Ockerby warms up with wheelrace victory

UKE Ockerby yesterday passed his first test for the summer as a scratchman, winning the Derrico Cycles men's wheelrace at Burnie's West Park.

2014 PCCCT Carnival at West Park, Luke Ockerby claims victory of the men's wheel race at the PCCCT Carnival at West Park yesterday.

The former Ulverstone cyclist was last week announced as one of six scratchmen for the upcoming Christmas carnivals series, along with the likes of Olympians Jack Bobridge and Glenn O'Shea.

This came just a few months after Ockerby nearly quit the sport after a series of crashes resulted in lengthy spells on the sidelines.

But a recent trip to China with a professional team saw him rediscover his passion for the sport, and he is keen to race at his home carnivals series, which he missed last year.

An exhausted Ockerby could barely speak as he caught his breath after yesterday's performance.

"It was good training but it was really hard," he said.

"I had a 140 [metre] chase and I was just lucky they didn't go hard at the front."

In the Leicester Cycles women's wheelrace, Ulverstone teenager Victoria Dean unleashed a burst of speed with 200m remaining to round up the field and win easily.

2014 PCCCT Carnival at West Park, Winner of the Women's 2000m Wheel Race, Victoria Dean crosses the line at yesterdays (14th dec) PCCCT Carnival at West Park.

Dean, who rides with the Mersey Valley Cycling Club, was rewarded for her efforts this year with the Harold Burgess Award for the most outstanding under-17 cyclist in Tasmania.

The 15-year-old was also named as a finalist in the female individual category of the 2014 The Advocate-IGA Junior Sports Awards.