Kyle Dunn And Ayden Toovey All Class In Cootamundra

Cloudy skies overlooked Coota’s rolling hills in this year’s state open handicap weekend.

Cootamundra Annual Cycle Classic (77km)

Saturday saw 82 riders kick off the weekend with the Cootamundra Annual Cycling Classic.

Starting from Bunch 4, Dubbo Cycle Club’s Kyle Dunn worked his way to the front of the field to claim his first-ever state open victory with a time of 2 hours, 10 minutes and 55 seconds.

Dunn started the 77-kilometre contest with a handicap of 12 minutes from Scratch, 15 minutes and 30 seconds from the front of the race.

Dunn’s clubmate and first under-19 finisher Ben Anderson made it a Dubbo one-two in a sprint finish on Suttons Lane after starting from Chopping Block. It was another trip to the state podium for the young cyclist, three weeks after taking home the Under-19 Men state criterium championship.

Crossing the line in third was Illawarra’s Ryan Britten, who had also started from Block.

Fastest time spoils went to Aiden Sinclair (Newcastle Hunter Cycling Club), who came off Scratch to finish with a time of 1 hour, 43 minutes and 51 seconds.

As she did a year ago, Katie Banerjee (Harlequin) was the first woman to finish. Banerjee finished 10th after starting from Bunch 6 while Rose Vassel (Sydney Uni Velo Club) was the next best finisher at 14th, nine seconds down the road.

Cootamundra Haycarters Handicap (77km)

Running in the reverse direction on the same 77km course as Saturday’s Annual, a field of 65 riders embarked on the Haycarters Handicap on Sunday.

In another stacked field, Ayden Toovey (Mudgee Cycle Club) prevailed from Scratch to claim his first state road race win of the year.

After making up the handicap of 24 minutes and 30 seconds from the front of the race, Toovey finished with a total time of 2 hours, 8 minutes and 58 seconds.

Taking second in the sprint finish was another Scratch starter in Luke Britten (Illawarra CC) while Aiden Sinclair claimed third to go with his fastest time prize from Saturday.

Victorian young gun Lucinda Stewart was the fastest of the women. The under-19 Carnegie Caulfield rider began Sunday from Bunch 5 and placed 23rd while Banerjee backed up a strong Saturday ride with a 24th–place finish from Bunch 6.

The NSW and ACT road season continues this weekend with the Manning Valley Time Trial Weekend featuring the NSW U15-U17 Team Time Trials & NSW Pairs Time Trial Championships.

Full Results

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