Luke McDonough (Coburg) took out the Northern Combine road race on 
Saturday 24 June after outsprinting Wayne Gebert (Coburg) and Eric 
Thompson (Sunbury).  Darren Lapthorne completed the great result for 
the Coburg club by taking out fastest time.

75 riders took to the start line with Coburg represented by Darren 
Lapthorne and Adrian Hanson (Scratch), Andrew Ward, Tom McDonough, 
Stuart Morgan (4 min), Wayne Gebert, Luke McDonough, Jason Laird 
(19min), Peter Ferrie, Helen Lawson (24 min) and Rebecca Hanning (30 
min limit).

The 19 minute bunch set a blistering speed for the first twenty 
kilometers of the race on the flat road out to Pastoria.  With 14 
riders in the bunch the whole bunch rolled through nicely and entered 
the circuit only having lost two riders.

The circuit constisted of two laps of a 25km circuit.  The 19 minute 
bunch continued rolling through nicely and upon climbing the first KOM 
the 19 minute bunch merged with the two outmarker bunches (24 minutes 
and 30 minutes).  The three bunches stayed together over the climb 
leaving a 20 plus strong bunch to work turns for the next half a lap.

Meanwhile second scratch (4 min) had also caught the two bunches in 
front of it by the first KOM with scratch making up little time on 
second scratch.

Halfway around on the second lap a lack of concentration saw an 
accident at the back of the 19 minute bunch with a rider bringing down 
Coburg's Peter Ferrie, with Luke McDonough and Rebecca Hanning (both 
Coburg) caught behind the accident.  McDonough managed to chase to get 
back onto the bunch, Coburg life member and Sunbury rider Tom Probert 
stopped to see if the riders were ok and sacrificed his chances for 
the race.

Second time over the KOM and the leading bunch thinned with Helen 
Lawson (Coburg) finding the climb too tough.  A dozen riders now 
crested the climb with outmarkers Lovelock (Hawthorn) and Kelly Linden 
(Melb-Uni) making the cut.

Upon leaving the circuit this leading bunch had 5 minute lead on 
scratch and with a strong tailwind the bunch cautiously rolled to the 
finish.

Meanwhile second scratch who were mowing down the leaders crashed on 
mass with Andrew Ward and Stuart Morgan (both Coburg) hurt but still 
able to finish.

Lovelock lead out the sprint with about 1km to go.  The bunch was 
content to give him a 20m lead, before Hayden Vigor (Brunsick) bridged 
the gap bringing the bunch with him.  Next to go was Vivian McCarthy a 
17 year old rider from Macedon Ranges, with Vigor on his hip. 200m out 
and Kelly Linden who had done most of the work over the last twenty km 
hit the front, Wayne Gebert then took his chance and hit the remainder 
of the bunch with 100m to go and opened up a small gap.  McDonough was 
ready to pounce and managed to pass Gebert on the line to take the 
win.  Eric Thompson took out third place.

Second scratch was 2min 20 behind the winners, with Darren Lapthorne 
attacking the 7 man scratch bunch with a kilometer to go to take out 
fastest time another 30 seconds in arrears.

Peter Ferrie finished after crashing a second time and will be looking 
for better luck in the next race.

1st Luke McDonough   Coburg     19min
2nd Wayen Gebert     Coburg     19min
3rd Eric Thompson    Sunbury    19min
4th Kelly Linden     Melb-Uni   24min
5th Vivian McCarthy  Macedon    19min

F/T Darren Lapthorne Coburg    Scratch