The 28-kilometre Jamieson course is one of the favourites of many Mansfield Mt Buller Cycling Club roadies. Twenty-two riders gathered in Jamieson, to compete out along the Woods Point Road to the end of the bitumen and back. A big MMBCC welcome to first time racer Will Rooks and to a gaggle of semi-regular Eastern Cycling Club visitors for the night - Craig Oliver, Dale Walton, Dean Tune and Craig Standard. First out, solo, was Jarrah O’Brien, with a three-minute head start on Dave Jagger, and double that on the trio, Dave Bock, Tim Hall and Will Rooks. Janine Appleton, Steve Curnow, Mark Ruttiman and Craig Wilson started their chase along the picturesque Goulburn River Valley, nine minutes after the start, and Jarrod Appleton and Adrian Dowd, another two minutes later. The biggest group comprising Steve Duke, Heath Hammond, Tim Ross, Dean Tune and Craig Oliver was started at fourteen and a half minutes. The Block group, Simon Hall, Ben Ross, and Oliver Hall, set out at 16 minutes. The three Scratch riders, Dale Walton, Craig Stannard and Ryder Chadd, the last to start, had a full 17.5-minute gap to overcome, if they were to overtake Jarrah, the first to start. “What kept you?” was the greeting Dave, Tim and Will received from Dave Jagger, as they gathered him up south of Kevington. They passed Jarrah just after the turn-around but the next steep pinch showed the superior legs of Will Rooks, who was told to go for gold, while Tim eased off to stay with the two Dave’s. Will would not be caught, crossing the finish line three minutes clear of Bocky, Tim H and Dave Jagger. Only 52 seconds elapsed before a big bunch finish, of Dean, Jarrod, Adrian, Heath, Craig O, Mark, Steve Duke, Janine, Craig W and Tim Ross, with Steve Curnow only spitting distance, 12 seconds, behind. Ryder Chadd (who claimed fastest time of 47.06) came in with Ben with Craig S, 32 seconds later. Oliver and Simon came in together, followed by Jarrah, then Dale. Many thanks to all our volunteers and Marshalls, this week it’s the Rob Curtis Memorial Handicap on the Whitfield Road.
