The perfect conditions saw a few more starters in A grade this week. Around 30 degrees and a ripping northerly wind. Lap 0.5 was done easy, too easy, so coming into the home straight I attacked and got things stared. Joining me after a few 100m was Kos (Coburg CC) and Dane O'Keefe (Broadford Seymour CC), we had a good gap on the bunch but we were reeled in on the next lap. Back in the bunch we did a few moderate paced laps. Phil Smith (Coburg CC) then goes on the attack, nobody joined him so he was solo up the road. Phil is a good time trialler, and a new Kosdown team member, so he wasn't chased by any of our guys. Phil spent a good 10 minutes up the road before a few riders in the bunch pegged him back. Still wanting to get away up the road I countered the second we caught Phil, such an obvious move, but I was hoping a few others would read that like a book and be ready to get off the front. Only Dane came with me. I expected the rider in QuickCycle gear to come across too, but he'd just pulled hard on the front closing the gap to Phil. One, two, thee, four laps later Dane and I were well up the road and sharing the load. We were only 25mins or so into the race so it would be a long day off the front if it was to stick. Dane started to fade and it wasn't long after he waved goodbye and went back to the bunch. As long as I was up the road the Kosdown boys should be getting a good rest back in the bunch, so I kept my head down and was lapping solo until the 1hr mark when the bunch picked up the pace to pull me in. I was toast, well over 30 degrees and the headwind on the back straight required 350W+ just to ride at 33km/h! I sat back in the bunch and kept well clear of the front. Two laps to go the cat and mouse started, two laps to go (again!? What was with that time keep!?), 33km/h average. The pace was well down. Into the final corner Lins (Coburg CC) attacks and pulls Sam (Coburg CC) and another rider clear of the bunch. I was around 6th wheel and thinking the guys between us would cover it. Lins was on a mission and kept pulling the other two clear! I wound it up in the final 200m and was closing on the top 3, but there wasn't enough road. At 72km/h that final straight comes and goes very quickly! Sam had taken the win and Lins held on for 3rd. Vaughn Allan (Blackburn CC) took a well deserved 2nd after no doubt having to work extra hard against the Kosdown swarm!
Von took some awesome photos across the grades: Check them out here!
A Grade Results:
1st Sam Lilley (Coburg CC)
2nd Vaughn Allan (Blackburn CC)
3rd Lindsay Tunbridge (Coburg CC)
4th Shane Miller (Hawthorn CC)
5th Dane O'Keefe (Broadford Seymour CC)
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