Bevan Cheatley kicked off the new Wanganui Cycling Club season with a smart win in the sprint finish to Saturday's combined A and B grade mass-start race around five laps (45km) of the Eastown road circuit taking line and time honours for the day.
Cheatley's sprinting prowess has seen himdominate racing on this course for several years - the usual bunch sprint finish ideally suiting his riding style.
In cold conditions, a field of 23 fronted up for the main race, with 15 contesting the C-grade event over three laps of the same course.
On lap two, Cheatley and seven of the stronger riders split the field and created what turned out to be the race-winning break. With Adrian Pettit, Pat Johnstone, Gary Anderson, and youngsters Boaz Darby and Lewis Bunker together with Brian Scrimshaw and newcomer Jacob Sievwright all chipping in, the front group steadily built on its leading margin and held an unassailable advantage of just on four minutes over the chasers entering the last lap.
Before the final turn, Scrimshaw tried his trademark late attack, but was reeled in by the bunch on Eastown Road as they charged towards the finish. Approaching the line, Cheatley was given a perfect lead-out by former Olympian Gary Anderson, with Cheatley producing a fine late burst of speed that carried him to a narrow but impressive win. Teenager Darby, who is coached by Cheatley, pressed him hard but had to be content with second place. Darby's fellow youngster and training mate, Bunker, was close up in third spot just ahead of Sievwright. Anderson hung on for fifth, just ahead of Scrimshaw who battled on well for sixth ahead of Pettit and Johnstone respectively.
Four minutes and 16 seconds elapsed before the main bunch appeared.
The C graders raced over three laps and it was schoolboy Luke Gemmell who slipped away from a leading bunch of five for a good 10-second win over immediate past president Stu Bruce in second place. Bruce held off Ron Cheatley who crossed third, with Sandro Kuehne fourth and Steve Brandon fifth. Stefan Bourke was best of the rest in sixth place.
