LOCAL cyclist Tim Cutler has taken out top-place on the weekend in the ‘Dirty Warrny’ bike race, a more than 246km event which takes riders from Geelong all the way through to Warrnambool.

Coming in with a time of 7hrs49mins26secs, Cutler almost five minutes ahead of second-place finisher Mark O’Brien.

Cutler is a local rider and a member with the Portland Cycling Club, and he said his victory on Saturday was the culmination of 12 months’ desire for redemption.

“This is the second year they’ve run it, and last year I crashed out just over 100kms in to the race, which pretty much ruined my chances that time around,” he said.

“I certainly came in this year feeling like I had unfinished business, so I’m pretty glad to have gotten it done.”

The course sees riders set off from Mount Moriac in Geelong, before taking gravel and forest roads through towns including Deans Marsh, Simpson and Timboon, before finally arriving at the finish line in Warrnambool.

Cutler said there were over 300 riders all up who competed in the event, with roughly 40 in the ‘elite’ category which he was a part of.

“The course is very technical, more so than a road racing event, the organisers make sure to take us through as many hills and climbs as possible,” he said.

“To be honest the ride could not have gone any better for me, from about 20 ks in to the event I was solo in front of the pack, which did make it a bit more of a challenge that’s for sure.

“I think the experience of riding around Portland held me in good stead, just in terms of dealing with the wind and everything.”

Cutler said he got his start as a rider quite late, only coming to the sport when he was 22 (he’s now 28).

“Early on I didn’t progress super well, but it’s come along in recent times,” Cutler said.

“In terms of the preparation for the event there was a lot of five-hour rides to get myself ready.

“I actually got sick a couple weeks before the event, so I was off the bike for a while, if anything it probably took a little bit of the pressure off.”

• Local rider Gavin Piergrosse also finished the event on the weekend, getting home with a time of 12hrs26mins21secs, while former Portlander who now lives in Geelong James Clay came in with an impressive time of 8hrs28mins11secs, good for 16th place.