04/09/2010
For the second week in a row a thirteen year old snuck under the guard of handicapper Shane Stiles and got up to win the race. While the forecast was threatening conditions turned out to quite gentle for cycling on Saturday.
Outmaker Andrew Da Bona had 30 minutes start on scratch. He rode the first lap solidly and looked a real chance to stay away. Unfortunately a wrong turn would cost him any chance of victory.
Ray York had 18 minutes on scratch. He would be in for a tough ride with no-one to help in his quest to finish before the chasers.
The largest group of the day had 10 minutes break on scratch. Micheal Blackwood, Trudi Gallagher, Paul Kennedy, Zvonko Maric Cyrus Monk, Matt Williamson and John Davine rode together for the first lap and at this point had closed to within three and a half minutes of Ray York.
Just a minute behind the large 10 minute bunch was Danny Dilger, Dave Baillie and Jayman Prestidge. After a lap this trio had only taken 15 seconds off the 10 minute bunch.
Chasing Dilger, Prestidge and Baillie was the 6 minute group of Simon Baxter, Charlie Davine, Matt Kennelly, Jason Dastey and James Lalor. After one lap this group were still 2 minutes behind Dilger, Baillie and Prestidge but the second time up the hill they started to make up ground quickly.
On the chopping block, with 4 minutes on scratch were Rob Monk, Geoff Thomson, Brad Venables and Daryl Anderson. They rode a solid first lap and were only 50 seconds behind the 6 minute group with a lap to race. Brad was left behind on the first climb but the others teamed well. Thommo paced Daryl and Rob up the hill the second time, making sure they were working at their limit while making sure the group remained intact.
Shane Stiles gave Monk, Thomson and Anderson 3 minutes start and only managed to take one minute of it back after lap 1. Dilger had dropped off the group 9 minute group and joined forces with the chopping block boys on the decent. He was looking strong on the flat until a puncture unfortunately cost Danny certain victory.
By the end of Sthurs Rd on lap 2 the chopping block, 6 minute and 9 minute group had come together. James Lalor had ridden off the front of the 6 minute group in search of solo glory but everyone else remained together. Thommo, Monk and Charlie Davine did the lion’s share of turns for the big group as they chased the now split 10 minute group.
This bunch had split on the climb the second time up. Trudi Gallager, Cy Monk, Matt Williamson and Zvonko Maric had a 150 meter lead at the top of the hill and decided to not wait for the others. This left Paul Kennedy, Michael Blackwood and John Davine to chase on their own. Davine slowed Michael’s progress when he rode into his rear wheel with 3km to go to the finish.
By that stage the Thomson led peloton was closing fast. They had reeled in Lalor and now had only 5 riders left to catch.
Up the road Cy Monk, Trudi Gallagher, Matt Williamson and Zvonko Maric had Ray York in sight. They passed him with less than a kilometre to race.
Trudi showed some inexperience in the sprint. Her husband, gun track sprinter Phil Gallagher better do some work with her on sprint tactics. Trudi sat on the front and slowly picked up the pace from six hundred meters out. Cy Monk locked onto her wheel and was “lickin’ his chops” as Trudi fatigued at the 200 meter mark. Cy jumped and headed for home and was never in doubt of being overtaken. Zvonko finished well to take second. Trudi hung on to take third with Matt in forth. Ray Yorks effort to get fifth was commendable given he’d ridden most of the race out the front on his own.
The sprint for sixth was taken out by Thommo from Rob Monk seventh and Matt Kennelly eighth. Rounding out the top ten was Simon Baxter and Charlie Davine.
Next week’s race returns to Shady Creek. Cy Monk came second last week and was pulled 5 minutes. He won this week and will lose more time. Can anyone stop him accumulating the series points?
