Cycling: Cheatley keeps his record on track

Bevan Cheatley retained the John Taylor Memorial trophy at the weekend. Photo/Supplied

Defending title-holder Bevan Cheatley continued his fine record in the race for the John Taylor Memorial trophy on Saturday.

Cheatley again won the annual race, named for the talented club member who died prematurely in the mid-1990s.

Cheatley and his younger brother Dayle, now Cambridge-based as the successful head coach for the NZ track cycling team, have dominated the trophy over the years.

Saturday's race was a 42km mass start event over seven laps of the flat and fast Westmere Station Rd circuit, with 23 riders fronting up in fine but cool conditions.

On lap one, Cheatley, Matt Goode and Adam Gosney attacked and shredded the field - the trio creating a handy gap over what remained of the chasing bunch.

However, towards the end of lap two, Garry Anderson decided to bridge across to the leaders.

Anderson completed the junction on lap three with an impressive display of power, but brought Lewis Bunker, Jason Sturzaker, Paul Forrest, Adrian Pettit and Boaz Darby with him.

As the lap count increased, so did the leaders' margin over the rest of the field.

Behind the frontrunners, a second main bunch formed and settled into a steady rhythm without any real hope of re-connecting with the lead group out front.

While they worked together evenly, there were some good efforts put in by Catherine McMurray and Marcia Goode in particular, while veterans John Black and Allan Luff also did some strong pace-making.

On the final lap with the pace still high, Cheatley and company had a three-and-a-half minute lead and as they entered the finishing straight.

Sturzaker was the first to launch a long-range sprint, as Anderson quickly got on terms and briefly hit the lead.

But inside the final 150m, Cheatley unleashed his finishing burst and shot clear for another impressive win.

Anderson was just as easily second, with Sturzaker hanging on well for third.

Not far behind him was Matt Goode in fourth, just in front of Bunker in fifth, with Gosney rounding out the top six.

When the chasing bunch eventually appeared it was Ross McNeil who headed them in from Steve Cowan.

Results

John Taylor Memorial Trophy (A & B grade): 1. Bevan Cheatley (fastest time 1.04:16); 2. Garry Anderson (1.04:17); 3. Jason Sturzaker (1.04:18).

C grade: 1. Luke Gemmell (fastest time 41.58); 2. Cherie Prince; 3. Stu Bruce.