Park and Rush are a cut above in cycling series
Reon Park and Tim Rush have smashed a 66-strong field in the latest Cycling Timaru handicap race.
Park and Rush have dominated the winter race programme in either handcap or scratch formats and it was business as usual on Saturday. Despite giving up over 40 minutes to the frontmarkers and starting three minutes behind their nearest challengers, Park and Rush rode past them all on the 65km race which looped three times from Southburn Hall along Cairds, Lyalldale Middle, Talbot and Paeora River roads.
At the finish it was Park who edged Rush for line hours and the veteran has taken control of the season points series with 151 to be 14 ahead of Rush. Park and Rush cut out the course in 1 hour 30 minutes 15 seconds. They were exactly 1min ahead of third placegetter, Kris Rush, who had been in the group that started 3mins ahead of the backmarkers. It was a close finish in the development grade, where Will Hutchison and Noah Hollamby, riding off the 5min mark on one lap of the senior course (21.5km), were wheel-towheel to the finish.
Hutchison got the nod with the winning time of 50.27 (45.27 net). Cameron Prattley rode strongly from the 10min mark to power through for third 23 seconds back. Backmaker Tyler Cunningham who finished fourth, had the fastest time of 34.38, with Mitchell Fitzsimons (5th) the second fastest on 35.18. Only six riders fronted in the 8km development grade race with Riley Cook first, Jacob Fitzsimons second and Emily Toomey third. Fastest time of 18.56 went to Ferg Sail ahead of Fitzsimons’ 19.28.