Two of Griffith’s leading cyclists are moving onto greener pastures in 2018. Peter and Melissa Budd are transferring to the Sydney based Bicisport cycle club.
Peter has been one of the most successful cyclists to race for the Griffith Cycle Club and is the most visible face of his former club.
Budd has won over 17 championship medals in the last 7 years along with a 10th place at the world masters championships in 2016.
Budd has also seen victories at open level racing as well as interclub events, the most recent being the Tolland interclub in August of 2017 where he outsprinted the scratch riders to take the victory.
Budd is self coached and has also helped a number of his former club mates to championship medal success including his wife Melissa who won silver at this year’s NSW State Masters Road Championships.
When asked to name a couple of memorable moments with his former club Budd singled out two events.
“Firstly at an administrative level, fulfilling a dream to bring the NSW Masters Road Championships to Griffith,” he said.
“I had a crazy idea to bring the championships to Griffith and so went out and did the leg work of finding the courses, getting preliminary support from Council and then lobbying our governing body Cycling NSW.
“It is now history the Griffith club went on to host two NSW Championships that were so successful the Club was asked to host the National Masters Road Championships in 2016 which again led the way in organisation and value adding for competitors.”
On a sporting level the second memorable moment was winning his first State Championship in the criterium event around Benerembah Street in 2014 followed very closely by winning the 2015 NSW road championship in front of his home crowd and receiving the coveted NSW road championship jersey.
Asked why he was leaving the Griffith club Budd hesitated before saying, “ I wouldn’t be leaving if I was happy. I was recently offered a chance to ride in a sponsored team where I will be looked after perhaps befitting what I can offer a club. The timing was right so I have chosen to race for the Happy Wheels race team in 2018.”
The race team is part of club Bicisport and will see 10 supported riders racing at open and championship level in the Happy Wheels racing kit.
Melissa Budd will also be joining Peter in transferring to the Bicisport club for 2018. Melissa is planning to ride in the Riverina interclub events and perhaps a few open events to improve her racing skills and hopefully build on her State Championship success.
Both Peter and Melissa will still reside in Griffith but race in their new club colours. The husband and wife duo can often be seen riding their new tandem on the roads around Griffith.
“It’s a great way for us to train together. I can’t get dropped like I can on my road bike. It means we can now train for as long as Peter needs to and I can take it a bit easier if I have to. It’s a great partnership,” Melissa said.
So if you see these two out on their tandem they are most likely training for some racing event. Give them a wave or a toot as you drive passed. All encouragement is appreciated.
