Post-race disqualification hands Keyser Cup to Beckwith

The Albany Cycle Club’s annual Keyser Cup was contested last Saturday.

First held in 1962, the course has varied over the years but the handicap race has maintained its traditional kermesse style, which is a lap race around an extended circuit.

The current course starts at the top of Serpentine Road, following a loop around Hanrahan Road, Carlisle Street, Parade Street and back on to Serpentine.

The first rider to start was Paul Terry who rode a great race holding off the chasing groups until the fifth of six laps.

Next off was the eight-minute group of six riders was probably capable of holding off the remaining groups but the lack of co-operation within the group conspired against them.

The work shirking shenanigans started on the first lap and continued throughout the race.

There were a number of half-hearted attempts by riders to get off the front and break the group up but they were all brought back, and the tactical high jinks kicked off all over again.

In stark contrast the 12-minute bunch were focussed on catching the eight-minute bunch and worked co-operatively throughout the race.

Newcomer Ryan McLaren expressed a particular distaste for the pitches of Parade Street but he’s new to Albany and the fondness will grow.

On the fourth ascent of Carlisle they caught Matt Bascombe who had earlier felt the chilled steel of the knife in the back of the ribs from the eight-minute group.

Not long after this the group splintered when Brett Dal Pozzo came charging by with only Colin Ashton-Graham and Michael Gardiner able to follow his wheel.

Brent Schoof who had spent much of the day on his own after being dropped out of the scratch group, joined up with those who were unable to stay in contact and they worked together until the finish.

Dal Pozzo, off scratch, steadily worked his way around the course to catch the 12-minute group first before connecting with the eight-minute group at the start of the sixth and final lap.

Three riders, Jeff Barnes, Paul Gibson and David Beckwith held his wheel until the final ascent of Carlisle Street where Dal Pozzo’s power proved too much and he rode away to cross the line in the fastest time of the day.

Unfortunately at this point of the race newcomer Ben Murphy picked up a flat, a pity as he had ridden strongly all day and missed the opportunity to contest the finish.

The remaining members of the eight-minute group then did enough work together over the last couple of rises to hold off the fast-finishing survivors of the 12-minute group.

David Beckwith, who had defied gravity to haul himself over the Carlisle and Parade climbs six times, then out sprinted the remnants of his group to be second across the line.

Post-race there were a number of disqualifications for racing line infringements and the cup was awarded to Beckwith.

The next event is a graded championship race at Elleker on Saturday, June 26, at 2pm.