As has become the EMCC way, in the depths of winter we lose our minds and unleash the craziness of Cyclocross at the club velodrome.
17 riders joined in with visitors from Shepp and Bendigo coming across in the lead up to the state series in Shepparton early next month.
A-grade would see Nick McNair fight it out with Bendigo riders David Byrch and Jack McNamara.
In B-grade, Cam Smith was to challenge the trio of Nick Woods, Matt Sherman and Brayden Walsh.
The largest group was C-grade with Darren Kruger joining Hugh Byrne (welcome Hugh) Claire Goodman, Matt Dobeli and visitor Glenn Rod.
The highlight though was Will Kettle tackling the race wearing Blundstone work boots and slick tyres, clearly he knew something about cyclocross that the rest of the field didn't.
Local off-road devotees John Jenkins and Jerrod Davison joined with Heather Lias to tackle Shepparton cycling legend Myles Higgins in our D-grade race.
In A-grade, it would be Nick McNair and David Byrch fighting for the advantage, with Jack McNamara working hard to stay in contact.
Late in the race, it was David who pulled clear to win from Nick McNair in second and Jack McNamara in third.
Cameron Smith had expressed some reservations about his chances in the B-grade bunch, and true to script, Nick Woods, Brayden Walsh and Matt Sherman pulled clear, with Brayden looking the rider to beat.
He worked himself past leader Nick Woods on the last gravel loop, into some clear air and crossed the line first in front of Nick in second, with Matt Sherman in third.
Will Kettle took off at full steam from the gun with Dazz Kruger showing some good MTB skills to keep up, as the rest of the bunch splintered quickly.
Matt Dobeli once again showed that agility is not his middle name as he fell on the first lap, Lenny and George were in hysterics.
True to form, his wife Claire managed to fall on laps 2,3 and 4, and at one stage she lay face down with her bike on top, cleats still clipped in.
Despite attacking the course on road tyres and work boots, Will Kettle took it up to Dazz for the entire race before a late race miscalculation split the two, with Dazz Kruger riding to victory from Will Kettle, second and Glenn Rod in third.
From the outset, it was Myles Higgins on a different level in D-grade, and he rapidly gained ground on and then passed the rear of C-grade as he separated himself from his bunch.
Next in line was Heather Lias, who was slowly grinding away on Matt and Claire in the bunch ahead, while Jerrod Davison and John Jenkins fought it out further back.
Building on his lead, it was Myles Higgins for the win from Heather Lias and Jerrod Davison in a very entertaining D-grade race.
Thanks to Nick and Matt for setting up the course, Race director Mel and her assistants Lenny and George and club members Gary and Dave Oman for coming along to help.
We'll see you back same day, same time next week.
4°C