CYCLING

Testing Conditions make for exciting racing in the Thermal Chemistry Hamilton Open

By Dynamo Events


Strongman Regan Gough celebrates his win.


On  a  strongman's  course  in  strongman's  conditions  a  strongman  took  out  the  win  in  Race  2  of  the  Dynamo  Events  Team  Series.  Cycling  New  Zealand's  Regan  Gough,  who  had  been  out  on  the  attack  all  day,  powered  past  Blindz  Direct's  Michael  Torckler  in  the  final  metres  to  seal  a  fully  deserved  victory  in  the  Category  1  race.  

Keen  to  get  proceedings  started  a  group  of  six  riders  containing  the  likes  of  Commonwealth  Silver  medallist  Sam  Gaze  and  former  Junior  World  Champion  Luke  Mudgeway  eased  off  the  front  of  the  main  field  along  Scotsman  Valley  Road,  quickly  gaining  over  a  minute  on  the  splintering  chasing  bunch.  This  gap  slowly  grew,  peaking  at  nearly  two  minutes,  no  one  
shying  and  everyone  equally  pulling  their  weight,  "They  were  all  committed  to  riding  themselves  into  the  ground,"  explained  Gough,  "so  it  was  a  good  bunch  of  blokes  to  be  away  with."
  
The  tough  battle  against  the  hilly  terrain  and  strong  winds  increased  as  the  rain  started  and  one  by  one  the  lead  break  started  to  whittle  down  until  only  one  man  remained.  Gough,  now  alone,  just  put  his  head  down  and  powered  on,  fighting  the  gusty  crosswinds  along  the  ridges  and  then  into  the  head  wind  home.    

Behind  him  two  riders  had  jumped  from  the  splintered  pack,  defending  Race  Series  Leader  Frank  Sutton  of  Te  Awamutu  Cycling  Club  and  Blindz  Direct's  Michael  Torckler.  After  a  long  chase  Gough  spotted  them  behind  and  decided  to  wait,  "I  was  getting  lonely  out  there,"  he  laughed,  "I  saw  the  other  two  as  an  opportunity  to  get  a  breather."  Just  as  they  had  reached  him  Torckler  saw  his  own  opportunity  to  get  rid  of  the  stronger  sprinter  Sutton  and  attacked  hard,  Gough  instinctively  jumping  on  Torckler's  wheel.  "I  just  had  to  dig  deep  and  go  for  the  line,"  explained  Sutton,  who  was  now  hoping  just  to  stay  clear  of  the  chasing  pack  so  to  hold  onto  his  Leaders  Jersey.  

In  the  final  10km  Gough's  teammate  Alex  Frame  escaped  the  bunch  and  started  to  bridge  the  gap,  Sutton  and  Frame  quickly  forming  a  solid  duo.  Up  front  Gough  was  glued  tight  onto  Torckler's  wheel,  making  him  do  all  the  work,  "It  played  into  my  hands  a  little  bit,"  admitted  Gough,  "I  could  see  Frame  behind  so  I  had  a  good  excuse."  As  the  two  swung  into  the  finishing  straight  Torckler  had  no  reply  for  Gough's  jump,  the  19  year  old  Hawkes  Bay  rider  taking  the  win  after  a  tough  and  testing  day  out  there,  "Ah,  it's  part  of  the  job,"  he  laughed.  While  Frame  took  third,  Sutton  held  on  for  fourth  place  so  defends  his  Leaders  Jersey  by  just  two  points  over  Torckler  going  into  the  next  round.  
 

Rushlee Buchanan dominated the women's race.

 
Meanwhile,  the  Elite  Women's  race  was  as  equally  action-­packed,  with  the  in-­form  and newly  re-­crowned  National  Criterium  Champion  Rushlee  Buchanan  owning  the  race  and  soloing  to  a  dominant  victory.  "I  was  the  first  one  to  attack,"  explained  Buchanan,  "no  one  came  with  me  so  I  just  kept  going!  I  saw  the  opportunity  and  took  it."  

"That  headwind  was  pretty  brutal,  especially  by  myself.  I  actually  hadn't  ridden  some  of  these  roads  before  so  it  was  good,  plus  there  were  some  good  crowds  out  there  too."  

Bikelab's  Helen  Baillie-­Strong  was  out  to  challenge  the  Series  Lead  held  by  Buchanan's  Cycling  New  Zealand  teammate  Jamie  Nielson,  but  found  herself  closely  marked  throughout  the  82km  race,  Neilson's  teammate  Georgia  Williams  also  escaping  from  the  bunch  to  take  second  place.    

After  a  solid  lead  out  from  Pip  Sutton,  Nielson  just  edged  out  Baillie-­Strong  in  the  bunch  sprint  to  grab  the  third  podium  place  and  retain  her  Leader's  Jersey.  "We  were  all  out  for  a  hard  race  today,"  said  Buchanan  afterwards,  "it's  important  for  our  training  and  lead  up  to  the  World  Cup  and  beyond,  so  we  were  just  ready  for  a  big  day."  

Not  an  easy  course  for  anyone,  all  of  the  categories  providing  exciting  racing  across  the  board.  Black  Spoke  Racing's  Aaron  Strong  successfully  defending  his  Category  2  lead  against  Thermal  Chemistry's  Glen  Carabine,  Albany  Bike  Club's  Steve  Taylor  taking  a  second  win  to  hold  the  Category  3  lead  over  Black  Spoke  Racing's  Adam  Smith,  while  Cycling  Rotorua's  Chris  Groome  holds  onto  his  Category  4  title  by  just  a  single  point  over  Michael  Hicks  of  the  Speed  Works  Diamante  team,  Hicks  piping  Groome  in  today's  final  sprint. 
   
Race  three  sees  the  Series  head  down  to  Tokoroa  on  the  13th  of  December,  and  with  such  small  leads  in  each  of  the  categories  we  can  surely  expect  more  exciting  racing.

For  the  full  results  of  Race  2  and  more  information  on  the  next  race  head  to  Dynamoevents.co.nz