Association staged their first event of the 2000 season -- a 35-mile road race at Southside on Sunday.

Jeff Payne put his vast experience to good use when he broke away from category three rider Jonathan Herring to win by 14 seconds. Payne, a category two rider, finished the nine laps in 1:29.02 while Herring won his division in 1:29.16, which was good enough for second overall.

Over 50 riders showed up at the start line with all the top cyclists in attendance. Category two, three, veterans and novices all competed over the same nine-lap course.

On the first lap Jason Krupp attacked on the main hill in his traditional aggressive style and was quickly joined by veteran Payne and youngster Herring. Steve Millington, Steve Sterritt and Greg Hopkins were the first to react against the break on the hill. The stage was then set for a cat and mouse battle with Hopkins and Millington not wanting to pull Sterritt up to their Winners Edge team-mates Krupp and Herring who on paper had the upper hand on Payne.

The main pack of riders, seeing an ever widening gap opening up in front of them, were unable to organise a sustained chase despite the efforts of Jim Butterfield, Melanie Claude and newcomer Ted Temple.

With one lap to go, Herring again attacked on the hill but it was fancied sprinter Krupp who was unable to respond and with Sterritt and Millington 20 seconds behind, Hopkins a further 20 seconds back and the main pack almost four minutes down, it was left for the oldest (Payne) and youngest (Herring) to battle it out for honours.

On the final climb, Payne called on all his experience to break away and take victory while Herring was second. The fast closing Millington edged Sterritt on the line, both recording times of 1:30.07.

In the veterans race, Vance Stevens, in his first season as an over-40, beat Vic Ball and Paulo Medeiros for victory. All three riders were timed at 1:33.04 while the hard working Jim Butterfield was one second back in fourth.

In his first race, Temple stayed in the main pack and worked tirelessly to take novice honours in 1:33.25, one lap and two minutes ahead of his nearest rival, Patric Churchill.

Other notable performances were seen from Brian Steinhoff and Matthew Herring, both staying with the main pack of riders for their six lap, 23.4 mile race.

Steinhoff won the 15-16 category in 1:01.05, beating out Jean-Nicholas Bertrand and Chris Conway in 1:03.48 and 1:09.56 respectively. Herring was even more impressive in the 13-14 category, finishing in 1:02.09, eight minutes ahead of Adam Petty in 1:10.09 and Tyler Scott in 1:13.31.

Full results, see Scoreboard