Club Races
Concongella Time Trial and Teams Race
Concongella - Sunday 2nd December 2007

In club racing at Concongella last Sunday, 18 riders fronted up for a short 6.2km time trial followed by a 47km teams challenge road race. The weather was hot with a good breeze blowing, making it a two drink bottle day!

	Danny Monaghan

Danny Monaghan once again blitzed the field in the time trial, clocking 10 minutes flat, with Jamie Bennett riding very well to claim second place a further 10 seconds behind. Third was Richard Clarke with 10.11, followed by Mike Kelly with 10.13 and Drew Heard with 10.16.

Then, for a change from normal racing and to add a touch of fun to the day, the field was divided up into 3 teams of 6 riders each. Each team was then balanced as equally as possible with stronger and weaker riders. Stiff time penalties applied to teams who lost riders along the way, so all teams were challenged to look after their weaker riders.

This proved to be tough for some strong riders, used to pushing along at higher speeds, but some used their strength to ride beside the weaker riders and physically push them up the steeper hills.

The day was not without its small dramas, as Shauna Heard lost her drink bottle half way around, but a very gallant Tony Lloyd passed her his own. Tom Eldridge insists that an insect somehow made its way down the back of his jersey, and called upon Tania Walter for a bit of touchy feely – er I mean back slapping - to try to get rid of it!

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Left to Right - Jamie Bennett, Tony Lloyd, Richard Clarke, Shaun Heard, Frank Stokes and Leon Gibson

The teams left 3 minutes apart. Team 1 was Frank Kean, Stuart King, Tom Eldridge, Tania Walter, Les Power and Steve Walker. Team 2 consisted of riders Richard Clarke, Jamie Bennett, Tony Lloyd, Leon Gibson, Frank Stokes and Shauna Heard. Team 3 was Drew Heard, Alan Barnett, Mike Kelly, Danny Monaghan, Meg Parnaby and David Cariss.

However, Team 2 was too good for the other teams, and overtook Team 1 to easily win the day.