RACING against time up the slopes of Mount Panorama - it is something that Mark Windsor has struggled with in the past, but on Saturday morning he got things right.
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It saw him crowned the 2020 NSW men's masters 7 hill climb champion.
The Bathurst Cycling Club talent covered the course in 10 minutes, 22.47 seconds, an effort which was a tick under 55 seconds quicker than any of his rivals.
"It's a strange event for me, it's really strange as it's an event which should suit me, but I've just never felt comfortable. I either go too fast at the start or too slow, it's been hard for me to get my timing right," Windsor said.
"So it was nice to get a state title today, especially as I hadn't been doing that much racing."
While Windsor was delighted with his gold medal winning performance, he was just as pleased to see a number of his fellow Bathurst Cycling Club members earn podiums as well.
Jodie Martin claimed gold in her division while Laura Renshaw, Dennis Martin and Will Hodges all finished with bronze medals for their leg-burning efforts.
"It was really nice to see the Bathurst group go so well, I don't think any bush clubs would have got as many people on the podium as we did," Windsor enthused.
Jodie Martin's win came in the women's masters 4 category, climbing her way to gold in 10:56.44. That effort saw her finish almost 29 seconds quicker than her closest rival.
Her husband Dennis Martin made it a podium double for the family as his 10:55.02 was the third quickest time in the men's masters 6 division.
"Jodie was amazing, I would not want to be racing her in masters, she's got an elite women's time there. She's got really good form and the moment," Windsor said.
"The Martins are just a power couple ... they train really well together and Dennis is in good form at the moment too."
With her brother Mark, a former road racing professional watching on, Laura Renshaw covered the course in 13:17.32 to claim bronze in the women's masters 1 category.
"Laura, I think she felt the pressure of having her brother up there watching, so she was rapt to be on the podium," Windsor said.
"Mum and Dad and Mark were all there taking photos of her on the podium, so that was really nice. She is the sort of rider who just gives everything a go, she just loves her cycling, she lives the cycling life now."
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In the elite men's division, it was the fittingly named Hill brothers Ben (8:27.80) and Samuel (8:29.68) who clinched the top two tiers of the podium.
But Hodges (9:10.44) produced a good ride too.
"Will is a very good bike rider, so it's good to see him on the podium, he is a bit of a star," Windsor said.
Meanwhile, following heavy rain organisers were forced to cancel the Bathurst Cycling Classic's criteriums which were to take place at Mount Panorama on Saturday afternoon.
The course was deemed unsafe, something which Windsor reasserted.
"What happens with those patches of hot mix, a couple of those corners are really sketchy when it's wet, they are so slippery under your tyre. It's not like the cars when you can slip a couple of wet tyres on," he said.
