KEES GLORIE HANDICAP 2025
The second road race of Albany Cycle Club’s 2025 season was the iconic Kees Glorie Memorial handicap. Dating back to 2009, the race is held in honour of the memory of Kees Glorie who was tragically struck and killed while out riding. Sadly, another former winner, Arjen Ryder (and wife Yvonne) died in the MH17 tragedy in 2014.
The popular, but tough course, starting from Great Southern Grammar and heading out to Two Peoples Bay and Nanarup, is always fiercely contested and this year proved to be no different with 18 riders searching for the win.
Facing a tougher assignment than the flatter Elleker course, the ‘go’ group of Jill Bascombe and Shirley Thurston rode solidly and held off the chasing groups until the final turn. A great effort considering the difference in power and effort required with just two riders versus the bigger groups in pursuit.
The 13-minute group of Liz Cooper (fastest female overall), Anton Davey, newcomer Martin Depiazzi and Paul Gibson split early on the climbs with Depiazzi and Gibson breaking away until they were caught by the six-man group starting off 19 minutes.
The most dangerous group on the course looked to be the five-man bunch off 26 minutes. Featuring time trial specialist Colin Rose, newcomer Damien McAleese, the occasional Harry Rout and regulars Michael Gardiner and Brent Schoof, they had time to make up, but the horsepower to do it.
At the Nanarup turn and 12 kilometres to go, the eight man combined group had perhaps 90 seconds at best on the Gardiner chase group, with scratch rider Brett Dal Pozzo another 90 or so seconds back from them. On the climb out Ryan Mclaren attacked out of the bunch taking Mike Staude and Sean Crisp with him. Just off the back of these three were David Beckwith and Jimmy Watmore working to close the gap. At the top of the hill the Gardiner group came by and added the five breakaway riders to their number and from this point, it was clear that the race winner was coming from this group.
In the final sprint, Colin Rose emerged from the surging sea of wheels to take a hotly contested victory, with Michael Gardiner less than a length back and Mike Staude a further second back in third. Brett Dal Pozzo was the fastest overall with an average speed of 38.9kmhr, completing the course in 1:12:29.
Thanks to our volunteers who did the signage, marshalled the turn and timed the riders.