BILL WILLIAMSON has made the perfect start to Dubbo Cycle Club's road season sponsored by Dubbo City Toyota, taking out the annual Easter Bars 80km Classic on the Wongarbon course on Saturday.
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Williamson (0 minutes) completed the race in 2 hours 25 minutes and 58 seconds to take out the coveted Easter Bars Classic trophy, while Mark Fuller (0 minutes) finished second, Jason Farr (+9 minutes) finished third, Darrell Wheeler (+9 minutes) finished fourth and Mick Cooper (+9 minutes) crossed the line fifth.
Fuller and Williamson, along with fellow limit markers Gary Barber, Heather Ticehurst, Vaughn Eather, and Jeff Sargent combined with the nine minute group of Peter Ensor, Farr, Wheeler and Cooper and proved too elusive for the 17 minute group of Craig Lennox, Justin Brooks, Alex Russell, Max Newton, David Gerrish, Evan Goodstat and Stuart Lobsey and the 20 minute group of Kurt Eather, Luke Ensor, Chris Couper, Adam Mitchell and Mick Ticehurst.
Kevin Couper (0 minutes; race time of one hour 40 minutes and 39 seconds), who has been in strong early season form was the victor of the 50km event, powering clear of his rivals in the final kilometers to top the podium, while Catherine Fuller (+8 minutes) finished second, Andrew Hurrell (+8 minutes) finished third, Kerrie Cooper (0 minutes) finished fourth and Ann Clark (0 minutes) finished fifth.
Dylan Eather (+18 minutes), who was the lone scratch marker in the 50km event, suffered a puncture as he was joining the +16 minute group of Danny Barber and Haylee Fuller and unfortunately lost time after a strong early effort, while Lachie Sinclair was impressive in transferring his strong track and triathlon form to the road.
The 30km event was taken out by newcomer Sarah Gordon (+8 minutes) in a time of one hour four minutes and four seconds over Brodie Wheeler (+8 minutes), Louis Russell (0 minutes), Lauren Fuller (0 minutes) and Margot Russell (+8 minutes).
The fastest times for the three events were recorded by Sarah Gordon (30km fastest overall time and fastest women's time), Kevin Couper (50km fastest overall time), Catherine Fuller (50km fastest women's time), Mick Ticehurst (80km fastest overall time) and Heather Ticehurst (80km fastest women's time).
Saturday's event was marred by two crashes, which saw Max Newton, Stu Lobsey and Evan Goodstat involved in separate incidents - Lobsey was fortunate to avoid and race ending injuries however Newton sustained a separated shoulder and Goodstat suffered lacerations to his knee and elbow, with both men forced to abandon the event.
This coming Saturday riders will take to the South Geurie long course for a 60km handicap in what will be the first official pointscore round of the Dubbo City Toyota Road Racing Series.
Sign on for Saturday's event commences at 1.30pm to 2pm with racing to get underway at 2.15pm, while Junior riders will race on Sunday on the Sheraton Road course with sign-on from 2pm.
Criterium training continues for the senior riders from 6.15pm on Tuesday evenings at Victoria Park No.1 Oval, with these graded sessions preceeded by junior skills training, while the ever popular 100-lap motorpaced track endurance training will get underway at 6pm on Thursday evenings.