Race Report “The Bathurst Isuzu Ute 2021 Rockley Cup presented by Clancy Motors Bathurst...........
Early leaders Fran Walker Peter Hickey and David Hyland started strongly but broke up on the early hills allowing the 35min group of Nev Krahe, Peter Wilson, Mick Foran, Charlotte Lovett and Cameron Crump to catch the leading trio. Behind them Rod Esdaile and Bryce Staker looks to have a tough task with the 22min bunch (which included Sean Bloch, Rod Lovett, David Reece, Ella Falzarano, Stuart Jakeman, Drew Tuckwell & Ray Thorn) moving quickly toward the race lead.
Facing a 12min gap to the next bunch the 9min Bunch (Dennis Martin Jack Cannon Nick Barrett Sturt Renshaw and Mark Windsor) started fast hoping to get in contention, but the plan didn’t work as the bunch split up before the first climb which meant they would soon be caught by the back 3 bunches.
The scratch bunch of Tom Chester, Sam Greenwood, Devraj Grewal, Luke Tuckwell, Ben Spenceley, Luke Britten & Luke Roper looked smooth and fast early in the race, holding a pace certain to have them in contention for the race win. In front of them, the 3min Block group (Ben Anderson, Dylan Eather, Hugh Sessini, Asher Fawle, Brayden Bloch
& Ryan Britten) and 6min bunch (Cadel Lovett, Oscar Jakeman, Jack Reen, Oscar Hansen, Xavier Bland, Joshua Ludman, Josiah Grierson & Joshua Early) where hoping to hold off the scratch bunch but the signs where there early that the 2021 race would come together.
In the second half of the race it was Sean Bloch and the 22min bunch that looked a chance of hanging on for the win; however Tom Chester called on Sam Greenwood for a bit extra in the Scratch Bunch and the race came down to a sprint between Chester and Devraj Grewal, with Tom winning by 10m from Devraj, with last year’s fastest time winner Luke Tuckwell just behind the pair in third place. Hugh Sessini rode well off Block to finish 4th in front of Josiah Grierson and the luckless Sean Bloch. While top class Orange Junior Ben Anderson was 7th in front of Sam Greenwood and promising Bathurst junior Cadel Lovett with Ben Spenceley rounding out the top 10 .
RESULTS - 2021 Bathurst Isuzu Ute 2021 Rockley Cup
1Tom Chester (Scr) 2Devraj Grewal (Scr) 3Luke Tuckwell (Scr) 4Hugh Sessini (4min) 5Josiah Grierson (7min) 6Sean Bloch (22min) 7Ben Anderson (4min) 8Sam Greenwood (Scr) 9Cadel Lovett (7min) 10Ben Spenceley (Scr)
First Female - 1Ella Falzarano 2Charlotte Lovett 3Fran Walker
Fastest Time - 1Tom Chester – Fastest Female - 1Ella Falzarano