Wednesday Night Dash
Wednesday night saw another good turn out for the OCC Airport Dash. With bunches leaving on time, as the scratchies turned up, they were left on their own to sort out their handicap.
Up the road in the block bunch was new comer Timmy Guy who in recent weeks has possibly clocked 150km weeks but also set the early bench mark for the FFi Racing Pinnacle Climb with a time of 6.25. With him was strong man Andrew Foxall. Further up the road was Mick Cain who left early in the hope of getting back early so as to get to the pub.
Heading out of the dipper, the scratch bunch caught and passed the first of the casualties of early pace in the early bunch, with Ray Selmes going out the back door. Along the straight, Mick was driving the pace strongly, even without a truly favourable wind and through the top corner a small gap appeared. Back together. The scratch boys put their heads down in an effort to catch the block bunch which had now melded with the middle bunch, combining some strong legs, with Mick Cain, Timmy Guy, Andrew Foxall and Anton Lynar making it harder to catch.
Around the 'T' intersection heading towards the airport, Mick made the junction just as Owen drifted off the back. Troy went straight over the top, taking no prisoners in the pursuit of the front of the race. The only people that could follow were the block riders Foxall and Guy who got on the wheel and stayed there.
Mick put the pressure on again and again out of the corners and along a few of the straights in a hope of getting away along but could not shift the big fella' nor the Australian representative.
Out of the dipper, again Mick kept the pace high, nearly dislodging Andrew but again he hung in there. It was out of the second creek that he finally decided to fall off the back. From there it was Tim and Mick, with one last turn from Tim, Mick drove it out of the final creek and towards the line but could not hold off the move from behind in the sprint with Guy taking line honours.
Further back a good group formed rolling turns in the hope of limiting the damage. Coming over the last rise into town, it splintered as the pace was put on by MacPhillamy and Cain leaving ones and two to dribble to the finish.
Coming up this weekend, OCC is hosting a 18km TT at Forrest Reefs on Saturday afternoon, 3.00PM start time. Would be good to see some of the Triathletes there to test themselves against the roadies in the race of truth.