Luke Tuckwell has finished off the year in the best way possible, winning the Bathurst Cycling Club's annual Christmas hamper on Sunday.
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Tuckwell, an Orange native who's been a member for the Bathurst club since he was six, was competing in A grade and won the 29-kilometre scratch road race ahead of closest rival Will Hodges in second.
Cadel Lovett, Jack Cannon and Nick Barrett rounded out the A grade finishers in third, fourth and fifth respectively.
"All of A grade went off at the same time. We had a 29-kilometre race and the five of us just worked together for the first five kilometres and then little attacks started," he said.
"I knew I was the strongest in the bunch, so I was looking to eventually go solo by myself. I knew I had to do a couple of attacks beforehand to sap their energy. I put in a couple of little digs, a few accelerations, just a minute or so long, to make the other guys hurt a little bit.
"Towards the second half, I put in my big attack I was planning to put in.
"I eventually got away with Will Hodges. He hadn't been doing too much riding lately, so I knew in the moment I was stronger than him.
"With five to go, I attacked him and road home, pretty much time trialled to the finish line."
The win on Sunday for Tuckwell acted as great preparation for his Road National Championships campaign, with the titles to be held in Ballarat from January 12-16.
Tuckwell, who will be entering his final year of schooling at James Sheehan Catholic High School, said he's got high expectations of himself heading into nationals.
"I've got nationals in three and a half weeks. That's a really, really big and important event for me," he said.
"I want to do quite well. I'm holding quite high expectations for myself.
"At the moment, it's just completing prep for that race for the time trials and the road races, making sure I'm not leaving any stones unturned when it comes to training and I'm strong in all the aspects of my games."
Sunday's race was the final major Bathurst Cycling Club event of the year.
"We actually had a really great year of club racing, minus all the COVID interruptions," Tuckwell said.
B grade honours went to Dave Reece, with Roy Thorn and Ella Falzarano rounding out the podium in second and third respectively.
In C grade, Glen Carter finished ahead of Ebony Robinson in second and Mick Foran in third.
One two cyclists competed in D grade, with Lara Ellen ahead of Rosemary Hastings, while Tracey Robinson was the E grade cyclist.
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