The Mackay Cycling Club's inaugural race of the season was a triumph for riders of all ages and abilities. The individual time trial, held along the Walkerston Homebush Road, tested the mettle of competitors ranging in age from around 8 to 80. From a 4km challenge for the youngest cyclists to a gruelling 20km test against the clock for the seniors, every rider pushed themselves to make their mark on the beginning of the season.
A couple of punctures meant two favoured racers to take out their grades had to make way for others to claim the glory, showing anything can happen on the day.
With some notable big names missing the start of the season, it left the gate open for a strong ride from Tim Ffrost to take line honours as the fastest senior of the day, completing the 20km in around 29 minutes. Taking out the B-grade was Luke Schatkowski, who was only 2-seconds from cracking the sub-30-minute mark. C-grade was cleaned up by Noel Garciano in a time of 30:34 which would have seen him competitive in the B-grade, along with Tenille Galea who was the fastest woman home in 31:52. Winning the D-grade was Bradley Fraser, in a hot time of 32:29.
Juniors who won their respective grades were U9 Hamish Brennan, U11 Rowdy Brennan, U13 Matthew Schatkowski, U15 Peter Schatkowski and U17 Chrisse Neah Garciano.
The Mackay Cycling Club welcomes riders of all levels of experience to participate in their events, offering day race passes to anyone wanting to take on the challenge.
Whether you're a seasoned pro or a novice rider, the Mackay Cycling Club is the place to be if you want to experience the thrill of the ride.
The Mackay Cycling Club’s inaugural race of the 2023 season was a time trial. Photo credit: Amanda Wright
