Jason Sturzaker was crowned Wanganui Cycling Club's 2013 senior champion on Saturday with a final effort that saw him snatch victory right on the line in a desperate finish to the 100km men's race.
Meanwhile, Cherie Prince produced a dominant display to take the corresponding title in the 70km woman's event.
The annual club championships were raced over the Mark Armstrong circuit, named in honour of the long-time Marton-based club member who died prematurely last month.
Starting and finishing at the bottom end of the Turakina valley, the open men and Under 50 Masters were required to complete three circuits of the Waimutu Rd, Fern Flats, Makahou Rd loop, including three ascents of the steep Waimutu Rd climb.
The open women, 50+ Masters and Under 17 riders raced over two laps.
Nine men started the 100km race and the pace was on from the outset with Pat Johnstone forcing the issue while Matt Goode, 19, almost 40 years younger than Johnstone attacked constantly.
These two plus Sturzaker, Brent Bismark and Adrian Pettit had separated themselves from their rivals after the first ascent of the Waimutu hill.
On the second ascent, Sturzaker and Pettit were dropped and it took a frantic chase for them to get back to the leaders as they raced through the rather optimistically-named Fern flats leg of the course.
Once they had re-joined they were able to recover sufficiently down the long descent through the Makahou Valley, staying with the leaders for the final lap.
By that stage, the pace had dropped somewhat as the terrain took its toll and the earlier drizzle turned into steady rain.
Approaching the finish line, Goode was first to launch his sprint from the five-strong leading bunch and shot clear with about 200m to travel.
For a long while he looked certain to win, but Sturzaker got on his wheel inside the final 50m and as Goode started to tie up, he lunged through on the inside to win by under a bike-length.
Two seconds further back there was a similar scrap for third Bismark just heading off Pettit to take the final podium spot.
Right behind them, Johnstone was fifth.
Sturzaker's win was his first in the senior club championships.
He has always been a talented rider and won plenty of races, but work and family commitments have probably impacted on his overall record.
Goode's second was well earned and he is clearly a rider who will continue to improve in coming years.
In the race for the open woman's title, former junior track star Prince proved a cut above her rivals.
Prince worked strongly as the only female in a bunch of five riders in the two-lap (70km) race to take a comfortable five minute win over Tamara Ross, who did well after a solo battle with the elements for much of the journey.
There was a margin back to the enthusiastic Debbie Cain in third place.
In the Under 50 Masters division, Brian Scrimshaw took the honours after he and Dave Collins had linked up with about a lap and a half to go Collins nailing down second placing.
Ten riders contested the 50+ Masters race over 70km and it was Paul Forrest who ran out a convincing winner.
Forrest attacked hard on the second ascent of the Waimutu Rd climb and dragged the two Under 17 riders in the field Boaz Darby and James Wright away with him.
With Forrest calling the shots, the trio kept the pressure on and got out to a lead of over three minutes from the opposition.
At the line Forrest coasted home untested to a very easy win.
The much improved Darby sprinted clear of Wright to take the Under 17 title for 2013.
Darcy Forrester continued his good run of form to take second placing behind Forrest in the 50+ race, just ahead of the very consistent veteran John Black.
Mike Wright headed home the next bunch, in which 70-year-old Laurence Sunde put up a remarkably tough performance to claim sixth spot against riders many years his junior.
Michaela Walker was the only Under 17 female in action, but stuck to her guns in increasingly difficult conditions to complete the 70km course in a respectable time.
In non-championship races over one lap, Amy Horn beat her Under 15 rival Sophie Bloxham and Michael Hausman won the C-grade race from Alistair Ross.
Results
Senior Men's Club Championship: 1. Jason Sturzaker (2.56.37); 2. Matt Goode; 3. Brent Bismark.
Senior Women's Club Championship: 1. Cherie Prince (2.14.45); 2. Tamara Ross; 3. Debbie Cain.
Masters U50 Club Championship: 1. Brian Scrimshaw (3.19.29); 2. Dave Collins.
Masters 50+ Club Championship: 1. Paul Forrest (2.06.54); 2. Darcy Forrester; 3. John Black.
U17 Men's Club Championship: 1. Boaz Darby (2.06.53); 2. James Wright.
U17 Woman's Club Championship: 1. Michaela Walker (2.41.20).