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Peel Districts Cycling Club: frantic pace takes toll at meet

Declan ByrneWeekend Kwinana Courier

MORE than 100 Peel Districts Cycling Club riders took to the Serpentine course on Saturday afternoon for a thrilling day of racing.

In E-grade, eight young riders and their chaperones took to the 9km circuit for three laps, but the pace of almost 30km/h saw a few riders dropped.

When the group turned on to Karnup Road for the final time with more than two kilometres to go, only four remained. In the race to the line, Emma Smith was first, Calum Milne second and Hannah Yeo-David third.

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D-grade was a mix of riders ranging from the best under-12s riders to riders in their 70s.

The bunch stayed together for the first four laps, but just before the bell for the fifth and final lap, three riders got off the front and stayed away to the finish.

In the three-way sprint, it was Aaron Bilbow that secured the win, with Mark Venables second and John Taylor third.

C-grade was bolstered by some of the state’s best under-15 males and under-17 female riders.

The race was rode at a fast pace and while there were a number of attacks and attempted breakaways, none were successful.

In the bunch sprint, Oliver Bleddyn was first, Aaron Reichstein second and James McCartney third.

B-grade featured almost 40 riders and was run at an even more frantic pace, with riders dropped at regular intervals.

The high speed meant no-one was able to break away, so the race finished with a bunch sprint.

Kurt Adams claimed line honours, with Matthew Swan second and Daniel Trinne third.

It took five laps in the 40-rider A-grade race before a breakaway was formed.

When another group of three riders got off the front of the bunch a lap later, they had a 40-second deficit to close.

The chasing trio got close, within five seconds at the finish, but all they could do was watch on as the first breakaway fought out the finish.

Wayne Thomson claimed the win, with Jacob Warman second and Patrick Saccani-Williams third.

A number of Peel members then raced on Sunday morning with the West Coast Masters at Casuarina.

Bernie Swart was most impressive, backing up his fifth-place ride in A-grade on Saturday with a second placing in the A-grade on Sunday.

Swart secured his placing in a tight bunch sprint, which was won by Tom Perry with Sam Smith third.

B-grade was a race of attrition, with 40 riders starting, 10 riders failing to finish, 10 riders spread around the course and 20 riders taking part in a bunch sprint.

Tim James was the winner, with Garry Horsfield second and David Slack third.

C-grade was a controlled race and while there were still attacks, they were closed down by a few strong riders who kept control.

As expected, it ended in a big bunch sprint which was won by John Liso, with Robin Warrington second and Paul Chartres third.

Allan McDonald attacked just prior to the final corner in D-grade and built up a good break, pushing hard into the headwind before the bunch reeled him in a few metres before the line.

Paul Greeney finished first, Neil Vroomans second and Bob Stephens third.

A last-lap attack by Graham Thornton in E-grade saw him take the win, with Edward Rose second and David Walker third.