The weekend’s Acciona Gunning Windfarm Goulburn Great Divide cycling event was a great success providing some excellent racing on the Cullerin Road circuit. After good racing conditions on Saturday, the start of Sunday’s road races triggered the forecast wind resulting in a strong tailwind on the outward leg to Breadalbane but a fierce headwind on the way back causing most grades to splinter and riders withdrawing.
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The Men’s Div 1 race over 141km, 3 laps, saw a breakaway of seven riders set up a lead of four minutes after the first lap. After stretching the lead to over five minutes, that bunch dwindled to four nearing the finish. It was Hunter Districts’ Sam Hill, who won the sprint from Angus Calder of Northern Sydney, and Edward White from Sydney Uni Velo. Goulburn’s Cameron Roberts finished with the main bunch in 10th.
The Goulburn’s best result was in the Men’s Div 3 with Andrew Stewart second in a 14 man sprint finish. It was a strong effort from Stewart, riding his second Great Divide. He had to fight to get back into the race after being dropped and chasing to re-join the bunch in a solo effort. In Div 4, Jeremy Gilchrist was fourth in a tight sprint, while Phil Hansen was sixth.
Dubbo’s Simone Grounds made it a double for the weekend winning the Women’s Div 1 94km after taking out the Time Trial Championship on Saturday.
Saturday’s NSW Individual Time Trial Championships resulted in a win for the evergreen defending champion Peter Milostic from Penrith in the Elite men.
Fourty-four-year-old Milostic beat his younger rivals to record his eleventh win in the event. Another master’s rider Simone Grounds, Dubbo, took out the Elite women’s.
Cameron Roberts fared best of the locals with a silver medal in the Elites. Callum Emmerton was fifth in the under 19’s, while brother Jacob showed the effects of a tough weekend at the King Valley Tour and was well below his best in the under 23’s.
In the Master’s non-championship events, Neils Laugeson was sixth and Phil Hansen ninth Men’s 5-6, Fiona Berry was fifth in the Women’s 5+ division.
Goulburn Cycle Club President, Adam Lambert paid tribute to Acciona Gunning Wind Farm for it’s third year of sponsorship and the big effort put in by club members and friends aided by visitors to make the event such a success.
