Luke Ensor showcased his sprinting prowess to outsprint his rivals and win Saturday's Keegan Downes Memorial Sundowner Handicap Cycling Classic.
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In doing so the 18-year old became the second winner of the 100km trek from Coonabarabran to Gunnedah in as many years to call Dubbo home, following Kurt Eather's victory in last year's event.
Fresh from winning the road race at the Dubbo club championships the previous weekend, Ensor edged out MTOSS Mainpac team-mate Stephen Cuff and Devraj Grewal for the spots on the podium.
The lead group was about 30-strong and included Tamworth's Phil Kelaher and Luke Deasey.
They finished two seconds behind Ensor, with Kelaher crossing in 18th and Deasey 22nd.
The bulk of the bunch were in the chopping block group (second last to depart), the first scratch riders coming in five minutes behind.
The conditions - warm and not much wind - made for a quick race.
"That first 10-20 kilometres for a big bloke like myself is pretty hard but came onto the flats came into our own," Ensor said.
Noted as a strong finisher, he said the plan was "to get to the end so I can have a sprint".
"We (team) sort of got into the finish and thought there was a bit more to go and everyone was a little bit out of position so it was just every man for the themselves at the end," he said.
"We came out running all top four, the team, so it worked out well for us."
Ensor said when they are like that can be a little bit messy.
"It's basically if you get a clear run and get to give it your all then it can come together for you, and that's what happened," he said.
Oliver's Real Food Racing's Sean Whitfield recorded the fastest time for the race, while Illawarra's Chloe Heffernan was the first female to finish, just pipping Gunnedah's own Sophie King.
After getting dropped at Mullalley last year and having to ride the remainder of the race solo last year, King vowed she "was never ever doing it again".
But about three months ago her cycling group decided that they were going to enter, and she thought she'd give it another crack.
"This year I was very determined to stay on a wheel and I did, I didn't get dropped so it was fantastic," she said.
"Groups that came along I was able to stay with them."
King was in the first bunch to depart and said she felt a lot of satisfaction crossing the finishing line.
"I got a cold at beginning of the week so I was worried I mightn't be able to race but I'm pleased I did and the training's paid off," she said.
Since she decided to race, she has been trying to do at least three rides a week, averaging anywhere from 80-140km rides of a weekend.
King, who was the first female in the masters 1-4 category, and also won the women's Queen of the Mountain, describes herself as a bit of a cycling rookie.
"I dabble in triathlons and cycling's probably not my strongest point but I have worked hard to improve my cycling," she said.
Scott Dunlop was the first male of the Gunnedah contingent to finish and also took out the sprint.
"It was good to be racing with some of the top riders in the state and see where the bar is at," Dunlop sad.
He was in the lead group until the last couple of hills before the finish.
