Rush bros quinella

The Rush brothers, Tim and Kris, turned the tables on Chris Karton to dominate the first handicap race of the Cycling Timaru winter season.

Karton had won the season’s first two graded scratch races and edged out the Rush brothers in a sprint for A grade honours a week ago but the Oamaru siblings ensured there was no repeat in the 40-kilometre event from Peel Forest with Tim winning, Kris second and Karton third.

There were 78 starters on Saturday but the cold conditions and strong wind played into the hands of the backmarkers as they powered through with the top 10 placings going to riders from either the back marks or break bunch.

The trio caught the break bunch at the second turnaround point and from there continued to power away and reel in the remaining handicap groups in the run home, with Tim Rush confirming that the last were caught just prior to the final major hill climb.

‘‘I gave it a wee nudge up there. I remembered that was where Reon (Park) did it to me last year.’’

He was able to maintain his small break on his brother and Karton to the line. All three were credited with a finish time of 55 minutes 32 seconds.

They were 19secs clear of Jeff Allan, Craig Domigan, Tyler Cunningham, Darrell Kircher, Hamish McDonald, Regan Holland, Cam Alexander and Chris Stringer.

Tim Rush, who has previously raced in Australia and the USA, revealed he and Kris are now training and racing to get in shape for the five-day Tour of the Great South Coast across Victoria and South Australia in July.

In under-17 racing, Southlandbased Timaruvian Mitchell Fitzsimons showed his class from the backmark over 20km to demolish the 19-strong field. Fitzsimons, the country’s top U15 rider, was home in 52.03 for a net time of 38.03, some 42 seconds ahead of Oliver Davidson.