After stormy skies and lightning overhead forced the cancellation of last week’s racing, 19 riders prepared to race a bracing Southerly breeze in the sixth race of the Mount Gambier Cycling Club Summer Series along a 25km course at Attamurra Road on Sunday.

With the Opperman family in Melbourne for the Bell Helmets Track Carnival, Glenn Tye, Sean Tye and Eddie Buckland prepared to duke it out for the 10km Under 13 race.

Glenn Tye was given a three and a half minute head start over Buckland and Sean Tye, taking advantage of the wind at his back to get a good gap for the other riders to chase.

In the end, the gap was too great for the chasing riders to make up, with Glenn Tye taking out his second victory, 42 seconds ahead of Eddie Buckland, with Sean Tye arriving a further 37 seconds later.

Following the completion of the Junior race, the Senior riders lined up for their dash.

A large group of seven riders, including John Kidman, Jason Buckland, Damian Buckley, Jen Buckland, Chris Hunt, Ainsley Curtis and Dianne Major, were to be the first to leave, hoping to take advantage of the tailwind to the turnaround to maintain some kind of gap over the chasing riders.

They were given a three-minute head start over a chasing group containing Dave Delaland, Elmer Buckland and Mike Bakker, followed two minutes later by John Cranwell, Phil Stasiw and Gerard Coote.

A further three minutes later the penultimate group consisting of Jami Buckley, Malcolm Tirabassi, Riley Hill and Craig Andre were allowed to begin their chase, while 120 seconds later the scratch group containing Nick Kidman and Dave Bryant pushed pedals some 11 minutes after the first riders had set off.

Within the first 8km, the second group had caught up with the leaders, with Jen Buckland, Curtis and Hunt managing to jump on the train as it came past.

This became the leading group until the turnaround, where Delaland, Elmer Buckland and Bakker were able to pry open a gap once the wind was in their faces.

Most groups were continuing to work strongly with the only casualty of the high pace on the outward leg being Jami Buckley, running out of gears to keep up with his group.

Whilst the head wind on the return leg seemed to affect some, out in front the pace was kept unabated.

With approximately 7km to the finish line, Delaland, Bakker and Elmer Buckalnd were passed by Stasiw, Cranwell and Coote, with Elmer Buckland managing to hold their wheel as they came by.

With the faster riders still working hard to catch up, it was this group who were destined to fight for the race victory.

Battling the strong headwind to the finish line it was Cranwell who took the sprint, closely followed by Stasiw and Coote.

Bryant and Kidman arrived 43 seconds later, just overtaking Elmer Buckland before the line, with Bryant taking fastest time honours.

They were followed in by Hill, Andre, Tirabassi and Bakker, who rounded out the top 10.

Next weekend’s race will be a 25kphandicap along the Caves Road course.

Further afield, some MGCC riders took part in events in Adelaide and Melbourne over the weekend, with Niel van Niekerk, Patrick Langsmith and Freya Miller taking part in the South Australian State Criterium Championship held in Adelaide.

Miller rode strongly in her Under 13 criterium, held over 15 minutes plus two laps.

After an incredible performance Miller finished as the State Criterium champion for her age group.

Van Niekerk and Langsmith both raced in the Under 17M event, held over 20 minutes plus three laps.

It was a great learning opportunity for Langsmith, taking the chance to race in an unfamiliar style and circuit, while van Niekerk seized his opportunity to take home the bronze medal.

The Opperman family participated in the Bells Helmet Track Carnival held in Melbourne, with many of Australia’s track stars in attendance.

Molly Opperman participated in the Under 13 races, taking victory in the Scratch and Tempo races.

In the 1km Handicap race Molly Opperman gave up a 170m head start to the other riders, and nearly caught them all, finishing second.

Later in the day, Harry and Matthew Opperman participated in the D and C Grade races, with each finishing fourth in their respective 2.5km Scratch race.

Following the heats of the Keirin, they also rode a 12 lap scratch race with each of them commended on their aggressive riding.