Dave is nearly on back of A Grade and the word must be out because 8 heads almost simultaneously look around to see what was happening behind.
- Dave attacks A Grade and is now 600m ahead (Still very confused)
- President calls secretary and finds out the real story...Dave has been in car for 5km after abandoning, realises he can ride Phil Browns bike (who was a B grade "abandon", adjusts seat, gets on and starts chasing...and is not eligible for race win or placing)
- After initial confusion, bunch lets Dave ride away and continues with champ race.

Are you still with me here, at this stage we have on the road, Dave (not eligible for the win), then the A grade bunch of around 6 or 7 now, then the three breakaway B graders and C grade who have used a different circuit have probably near finished their race by now back at the finish line.

The story continues at the finish line

- Dave crosses the finish line first
- Bunch sprint is very exciting, started by Kristy Glover and Brent Sword and then Shane Dove, Craig Keene, Mike Renehan and Nick Jehu all in the mix. Nick takes the win, slightly controversial so after a quorum of committee members review the results, the win is awarded to Nick Jehu, with Craig Keene a close second and Mike Renehan in third.

In B grade, Rob Murray is gunning for the line when all of a sudden he is overtaken by the pseudo B grader Simon Whitford (who did have a fantastic ride.....and has left the handicappers scratching their heads).

C Grade - David Murray wins ahead of Katrina East and Olivia Verey.

Exciting day of racing. Hill Climb is next week and actionpactpix just cannot be there, but if today is anything to go by, then anyone can win as anything can (and did) happen.

...and the pictures as they unfolded