SHANE Lenon is accustomed to barking out orders as Marrar Bombers head coach, but on the bike it's a different story.
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Cycling is Lenon's outlet to scratch his competitive itch and he'll line up in this Sunday's Tolland Cycling Club Championships at Uranquinty Cross Road.
The 50-year-old expects to line up in B-grade. A 15km individual time trial will kick off proceedings, followed by the 44km road race later in the morning.
"It's a great way to stay fit and it's an individual challenge. I'm still coaching the footy side, but it's not like when you're playing were you get to satisfy the competitive streak.
"The beauty of cycling is it accommodates everyone, it's an amazing sport and I wished I came across it earlier."
Lenon fell into the sport on medical advice when rehabbing an injury and hasn't looked back.
"I had an operation on my knee for an old footy injury, and the physio suggested I get a bike as the best form of rehab," he said.
"I started riding the bike and loved it, and have been racing for four or five years now."
Last year's time trial and road race champion Myles Stewart is expected to defend his title, with perennial contenders Will Silver and Pete Treloar tipped to be among the hardest to beat.
"With the weather being a bit better (by the weekend) hopefully we'll get some good numbers out there," Lenon said.
"I think the numbers (in cycling) are still there. There's not a lot of racing in the winter and I expect we'll get good numbers on Sunday, and the interclub series after Christmas is always well attended.
"It's not just the Tolland riders (who can compete on Sunday) either, it's open to everyone."
The Riverina Road Cycling Championships will also be held a for the first time a fortnight later.
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