Thommo gets up off the chopping block

26/09/2009

Report by Rob Monk  

A hardy band of Warragul Cyclists battled the elements on Saturday morning in the fourth race of the BikeLand Handicap Series. The temperature never got over 10^oC and the wind drove rain and hail horizontally into the rider’s faces on the descent to the base of the Shady Creek Hill. When the conditions are tough it normally favors the back markers and this was the case on today.  They really had to work for it however.

Limit markers Greg Horbowicz, last week’s winner Jayden Manintveld and Dave Axford led the field away with 21 minutes on scratch. Next away were Tammy Patrick and Cy Monk. They worked well together for the first lap swapping turns into the strong head and cross winds. They had 16 minutes start on the groups behind. The rapidly improving group of Paul Kennedy, Zvonko Maric, Matt Williamson were joined by Graeme Patrick and first time racer John Devine. Their successes in the previous weeks had seen their handicap moved from 12 minutes back to 10 minutes but they would still prove very hard to catch as they shared the workload in the windy conditions.

The B grade bunch with 6 minutes on scratch were down on numbers and Matt Kennelly, Jason Dasty and visiting Latrobe Valley Rider, Justin Gravett would have to ride well to keep in front of the chasers. Despite having 2 minutes start on the B+ group, the B+ boys had them in sight within half a lap. The B+ group with 4 minutes on scratch consisted of Simon Baxter, Rob Monk, Pete Finlayson and Brett Rollinson. They had only one minute on the A grade trio of Geoff Thomson, Jayman Prestidge, and Paul Yeatman. The A graders had a 3 minute break on scratch men Shane Stiles, James Henry and Thomas Sandner.

By half way into the first lap it was clear that the A grade and B+ bunches would come together. Pete Finlayson who had some mechanical issues on the descent on lap one and moved from the B+ group back to the A grade group but was able to sit on them and rejoin the B+ boys just after the turn into the finishing straight. The combined B+, A grade group now had 7 riders and while not completely organized they would make it difficult for the scratch group behind them. Thomson, Baxter and Prestidge were clearly the strongest riders while Monk, Finlayson and Rollinson rolled through when they could.  Before the end of lap one the combined B+ and A grade group caught B grade making a bunch of 10 at the base of the climb.

Thommo insisted the group work together on the climb. He reigned in strong climber Simon Baxter when he wanted to force the pace beyond what the bunch was capable of holding on to. This proved a winning strategy for Thommo as along the flat there were still half a dozen willing workers. Rollinson and Monk repaid Thommo for his pace making up the hill by pulling a few turns on the descent and on the flat.  Finlayson was going well. Baxter put the pace on along Stuhrs Rd as the A, B+, B group started to pick up the bunches in front.

First to be passed were Maric and Devine who had been dropped by their group on the climb. Next to be passed were Tammy Patrick, then Dave Bailey and Clint Hick. Into the home straight Jayden Mantiveld was next to be picked up.

Thommo still tried to keep the bunch organized but tired riders were finding it harder to roll through in the tough cross wind. Thommo, Baxter, Prestidge and Finlayson did most of the work. Shane Stiles somehow managed to ride through the field from the scratch bunch to catch up despite losing the other two in his group before the end of lap one.

With 2 km to go the leaders were still 500 meters in front. The C grade group of Paul Kennedy, Matt Williamson and Graeme Patrick had picked up Cy Monk and they had the finish line in sight. The only rider in front of them was Greg Horbowicz so they were chasing him hard. Matt Williamson attacked with a kilometer to go. Kennedy and Cy Monk chased and Graham Patrick was dropped.

Meanwhile Thommo realized the time for teamwork was done and without a strong effort he would come up short of taking the win. He put the pace on and only Stiles and Finlayson could go with him. Rob Monk and then Simon Baxter dropped off and were left to time trial to the finish. There really was not a final sprint. Everyone just slogged up the final straight hoping to reel in the riders in front. Greg was still leading 400 meters before the line. Stiles had taken over from Thommo and chased hard to the bottom on the finishing hill. They passed Kennedy, Cy Monk and Matt Williamson 300 meters before the finish. Thommo came off Stiles wheel and went in search of the win. He passed Greg 50 meters before the finish. Thommo first (A), Stiles Second (A+), Greg Horbowicz (D) third, Peter Finlayson (B+) forth and Paul Kennedy fifth (C) means the handicapper just about got it perfect. The top seven placings came from 6 different grades.

Next week’s race is at Darnum: a different course and a different challenge for the handicapper.

Report from second scratch.

This week the plan was to stay away from scratch until over the main hill on lap two and to catch the group in front of us before the end of the fist lap.  We had an extra minute on them this week. The race went to plan despite  losing one of our group towards the end of lap one.

As we turned into Nilma North Road for the first time we could see the group in front of us.  Some steady riding saw us catch up with them along the back straight.  Shortly after this catch, the enlarged group caught the next bunch.  Not long after this Paul Yeatman got dropped (about the same place as last week).  On the run up to the hill on lap 2, Matt Kennelly and <insert name> got dropped.  Yeatman passed them on the climb by any chasing would be in vain.

Shane Stiles was reeling in riders on lap 2 and hooned along Stuhrs Road.

Coming to the line, wily Thommo took out first from Stiles.  Greg Horbowicz was third.

Final Results Race 4

Race 4 Handicapper’s Report

Photos by D Manintveld

BikeLand Handicap Series – Race 4 – 26/09/2009

Handicaps for Race 4