Cyclists took over the Mandurah foreshore for the opening round of WestCycle’s Ring Summer Criterium Series on Sunday, with A-grader’s Colby Lange and Teneal Attard taking out wins in the men and women’s respectively.
With the American national track cycling visiting Perth, men’s A-grade had an international flavour with five USA-based riders competing, including two who have won the American National Criterium Championships multiple times.
The Americans rode as a team and controlled the race. Whenever a break went off the front, they always had a rider in it.
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As soon as the other riders brought the break back, another would go.
Then suddenly Lange was off the front alone.
Opponents tried to bridge and while they let individual riders attempt and fail, they made sure they followed every attack with more than one rider.
After an hour of racing Lange won convincingly, while Luke Bates was the best placed Australian coming in second.
After multiple attempts, Bates got into a chase group of three, which clawed back some of the gap before a crash in the closing stages saw Bates the sole survivor to come in as the runner-up.
Tim Sellar sprinted out of a very reduced bunch to claim third.
Women’s A-grade was a tactical race, with the stronger riders attempting to dislodge the faster finishers with aggressive riding.
While a couple of fast finishers were dropped, Attard was very attentive at the front of the race.
Coming out of the last corner with 600 metres to go she attacked and held her advantage to take the win ahead of Jade Haines in second and Dharlia Haines third.
Men’s B-grade was another aggressive race, with riders constantly attacking and getting small breaks.
The bunch reduced in size as the race wore on but the same riders kept attacking and chasing.
In the reduced bunch sprint it was Josh Commons first, Adrian Paul second and Paul Foxwell third.
Women’s B-grade followed a similar script, with riders attacking and the bunch chasing.
At times it looked like the break might make it, only to be brought back.
In the sprint it was Emily Wiggins first, Jessica Lawler second and Darcie Richards third.
With the Mandurah leg now in the rear view, the Ring Summer Criterium Series will now move to Wellard Village for round two this coming Sunday, February 10.
For all the details and full results visit ringcritseries.asn.au