Club Races
Limit by a Whisker
Rifle Butts Short Course Handicap
Monday 21st March 2010

	Les and Meg

Strong, gusty westerly winds greeted cyclists on Sunday morning as they tackled Horsham’s Rifle Butts circuit over 47km.

Such conditions normally favored the back markers, but Meg Parnaby and Les Power used their 11 minute handicap to set up a good lead.

Further back 7 minute markers Tom Elderidge, Tony Rathgeber and Peter Mayo found the going tough, and were in sight of 3 minute markers Gerard O’Brien, Stuart King and Daryl Elliott on Rifle Butts Rd.

However, strong riding by Danny Monaghan and Sean Prins had brought fellow scratch markers Tim Schneider and Drew Heard up to the middle markers, with the three groups combining as they passed the quarry with about 10km to go.

A high speed chase after the two front markers ensued, but Parnaby and Power were showing great form to hold the chasing riders at bay. At the finish, the chasing bunch fell 50 metres short of catching the leaders, with Power and Parnaby crossing the line together, with the finisher unable to separate them.

King won the bunch sprint for 3rd with Monaghan taking out fastest time of 1 hour 12 minutes 26 seconds, averaging and impressive 39.5km/hr in very trying conditions.