STAR Bendigo cyclist Isaac Buckell continued his build up to next month's Bendigo International Madison with a tough victory in Thursday night's David Capuano Memorial Wheelrace.
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The 3000m event is one of the highlights on the Bendigo and District Club calendar and always attracts a strong field of host club and visiting riders.
This year's 27th edition of the race proved no exception, with some of Bendigo's top young cycling prospects fighting out a thrilling finish at the Tom Flood Sports Centre.
Part of a strong scratch bunch, Buckell staved off a fierce challenge from younger brother Sam to win by less than a bike length.
A gold and silver medallist at last month's road national championships in Ballarat, Patrick Eddy showed his immense talents were not contained to a single discipline, producing a bold race to claim third.
Fellow young gun Jackson Hadden was fourth.
With the cream of the Bendigo and District Cycling Club's young talent pushing him to the limit, Buckell was rapt to eke out a win.
"It's the club's biggest handicap for the year, so it was good to get up for the win and put my name on the honour board," he said.
"There were a few boys pushing really hard - the Eddy boys (Patrick and Sam), Blake (Agnoletto), Shooter (Brendan Schultz) and obviously my brother Sam.
"It was a good solid scratch group at the back.
"Being a bit longer - a seven-lap handicap - makes it that bit further and bit tougher.
"Most of our normal club races on a Thursday night are around 2000m, that extra 1000m certainly makes things more interesting."
A field of 28 riders faced the starter for the final, whittled down from 40 starters in the two heats, which were won by Buckell and Blake Agnoletto.
Track star Alessia McCaig secured a top-10 finish to be the highest placed of the two female riders in the field, ahead of Iesha Humber.
From Ballarat, Humber earlier in the night won the 1000m wheelrace, ahead of Alaya Humber, with Bendigo's Michaela Meharry third and Montanna Collier in fourth.
Buckell, who will this year be lining up in his fourth Bendigo International Madison, considered the Capuano Memorial as a crucial part of his preparation.
"I am just trying to get in as much training as I can preparation-wise," he said.
"These club races are good hard hit-outs and a chance to get a bit of form, exactly what we need before the madison.
"Riding with Brendan Schultz will be fun - hopefully we can put on a good show for the local crowd.
"It will be a different race without the Olympic boys there - Kell O'Brien, Sam Welsford and Alex Porter will be over in Adelaide doing their training. That opens the race right up."
The Capuano Memorial trophy was presented by David's father Alan, a tireless and long-time Bendigo and District Cycling Club volunteer, who acts as the lap steward each Thursday night.
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