Echuca Moama Cycling Club ran its all-terrain cyclocross course at the weekend. Photos: Richard Bailey
EMCC Cyclocross Weekend - Round 1- Saturday, June 27
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Cyclocross racing attracts a different sort of rider and round 1 of our CX weekend was no different with returning riders and visitors to the club drawn to the organised chaos.
They were not disappointed with Nick McNair and Nick Woods’ course creation.
Fourteen riders were split across the four grades.
In A-grade, visitor David Birch joined George Griffiths, Nick Woods, Brayden Walsh and Nick McNair over 45 mins.
B-grade was Troy Griffiths, Luke Moore, Cam Smith and Myles Higgins, while C-grade featured Matt Dobeli riding against Will Kettle, Paul Oman and John Jenkins in their natural habitat, while Claire Goodman was our lone D-grade rider.
As the gun sounded for each group, the heat was on to get to the first off-road segment first, with a prominent B-grade rider left lying on his side on the first lap.
As the groups hit the gravel loop there were already gaps forming.
David Birch and George pulled away, Troy was riding strongly in B-grade, while Will Kettle showed the advantage of riding a standard road bike.
In keeping with the chaos, George dropped a chain and suffered a flat, while Will Kettle had time to swap shoes mid-race.
Later in the race, Nick Woods got up close and personal with the bunting as he tried to follow George’s wheel.
In the final washup:
- A-grade - David Birch the clear winner from George Griffiths.
- B-grade – Troy Griffiths also clear winner from Luke Moore.
- C-grade – Will Kettle crossed the line first in front of John Jenkins.
- D-grade – Claire Goodman.
Round 2- Sunday June 28
The cyclocross course featured hilly and dirt terrain.
With 11 riders backing up for round 2 the field was split into:
- A-grade: Nick Woods, Troy Griffiths, Can Smith, Luke Moore and Myles Higgins.
- B-grade: John Jenkins, Matt Dobeli, Will Kettle, Paul Oman, Georgie Jenkins and Claire Goodman.
Once the morning chill cleared, we were greeted by another beautiful day for racing, with a dash of dew on the grass adding an increased degree of difficulty.
As was the way the day prior the field splintered early with Nick, Troy and Luke breaking clear in A-grade with Cam and Myles to fight it out for the podium.
In B-grade it was Georgie leading Will around the course.
Claire was staying clear of Matt and Paul Oman and John Jenkins were neck and neck.
Into the final lap, it was Nick Woods who had kicked clear to win A-grade from Troy in second, while Georgie Jenkins beat Will to the line in a hard-fought battle in B-grade.
Thanks to Nick Woods, McNair, Paul Oman and Cam Smith for helping set up the course and thanks also to our race day officials H, Ray and Dave Oman and photographer Richard.
We'll see you all back on the road Saturday, July 18.
For those wanting to continue their CX adventure, Shepparton Cycling Club is holding 'Fruits of the Valley' a part of the VIC CX series on Sunday, July 5.
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