HE may have won his first Tour de Riverina title, but Brad Wild feels like he's pulled a Steven Bradbury.
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"Don't worry, that's how I feel to be honest," he laughed.
Wild's tenth place finish in the final stage on Sunday, the Butch Menz Memorial, was enough to edge fellow Tolland Cycling Club member Will Tolland on a countback for overall honours.
The 42-year-old began the 70km stage from Collingullie to the Rock and back twice with a four point lead over Silver, but they finished level on points after Silver crossed the line in fourth.
However Wild's stage victory at the Geoff Dixon Memorial, hosted by the Albury-Wodonga club in April, was decisive.
Peter Treloar defended his Butch Menz Memorial title in a time of 1:36.42, nearly three minutes faster than last year, ahead of Marty Ryan (Tolland) and Justin Moriarti (Albury-Wodonga).
"It was more consistency for me in picking up points most stages that was the key," Wild said.
"Peter Treloar couldn't race all the races this year, (defending champion) Mick Harrison couldn't either. While it's good to win and I'm happy about it, there was a few guys not there but you've got to take it when you can."
Wild also finished fourth in the Dean Carter Memorial at Griffith, sixth in the Raymond Jarratt Handicap and ninth in The Rock Classic to secure enough points to win.
He said he was unsure whether he had done enough to hold off good mate Silver, who was crowned scratch champion, after finishing the race.
"To be honest i had no idea. I wasn't even really thinking about the overall points," he said.
"I had it in the back of my mind but it wasn't until I got off the bike and worked out where Will had finished (that I knew I was a chance).
"We get along real well. I would have been content for it to go either way. It's just sheer luck that I happened to win a stage, so it fell to me.
"I started in the second-last group away, the scratch rider rounded us up nearly at the end of the first lap and it was a matter of trying to hold onto those guys and finish with them.
"I had nothing left by the time the finish line came around. I had a couple of blokes helping me on the road and telling me to go as hard as I could."
Wild said he celebrated "with a few quiet beers".
Daryn Higgins ensured an all-Tolland podium by finishing third in the overall standings, while also taking out the over-45 division.
The junior rider title was taken out by Cootamundra's Jack Douglas, while Tolland's Kylie Johnston won the women's title.
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