Despite strong winds, the close finishes continued this weekend in VeloNorth's third event of the season.

It came down to a sprint in the North Klondike Road Race, a 50-kilometre distance, with a close finish at the top.

In the expert men category Jonah Clark was able to squeak by James Minifie and Steve Ball in a photo finish. Each of the racers were clocked at a time of 1:28:20.

Elijah Buffalo, president of VeloNorth, was one second behind with a time 1:28:21.

"It was another windy day but it was still a good race,” said Buffalo, who battled his way back into contention after getting dropped on the first climb of the race.

"I tried to get away a few times on that last stretch because I can't really sprint with those guys but I just fizzled out. When they beat me in the sprint I decided just to roll in.”

After the club battled heavy wind in their previous event, the Yukon River Road Race (YRRR), the cyclists were hoping for improved conditions this time around.

Unfortunately for them, that wasn't the case.

"The wind was even worse this time,” said Buffalo. "I don't have a speedometer on my bike but I'm sure there were times when we were only going 20-kilometres an hour.”

Unlike the YRRR, the cyclists faced a tailwind on the way out and a headwind coming back.

In the expert women's category, Kerrie Paterson and Nadele Flynn also had a sprint finish with Paterson just edging by Flynn to capture first place in a time of 1:47:33.

Even with less than favourable conditions, the event drew 14 participants who competed in 26-km and 50-km distances.

In the 26-km novice category Melanie Tait led the pack with a time of 0:55:51, she was followed by Caulden Hoefs who arrived six minutes later.

Surene Pretorius, the youngest rider in the race at 13-years-old, braved the conditions to successfully complete a 13-km distance.

"It was great to see her out there,” said Buffalo.

"Anytime we get young riders out, it's always excellent.”

Shea Hoffman led the 50-km sport men category with a time of 1:48:03; Sean Smith and Keith Parkkarri arrived just four minutes later to place second and third.

Buffalo said the close competition and familiar faces keeps the races interesting.

"Everyone's trying to figure out how to beat Steve,” Buffalo said of Ball, who placed first in YRRR and is continually challenging for the top spot.

"It's fun for me because I wasn't at that level before so it's great not to get dropped now when the races start to heat up.”

The club has three events remaining this month but only two in the Yukon.

Cyclists will venture south this weekend for the Skagway Hill Climb, a 19-kilometre race from Skagway to the White Pass Summit, with riders climbing roughly 1,000-metres in altitude.

"It's usually a pretty well attended event,” said Buffalo. "It's a tough one. It takes about an hour and it's pretty much straight up hill.”

In last year's event, Tamara Goeppel set a women's record with a time of 0:59:11.

Troy Henry holds the men's record, completing the climb in 0:51:39 in 2009.

Buffalo is hoping the weather holds out for the event but he's confident that even with adverse conditions the riders will show.

"Last year it was raining but there were still a bunch of people that came out.”

The uncooperative weather resulted in having to cancel last night's event, the Miles

Canyon Time Trial.

"We'll have to make a board decision to see if we'll re-do that one or maybe substitute it for another one of the time trials we have. It's a fun route so it would be good to get that one in,” said Buffalo.

"I think people have different priorities with the events they want to do but definitely the weather is discouraging some people from coming out.”

The club will be back in the Yukon on May 26, for the Jakes Corner Road Race, a

70-kilometre event that leads riders up the Alaska Highway and finishes on Miles Canyon Road.

The club will then be back on the North Klondike Highway four days later for a time trial.

"We do 10-km from the Takhini Gas Station and back,” said Buffalo. "It's a really long, flat stretch and when we went out it was relatively quiet for traffic. Some people think the shoulders are a bit small but the cars generally do give you lots of room.”

With only one Whitehorse event in June, the Whitehorse Traithlon, Buffalo said the club is looking forward to July's Tour de Whitehorse.

"Hopefully in July the weather will be nice for that event,” he said.

"It's always a fun race.”