Club Races
Solo Charge Gives O'Brien Victory
Polkemmit Road Handicap
Sunday 14th February 2010

	Gerard O'Brien

Grampians Vets cyclists tackled the tough Polkemmit circuit over 55km on Sunday, with a stiff southerly breeze ensuring riders were battling crosswinds for most of the journey.

Limit markers Tom Eldridge, Peter Mayo, Les Power, Damian Rabl and John McIntyre found the going tough, and their cause was not helped when Power punctured early in the race.

Second scratch riders Allan Barnett, Gerard O’Brien, Daryl Elliott and Stuart King worked well together on the outward bound leg, but lost a little momentum into the head wind section approaching Natimuk Lake, allowing scratch markers Tim Schneider, Chris Scott, Danny Monaghan, Drew Heard and Sean Prins to eat into their advantage.

Approaching the Quantong Cemetery Rd intersection with 10km to go second scratch closed in on the limit bunch, with the hard riding scratch bunch some 300 metres in arrears.

Sensing the danger, O’Brien lifted the tempo, and with Elliott for company, headed for home. With 4km to ride, O’Brien rode away from Elliott, and had a 200 metre advantage over the scratch bunch which he was able to hold to the line, taking out the victory over Scott and Schneider.

Chris Scott was awarded fastest time of 1 hour 24 minutes 32 seconds.