OCC 36km Scratch Race
After some down time in regards to racing and training due to weather and other commitments, FFi Racing is back in the swing of things, with one of their riders, Mick Troy making it to the Orange Cycle Club's 36km scratch race on Saturday afternoon. With some small fields, it allowed for some aggressive racing with riders knowing that chasing bunches lacked some of their usual fire power.
In A/B there was Troy, Mason Manwaring, Dugald Parsons, Matt Dean, Brian Kennelly.
FFi Racing's sole representative, Mick Troy decided to set the going tough straight away and put in a searing attack going over Spud Boy's hill, 500m into the 36km race. With no one able to match the pace, it was going to be a lonely race for Troy. Behind the bunch put in enough work in the first lap to keep Troy in sight, letting him use all his energy early on, hoping to make a catch late in the second lap, allowing for possible countering.
Going around the back of Tallwood for the second lap, with Troy still in sight, dangling off the front of the bunch, Manwaring decided it was time to lift the pace and reel him, with the help of the other riders in the bunch, especially Kennelly, the gap was consistently reduced from the Talwood pinch until the drag climb up to Forrest Reefs, where half way up, they made the junction with a tiring Troy.
Unfortunately for the bunch, they had used up most of their energy and no one had the legs to immediately counter, allowing Troy to sit in and rest for 100m, before Kennelly attacked with 700m to go, Troy followed and then rounded Kennelly with 500m to the line finding some energy to put a gap into Kennelly and the remainder of the bunch to take the win.
In the C/D Grade scratch race, a brake away did succeed with Ray Selmes taking line honours from Ian Reed with some time back to the bunch.
A good group rode back from the race, with some that had done the morning bunch ride clocking over 165km for the day
Thanks to the help on the day.