Julie Townsend powers to Claremont win

Last updated 05:00 03/07/2012

OISIN DUKE/Fairfax NZ

WORKING HARD: Denese Keenan, right, leads Kevin Hessell, Sam Simpson, Wayne Anderson, in blue and yellow top, and Pippa Goodwin in Cycling Timaru's race at Claremont.

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Limit rider Julie Townsend produced a powerful burst to take out Cycling Timaru's 48km race.

Starting at Claremont Hall on Saturday, 64 riders were handicapped into nine groups and raced three laps of the `whalebones circuit' with the drag up Claremont Rd testing the riders' ability.

Great handicapping saw the five-rider-limit-bunch survive, with Townsend winning by two lengths from Gail Burtenshaw in 1h 31m 31s.

Julieann Archbold was third followed in by Gordon Duff and Stuart Lamb.

Just six seconds elapsed before Wayne Anderson led in a 20-strong bunch for sixth.

The final lap saw the leaders clinging to a two-minute gap.

The two scratch riders, Tim Rush and Reon Park, gave away 25 minutes to the front winning bunch but closed to within three minutes at the finish.

Rush recorded the fastest time of 1h 9m 42s.

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