Q Tour Stage 1 Lakeside Raceway Highlights

SBS Women's League 

Rolling out in hot and windy conditions, the field was aggressive throughout the opening stage. Sophia Sammons (Team Redcat) entered as the League leader, ahead of second placed Sophie Edwards (Butterfields Ziptrak Racing). 

With a healthy gap, Sammons is in a good position to take out the League's overall title, but with plenty of points on offer throughout the final round she isn't out of the woods yet. All three intermediate sprints were fiercely contested, with riders chasing both time bonuses and valuable points towards the League standings. Edwards made the most of these opportunities, gaining important ground before attention shifted to the final sprint. 

Butterfields Ziptrak Racing committed fully to Edwards, working to close the gap to Sammons in the standings and backing her over their usual sprint option, Odette Lynch. Into the fast run into the line it was a Butterfields, NSTRMO and Meridian duel, each looking for the early jump in the tailwind sprint. 

Edwards launched early and tucked in next to the barriers, holding her advantage to take what may prove to be a crucial win over a charging Amelie Sanders (Meridian Bikebug) and Belinda Bailey (NSTRMO x Attaquer x CCACHE). 

Let's Go Motorhomes Men's League 

The men's race followed a familiar pattern, with riders attacking relentlessly to try and establish the main breakaway of the day. This time, nobody was able to establish a meaningful gap that calmed the main field and created structure within the race. RCA BikesOnline, Falcons Pedal Mafia, Cobra9 x Leigh Surveyors and CCACHE X BODYWRAP were all particularly active at the front, but unable to break the elastic band. As the field entered the final two laps, the only rider managing to hold any advantage was RCA BikesOnline's Dylan Proctor-Parker who entered the final lap with a 10 second advantage. 

With half a lap remaining he was swept back into the VIS p/b K.O.M.P led peloton as they set up the final sprint. Team Brennan_ were also prominent, while CCACHE X BODYWRAP positioned strongly with numbers in the finale. 

Once the sprint opened however, it was clear nobody would deny track superstar Tom Cornish his second win of the PSL season. In second with an impressive turn of speed was Alistair Forsyth (VIS p/b K.O.M.P) and Kurt Eather (CCACHE X BODYWRAP) in third. 

PSL17's 

The U17 women were incredibly active in each intermediate sprint, animated primarily by the Black Magic Women's Racing team who made the trip over from New Zealand. Sophie Archer was the most prominent in the intermediates and looked like she might be a good chance in the final sprint. That was until WA's Ava Gidget Rodgers came flying through the final straight with a well timed early sprint into the tailwind to take her first PSL win against a stacked field. Emma Crawford (NZ) and Isabella Riley (NZ) rounded out the podium. 

The men were very aggressive throughout their event, with the opening punctuated by a solo move from Elliot King who took the first intermediate before being reeled in. League leader Bryn McDonnell alongside Vince Bell were active, looking for intermediate points and opportunities to get up the road, but were unable to establish a move. Into the final few laps, Elliot King managed to get away once again and this time it looked serious. As the field behind hit the bell lap and looked around for someone to take up the chase, the gap to King ballooned and it suddenly became clear they were now racing for second. King took a fantastic solo win, while in the bunch sprint 30s behind Bryn McDonnell managed to get the better of Vince Bell.