Pak N’Save Summer Road Series Race 3: Mainfreight Rice Mountain Classic
With 140 riders lining up for race 3 of the PNP PakN’Save Summer Road Series, the Mainfreight Rice Mountain Classic, the OTB had a massive representation of 36 riders – big callout to the huge support offered by the Onslow Dirt Babies who came out in numbers to find out what real Mountain biking is like! And the friends and family who took photos, cheered everyone on and generally added to a colourful day.
Also notable entrants for the OTB racing team were Stanley Riddle (U19) and Nicolas Dunn (20-34), great to see a couple younger riders in the team and returning outstanding results.
First held in 1996 the race honours the contribution to PNP by Alan Rice and is the regions toughest event, with this edition seeing the Medio Fondo tackle 1200m of climbing and the Grand Fondo 1800m over a 90km course.
Previous notable winners have included Jeremy Vennell, Jeremy Yates, Scott Lyttle, Antosh Kowalewski, Hayden Roulston, Wayne Hiscock and Brent Backhouse and for the womens trophy Serena Sheriden, Tracey Best, Catherine Dunn, Susie Wood (4 time winner) and Nadene Boyle.
Medio Fondo
55 riders in the Medio Fondo rolled out from Gladstone school in cool overcast conditions. The bunch were kept a little honest by a number of unsuccessful early attacks and rode solidly towards the base of Limeworks. The intensity went up a few notches and as the bunch swept round onto the climb a solid tempo was dished out. The peloton fractured with a lead group of 20 riders cresting the climb. The rolling course coupled with high pace saw the peloton whittled down to 12 by the time it reached the base of the steep 2km Te Kouraru climb only U19 rider to make the selection.
David Finley, Duncan Appleton and Richard van Lent decided to “give it a nudge” and with none of us able to follow, they were able to successfully breakaway and crested the climb as a trio. The chasing 6 riders were joined by Diesel and GlennO at the turn to Admirals with ONLY the 8km Admirals Hill climb with its infamous 16% ‘wall’ the lead trio rode solidly with 1st one then the 2nd being dropped and leaving Richard to take the victory.
The remaining “front group” came in with OTB racing team placing 5 in the top 10 (Geo Snelling, Warrick Mosen, Gavin Cho, GlennO and Diesel)
The first woman, Jess Mazengarb (OTB) came in a few minutes later, spent but very happy with a sterling ride. The remainder of the Medio competitors came across the line in drips and drabs, all looked exhausted but satisfied with a great day and a fantastic, iconic course.
Grand Fondo
Not content with his 100k solo effort in the Martinborough-Ngawi Classic, Antony Nalder (GP Meo) went one better and took the win in the Grand Fondo event breaking away with Mike Naylor (Wheelworks) 30km into the race.
After a fast start and a few flurries of attacks over the first 10km, the 85 Grand Fondo riders faced their first real test of the day up and over Limeworks hill. A hard pace was maintained up Limeworks that saw the bunch fracture with a much reduced peloton cresting the climb. At this point to quote SteveO “ the true aragonites and hobbits left quite a few of us behind, including my legs which despite orders being placed, remained somewhere in the Melbourne timezone.
I ended up in a groupetto of seven dangling a km or so behind what I would call group 2 that included a few OTB's. Ian, Matt and GY were somewhere in and around group 1 in a land far far away.
A further climb along the Masterton Stronvar Road saw the front bunch reduced even further to 30 riders. It was soon after here where Nalder and Naylor made their move. There didn’t seem to be much impetus in the bunch to chase the breakaway duo. A second following bunch was formed from the remnants of those who were dropped on the climbs and they set about chasing the lead group.
The pace through the numerous pinch climbs on the out and back Te Wharau leg took its toll with a number of riders unable to maintain contact with the front group. SteveO……..so we settled into survival mode as we turned toward Wharau. The showers came in as we climbed toward the turnaround and the sight of returning groups kept us motivated to get this section of debilitating rolling hills behind us”
A much reduced group hit the bottom of the steep 2km Te Kouraru climb. This climb saw the group splinter even further with only six rolling over the top together. Three were able to chase back on the descent. Only the sole destroying 8km Admirals Hill remained. Just before the Admirals turnoff Dave Rowlands made his move and took Boston Bright and Eden Cruise with him. No one else was able to respond. They took a 40 second lead into the climb proper. With Bright dropping back Boris Clark chased hard and was able to bridge the gap to Cruise and Rowlands. The trio soon became a duo with Clark dropping off after an attack by Rowlands. While gaining on Nalder they simply run out of road. Nalder was able to take an epic solo win with a margin of 50 seconds, Cruise taking second place in a sprint finish by a mere second from Rowlands, who finished third. For OTB racing team Ian, Mike, GY, SteveO and co rode impressively in what was a white hot racing course, all producing excellent results placings and points !!
Elizabeth Stannard led the female riders home, followed by Natalie Howell (Baleys Team Racing) and Rachel Cunningham (OTB).
As always the OTB racing team ladies were on fire taking a clean sweep in the Medio Fondo top three female places. Chapeau to Jess Mazengarb, Gill Gray and Stephanie Revell. Not to be outdone Rachael Cunningham, Viv Collier, Larri Wallbridge won their respective age categories in the Grand Fondo with Rhonda Gardner finishing 10 a mere seconds Racheal.
In the OTB way, the GranFondo OTB girls got together (after one punctured) and rode groupetto supporting each other (with help from some friends) through a large portion of the circuit – great team spirit, and what sounded like it was a neat time.
These fantastic efforts saw the OTB regain the lead in the Teams competition followed closely by Meo GP, Barleys Team Racing and then Rivet Racing.
Massive kudos to all riders for undertaking this epic event – there is nothing easy about this ride, completion is success.
Some shared Photo’s from the event;
Full results and race report here;
https://www.pnp.org.nz/summer-series-results
Race 4 – the 24th March 2018 the Village Café for the Martinborough-Millars Circuit. It’s 50km for the Medio Fondo and 100km for the Grand Fondo. Registration is at The Village Café from 8.30 to 9.30am with event start around 10am.