Rattray laps the field to win the first stage

Reigning Champion Lewis Rattray has taken out the first round of the Dirty Deeds Urban Cyclo-cross Series in an impressive display of skills and raw power.

In a field chock-full of cycling talent, including former Australian Road Race Champion Alan Iacone and Mountain Bike World Cup representative Andy Blair, Rattray hit the front from the first lap and did not put a foot wrong for the next 40 minutes, lapping nearly the entire field in the process.

With Rattray's devastating skills in the mudpit, over the barriers and across the grass in full effect, a chase group consisting of Iacone, Blair, Daniel McMunn and former Dirty Deeds race winners Mat Gray and Jeremy Soawyer banded together to attempt to drag Rattray back into the field. This was to no avail, however, and by the third lap this group had begun to fall to pieces as the mammoth task took its toll. A considerable time after Rattray crossed the line to take first, Blair came across to take second with Daniel McMunn holding on for third.

Rattray goes into the second round of the series in impressive form, and there will no doubt be considerable discussion regarding how exactly to catch him.

The support races were no less exciting, with Warrack Leach earning a promotion to Elite in the B grade cyclo-cross race, after a commanding win over Simon Carey, with Thomas Crowler taking out third. The women's cyclo-cross category was also hard-fought, with Emma Caddy and Kate Lansell riding neck and neck for the majority of the race, Caddy snatching the win from Lansell at the last moment, with Laura Choong a surprise third place.

In the Open Category – for those without Cyclo-cross bikes – Merida Flight Centre's Adrian Jackson made an appearance and swept all before him, leaving spectators to wonder what would have been with a Blair / Jackson battle in the cyclo-cross category. Cam MacKenzie held on for second place, with Craig Maclean coming home third. And in the Open Women's category the Trailmix team proved dominant, with Amity McSwann taking a fine win from her teammate Erica Gunner, with Jade Forsyth third.

And, finally, in the kid's races, the Trailmix team once again proved there is something in the water out at Lysterfield, with Sam Wilson crossing the line first, ahead of Brunswick Cycling Club's own Adam Blazevic. Ben Walkerdon took out third.

The next round of the Dirty Deeds Cyclocross Series will take place at Jackson Reserve, Coburg on July 17th. See http://dirtydeedscx.blogspot.com for more information.