Cycling: Evans the fastest hardy soul on cold, grey day

Brad Evans.
Brad Evans.
Mosgiel's Brad Evans was rewarded for braving the conditions, winning Cycling Otago's Thomson Memorial on the Taieri on Saturday.

He emerged from a bunch sprint to claim the honours on a cold, damp day when only the hardy turned out to contest the handicap race.

Small groups made for exciting racing on the Woodside-Berwick 62km circuit, though.

Starting 11min after limit, Jamie Greene, Tom Kaminszky and Paula Hasler settled into 2min laps and made good progress with the favourable wind out and over the Berwick Hill.

A further 4min back, the powerful Shane Melrose and Aaron Sinclair were making inroads.

The groups combined at the Centre Rd turn and Greene fell victim to the increased pace into the strong headwind.

As the front markers were passed, Melrose, Sinclair, Kaminszky and Hasler hit the front.

Quicker than expected at the 43km mark, the break group of Paul Gough, Brendan Hastie, Chris Henderson and Chris Harvey made contact and the combined riders swept along Maungatua Rd and into the McLeod Rd turn.

In quick succession, after an epic chase, scratch caught the frontrunners and had an immediate impact.

Marshals tracking the times of the groups coming through were amazed at the speed of both the break and scratch groups.

With top Otago riders Evans, Jacob Grieve and Kees Duyvesteyn now in the mix, the attacking and surging increased.

The group rumbled towards the finish and the inevitable bunch sprint battle. When the dust settled, it was Evans who took the win ahead of Duyvesteyn and Gough in third.

In the juniors' race, after an impressive ride, Thirza Smith crossed the line minutes ahead of the next finisher, Mila Rollo, and Grace Hurring was a further two minutes back.

Spectators commented on the strength of Smith, who broke away early and powered to the finish.

 Paula Hasler 

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