Fiery showdown on Volcano KOM in club esports series

AusCycling’s interclub esports series on Zwift has continued apace with the first hilltop finish of the season.

Jessica Bemrose (Gold Coast Cycling Club) fought off her biggest challenge yet to maintain her winning streak in Women’s A, while Craig Hutton took maximum points for Bathurst CC to consolidate his club’s overall position.

Round 3 of the 2022 AusCycling National Club Esports Series took place on the ‘Legends and Lava’ route in Watopia. The 25-kilometre course finished on the Volcano KOM (3.8km at 3.2%), which starts off shallow with flat, high-speed sections, but ends with a stinging 8% ramp just before the line.

Women’s A: Bemrose completes her hat-trick

The Women’s A category saw its biggest field so far and the first appearance by Southern Cross CC’s Dayna Davidson, who came close to spoiling Bemrose’s undefeated status.

A front group of seven riders arrived at the foot of the final climb, although Kate Spicer (Dubbo CC) could not hold the pace up the ascent.

On the steep final kicker, Davidson struck out for home first. However, as she has done twice before, Bemrose waited for the perfect moment to strike, timing her sprint to perfection to come past and take the win at the summit.

Kathryn Alley (Randwick CC) took third place out of the registered club riders.

Men’s A: Hutton takes maximum points for Bathurst

The Men’s A race featured plenty of riders who weren’t happy to wait until the final climb. Attacks by the likes of Adam Evans, Cadel Howie and Matthew Sherwin served to thin out the bunch, but it was all together at the base of the Volcano.

Michael Gallagher was eager to push the pace, launching multiple times to attempt to force a separation. His accelerations served to thin down the bunch to about 25 contenders as others dropped out the back.

Round 1 winner Kyle Marwood dragged the peloton back to the front in the final kilometre before it became a pure test of punch up the final ramp.

Several overseas riders crossed the line first, but Hutton proved best of the pointscorers, taking top spot out of the AusCycling-registered competitors. Zachary Muetterties (Illawarra CC), who placed fourth last week, took second spot while Marwood held on for his third consecutive podium finish.

B, C and D categories

Belinda Simmons (Gold Coast CC) continued a golden night for her club’s female riders, winning the Women’s B category. Laura Renshaw added another maximum 30 points to the Bathurst CC tally in Women’s C, while Katie Gregory (Vikings CC) was best in Women’s D.

Philipp Joebges (Lifecycle CC) won Men’s B, Robert Beretov (Illawarra CC) took top spot in Men’s C, and Robert Dannoun made it three wins in a row in Men’s D.

Overall standings

Waratah Masters CC remains at the top of the club standings, thanks in no small part to excellent participation in Men’s and Women’s B categories. The top placings hold steady with Bathurst CC in second ahead of Vikings CC.

The AusCycling National Club Cycling Esports Series continues on Zwift next Thursday with round 4, a sprinter-friendly jaunt around Watopia’s ‘Beach Island Loop’.

Each round of the series is being streamed on the AusCycling YouTube channel.

Clubs can continue to register riders throughout the series. For more information, visit the series page or contact your club.

Replay

Standings after round 3

1. Waratah Masters CC 1305
2. Bathurst CC 925
3. Vikings CC 756
4. Randwick CC 687
5. Gold Coast CC 545
6. Southern Cross CC 523
7. University of Queensland CC 383
8. Dulwich Hill Bicycle Club 316
9. Northern Sydney CC 308
10. Mackay CC 293
11. Illawarra CC 287
12. Balmoral CC 251
13. Port Adelaide CC 235
14. Lifecycle CC 207
15. Jindabyne CC 204
16. Newcastle Hunter CC 168
17. Parklife CC 141
18. Byron Bay CC 134
19. Mudgee CC 133
20. Manning Valley CC 120
21. Dubbo Cycling Club 111
22. Birrarung Cycling Club 100
23. Hamilton Wheelers Cycling Club 95
24. Sutherland Shire CC 92
25. Brunswick CC 85
26. Hawthorn CC 82
27. Knox BMX Club 81
28. St Kilda Cycling Club 70
29. Cairns CC 66
30. Italo-Australian CC 45