Footscray Cycling Club Riders gathered at the VU circuit in Hoppers Crossing to contest the Eric Turner Memorial Club Criterium Championships, held to honour the late Eric Turner, who was both a brilliant bike racer and a brilliant human being, who devoted himself to the Club and for a long time was the life and soul of the mighty FCC. Upon arrival, officials and riders were greeted with a very stiff, blustery South Easterly, which most of us realized meant we were in for a day where bunches would be thinned down by the pace and lack of a good sit combined.
I still thought I had a little left in the legs late in the race; and then Dale came through, gave me a bit of a nod and hauled us around the last lap.
I had no idea how close anyone was so there was no chance I was going to celebrate or muck around, I just pushed till I was past the line! Eventual winner, year-old Ben Lowe, was the pace setter for much of the race.
And then at the end, Michael Dam went and I got onto his wheel as we went around the second-last corner, with Mark on the windy side of me, so when I got to the last corner I just went as hard as I could and held on. Then, it was a matter of picking wheels and tucking in for the sprint. Greg went again on the bell lap and I followed him, came around the last corner second wheel, and had the inside line; nice and protected and just picked my time to jump.
Dad had said to me to hit it at the start, and I went with that. Mum was giving me time markers, so I knew I had 26 seconds on the bunch, so I just stuck it out.
