Club Races
Heard Wins Rifle Butts Short Course
Rifle Butts Short Course - Sunday 19th July 2009

	Drew Heard

Horsham Veteran Cyclists tackled Horsham’s Rifle Butts 46km circuit on Sunday, with the new start/finish line at Walsh’s Rd.

A cold, strengthening north west wind provided assistance to riders on the outward leg, and Tony Rathgeber, in company with Kieran Schneider as a guide, used his 9 minute handicap to set up a good lead.

The 3 and a half minute bunch of Allan Barnett, John McIntyre and Peter Mayo also maintained a good tempo, but the hard-riding scratch bunch of Tim Schneider, Gerard O’Brien, Daryl Elliott and Drew Heard had them in sight across Rifle Butts Rd, and quickly closed the gap after turning into the headwind along the Henty Highway.

The combined bunch picked up Rathgeber at Bungalally, and settled into a steady rhythm towards Haven. On turning into Golf Course Rd, Elliott launched an attack with O’Brien on his wheel, and the pair were quickly joined by Heard, putting a large gap on the chasing field.

When Elliott dropped back to the chasers, it was a race in two, with Heard edging out O’Brien on the line. Elliott won the bunch sprint for third.