05/05/2007

After last year’s Club Championships, Kane ‘sandshoes’ Walker got an honorable mention from Staf as one to watch in the future.  This year, Junior rider Kane Walker took out the biggest win of his short career on Saturday, taking out the open section of the Warragul Cycling Clubs Road Racing Championship. Kane has only been cycling competitively for a little over 12 months.

The open field looked strong with outstanding with junior riders James Henry and Kane Walker taking on accomplished senior riders like Luke Hanley, Jason Kruger and Dave Salton.

These riders put the pace on from the start causing a major split in the field. On the final lap Jason Kruger managed to ride off the front before the turn in Christies Road. He hit the bottom of the 80km/h descent with a good break but on the sharp uphill section James, Kane and Luke managed to catch Jason then gap him so his chances of winner were lost. Kane attacked on the final hill on Christies Road and looked to have a good break but Luke and James worked together to bring him back and just after the turn into the final straight on Lillico Road. The three favourites were locked together. On the final hill up to the finish at the Lillico tennis courts, Kane surprised the other two by jumping for home early. Luke hesitated, expecting James to chase but James was going nowhere. When Luke looked up Kane had a six bike lengths lead with 200 meters of uphill grind to the finish. Luke was finishing strongly but Kane was able to hold on to take out the race by a bike length on the line. Luke was second with James a close third.   Callan Barker did well to stay in touch with Tim Lee, Paul Yeatman and Matt Kennelly who all left their climbing legs at home.

The Masters section of the club championship was split into 2 sections. In the 35 to 44 section Rob Monk managed to hold off a hard chasing Steve Muggeridge to take out the title. On the last of four laps Rob attacked before the top of the Bloomfields Road climb, establishing a gap of 60 meters going around the corner into Old Sale Road. He managed to hold this gap for the seven kilometres to the finish. Steve finish second, with Graeme Patrick third and Paul Kennedy fourth.

The over 45 Masters was taken out by Geoff Thompson. He and Pete Finlayson managed to shake off Chris Beales on lap 2 and when Pete Finlayson punctured Thommo was forced to take on the unusual role of the individual time time trialist. Two laps of the circuit on his own is certainly Thommo’s longest breakaway for many years. Chris finished second with Dave Bailey in third spot.

The Ladies Club Champion is Karen Munro. She defeated a determined Tammy Patrick who just lost contact with Karen on the Bloomfields Road hill on lap two.

The Junior Club Championship consisted of two laps of the Christies Road circuit. Cy Monk, James Lalor and Renee Patrick stayed together for most of the first lap but Renee was struggling to go with the boys on the hills. James and Cy took off and swapped turns up to the Christies road hill. James Lalor was too strong for Cy on the final hill before the turn into the home straight and broke away here. James held his lead for the rest of the race. James Lalor first, Cy Monk second and Renee Patrick third.

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Tags: bullico, championships

17/03/2007

Warragul Cycling Club members took on a combination of the Lillico and Christies Road circuit on Saturday as part of the clubs Autumn Classics Series. This series is loosely based to the Spring Classics that make up the early part of the professional Season in Europe. Saturdays Race was in the spirit of the Leige Bastonge Leige. For all grades that meant 3 laps of the 10km Lillico circuit and then either 1 or 2 laps of the tough Christies Road circuit.

A Grade had the largest field of the day. Numbers were boosted by riders from Latrobe City, Hawthorn and Caulfield Carnegie. The pace was pushed from the start by local rider James Henry. He tried repeatedly to escape but was unsuccessful each time. Visiting Latrobe Valley rider Andrew McKernan and John McDonald from Hawthorn found the pace a little too hot handle and pulled out with a lap to go. The pace up to the fire station on Bloomfields road the last time up was hot but not too hot to drop Thommo from the bunch. In the sprint, young gun Kane Walker told everyone when he would start to sprint for home. This meant the experienced riders were able to follow his run to the line. Thommo locked onto James Henry’s wheel as he flew past a frustrated Michael Vogt from Caulfield Carnegie. Thommo hit the lead for the first time in race fifty meters from the line and took out the win. James was second and Michael was third.

The B grade group worked well together for the circuits around Lillico with only Clint Hick keen to force the pace. The first real attack came on the sharp rise on Christies road. Pete Finlayson pushed the pace and everyone struggled to go with him. The break was short lived though and the field came back together for the final ascent of the Bloomfields road climb. At the top of the hill Brett Rollinson and Rob Monk led the field onto Old Sale Road. Brett rolled clear and Rob could not go with him. The gap widened and no-one was keen to work to bring the bunch up to Brett. Finlayson tried to jump across the gab but could not close the gap totally. Monk and Scott Keeble joined Pete at the beginning of Christies Road and they finally managed to catch Brett. After the 70km/hr descent of Christies road Keeble attacked on the sharp rise and Finlayson and Rollinson were the only riders who could go with him. These three rode together to the finish. In the sprint Pete was just too quick for Scott with Brett in third place. Rob Monk held off the chasing trio of Clint Hick, Dave Bailey and Neil Walker to take out forth place.

In C grade experienced rider Danny Dilger organised the bunch for the three preliminary laps of Lillico. Callan Barker looked to be the strongest rider on the climbs but Danny ensured he would not break away too early in the race. Callan and Steve Muggeridge did manage to break away on the Bloomfield road ascent and held their  advantage to the finish. They started the “cat and mouse” tactics a long way from the finish and this nearly allowed Karen Munro, Dave Axford and Danny to catch them before the sprint. Callan proved too quick for Steve in the run to the line and took out a strong win.  Karen was third with Dave Axford in fourth place.

The D grade bunch was joined by Junior rider James Lalor and first time racers Susan Cleary and Andrew Stewart. Pam Benstead rode strongly but found the going too tough on the Bloomfields road ascent. Caulfield Carnegie rider Anthony Poisson proved too strong for Stewart with James Lalor a creditable third spot.

Next week’s race is inspired by the Fleche Wallonne spring classic. The Fleche Wallonne race finishes on top of a short but brutally steep climb. Our local version of this race will take in 2, 3 or 4 laps of the telegraph road circuit and then finish on top of the infamous Fisher’s Road Wall. It should be a grade race for all competitors. An autumn classic.

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Tags: bullico, scratch

16/09/2006

For the first time in nearly three years the Warragul Cyling Club riders faced the gruelling Christies Road Circuit. Starting at the Lillico Tennis Courts the course climbs up to Old Sale road then returns along the undulating Christies Road. The 13 km lap finishes with an uphill run to the start-finish line. This is certainly a course for the climbers.

A grade started with a strong field of 8 riders but they were destined to break up early in the race. First to be spat from the pack was Geoff Thompson who was happy to save his efforts for Sundays Country Veterans Championship. On the second time up to Old Sale Rd James Henry broke away but the strong men in the bunch decided to let him dangle off the front for most of the next lap. On the top first of the two huge “rollers” on Christies Road Shane Styles, Luke Handley and Dave Salton caught and rolled past James and left the rest of the field in their wake. With the three strongest men in the field getting a small but decisive break the race for James Henry, Jason Kruger, Kane Walker and Tim Lee the remainder of the race would now be a lonely individual time trial. They all split up chasing the leaders and would finished minutes apart. The forth and final time up to Old Sale Rd Luke Handley set a tempo that Styles and Salton could not match. He had a small break over the top and held this until the top of the first hill in Christies Rd. Here Shane Styles hitting speeds approaching 80 km/h an hour was able to drop Dave Salton on the decent and joined Luke for the run back to the start-finish line. Luke was too strong for Shane in the uphill run to the line and took out an excellent win. Shane was second and Dave finished third.

In B grade nine riders started but after one lap Justen O’Connor decided that this circuit was not the best one to make his comeback to racing on. He conveniently retired after twisting his chain on the first climb. Rather than wait, Chris thought this would be a good time to attack but this backfired as Beales was allowed to dangle off the front of the bunch for all of the second lap. On the second time up to Old Sale Rd Paul Yeatman, Neil Walker and Rob Monk lost contact with the bunch. Yeatman and Walker almost regained contact but Rob decided a training ride and early finish would be a better use of his time. Beales was caught the third time up to Old Sale Rd. He claims a ‘slow leaking’ tyre was the reason for the catch but others in the bunch suggest he was “well and truly cooked”. From there to the finish the regular “A graders” Trent Brown and Pete Finlayson set the pace. Ross Henry and Clint Hick hung on strongly. Clint lost contact with the bunch the final time over the first hill on Christies Road. Ross hung on until the finish. Trent Brown just held off Pete Finlayson on the sprint up to the finish. Ross was not far away in third spot.

A small field in C grade stayed together of the first two laps but on the third time up to Old Sale Rd Dave Axford lost contact and Steffi Hoffer and Greame Patrick were left to duel for victory. Steffi had big Graeme’s measure on the climbs and took out the win.

Noel Mason’s dominance in D grade continued and he was able to ride away from first time racer Callan Barker. Well done to Callan finishing second in your first race. Pam Benstead finished third.

The Juniors took on the Christies road circuit as well. Tristan Walker, Renee Patrick and Cy Monk displayed great perseverance to make it over all the steep hills without having to get off and walk. The parents were more nervous than the juniors as the kids hit speeds in excess of 50km per hour down Christies Road. Cy Monk narrowly held off Renee Patrick in a great sprint for the line. When Renee gets her gears worked out she’ll put a lot more pressure on Cy.

Next weeks race is a combined event with the Latrobe Valley Cycling Club. The race starts at 2.00p.m. at Yinnar. We’d like a strong turn out from Warragul Cycling Club Members. Our aim is to win all grades and leave the Valley boys with nothing. Let’s take them on!! Go team WCC.

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Tags: bullico, scratch

18/09/1993

The stakes were high as the Warragul Cycling club double header event of the season commenced.  The riders were to be tested against the clock both individually in the time trail and in a bunch in the handicap.  Often referred to as the race of truth, the time trail was to be battled out over undulating kilometres in blustery conditions.  The big surprise of the day came from the junior riders with Stephen Fenwick coming home in 20.32 and Daniel Dilger who clocked 20.44.  Both, covered the distance faster than many of the higher ranked C grade riders.  Another great effort was that of Paul Yeatman who has come of age in the lead up to the club championships when he rode 17.15.

The placings were:

1) Murray Fenwick 15.55, 2) Aaron Nobelius 16.18, 3) Stuart Corkran 16.29, 4) Geoff Thomson 16.38, 5) Paul Yeatman 17.15, 6) David Cairns 17.18, 7) Anthony Radcliffe 17.21.

The second stage was a gruelling 50 km handicap which left many short of reserves after the time trail. The handicap is designed to give riders an equal opportunity of winning through time advantages but after the time trail many riders had little left to chase the frontrunners.  More than a quarter of the field were to retire early in the race due to fatigue and strong riding from those who had it left in them.

Marion Ophof was the first to start with 30 minutes over the scratch men, she rode an excellent first lap but the tough Christies Rd circuit was soon to take its toll.

The following bunch of John Salton, Jason Boxall, Anthony Vogrig, Ian De Byrne and Brian Mason off 2 minutes worked well together through the experience of Salton and made good running over the first 20km.

However chasing hard like a man possessed was Dale Grant who had chosen not to ride the time trail so that he had a fresh pair of legs.  And fresh they were, four of the six men in his bunch retired under the pressure with only Russ Walker managing to keep him in site.

The six minute markers of David Cairns, Ross Henry. Paul Yeatman and Graeme Hanks fought hard but gained little time on the disintegrated field in front.  They only took four minutes out of the storming Grant after 40km.

The scratch men weren’t to fare any better.  After losing Corkran early on, Geoff Thomson, Murray Fenwick and Aaron Nobelius failed to roll through in tight formation and gained little.

In the final kilometres Grant surged past the tiring 22 minute markers to steal the race after riding alone for nearly 40 km, his time was 1.30.34.  A further minute back Boxall ended up out sprint­ing Vogrig for the line fol­lowed by an exhausted Sal­ton who finished fourth.  Mason came in a further minute back in a great first ride.  Russ Walker couldn’t quite catch these riders and had to be content with sixth place also after a long solo effort.  Cairns beat Henry to the line for seventh to become the first triathlete in living memory to win a sprint in a road race!  His time was 1.27.50, Yeatman came through for ninth with Hanks in 10th.

The scratchies rolled through a further minute back with Nobelius taking out fastest time in 1.22.57.  He was closely followed by Thomson with Fenwick just off the pace.  Ian De Byrne battled on to come through in 13th followed by Marion Ophof in 14th who rode well to covet the entire distance alone.

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Tags: bullico, hanidcap, nilma north, time trial

01/05/1993

By Geoff Cuckson

Saturday’s Club racing took the form of a double header with 19 km scratch races following ten km individual time trials.

Geoff Thomson took fastest in the 10 km ITT; his 15.50 being the only time under 16 minutes.  Aaron Nobelius and Fenwick were split by .02 of a second with Grub Melnyk, Hanks and Yeatman all breaking 17 minutes.  Williams, Rohan Watts, Travis and Ian, Henry, Stuart Cuckson, Bailey and Dale Grant, with a big ride, came in close together inside 18 minutes.  Russell Walker finished in just over the 18 minute mark whilst youngster Ben Homsby came in just under 19:00.  Anthony Vogrig and Brian Miller were close behind with Ted Dunn, Jason Boxall, Marion Ophof and Melissa Aarts pushing doggedly to finish in times just above 20 minutes.

The second event of the double header – the 19km scratch races  – were conducted over the Christies Rd circuit with the long hills testing out many of the riders.  Thomson took out the double with a strong A grade victory in a time of 30:58, again from Nobelius and Fenwick.

A most improved effort from Melnyk saw him come in 17 seconds off the winner with Yeatman and Hanks a further minute away after they lost the bunch up the long Bloomfield Rd hill.

The B graders also had a close finish with Watts kicking clear over the rise, 400 metres out and going on to score by four seconds in a time of 33:38.  Henry came in second after losing, and then regaining, the bunch in Christies Rd, with Travis nudging out Cuckson for third.  A tight battle behind them saw Ian Fromholtz grab Williams right on the line with Bailey just off their back wheels.

The C grade finish was the closest of all as five of the seven starters rode up the Church hill together searching for a good position for the final sprint.  Youngster Boxall, showing continued improvement as he rides with the seniors, was first to lead out over the rise.  However Miller grabbed him, went to the front inside the final 200, and headed for home.  In a desperate lunge, Walker, who had stormed home from the back of the  five man bunch, grabbed him right on the line to take victory in a time of 35:54.

Miller took second with Homsby a close up third, Boxall a courageous fourth and Vogrig just off the back for fifth.  After losing the bunch, Dunn battled the tough circuit well on his own to come in under four minutes from the winner.

With his double, Thomson has gone to the lead on the points table.  His total of 19 heads Ian Fromholtz (15), Fenwick and Henry (13), Boxall, Miller and Walker (11) with Vogrig and Watts 10 points each. In the junior time trial,

Stephen Fenwick continued his time reduction with an excellent 21.44.12 which was not far off the back of the C graders.  Daniel Dilger also improved his first effort with 23:27:05 and Shane Boxall went around in just over 30 minutes.

Next week will see graded scratch races over the third of the Nilma North circuits for the Junior riders whilst the juniors will take on a different type of event than the previous 10km trip.

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Tags: bullico, nilma north, scratch, time trial

05/09/1992

By Geoff Cuckson

Saturday’s club road championship saw great victories to three riders using differing tactics.

An elated John Salton took out the 58 km senior event by controlling the bunch from the front over the final kilometre before scooting away to score by a comfortable 10 meters.

Aaron Nobelius took the juvenile title when he broke clear of his four opponents with 18 kilometres to ride and increased his lead to go on and win by over four minutes over the 40 km course.

Although only two junior riders contested, Murray Fenwick took that title when he was able to hold on to the main bunch and come in for an excellent victory.

Eleven riders took part in the senior event as they rode off together with the juniors over two laps of each of the Lillico and Christies Rd circuits.  After a fast first 10 km, which saw the bunch cut to eight riders, the long climb to Old Sale Rd found Graeme Hanks, Stuart Corkran and Anthony Radcliffe wanting as they too lost contact.  Down into Christies Rd, Phil Gallagher attacked and kicked clear to lead the peleton through the halfway mark by over half a minute.  He was able to stay away for about 25 km before being joined with 15 to ride by Salton, John Pettingill, Gary Jackson and Fenwick.  Inside the last kilometre Salton took control with the surger Gallagher, sprinter Jackson, distance rider Pettingill and the “kid” Fenwick all on his tail.

After one last look over the shoulder at the 200 meter mark he was off and went on to score a well deserved win in a time of 1 hour 39 mins 34 secs.  Jackson came home very quickly over the final 30 meters to grab an impres­sive second by a tyre from Pettingill with Gallagher a tiring fourth and Fenwick a courageous fifth.  Corkran and Radcliffe lost Hanks at the halfway mark but worked very well together and came in only two minutes behind the winner.  Ian Miller put in a solid performance having lost the main bunch after eight kilometres and riding the remaining 50 on his own for an overall time of 1:50:20.

Gerry Anfried, Paul Yeatman and Brian Miller all lost the main bunch early but teamed well in a comfortable rhythm and came home together with a spirited final sprint result­ing in that order.

The first 20 kms of the juvenile event was a bit of a picnic ride although Brett Miller lost contact up the Drive In hill on the second lap.  It wasn’t until the “whoopde-dos” in Lillico Rd in the third of four laps that the action started when Nobelius attacked and kicked clear.  Stuart Cuckson, Brad Clark and Brett Williams all chased hard with Williams able to grab the leader for a short while.  However the constant working of Nobelius saw him shake Williams who, in turn, was caught by the other two boys.  Nobelius turned on the power in the final lap as he extended his lead from 1 min 40 secs to a victory of 4:35.  In a long spirited sprint for the placings Cuckson went for home some 300 meters out but propped as Williams came out after him.  Williams kept going with Clark on his wheel and in a ding dong charge just held on to take second with Cuckson fourth.  Miller, two years younger than the other boys, battled his way around and came home in a time of 1:25:00.

It was pleasing to see several riders back in action and the club is looking forward to the upcoming spring and track seasons to see further increases in attendances.

Next Saturday will see the State Road Titles being held on the Jindivick circuit and several of the younger members of the club will be competing, best of luck to all.

A reminder to club members of the general meeting to be held tonight (Tuesday 8th) in the clubrooms commencing at 7.30 pm. All are welcome and asked to be punctual.

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Tags: bullico, championships, nilma north