LEVI Johns won the Nowra Velo Club's A grade 80-kilometre road championship on Sunday to retain the title he won in 2019.
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Johns held a five-second lead over his brother Nick at the finish with Curtis Trkulja a close third.
Hugh Vaughan turned in an outstanding ride to win the NVC's 54 kilometre C grade road championship.
Hugh streaked away from the field up the finish straight for his win ahead of Ryan Fleming and Geoff Lockhart.
Two entertaining races unfolded on the Nowra Velo Club's program as the A and C grade fields raced over the long climbs on Braidwood Road.
With only eight kilometres done in the longer race, Mark Astley and Coby Muir had moved out to a 30-second lead.
Levi Johns recognised a danger and raced solo across to the leading two riders.
This trio raced in that lead position for over half of the race until first Astley and then Muir dropped away, leaving Johns alone at the front.
Into the last 20 kilometres, the field behind had fragmented with Nick Johns, Ben Rolfe and Curtis Trkulja crossing the gap to join Levi in the lead.
This was the four riders who came into the finish straight together where Levi Johns sprinted ahead for the win, ahead of Nick Johns, Trkulja and Rolfe.
Josh Ludman won the NVC's B grade road championship two weeks ago and so was offered a start in this race.
The distance was telling however he finished fifth, just two minutes behind the race winner.
Dan Wells finished sixth ahead of Mark Williams and Brooklyn Henry with other starters being Nathan Crump, Gavin Nethery and Amelia Trkulja.
The C grade field is very close in fitness and ability and despite constant pressure in the first half of the race, 18 riders were still together onto the final Hames Road climb.
The race split here as Geoff Lockhart, Henry Wakeford, Liam Wallis and Hugh Vaughan surged ahead.
With a long descent back to the finish, the chasing bunch was organised and reeled in this break with ten kilometres remaining.
But Vaughan did not give up and another attack had him in a solo lead into the final three kilometres. Back in the field, he tried again.
Caught again and into the finish where Wallis made the first move.
Vaughan went with this move, straight past and on to the finish line.
Ryan Fleming chased all the way to the line for second ahead of Lockhart, Wakeford, Jason Spence, Wallis, Matt O'Hearn, Garry Porter, Adrian McMillan, Rob Pickard and Josh Henry.
Two minutes later Adam Stephenson led Mick Thompson over the line followed by Lynne Vaughan, Brendon Miller, Gary Bryce, Dave Gray and Ian Kielly.
The Nowra Velo Club returns to criterium racing on the Albatross Aviation Tech Park next Sunday for graded racing.
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