Gavin Inglis leads the B Grade Criterium race into this turn with second-placed Emma Sonnerson sitting on his wheel and eventual winner Alan Spokes third. Then follow Jack Pianta, Mal Nash and Brendan Holford. Photo: Geoff O’Neill 141012GOB01
TAMWORTH Cycling Club’s criterium season started at Goddard’s Lane on Sunday morning and while it had good numbers it could be decimated for this Sunday’s second round.
The second week of criterium racing will be up against a charity Pedal the Peel road race, TCC club publicity officer Mitch Carrington said.
Carrington said a number of club riders will ride the charity race which has three different distances.
“It’s a shame, it’s going to draw a fair few of our riders,” he said.
One of those is Mal Nash, who rode the course last week with his brother Peter and son Daniel.
“I did have a team of four but that might only be one now,” Nash said after riding the hard, hilly course.
Alan Spokes, who won the B grade criterium at Goddard’s Lane on Sunday, reckons it will be a real test.
“129km,” he said.
“There’s some tough climbs, up Porcupine and up Daruka and the back of the tip hill.”
Mitch Carrington is also booked to ride a leg of the Port Macquarie Iron Man with Nick and Donna Inglis and a few other TCC
members.
Nash is also doing that Iron Man and then riding the Tour of the Rock (at Nundle) after that, while Carrington is headed towards the Grafton to Inverell Cycle Classic on October 27.
Carrington was in form on Sunday after his recent Belgian tour was cut short by a broken collar bone.
He and his younger brother, Matt, made it a good day, Matt winning the C Grad criterium and Mitch the A Grade.
“It’s going to be a busy season for us (TCC),” Carrington said.
“We had pretty good numbers today, about 30 or so. And we have the Saunders sisters, Tori and Jess to come back as well as Sam (Spokes).
The Saunders sisters have just returned from International success in New Zealand where Tori won the junior tour and Jess won a green jersey (sprinters).
They then raced indoors where they went one-two and are presently gearing up for a national track series which will take them to Tasmania, Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney.
Sam Spokes might also join the TCC in its Sunday morning crits as he rests from his gruelling first season riding for EFC Quick Step’s under 23 team in Europe.
