The parcours of the Tahuna circuit is hard on handicappers. The longer course and three steep hills split groups and emphasises differences in rider form.

Despite this, handicapper Dave Wright managed to beat Jacques Collombet and Donovan Jackson to finish just ahead of the D-grade riders.

A strong field lined up across four grades. Scratch and A grade were represented solely by Collombet, while B grade – Jackson, Jeremy Anderson and Willie Doney – were set the challenge of starting alongside him.

C grade began six minutes ahead with a sizeable group of seven: Finn Shilton, Denis Sax, George Westerman, Dave Wright, Warren Smart, Dale Clarke and Albie Hulse. D grade, featuring Liz White, Wendy Boonen, Dylan Jackson, Ethan Jackson and Noelene Jackson, were given a 12-minute advantage.

Youngsters Dylan and Ethan Jackson, riding with D grade, tore up the hills only to have to stop and wait to confirm the route.

Their climbing strength is obvious and sends a warning to more senior riders about who the next challengers will be.

From the outset, C grade made the most of their mark. They used their combined strength to keep the pace high in the first 10 kilometres.

Westerman pushed the tempo, with Clarke, Shilton and Sax contributing solid turns.

Knowing the hills would decide the race, Hulse and Smart conserved energy at the back, waiting for the inevitable catch from behind.

The question was never if the two fastest riders would close the gap, but when – and on which hill.

By the top of the first climb, Wright had slipped off the back, watching as Shilton, Clarke and Sax attacked the steeper second rise. Westerman, Hulse and Smart were the next to lose contact.

Meanwhile, Collombet and Donovan Jackson had taken little time to splinter the scratch group. First Collombet, then 500 metres back Jackson, sped past the tail enders of the C grade on the false flat leading into the second hill.

By the top of the third hill, both riders had overhauled everyone except the leading D-grade riders, who remained stubbornly out of sight ahead of them.

The two speedsters eventually caught the D-grade group into the long final straight, just a kilometre from the finish.

Jacques Collombet claimed fastest time and the win, with Donovan Jackson taking second place and second fastest time. The Jackson family made it a clean sweep behind them, with Dylan finishing third, Noelene fourth and Ethan fifth.

In C grade, Clarke, Sax and Shilton crossed the line together to share honours after a strong collective ride.

This Saturday’s race starts at 1pm from Awakaponga Hall, on the corner of Braemar and Cavendish roads.

Full details of this and other events are available at www.whakatanecyclingclub.org.