FIVE Manning Valley Cycle Club riders travelled west last weekend for the annual Coonabarabran to Gunnedah handicap (111km) and the Gunnedah to Tamworth (109km) graded scratch races.
Graham Norris, Rhett Pattison, Nathan Loretan, Dan Aldridge and Lloyd Ninham made the five hour drive to Coonabarabran.
Long range weather forecasts were for a dry weekend but Mother Nature had other ideas - early Friday evening the cats and dogs were falling from the sky and further heavy falls of rain during the night greeted the guys for a very wet and cold morning at the race start.
The State handicapper was good to Loretan. He was competing in his first State Open races and had a very eventful weekend which commenced on Saturday.
In the limit bunch 48 minute mark, Loretan was riding comfortably and finding the pace to his liking.
Unfortunately, he punctured and then broke the valve on his spare tube after 5km. The overall winner was from Loretan's bunch and collected the $1000 first prize. Loretan ended up finishing the race in the sag wagon.
Pattison started on the 38 minute mark and was riding comfortably.
Aldridge and Norris started with the 20 minute bunch and were making good time and picking up dropped riders along the way. Aldridge broke a rear spoke 30km into the race and had to install a replacement wheel.
He was picked up by the following bunch which included Ninham from the 15 minute bunch. This bunch had consolidated into quite a large group of about 25 riders and was keeping good time in front of the scratchies.
A large group of 30 riders, which included Norris, were closing in on the leading small bunches ahead but unfortunately could not bridge the gap with the winning riders crossing the line only 500m ahead of the chase pack. Aldridge and Ninham finished in a chasing bunch about four minutes ahead of the scratchies.
Manning Valley Cycle Club riders awoke to a slightly better day than the previous, for the start of the 109km Gunnedah to Tamworth road race but conditions were still a little gloomy with an occasional spot of rain before the start but the race was dry for the majority.
Loretan started in division six on Sunday for the 105km Gunnedah to Tamworth graded scratch race. He was lucky not to be involved in a very serious crash after 20km which involved about 20 riders. He also got a bit lost at one stage and took a wrong turn.
However, after all this he sprinted to the line in second position for a very creditable result. After receiving his $200 prize money he is now looking forward to his next open race although the handicapper may make things a little more difficult in future.
Rhett Pattison was in division five and rolling along nicely with the peloton. Pattison was comfortable throughout the race in a peloton of about 30 riders holding position mid way in the field.
No serious attacks occurred in the race but unfortunately pattison could not find himself in a good position for the sprint finish and trying not to be out done by the elite women who were all graded division five for the road series point score.
Norris and Aldridge were in division four and were reasonably confident of a good result. After 20km Aldridge found himself rolling off the front of the 40 rider pack and decided to try a lone break away.
He rode alone for 50 to 60km and was able to get a two minute gap on a number of occasions. Aldridge was caught by the peloton at about the 70 km mark with three riders immediately breaking away. Aldridge was not going to give up so he kicked again with these riders for another 5km. These four riders could not handle the pace with two being dropped.
Aldridge and another rider continued for a few more kilometres until picked up by the peloton with 10km remaining. With the large bunch gathering speed approaching the finish line, Norris decided to make a break at the 1km mark. The gap created proved more than enough to allow for a reasonably comfortable win for the Manning rider. Aldridge put in an amazing effort to finish in sixth place.
Ninham's wins and places in previous years hadn't gone unnoticed by the handicapper. He was the highest graded rider on the day riding division three.
After the starters gun the riders from the larger clubs set a high pace for the first 60kms. With the tail wind average speed was around the 40-45km/h mark.
Ninham was comfortable to sit in mid field and hold position and let the big guys do all the work. Werris Creek marked the turning point in the race, the 30km drag back to Tamworth.
A few slightly longer uphill drags started to take the sting out of a few legs with riders going backwards as quick as others were going forward. Ninham was able to maintain contact but within the last 7kms his luck ran out and a rear wheel puncture all but ended the day. A quick tube change and a few choice words saw Ninham up and going again, finishing about five minutes behind the winner.
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