The 2020 Mt Gambier Cycling Club Spring Series has begun with two fast-paced events recently.

The first race was a 20km team time trial event at Caves Road where riders were arranged according to the handicapping system to put a faster cyclist alongside one average and beginner pedalist.

The 11-rider field was split up by three groups of three and one team of twos and they all pushed hard enjoying a light tailwind.

First group to go was Harry Opperman, Bruce McLaughlin and Mike Bakker and they set the pace, while the pair of Ash Herrewyn and Dean Zeven worked clinically together.

Herrewyn and Zeven had pushed so hard they passed the other groups before the finish line and took the honours with a time of 32:31.

Opperman’s group was the runner-up, closely followed Pru Riddoch, Gerard Coote and Malcolm Tirabassi, while last across the line was Jen Buckland, Matthew Opperman and John Cranwell.

Once the elapsed times were taken into consideration, the final standings were Zeven’s team, then Riddoch’s team, Buckland’s team and Harry Opperman’s team.

The same format was applied to next weekend’s race on the Attamurra Road course on Sunday with 15 riders split into five teams of three.

Each group left the start line in one-minute intervals riding into a headwind before returning home with the breeze behind their backs.

The team of Tess Wight, Naomi Feder and Bruce McLaughlin (33:23) were the first to return.

But they were beaten in racing time by Ash Herrewyn, Mike Bakker and Dean Zeven with a 32:49.

Rounding out the podium were Pru Riddoch, Gerard Coote and Malcolm Tirabassi (37:05) followed by the team of Matthew Opperman, John Cranwell, and Jen Buckland (37:30), while Nick Kidman and Mark Wight combined to drag Jason Buckland across the finish line two minutes and 12 seconds behind.

The club will take a break from racing over the school holidays and will return with a shotgun race along Caves Rd on Sunday, October 11.