A rejuvenated Shaun Tucker has returned to form of old with victory in the 58km A-grade Wanganui Cycle Club race on Saturday.
As a young track cyclist Tucker was good enough to represent New Zealand in the team that attended the 1990 junior world track championships in England.
He then had a long break from the sport until he moved back to Wanganui with his family in 2011 to take up a job as head mechanic for his old coach Ron Cheatley at Cyclesport NZ.
Tucker has since re-immersed himself in track and road racing and his dedication paid off on Saturday when he registered a fine win in the A-grade race.
Alison Richards, another comeback rider, cemented her good recent form with victory in the 45km B-grade race, and in the 36km C-grade event, Dean Blackwell's consistency was rewarded when he headed home the field.
In very hot conditions, a small field of 13 A-graders lined up at Talbot Street for the handicapped 58km event which included three significant hills and 800 metres of climbing.
Clint Black and Martin Hogan were first away, followed five minutes later by Tucker's break bunch, which also included Jason Bardell, Paul Forrest, Darcy Forrester, John Black, and Ian Thomson.
Six minutes behind them, Pat Johnstone headed the scratch bunch, with Adrian Petit, Matt Goode, Adam Gosney and Jason Sturzaker for company.
On the ascent of the day's first climb - the "Gentle Annie" on River Road - Tucker and Forrester were dropped by their break-bunch companions, but with Tucker displaying great descending skills, they managed to reconnect with the group by the time they got back down to the state highway.
The pace remained high with the bunch intact until they hit the second climb - the Aberfeldy hill. With lightweight climbers like John Black and Paul Forrest pushing the pace, Tucker and Forrester were again dropped and they reached the Aberfeldy School turnaround together some way behind.
At the top of the return climb of the Aberfeldy, the duo were captured by the remnants of the scratch group - now down to just Johnstone and Petit after they had earlier blown away the rest of their co-markers.
These four recovered on the descent, then settled down to a serious chase after the leaders - their number swelling to five when they picked up Clint Black soon afterwards.
Up front, Bardell, Thomson, Forrest and John Black had visions of staying clear, but with Johnstone driving the chase, they were finally reeled in with just a kilometre left.
Early in the finishing straight, Tucker put in a brief dummy attack, cleverly encouraging his rivals to launch their sprints while he eased back and then kicked hard again in the closing stages to claim an impressive, narrow win.
Petit wound up strongly after working hard the whole race to finish a game second, with Forrester also rallying well to finish close in third.
The efforts of the first and third place-getters were full of merit on a course much hillier than both generally prefer.
John Black battled on very well for fourth, with Forrest fifth and Thomson sixth.
Petit clocked the day's fastest time (1.37.27) from Pat Johnstone, who unsurprisingly had little left in the tank when it came to the final sprint.
Alison Richards rode strongly to win the B-grade race from Talbot Street to the top of the Aberfeldy and return. She dropped co-marker Graham Jefferies early on the Aberfeldy climb and then put the hammer down on the descent and rode solo back to the finish to register a stylish victory.
Scratch rider Pat Carroll chased gamely all day, but although he caught and passed Jefferies, was unable to peg back the flying Richards.
Carroll finished in second place about a minute and a half in arrears, with a gap back to Jeffries in third. Carroll's time (1.15.580) was the day's fastest.
In the 36km out and back C-grade race to the foot of the Aberfeldy and return, enthusiastic competitor Dean Blackwell was simply too strong for his four rivals; racing clear of newcomer Michaela Walker who did well to cross second.
Veteran Rod Trott wasn't too far away in third spot, holding off Tim Matthews and Debbie Cain in fourth and fifth respectively.
Results
A Grade - 54km handicap; Talbot Street - River Road - Aberfeldy School and return1/Sean Tucker, 2/Adrian Petit (fastest time 1:37.27), 3/Darcy Forrester
B Grade - 45km handicap; Talbot Street out and back.1/ Alison Richards, 2/ Pat Carroll (fastest time 1:15:58), 3/ Graham Jefferies
C Grade - 36km handicap; Talbot Street out and back.1/ Dean Blackwell (fastest time 1.09.43), 2/ Michaela Walker, 3/ Rod Trott