By Casey OÇonnor
Sunshine Coast Blackshaw Racing cycle team’s Oliver Stenning has won the Cunningham Classic Ride, from Gatton to Warwick on Sunday.
A field of 225 keen cyclists completed the 41st edition of the 2023 Upperlimb.com Cunnigham Classic Ride on Sunday.
Stenning finished the race in the fastest time of 2h39:52. Jessica Pratt from Balmoral Cycle Club and Team Bridgeland was the first of the women to complete the ride. Her time 3h23:29 was the same time Elise Run (Logan City CC) recorded in the Women’s B category.
Although the majority of riders came from across Southeast Queensland there were entrants from Gladstone, Bundaberg, northern NSW including Murwillumbah Yamba Grafton and Coff Harbour, the Hunter district and Inverell.
The event is considered one of Queensland’s toughest and most prestigious road race classics. Presented by the Kangaroo Point Cycling Club (Brisbane) the Cunnigham Classic has twice been named the Cycling Queensland Event of the Year.
The 105klm ride (8klms further than in 2022) route took riders from the start in Gatton to Warwick via the grueling Gatton-Clifton Road, (aka Heifer Creek ), New England Highway, Spring Creek, through Allora and on to Warwick via the Allora Warwick Road.
The course altered slightly this year to keep the big field off the New England Highway as much as possible. The ride finishing in Victoria Street Warwick.
Nine divisions of racers wheeled out of Gatton at 9am on Sunday leaving at 10 minute intervals.
Included in the nine divisions were racers from 18 – 75 years. The divisions included Men’s A – Men’s B – Men’s C – Men’s Masters A – Men’s Masters B – Men’s Masters C – Men’s Masters D Women’s A – Women’s B – Women’s C – Women’s D.
The 2023 ride also incorporated the Queensland State Road Championships and round for the QCRS (Qld Classic Road Series). It is widely acknowledged as the toughest point to point road race classic in Queensland.
