Orange Cycle Club Wednesday Night Ride
Last night, being the first Wednesday night of Daylight Savings saw the starting of the Wednesday night Airport ride. With a good rollout interms of numbers, three bunches headed off for the 24km course out to Huntley, past the Airport and back to Jack Brabham Park on the outskirts of Orange.
Up front a large bunch headed off on limit with some dark horses, including new to the town Rodney Forrest but also a good number of people out on their bikes for the first time in a while. Word has it that with the mixed abilities, the hammer went down putting pressure on some of the riders, made worse by testing first couple of kilometres.
In the second bunch, Mick Cain, Brian Kennelly, Al Adams, Ray Selmes and Shakey looked like the bunch to beat with a good start over a depleted scratch bunch, missing the likes of Charlie Gascoyne and Rod Farrell due to injuries.
Starting off scratch saw Gus Tobin and Mitch Chapman join up with FFi boys Owen and Mick headed out sitting on 50 from the gun 'til the dipper when the pace took the toll on Mitch Chapman. After the dipper, the pace was a lot more acceptable and calmed down again with some of the bunches in sight.
Picking up stragglers, the scratch bunch grew and then got smaller as those that joined succumbed to the pace.
Heading out of the dipper on the way home saw Mick lead the way keeping the pace high with Owen and then Gus keeping hold of wheels and cut the bunch in half, before dropping Macphillamy going out of the next creek, leaving Gus and Mick to fight it out for fastest time. Mick got it in the sprint with Gus quoting "If my breaks hadn't been rubbing..."
Same again next week for all takers. Please remember to try and get a cycle licence. See www.nsw.cycling.org.au for more details on licencing.