Brunswick Cycling Club - Club Championships 2025

Hands down the hardest road race I’ve ever done. The BCC club champs attracted riders from the youngsters, the up and comers, the newbies, defending title holder che d and the old’uns. Just think of a field of 27 riders between the ages of 9-69 and of every grade. Before the main event got underway the juniors raced a shorter 12km loop chaperoned by the main peloton.


In fairness to the older riders, they were given a choice of one or two laps of the Granite Rd course. My request for 4 laps was declined by Mr Pink.

Right from the start the posse of u19s like a herd of young bulls were keen to assert their dominance over their older rivals, but we weren’t about to rollover and let them take an early break. Stewart Hay, Phil Naidoo, Andrew Gannon and myself got into an early break and worked well together, until Stewart’s intensity shredded the attempt. I soon paid for it by falling out the back of the bunch scrambling to stay on. Che was in the same boat and we worked hard to bridge the gap and get back onto the bunch over the Granite Rd climb.

First time round on the 3km gravel section caught a few newcomers by surprise, but they quickly mastered the art of keeping the power down. Personally I was hoping for a flat or a mechanical issue to have a reasonable excuse to escape the torture being dished out by my younger rivals. The 9or10 of us rolled around to get the bell lap, still in with a chance.

One young rider took his chances into the headwind and managed a decent gap. We worked well to hold the gap, but not much more. With 3/4 of a lap to go che d Andrew Gannon and myself were gapped, then dropped as the intensity built. We pulled 30sec rolling turns and were about 30sec down with half a lap to go as we began the Granite Rd climb for the last time. This time we didn’t have the legs to chase them down. I was beginning to cramp and it became a matter of holding on.

The three of us pushed on, as we knew the intensity of the race could take its toll and the cat and mouse games of cycling could creep in. Unfortunately we didn’t catch the lead bunch, but it was a spirited finale between us. Andrew Gannon attacked first before the corner, che d tracked him and I followed. The final 200m was a blur of Brunswick kits fighting to hit the line first. Che took the honours and I managed to keep Andrew behind me despite cramping up to the point that I couldn’t pedal across the line and immediately pulled both feet out after I had finished.

What a day. A morning TT, afternoon road race, record one hour power and memories of the day some young up and coming Brunswick CC u19s showed their true potential. All in the same week that former club juniors Luke Plapp aka Happy Plappy finished 9th in the TDF ITT and Sarah Gigante winning two stages of the women’s Giro and finishing third on GC. The future is looking bright for the Brunswick Cycling Club.

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