20/05/2006
Warragul cyclist Shane Stiles dominated the best of Gippsland to take victory in Saturday’s Gippsland Road Championship race held at Shady Creek. In the 21 strong Masters filed, Jim Timmer-Arends from the LaTrobe City Cycling club wore down and eventually rode away from an underdone Matthew Malacarne of Warragul.
The small women’s field saw Simone Spykers (Leongatha) comfortably take out the victory, while Nick Aitken won the J17 prize and Ben Wight won the J15’s.
In the Elite race, Dave Salton who was fresh from a stint of bike racing in Europe was closely watched by the bunch and despite trying to mix things up could not escape. In typically aggressive style, Shane Stiles attacked at the start of the second lap up the Shady Creek climb. After riding off the front for a lap the bunch reeled him back to the fold where it became difficult to escape. The bunch’s pace was on and off due to a series of unsuccessful attacks allowing the breakaway of the delayed masters bunch to ride through.
On the third lap Stiles put the boot in up the climb and gained a significant break on the pursuing bunch. Only Jamie Johnson took up the invitation and managed to stick to his wheel. Having someone to cut the wind with made the difference for Stiles as the two established a sizable gap of 2 minutes by the start of lap 4.
With the other Warragul cyclists, Dave Salton, Luke Hanley and James Henry unwilling to chase down their club’s jersey, La Trobe Valley cyclists, Spiteri and Peachey were not making an impression either. The job was offered to Leongatha cyclists to take up the pace making but Stiles, with help from Johnson were able to hold a 1minute 11 second advantage to take the race, Stiles ran out a comfortable winner (2:17:19) to claim his first championship title with Johnson 2 nd and Spiteri winning the bunch sprint for 3rd.
The Masters race saw Warragul rider Matthew Malacarne spend his credits early in the race and with a do or die attitude he found himself in a strong 3-man breakaway that took some catching. The trio of Malacarne (WCC), Timmer-Arends (LCC) and Gaffa (LCC) went off the front early and such was the pace quickly caught the Elite bunch which had started 2 minutes earlier.
The trio stayed away for three laps but on the start of the 4 th, Malacarne who had run out of water, could only watch as Timmer-Arends rode away. With Malacarne and Gaffa rejoining the bunch no-one appeared committed to a chase and T-Arends held onto his lead to take out victory (1:47:57) over a fast finishing bunch sprint (1:48:10).
The sprint for second saw Alan Beveridge hold off Warragul cyclist Geoff Thomson.
Whilst the championships were happening, the WCC held a club race which saw Paul Yateman find some form for victory and Neil Walker take second over Roger Bell. Dave Bailey, Wayne Tunks and Dave Axford rounded out the placings.
Club racing resumes this week at Old Sale Rd as we warm up for the three day tour in 3 weeks.
