Knight blitzes road race field

Cycling

The limit riders stayed ahead of the chasers when Athletic and Cycling Masterton's cycling section held a handicap road race over 32km on Tuesday evening.

The wind, a light nor-easterly, made for ideal conditions for the race from Henley Lake along the Te Ore Ore/Bideford roads circuit to Stoddart's Road and return.

The course was testing with its mix of flat and undulating roadway and lengthy hills.

Six groups started with riders going off at intervals, zero, 9min, 12min, 16min and 20min and the three female limit riders, Diane Chesmar, Emily Lutyens and Viv Bunny, were also the first three over the finish line.

Chesmar took the honours with Luytensand Bunny being credited with the same time.

Ride of the night went to Ben Knight, part of the scratch group at 20min. He posted the fastest time of 51.57.

Another rider, elevated to scratch and festooned with hammer and sickle, stayed at the back of the group the entire journey before bursting forth at the finish to record second-fastest time.

He then continued to ride off into the sunset and so was absent from the ensuing discussion about such tactics!

Dave Drummond was third fastest.

Another women's group, off at 12min, also stayed together and posted fastest times for their category. A mere 1s covered Donna Burkhart, Kirsten Goodin and Julie Millar.

Times were:

Ben Knight 51.57, Earle Whitcombe 52.24, Dave Drummond 52.25, Andrew Linton 52.26, Mike Wilkinson 52.27, Pete James 52.28, Jeff Saywell 53.51, Mike Sutton 55.08, Simon Butler 55.08, John Chesmar 55.08, Brian Sanders 55.08, Darren Southon 55.09, Terry Blackburn 55.11, Russell Pickering 55.11, Donna Burkhart 59.02, Kirsten Goodin 59.02, Mike Clinton-Baker 59.03, Julie Millar 59.03, Mike Parker 1.00.11, Ricky Blade 1.01.11, Lloyd Millar 1.01.12, Grant Burkhart 1.01.13, Dave Hodder 1.01.13, Douglas Maclachlan 1.02.04, Andrew Curtis-Cody 1.03.17, Ray Haste 1.04.07, Chris Bunny 1.05.08, Diane Chesmar 1.07.21 .