A 40-year-old veteran has gone on to sensationally pinch a shock St Helens Gift win on Saturday.
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Mark Nicholls also took home his first gift in more than a decade in the process.
The Hobart sprinter had made a name at the Wynyard carnival following victories in 2000 and 2004 and second places in 1999 and 2001.
He won the final 120m race of the year ahead of Mark Hosie and Alex Riddell and in a field that included defending champion David McCrae and past winners Ross Lovell, Alec Eiszelle, John Howe and Luke Whitney.
Nicholls went on to claim the St Helens masters 300m to cap off a brilliant day.
Ulverstone sprinter Abby Chapman has defended her women’s gift crown for a fourth straight year.
The remarkable feat comes after the 28-year-old doctor returned to her favoured Tasmanian gift, one of six wins now on the East Coast including 2009 and 2012.
St Helens teenager Chloe Martin won a home junior gift, while Hobart’s Riley Abbott took home the boys gift.
Middle-distance tyro Aaron Humphrey took out a stunning double, winning the 1000m and backing it up with a 3200m victory.
Cancer survivor Zack Gilmore took out the main race for male cyclists at St Helens.
The Launceston teenager, who was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma just over two years ago, crossed the line first in the wheelrace.
North West cyclist Amalia Langham followed suit in the women’s wheelrace.
Launceston rider Josh Duffy, who finished second to Gilmore, snared the male A-grade scratch.
The rising 17-year-old further enhanced his growing potential after coming to attention for first winning the 2016 Devonport Wheel.
Multiple junior world champion Lauren Perry returned to the bike, recording a morale-boosting victory in the women’s scratch race.
The Launceston 21-year-old just came off appendicitis surgery after being forced to miss the Devonport Criterium last month.
Andrew Mathieson
The day I realised I wasn't good enough to play for St Kilda or be the No.1 spinner for Australia was when I realised journalism was the closest I could come to follow my passion for sport. And it's not just about the scores for me. It's the back story behind the game.
The day I realised I wasn't good enough to play for St Kilda or be the No.1 spinner for Australia was when I realised journalism was the closest I could come to follow my passion for sport. And it's not just about the scores for me. It's the back story behind the game.
