Sport

Brian prevails in handicap

By Contributed

Jul 30, 2025

It was a wet day on the roads for Echuca Moama Cycling Club in the second Lorraine and Ivan Collings handicap. Photo: Richard Bailey.

EMCC Winter Race Series, Lorraine and Ivan Collings Race 2

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Despite the eternal optimism of EMCC President Matt Dobeli that we would start racing in clear weather, steady rain greeted our riders at the registration area.

Butch was keen to head back to Deni, and both John Brian and Mel Smolenaars couldn't be coaxed out of their cars.

The Cheshire Cat, Cameron Smith, had a pep in his step to race regardless, perhaps it was the words of Billy Ocean from his 1986 hit 'when the going gets tough, the tough get going'.

More likely, it was the win and 10 points from race 1 that had him up and about.

As numbers built and the rain eased a little, it was clear we would race, and the plan was set to race a bunch start, mystery handicap over a shortened two-lap race, and we set off.

With eight riders; Dave Oman, Jerrod Davison, Graeme Butcher, Mel Smolenaars, Matt Dobeli, John Brian, Cameron Smith and Will Kettle, it would be interesting to see how the stronger riders would make a break.

Into the stiff headwind past the golf course on lap one, the bunch was stretched, and Will Kettle boiled early as he drifted from front to back.

As the bunch neared the corner into Hillside Rd, it was Cam on the front in a classic move as he went wide with good pace in a test of bike handling for the bunch.

Through the corner it was only John Brian, in second wheel who could hold the pace as gaps opened, Mel in third wheel hung tough, but eventually settled into a group with Matt and Butch in pursuit.

Jerrod, Will and Dave formed in the third group on the road with only small gaps between.

John and Cam continued to power towards the finish.

In the second group, despite the best efforts of Matt and Butch, Mel was proving harder to shake than a bad habit as she rode strongly and became a key ally in holding the gap to the leaders.

With a strong tailwind finish down Thyra Rd, it was Cam Smith who rode across the line in front of John Brian, with Matt in a close finish from Butch and Mel, 2 minutes 20 behind.

In the final grouping, a further 6 minutes back, Jerrod Davison displayed a powerful turn of speed to break 8 seconds clear of Dave Oman and Will Kettle.

In the final washup of handicaps, it was a tie between John Brian and Matt Dobeli on time, with John the winner on race placing, Graeme Butcher was one second back in third.

Thanks to our generous marshals H and Paul Oman and our photographer, Richard Bailey (Happy Birthday Richard).

We're back again in Moama in 2 weeks’ time for the final Lorraine and Ivan Collings Race, with a new sponsor to EMCC the Border Inn Hotel- more details to come during the week.