With the onset of spring, it was time for racers to pin numbers to their backs and start the Mount Gambier Cycling Club Kidman Law Company Spring Series.
A total of 15 riders signed on for the 30km welcome back race along the familiar Caves Road course and the first away were the dynamic duo of Damian Buckley and Jason Buckland.
After a 10 minute wait, the next riders to leave were Bruce McLaughlin and Jen Buckland, while the final riders Jami Buckley, Niel van Niekerk, Matthew Opperman and Nick Kidman started their chase 19 minutes later with approximately 8.5km to catch up.
Riders were greeted by a slight South Easterly breeze which kept average speeds a little low for the outward leg, with Jason Buckland and Damian Buckley still holding an advantage over the chasing riders at the turnaround marker, while little separated the final two groups on the road.
As the pace increased the leading riders had a significant gap with 4km to go and began to dream of victory, but then saw a light flashing ominously behind in the distance.
With two kilometres to go the fastest riders were now the front runners as they quickly rode past everyone, with some of the others trying to hold their wheels for as long as possible.
Over the final hill the pace ramped up again, with the younger legs proving to be the fastest by the finish line, with van Niekerk taking out the final sprint ahead of Riley Hill and Jami Buckley.
The second race was held on Sunday with a westerly breeze meaning the final kilometres of the Caves Road course were going to be into the wind.
A total of 14 riders signed up for the race and were sorted into four groups for handicapping.
With the wind at their backs the first group of Jen Buckland, Jason Buckland and Damian Buckley set off at a high speed towards the turnaround marker, some 15km down the road.
Having provided a 21-minute head start Jami Buckley, Kidman, van Niekerk and Craig Andrae started their chase.
Some of the junior riders, with their limited gearing, found the pace of their groups with the tailwind to be too great, needing a high cadence to maintain the pace and were unable to hold on to the wheels of their group.
By the turnaround, the leading trio had their lead trimmed but still worked hard to stay in front as long as possible, with the remaining groups working together to catch up.
Speeds dropped significantly following the turnaround, as the tailwind became a headwind.
The final stretch of road before the finish line was directly into the headwind and Jason Buckland was unable to hold on to Jen Buckland and Damian Buckley’s wheel.
They were able to stay away for the entire race and in a sprint to the line it was Damian Buckley who was able to hold on for victory, closely followed by Jen Buckland, while Jason Buckland crossed the line in third position and Kidman who took fastest time honours.
This Saturday afternoon a race will be held on Mount Salt Road.
