OCC's Milthorpe Store 27km Handicap
Saturday saw the first running of Orange Cycle Club's Milthorpe Store Handicap as part of the Summer Points Series.
A good turn out on the day saw a good number of riders spread out across the bunches from limit to scratch. The dangerous bunch's looked like being the limit bunch with the handicapper giving them a good start on the undulating circuit. Further back the scratch bunch of Craig Hutton (FRF), Gus Tobin (Bathurst CC) and Mick Troy (FFi Racing/OCC) gave a 2 minute gap to the block bunch of Billy Hutton, Mason Manwaring, Mick Cain and Andrew Foxall (sporting his new bike).
The scratchies set out from the gun, flying on the flat road towards the drop, sitting over 50km/h all pulling strong turns. On the climb up towards Forrest Reefs, the block riders, splintered up the road, making it that bit easier for the scratchies to make the junction. First to get caught and passed was Mick Cain while the others held out until after Spud Boy's hill after some strong turns up the climbs by all the scratch bunch.
Coming across the back of the Tallwood loop, the Billy Hutton pulled his single turn before leaving it to the scratchies to tow the bunch to the finish. A strong turn up the Tallwood hill by Craig Hutton saw some of the block riders struggle a little and again with Tobin setting a furious pace up the start of last climb before the finish before Troy took over and pulled over the top.
Troy took the initiative with 1km to go, pulling a 500m turn with the last bunch in sight, before being taken over by Foxall. Hutton seized the opportunity going around the inside of the last corner, leaving Mick Troy to slide through a gap in the bunch latching onto Hutton's wheel, who drove it to the 150m mark letting Troy take the sprint for fastest time and fourth having not quiet made it up to the limit riders who finished a matter of seconds before the scratch riders.
Results to Come