Archived News
  2008
     August
Cowell to Cleve in Rough Conditions
11.08.08
Nine local and two Port Lincoln cyclists met in Cowell on Saturday for the annual combined race from Cowell to Cleve and return to Cowell.  Sam Campbell was the only Junior rider and rode the 41.5kms from Cleve to Cowell with a good tail wind and his father, Ross, riding behind him for encouragement.  This is the greatest distance that Campbell has ridden for the season and his biggest challenge so far which he completed in a time of one hour 21minutes and 47 seconds, well done Sam.  The Senior riders had to contend with showers for the whole race and a very stiff head wind to Cleve, which was so strong at Cowell that it made for a difficult start.  Hayden Gill was first off just after 12.30pm in the middle of a shower 33 minutes ahead of Darren Anderson, Steve Brown and Ib Swane.
Anderson put in a strong ride with Swane the first to drop off the group and looked to be struggling in the tough conditions and Brown just off the back of Anderson eight kilometres into the race with Anderson slowly but steadily pulling away.

Rhyse Carpenter, Grant Vickery, Adrian Wilson, Clayton Wells and Kelvin Rohrlach started at 37 minutes while Malcolm Clasohm was three minutes behind them.  Wells, who developed a stitch early in the race, dropped off the back of his bunch on the first hill just seven kilometres into the race and wasn't able close the gap.  Anderson joined with the chopping block group as they caught him although, this group weren't able to stay with Clasohm once he joined them.
Gill battled the elements alone to try to hold onto his lead however he was caught before Cleve and couldn't match the pace of the groups as they passed him.
Clasohm was first to the turn around in Cleve just 40 seconds ahead of Carpenter who had a five second break on his bunch as they turned to head back to Cowell.
Clasohm took an hour and a half to reach Cleve but with the advantage of the strong tail wind only took an hour for the return to Cowell getting to the finish line two minutes ahead of the race official.
Anderson punctured 13 kilometres from the finish but fortunately had a spare wheel in a follow vehicle and although lost some time was soon back in the race.
Rohrlach and Wilson managed to get a lead on Carpenter which they held to the line to finish in a close sprint with Wilson's wheel just in front as they crossed the line four and a half minutes behind Clasohm.
Carpenter was next to finish a minute and a half behind Rohrlach with Anderson closing the gap in the final kilometers but he couldn't quite catch him before the line they were followed by Brown, Vickery, Gill, Wells and Swane.