PEDALS TO THE METAL

HUNDREDS donned the lycra for yesterday’s annual Paluma Push. The sold- out event featured 669 riders across three courses, while $ 10,000 was raised d for theth he Rural Fire Brigade. RobertRo Rober rt Saunderss ( main main) in) and KarenK Cridlandd ( below below) took part in the fun.

TOWNSVILLE brothers Jeff and Dan Rubach are starting to make a habit of finishing one- two in North Queensland mountain bike races.

Jeff claimed back- to- back titles ahead of Dan in the Paluma Push yesterday in a repeat of 2014, motivated by the friendly rivalry which saw Dan pip him at the Rural, Rainforest & Reef ( RRR) cross country race in Cairns in early June. Jeff edged twin Dan out by three seconds in the 70km course of the Townsville Rockwheelers event between Paluma and Hidden Valley yesterday, crossing the line in 2hrs 49mins 37secs and 2: 49.40 respectively.

The brothers’ tactics went to plan as they managed to form a breakaway up the large ascent and finish ahead of Cairns’ Lincoln Carolan.

“The plan was to get a comfortable start and warm up on the fire roads and we just bided our time for the hill, which is a big climb to the dam,” Jeff said.

“We worked in tandem to keep the pressure on and managed to sneak away into a breakaway at the top of the dam and we just worked really hard to consolidate that into the single track.”

“We’ve been up practising that up there for the last few weeks and I managed to come in for the win in the end there.”

Jeff said he had been put- ting in the hours preparing for his home race

“For me, the Paluma Push is like my grand final,” he said.

“It’s our home race and it’s the biggest race of the year and it’s always something I target and approach it that way.”

Mountain Bike Australia junior development coach Jodie Willett edged former road racing teammate Ruth Corset to be the first woman across the line.

Willett won

the

event

in 2012 and finished in a time of 3: 05.59, more than four minutes ahead of defending National Road Series champion Corset, while Sarah White was the third woman home.

The race this year featured 669 riders across three courses while $ 10,000 was raised for the Rural Fire Brigade.