<br />Family mourns missing father <br />By Alex Easton <br /><br />CHRIS Cashin was a creature of habit.<br /><br />So when the 41-year-old racing cyclist did not returnhome from his regular training ride on Wednesday eveningon time, his family suspected something had happened.<br /><br />Family friend Shirley Hetherington said four-year-oldEmily Cashin guessed her father's fate well beforepolice arrived to tell them Mr Cashin had died in atraffic accident at Miners Rest.<br /><br />''It's alright,'' Emily told her mother, Gail. ''We'vestill got photos of Dad.''<br /><br />Mr Cashin died after a car hit him from behind while hewas riding towards Ballarat on a narrow section of Gillies Rd about 6.15pm on Wednesday.<br /><br />Police yesterday described the tragedy as a ''true accident'', saying there had been no way for the50-year-old driver of the Ford Falcon that hit Mr Cashin to avoid the safety-conscious cyclist.<br /><br />Speaking for the family yesterday, Ms Hetherington saidEmily's brave words spoke volumes about the devotion Mrand Mrs Cashin showed their children.<br /><br />''They've always had two parents who will sit with them and talk with them,'' she said. ''And now one of them's gone.''<br /><br />Gail, Emily and two-year-old Olivia Cashin were yesterday surrounded by friends and family at their Invermay home and sharing stories about Mr Cashin.<br /><br />Relaying words from Gail Cashin, Ms Hetheringtondescribed Mr Cashin as a popular man who deeply lovedhis young family.<br /><br />Beyond his family, Mr Cashin's great passions were hissport of cycling and his mint-condition bright red 1974Charger.<br /><br />Ms Hetherington said Mr Cashin was proud of the car - and was slightly appalled when Emily and Olivia declaredit to be the Big Red Car from the The Wiggles television show.<br /><br />As a cyclist, Mr Cashin had a powerful reputation around Ballarat.<br /><br />President of the Veterans Cycling Club and a member ofthe Ballarat-Sebastopol club, Mr Cashin lived for hissport and loved its challenges, Ms Hetherington said.<br /><br />''He loved headwinds and he loved the 12-cog (thehardest gear-cog on a bike) and he loved going uphills,'' she said.<br /><br />Veterans Cycling Club secretary Bob Morley said MrCashin was ''the most disciplined athlete I have everseen _ he was just extraordinary.''<br /><br />Over the years Mr Cashin gathered a swag of cyclingvictories. Last year he won the club championship by thelargest margin in its history _ leaving a gap of about100 points between first and second placegetters.<br /><br />Friend and fellow cyclist Dennis Shaw said MrCashin was a good president and athlete.<br /><br />''He was very straightforward,'' Mr Shaw said. ``If hesaid he would do something then it was done.''<br /><br />Mr Shaw said Mr Cashin enjoyed enormous respect from hisPowercor co-workers _ where he worked as a maintenanceproject manager _ even though few knew of his cyclingprowess.<br /><br />''He was a good guy,'' Mr Shaw said.<br /><br />''He reminds me of a bridge going over the water, andnow it's as if one of the pillars wasn't there.''<br />