TWENTY riders lined up for the second race of the season, held Thursday October 17 on the Howes Creek Road ‘out and back’ course.

Only two late scratchings from the list and, given the inclement weather, that’s fairly good.

We’re a hardy bunch at the club (A note to anyone who scratches late before the race, it’s helpful to the handicapper if you send them a text message as well – thanks.)

We rode between the bands of rain, with a dump before the start, drizzle throughout and a dump afterwards when we were finished and rolling back into town.

Everyone stayed upright in the wet, so well-done riders.

Micala Jacobs was the lone Limit rider, followed by the pair of Craig Wilson and John Eisner.

Tim Hall, Simon Hall and Ian Conrick followed, riding solidly together with Simon cracking the whip to keep the pace up.

(Simon) Hall was over from Benalla for his second ride with the club.

Hall, Hall and Conrick picked up Eisner and Wilson before the turn around point at the end of the sealed road to make a group of five.

Behind them, Steve Curnow, Jason Parker, Janine Appleton, Adam Baker and Tim Ross started well together, but dropped Curnow and Baker early.

Second block consisted of Jarrod Appleton, Adrian Dowd and Rueben Bateup, riding well to stay away from Block with Ryder Chad, Steve Duke, Ant Bateup and Darren Bakker.

Nice to see a bit of young blood out on the course with Ryder and Rueben.

Talia Appleton and Andy Garrett rode together from Scratch, Garrett coming over from Euroa to join us for the night.

Bit of a mis-match between these two in terms of size, with Garrett probably twice the body weight of Appleton and looking powerful, and yet was heard lamenting afterwards that Appleton was riding away from him even on the downhills.

It’s all in the power-to-weight ratio Andy.

Second Block, Block and Scratch all stayed away from each other, so they are all riding well.

Coming back into town, (Simon) Hall and Conrick slowly whittled away at the group.

Eisner first to go, then Wilson and then (Tim) Hall.

Conrick took the honours at the line over (Simon) Hall, bearing witness to the benefits of all the gravel-ride training he has been doing.

That’s two in a row for Conrick; actually three in a row if you count the last race of last summer.

Ross, Parker and Appleton were storming in behind them (pun intended), but (Tim) Hall couldn’t hold onto Wilson even on the uphills, thoroughly cracked after the effort with (Simon) Hall and Conrick.

Thanks as always to the marshals and officials, particularly for keeping us safe with the rain and the road traffic.

Racing next week is on the Whitfield Road, turning around at Long Lane and finishing on Graves Road.

Hopefully it’s a bit drier.