The former Australian Mighty 11 BMX representative has dabbled in motor bikes since those heady days as well as the traditional road (cycling) bikes.

He even has his own bike shop, BC Bikes, in Tamworth now.

On Sunday he rode in the Tamworth Cycling Club’s A Grade criterium at Goddard Lane.

He finished second to Drapac professional Sam Spokes.

To the naked eye it looked like he had been beaten by a wheel or so.

“A bit more than that, more like a length,” he said. 

“I can’t beat him doing 30km a week.”

That was training as compared to Spokes’s heavy training schedule that will take him to a tour in Italy on March 14.

“Team Sky won it last year,” Spokes said after he had beaten  Clarke and Fraser Ashford in a close, driving finish to Sunday’s A Grade crit.

“It was pretty hot out there,” he  added.

“There was a headwind up the front straight.

“It was a good race.”

For  Clarke, the racing was tough but enjoyable.

“I’ve never really stopped riding.

“I’d done a bit and started getting keen a while back.”

That coincided with buying the BC Bikeshop in October.

It was an enterprising day at Goddard Lane where the B grade crit was won by Darren  Taylor, the club publicity officer.

He was leading when the rest of the small field fell and failed to finish.

Jonathon Sanders won the C Grade from Peter Nash with Kai, Jonathon’s son, third.

The club races criteriums at Goddard Lane again from 8am this Sunday.