Race 2 of 6 in the Bikeland Handicap Series : Maric Too Good

12/09/2009

New rider Zvonko Maric took out first place this week.

Report from Rob Monk who started 3 minutes in front of scratch

We knew it would be a tough race when there were only 3 of us chasing a bunch of 6, one and a half minutes up the road with a strong bunch of five two minutes behind us. Behind them were the skin suited freaks, Stiles and Sandner. If they caught us we were in for a torrid time. In handicap races having more riders in your group is a big advantage. Our plan was to catch the guys in front, work with them and stay away from the scratchies.

Scott Keeble and Simon Baxter were going better than me on lap one and while we could see the group in front we didn’t think we were making much ground on them. We actually lost 8 seconds to them on lap one despite us averaging 37km/h.

On the long stretch of dead road up to the Hazeldean road corner the second time Simon started to struggle but Scotty looked strong. I was starting to feel a bit better but when Steve Muggeridge, the corner marshal, said the bunch behind were nearly on us it was time for a change of tactics. We didn’t need much encouragement to sit up and wait for the A graders. As usual they tried to blast past us but we were rested enough to sit on.

Now we were a bunch of eight. Geoff Thomson, Paul Yeatman and Callan Barker were keen to keep the pace going while Phil Gallagher, Simon and me sat in for a rest along the rolling hills before Parkers road. We were disorganised and not likely to catch anyone like this so I encouraged the boys to get organised and roll through along Parkers Road. We seemed to be going well with all eight riders sharing the pace making and we could now see we were catching the group in front. I was shocked when the skin suited duo of Sandner and Stiles blew past us doing 50km/h at the end of Parkers. We now had 10 riders and if we could maintain the organisation we’d take some serious time off the groups up the road.

Barker, Sandner and Stiles did most of the pace making up to the corner while some of us, mainly me,  just tried to hang on. Once the scatch men catch you it becomes a survival contest.  Lap two completed at an average speed of 38 km/h

By the final time we turned into Hazeldean Road it was clear we’d catch the 6 strong bunch in front. Stiles picked up the pace and flew past them but they all managed to hold the wheel. Col Brown, Jason Dastey and Matt Kennely settled in near the middle of the bunch. Stiles and Sandner were still the main pace makers and when we swung onto Parkers Rd we were disappointed to not see any of the limit groups up the road.

Thomas was not worried though he just kept driving on the front and when he tired Stiles took over. Jayman, Thommo and I did a turn every now and again to keep the pace high. The first attack came from Thomas near the end of Parkers. I jumped with him but he was going too quick for me to be of any use. Baxter flew by looking for helpers but they just left him to hang out to dry.

Turning for home Phil Gallagher launched an attack. If no-one chased we would have struggled to get him but Yeatman would never let that happen. I followed Yeatman across the gap, sitting on his wheel mentally encouraging him to keep this pace to the finish. He couldn’t. We were in a bunch of 18 strong riders and it would be a wild sprint. I wanted to be near the front.

As Stiles and Prestige opened up the sprint I thought I was some chance of a good place but I lost interest in sprinting immediately when I heard riders behind crashing. If you race bikes long enough unfortunately it is a sound you will hear in sprints. The sound of carbon fibre, lycra and flesh hitting the road. Geoff Thomson and Jarred Jones hit the road. Jarred landed on his head and earned a trip to Warragul by ambulance.  X Rays have cleared him of any major damage. We would learn later that despite completing the last lap at an average speed of 40.5 km/h we were all basically sprinting for pride as the limit boys had beaten us home and taken the top ten places and all the points anyway. That’s bike racing.

 

Report from Cyrus Monk who started 18 minutes in front of scratch

Our group started quickly with first time racer Zvonko Maric riding hard on the front up to the Hazeldean road corner. Andrew Gordon found this pace a bit too quick and dropped off the back just after the corner. Zvonko, Tammy and I worked well for the next few kilometres and caught Greg Horbowicz and Dave Axford. We passed too quickly for Greg to hold on but Dave was able to tag onto the back and our new group of four rolled through evenly for the rest of the first lap.

During most of the second lap we couldn’t see any riders in front or behind us and it was hard to remember to keep up a good pace, but as usual on Parkers road we got a good look at Renee Patrick and Jayden Prestige about a kilometre up the road. We worked hard but Renee and Jayden worked well to and it took us until the start of the third lap to catch them.

I was tired leading up to the Hazeldean road corner on the third lap and so was everyone else but Zvonko rode away from everyone along Hazeldean road.

This caused our group to split, Svonko was in front, Tammy and I 100m behind and Dave, Renee and Jayden were further back. Tammy and I knew the other bunches wouldn’t be too far back and we would have to work really hard. By the start of Parkers road we knew Svonko would take the win and we would be trying to stay away for second and third.

Tammy kept asking me if I could see the groups behind us and I kept saying I could only see Dave until I looked back and saw lots of riders about 500m behind us. We then just went for home and didn’t save anything for the sprint, we got to the home straight and looked back and saw the C grade about 300m behind us. Their group contained Joe Patrick, Chris Jones, Paul Kennedy and Matt Williamson. Colin Manitveld dropped back after the second lap.

We got to a kilometre from the finish and started sprinting. I crossed the line 10m in front of Tammy to take out second overall. C grade lead by Joe Patrick came in 20 seconds after.

 

Zwonko Maric and Shane Stiles

 

Report by Paul Yeatman from perspective of second scratch.

Second scratch thought things were better than last week as they were beefed up with the addition of race sponsor Phil Gallagher and last week’s winner Jayman Prestige.  This meant that by the Parkers Road on lap one, the bunch in front of them was insight.  It also meant that for the first lap the average speed (and also their overall average after a slightly slower second lap) was 40kph – as fast a good C grade Sandown Criterium and according to Paul Yeatman the fastest time around the Cloverlea course for this group (at least for me).  They had caught the bunch in front shortly after the turn into Hazeldean Road.  This expanded group was urged to work together by a vocal Callan Barker.

Along Parkers Road for lap two, the next bunch away was swallowed up and just before the hill heading up to the Darnum-Allembee Road, the scratch men of Shane Stiles and Thomas Sander, both in skin suits made the catch.  It was here that the bunch organization fell away.  Some of the strong riders got stuck towards the rear of this large group and could only make it to the front towards the end of Parkers Road on the final lap.  A small group of riders rolled over at the front and the rest were along for the ride.

Simon Baxter attacked after the turn into the home straight but no one wanted to go with him.  Next to attack was Phill Gallagher about 2km out.  He was chased down by Yeatman who in doing so, strung the field out a little.

An attack with about 800m to go saw carnage as both Thommo and Jarryd Jones came down heavily.  Thommo walked away from the spill missing skin.  Jarryd was given the all clear after an ambulance ride and a hospital checkup.  His helmet was totaled.

Stiles got fastest time.

Next week the handicap series shifts to Shady Creek. The handicaps are on the website and everyone is a chance of winning. Anyone who would like to start cycle racing should come along as handicap racing is a great way to begin. Just ask Zvonko. I’m sure he’ll agree.

Also, cyclists are reminded to stay on the correct side of the road.  We will soon have commissaries racing among you and they will not be kind if this kind of thing happens.

Final Results Race 2

Grade Surname First Placing Time
Gap
D+ MARIC Zvonko 1  
D+ MONK Cyrus 2 0:00:48
D+ PATRICK Tamara 3 0:00:52
C PATRICK Joe 4 0:01:12
C KENNEDY Paul 5 0:01:16
C Jones Chris 6 0:01:18
C WILLIAMSON Matt 7 0:01:22
D AXFORD David 8 0:01:40
D PRESTIDGE Jayden 9 0:01:46
D PATRICK Renee 10 0:03:17

Race 2 Handicapper’s Report

There are always many conditions to consider when setting a handicap, a good handicap is as much an art as it is a science.  Having a repeat race the following week on the same race circuit definitely makes the handicappers job easier.  However, this weeks handicap was not without its complexities.  Still wind conditions favouring the limit riders, a large bunch on the chopping block, many new riders to handicap and the appearance of two skinsuited freaks were all factors to consider.  Zvonko smashed the field, winning by 48 seconds, the next 8 places were separated by a mere 58 seconds, 10th place finished at 3:17 and the rest of the field finished on bunch time of 3:27; a fantastic result for the handicapper considering the gap between limit and scratch was 24:00 minutes at the start!
The number of riders in each group will be given close attention for next weeks race, Rob Monk’s group suffered a little in this week’s handicap with just 3 riders.  The 1.6km climb is likely to cause some difficulties for the outmarkers and will also be given due consideration for next weeks handicap.
The following changes have been enacted following race 2 results:
  • Callan Barker – promoted from A to A+ for showing tremendous form and easily contributing to the pace making when the scratch riders joined his group (to be reviewed if Walker, Henry or Jones enter on the day)
  • Zvonko Maric – promoted from D+ to C after easily winning his first race.
  • Joe Patrick – promoted from C to C+ for two very strong rides where he managed to beat everyone in his bunch to maximise on the points; the handicappers pick for most likely to win the series! (Currently leading on 16 points)
  • Andrew Gordon – moved from D+ to D
  • Colin Manitveld – moved from C to D+

BikeLand Handicap Series – Race 2

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