The Pig & Whistle Handicap 2023 - Race Report

Welcome to the 2023 Northern Cycling Pig & Whistle Handicap.  Love them or loathe them, handicaps have been a part of the Australian cycling tradition since the 1880s.  To quote the great Phil Anderson, the first Australian to wear the Yellow Jersey at the Tour de France, "It's a great tradition and I think it teaches you how to rotate in the bunch and the side wind and the gutter" and that "it was those ridiculous handicaps back we had back in the day that hardened me up".   So take the hardened wisdom of one of our greatest cyclists onboard before you criticise another handicap. 

It's a cracking morning for a bike race on a challenging course of 5 x 11km laps of rolling country laneways between Trentham and Tylden, just an hour outside of Melbourne.  The sun is shining, the wind ever so light and the temperature is hovering around ten degrees.  The 136 year old Pig & Whistle hotel exudes the true spirit of a quaint country pub.  The open fire places are ablaze and as much as the 33 racers would all love to be sitting around having a pint or a coffee, the refreshments would have to wait.   

With numbers pinned on, a couple of us did a course recon before we head off in the 8:30 or 3rd scratch group.  We front up for our pre-race briefing, but there's only five of six reporting for duty.  Whilst the briefing was taking place, the sixth rider William Hamilton from Footscray CC arrived and in a moment of panic turned around and set off in pursuit of the bunch in front, unaware that his bunch was yet to start.  Will to his credit held us safely at bay until the end of lap one, when we passed him around the start/finish line. The group worked well together holding a steady pace around the 35-36km/h mark needed to keep scratch away or so we hoped.

With almost three laps down, our bunch was caught by 2nd scratch off 5:00 as we turned onto the start/finish straight.  It was a strong bunch with all the usual suspects from Northern, Craig Harvey, Andrew Garrett, Gary Clively, Mark Edele, Trevor Coulter, Morgan Belbruno and Fabian Dorbolo from Coburg.  Our bunch comfortably managed to hitch on the back and enjoy the ride for a while, but it wasn't long before they lit up the pace on the hills.  Fortunately, no damage done.  To assist with the pace making Andrew Gannon, James Hender, Thomas Zheng and myself join the rotation when we can, doing our bit to stay away from scratch.  Nathan Darcy and Will Hamilton stay back and hang on as best they can while we power through another lap and a half. We pick up John McKinnon, the strongest of the 11:00 group who has also stuck with us and is also pulling turns. 

Along Netwon's Lane, a road not much wider than a car, an impatient driver in a Landcruiser ute insists on blasting past our bunch with the least amount of consideration for other road users.  There was no shortage of riders giving the driver a fair piece of mind.  By now we are picking up the front markers, still uncertain who is in front of the race.  Meanwhile, Andrew Garrett dropped out of pace making duties to have a cigarette or was it to rest his legs for a final attack?

The bunch is now 13 strong as we round the final corner, with 2.3km of undulating road ahead of us.  The pace was building like a crescendo towards a finish line.  Would it come down to a bunch sprint or would someone go early?  Morgan Belbruno launched an early flying attack from the bunch with about 800m to go and he quickly claimed a handy 30m gap.  Next it was Andrew Garrett who unleashed his lethal sprint on the hesitating bunch. Meanwhile, I've made my way to the front of the bunch in the gutter with 500m to go and launch my attack, hoping the the hill top finish would be my friend.  I pick off Morgan and set my sights on Andrew whom I'm gaining on, but the finish line is too close.  The fear of getting pipped on the line is ever present.  I put my head down,  don't look back and cross the line in second place.  Meanwhile behind me Gary Clively has come through and taken third place from Morgan in fourth.

When asked how the race was won, Andrew Garrett  reported "The 5 minute bunch rode a good solid race for the whole 5 laps. We kept a nice pace and kept the group together for the whole race. Slowly we reeled in all the outmarkers catching the remaining outmarker, Kathryn Kennedy on the last stretch on the higway before the turn left up the hills to home. The group, of about 15 now, stayed together until just over the steep part. Morgan Belbruno made a solo break and held his lead for a short while. The group hesitated and I launched for home, I got a small break, reeling in and passing Morgan and holding off until the finish line with a fast moving bunch behind me". 

Thanks to my third scratch brothers on the day, Nathan D'Arcy, Andrew Gannon, Janes Hender, Thomas Zheng and William Hamilton, who worked cohesively.  Thanks also to the organisers, corner marshalls and first aid, without whom our races cannot go ahead.

Placings and Special mentions

1st Andrew Garrett            5:00

2nd Michael Kanizay         8:30

3rd Gary Clively                5:00

4th  Morgan Belbruno        5:00

5th Craig Harvey               5:00

6th Nathan D'Arcy             8:30

7th Mark Edele                   5:00

8th Trevor Coulter              5:00

9th Andrew Gannon            8:30

10th John McKinnon          11:00

First Woman    Kathryn Kennedy  25:00

Fastest Time    Simon Whelan        0:00