The Peel District Cycling Club hosted the State Junior Road Race Championship at the Dog Hill circuit in Baldivis on Saturday.
This year was the first time under 11s riders were able to participate, with three male, six female racers and a dozen chaperones hitting the track for the new division.
In the run to the line, it was a sprint between the best of the male and female cyclists.
Luca Woods took the win in the boys category while Lily Smith earned the gong in the under 11s girls.
Their victories were followed by wins to Thomas Alexander and Isabella Commons in the under 13s boys and girls respectively, while the under 15s races were taken out by Emily Wiggins and Joshua Commons.
The race was on from the start in the under 17s women, with the three strongest riders quickly establishing a break, catching the men who started over a minute in front of them and then building a lead, all in the first lap.
They occasionally tested each other with little attacks, but in the end it came down to the sprint which was won by Danica Wiggins, from Dharlia Haines second and Laura Hodges third.
The under 17 men, started slow and slowly but picked up the pace with some aggressive and attacking moves.
Despite some late attacks it was a reduced bunch sprint won by Peel District’s Jordan Dawson.
Emily Mascaro, who just returned from representing Australia at the Youth Commonwealth Games in the Bahamas, raced brilliantly in the under 19 women.
When Mascaro was dropped from the men’s group she had built up a solid lead and maintained most of it during the race.
With a lap to go Mascaro had over a two-minute lead, but was tiring.
Cassia Boglio was slowly gaining and finally had Mascaro in her sights, on the last lap, but Mascaro held on to win with Boglio finishing less than 30 seconds behind.
The under 19 men’s race saw aggressive racing from the start with attacks, breaks forming, being chased down and riders dropped.
Then with four laps to go Xavier Cooper attacked.
With two laps to go Cooper had a 90-second lead over the bunch, which could not organise a chase.
Aron Barclay then attacked with a lap to go.
Cooper had a 40-second lead over Barclay with the bunch 40 seconds further back.
Barclay managed to take the lead and take the win to round out the day.
For full results or more information on the Peel District Cycling Club visit pdcc.asn.au
