MAL Ellicott’s victory in Sunday’s Tamworth Cycling Club B Grade criterium was due to a fatherly approach.
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Ellicott, better known for his triathlon competition and organisation, started racing with the club more because of his son, Daniel.
“I wanted to get him settled into riding,” Ellicot said.
“He’s only 12 and riding well too.
“But they have a few new young riders here starting to race.”
His son is also off to the All School Triathlon Championships as well as swimming in the Speedo State Championships in Sydney.
A great Dragons (St George) supporter, it will be a big sporting weekend as Mal and family will be able to go to Thursday night’s “Chooks versus Bunnies” NRL season opener in Sydney.
Ellicot said Alan Spokes “let” him win the B Grade race while another vet, Ray Griffin, won the A Grade from Mitch Carrington and Phil Kelleher.
Griffin, Brendan Hallford and Darren Traill were given a lap start by their fellow A graders Carrington, Kelleher and Fraser Ashford.
Carrington, Kelleher and Ashford caught the other three with about 12 minutes left in their 30mins plus two laps race.
With a few laps left, Griffin, Carrington, Ashford and Kelleher broke clear and then a couple of laps out, Griffin took advantage of a brief lapse from his fellow A graders to sneak clear by some 30 to 40m.
He may have outfoxed them as, while they jockeyed to see who could gain the best position in the final sprint, Griffin was able to stay far enough away to win by about 10m from Carrington and Kelleher.
Justin Pianta won the C Grade race from Peter Nash and the engine reconditioning Darren Taylor, not the plastering Darren Taylor.
John Freiberg was also a good addition to the club yesterday.
The former Brisbane music teacher has relocated to Tamworth.
He was second in the Australian Under 23 Road Racing Championships at Port Arlington (eighth overall).
While he’s had two years off, he’s keen to re-ignite his racing and may be able to start some local training rides with various club members.