Even with convincing wins in the Youth 2 Girls, Youth 3 Boys and Open Men, the Ramblers Cycling Club could not stop the Hawkes Bay Mountain Bike Club juggernaut from claiming the coveted Handlebar Trophy.
This year the two cycling clubs who organised the weekend’s Bike X, put up the trophy as a challenge, with a point for every rider plus a bonus for each win. The sheer quantity of their bikers alone stacked the odds in favour of the HBMTB club before the race even started.
The off-road circuit race ran on the riverbank adjacent to Pettigrew Green Arena and pulled together riders from a great mix of ages and abilities. Despite a frosty start the ground crew set up a challenging technical course that sapped the energy from the hardiest contestants.
Supporters and fans admired the youngsters who not only provided many a priceless moment, but also showed they had stamina and gusto. At the end of the day it was the Hodson family taking home both the Youth 1 Boys and Girls top prizes.
Instead of pimping his ride Vaughn Phillipson opted to pimp himself, but his decoy action lasted only till half way the 45min Open Men’s race. Last year’s winner, Andrew Bott, saw through the act and distanced himself from the Bike Xdresser, taking a deserved win.
Spare a thought for Brent and Laura Carrad who combined forces to tackle the windy course on a tandem. This colourful father and daughter team set the tone in the Fun Class race. Luke McCarthy and Paul Davis were dressed to amuse but their competitive streak provided a close battle that lasted till the dying moment of the race, with McCarthy taking the Fun Class win by the smallest of margins from the late charging Davis.
