07/06/2009

A Grade Results

1st: Nick Aitken – 0:21:57, 2nd: Kane Walker + 1min 12secs, 3rd: Paul Richards +1min 2 secs

KOM: no change, Sprint King: no change

How B grade unfolded (told from webmaster’s perspective).

(ITT) – 16.21km / 0:25:38 / 37.9kph

1st: Jim Timmer-Arends – 0:23:31, 2nd: Simon Whitford + 1min, 3rd: Ben Dowsett +1min 2 secs

I took off at decent pace and after initial slow bit up a slope at 36kph managed to sit around 40kph. I caught the rider in front of me shortly after the turn into Brigalong road but it took me around another km to get the energy to pass him.  I nearly went off the road on a sharp left hand corner as took it a bit fast in the damp.  I began to run out of steam with 4 minutes to go (according to my computer) so slowed to 37kph.  In the last km I sped up again and finished strongly up the final little climb. Official time 25:20 which put me in 5th fastest for this stage (though the results posted on the Internet have me at 25:30 in 6th).

How C grade unfolded

1st: Jake Laine, 2nd: Kevin Feely, 3rd: Judith Cahill

KOM: no change, Sprint King: no change

When all you get for winning the time trial is points and you don’t lose points for going slowly you have to make a judgement call. Can I finish in the top five and get points or should I save my energy for a later stage? I chose the latter. I was number 20 and when rider number 27 rode past me just before the line I knew I had gone pretty slow. I finished dead last. The young guy from Leongatha Jake Laine had done a time that would have placed him 5^th in B grade. Simon rode well to finish fourth.

Stage 3:

A Grade Results

1st: Trent Williams, 2nd: Pat Lane, 3rd: Chris Joustra

KOM:  Kane Walker leads, Sprint King: Kane Walker leads

Kane Walker leads race in 4:12:18

How B grade unfolded

54.58km / 1:28:24 / 37.0kph

1st: Michael O’Connor, 2nd: Paul Yeatman, 3rd: Phil Bechaz

Jim Timmer-Arends race leads race in 3:43:16

KOM: Dave Gaffa leads Sprint King: Michael O’Connor leads

I struggled a little on 1st leg, but got frisky on the way back.  More hills than I was expecting – so much so that I was not looking forward to the return journey.  The race was fast down hills and unenergetic up hills and along the flat. I felt good up the hills, but was too far back to get up front without going to the wrong side of the road.  When a gap appeared and the bunch slowed towards the top of a hill, I finally launched an attack and kept launching attacks from that point (around 6 all up). Final attack happened at 1km to go (it wasn’t me, but I got his wheel) and I was in a good position for the sprint, though got checked by a rider sneaking up on the inside (who won). I came in second. Tomorrow I could do better as I am currently feeling good.

Overall, the rest of the bunch seemed flat and quite a few riders were all swervy up the hills on the earlier attacks (this apparently continued after I went up front) in the last 10 or so km.

Three hours after the race my legs got a little sore.  I ended the day in equal 4th around 1min 50 behind the leader and 15 secs behind third.

How C grade unfolded (on the hilly road stage)

1st: Shannon McCurley, 2nd: Jarryd Jones, 3rd: Phill Camenzuli

KOM: Simon Baxter leads, Sprint King: Rob Monk leads

Simon Baxter leads race on 28 points

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Tags: 3 day tour, wellington cc

14/03/2009

Some treacherous wet roads greeted Warragul Cycling Club members who ventured to Maffra on Saturday for the Gippsland Criterium Championships. Over 50 riders competed in the days races despite the constant rain for most of the day. Warragul riders performed well winning two of the five races and finishing second in two others.

E Grade:

The day started well for the Warragul boys when 12 year old Cyrus Monk took on some more senior riders in E grade. Cy attacked the field after the first of two intermediate sprints and was never headed again in the race. After 3 quick laps of the 1.5 km circuit Cy had established a break as long as the main street of Maffra. He won the second intermediate sprint to took out the overall race victory by a long margin.

Cyrus Monk

C Grade:

In C grade Rob Monk and James Lalor teamed well to take out 2 of the three intermediate sprints. Rob took a fly at the field on the second of the sprint laps and managed to stay away for the 1.5 km lap to take the sprint prime. On the third sprint James copied Rob’s move and did well to hold off the field near the line. In the sprint for overall honours Rob was just pipped by Evan Ralton.

Rob takes second in the first intermediate sprint

B Grade:

Warragul was represented in B Grade by Club President, Neil Walker and webmaster, Paul Yeatman. Walker did a good job of coaching Yeatman during the race encouraging Paul to curb his natural instincts to single-handedly chase down every break and do more than his share at the front. After riding a more conservative race Yeatman had plenty left to dish out to his opponents in the final sprint. They could not get near the big man and Yeatman won easily.

Yeatman leads the sprint

Race run and won

A Grade:

In the main event all eyes were on Kane Walker but it was James Henry from WCC who surprised many when he joined Ashley Lucus from Latrobe City Cycling Club in a early break away that eventually would lap the field. Kane chased across the gap to these two after letting them get a big break but took one of the wet corners too quickly and hit the pavement. James and Ash battled out the final sprint unfortunately with the company of some other LCCC riders who should have been pulled out of the race as they had been lapped. Ash was just too quick after coming off his lead-out train and James could not get over the top of him. James took second with Kane coming in a brave third after remounting after his crash.

Kane shows some road rash.

James and Ash Lucus worked well together to take a lap on the field.

Ash Lucus and James Henry battle out the finish of the Gippsland Criterium Championship.

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Tags: championships, criterium, wellington cc

07/06 – 09/06/2008

The forecast drizzle held off and riders were treated to mild conditions on day 1 and 2.  Day 3 saw chilly conditions for the start of stage 4.  Day one was fairly sedate with much of the action happening right before the KOM and sprint points.  Day 2 saw the fields split over the large hill.  The winners were decided in stage 3.  Day 3 and stage 4 saw the A grade field ripped apart by the stage winners.  The slow pace of B grade frustrated a few riders and one (your webmaster) was off the front for around 3/4 of a lap while trying to get a two minute gap on everyone until the hills on lap 2 sucked his energy away.  The white line rule was enforced on the last day to the disappointment of some riders.

Stage 1 / Stage 2 / Stage 3 / Stage 4 / Points/Bonuses / Start Lists

Race Director; Wane Tunks

Time Keeper: Alan Beveridge

Stage Details

Day 1 – Warragul Cycling Club – 07/06/2008

Stage 1 – Shady Creek Course

A Grade: 5 laps (83km).  KOM and sprints on laps 2/3/4.

B Grade: 4 laps (66.4km).  KOM and sprints on laps 2/3/4.

C Grade: 3 laps (49km).  KOM and sprints on laps 2/3.

Day 2 – Leongatha Cycling Club – 08/06/2008

Stage 2 – Wild Dog Road 6.8km ITT

Riders start in reverse grade order, highest number to lowest number at
30 second intervals and a 2-3 minute gap between grades.

Stage 3 – Mardin Circuit

A Grade: 2 laps (78km)

B Grade: 1 lap (39km)

C Grade: 1 lap (39km)

Day 3 – Wellington Cycling Club – 09/08/2008

Stage 4 – Tinambra

A Grade: 4 laps (82.4km). Sprints @ 20.6km, 41.2km & 61.6km.
KOM @ 15.2km, 30.4km & 45.6km.

B Grade: 3 laps (61.8km). Sprints @ 20.6km & 41.2km.  KOM @
15.2 & 30.4km.

C Grade: 2 laps (41.2km). Sprint @ 20.6km.  KOM @ 15.2km.

Points & Bonuses

Time bonses (seconds) and points are awarded in the road race stages as
follows:

Stage finish: 1st = 10 secs, 2nd = 8 secs, 3rd = 6 secs, 4th  = 4
secs, 5th = 2 secs

KOM: 1st = 5 points, 2nd = 3 points, 3rd = 1 point.

Sprint King: 1st = 5 points, 2nd = 3 points, 3rd = 1 point

In A and B grade, riders also get time bonuses equal to the points won in the KOM and Sprint King comps in their GC classification.
The A & B winners are based on total race time.  The C grade winner is that with the most points.

Start Lists

A Grade

B Grade

C Grade

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Tags: 3 day tour, combine, leongatha cc, shady creek, wellington cc

25/04/2008

Anzac day for Gippsland Cyclists a race to Bairnsdale. Traditionally it has been the Sale to Bairnsdale race but for the last 2 years the race has left from Stratford and headed north to loop around to Bairnsdale via some quiet roads and rolling hills. The race is over 70 km and is generally completed in lightning quick time.

Warragul Cycling Club was well represented in both A and B grade. The A grade race quickly evolved into a two man show. Shane Stiles decided to put the pace on right away. He attacked as soon as the controlled section to start the race ended. A few riders tried to jump across to him but Charles Howlett from the Latrobe Valley was the only one who would make it. Charles has some experience as a professional bike rider and has won B grade in the Melbourne to Warrnabool race so when he and Stiles started to work together it was always going to be a tough race for the chasing peleton. Despite working together the bunch could not reel in Howlett and Stiles. Warragul young guns James Henry and Kane Walker jumped from the chasing pack with 20km to finish, bringing Big Jim Timmer-Arends from LCCC with them. The trio  set out in search of the leaders. They had them in site at the finish but Howlett and Stiles refused to be caught. Howlett first, Stiles second and next came Walker and Henry, giving Warragul 4 of the first five riders. The bunch sprint for 6^th resulted in a ugly crash which saw 2 Wellington CC riders taken to hospital with collar bone damage.

In B grade the big field stayed largely intact for the whole race. Warragul riders Rob Monk, Neil Walker, Matt Kennelly and Darren Williams road a conservative race and were happy to cover any moves that went up the road. When the sprint for home started they moved to the pointy end of the bunch for the first time. Matt took out the sprint with Darren in second spot. Warragul riders first and second. Rob and Neil finished strongly as well being well inside the top ten placegetters.

Local racing finally returns next week with a Handicap at Cloverlea.

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Tags: bairnsdale cc, combine, scratch, wellington cc

09/09 – 11/06/2007

For the 2007 3 Day Tour results, open the 2007 3 Day Tour Results pdf.

Notes from the webmaster:

Stage 1 @ Stratford

Felt ok.  Spent too much energy trying to chase down a break away so on the sprint at the end of lap 1 so I was dropped.  The remaining 14 or so km was a time trial.  Legs wound up heavy and sore.  35.1kph for 65.62km.  Av HR 163bpm

Stage 2 @ Yinnar

Warm up.  chilly and foggy.  legs performing better than feel.
My race began strong, but my legs soon began to protest at the pace and I flagged early and was struggling by the end. Got whipped by lots of the field. 35.0kph for 5.36km.  Av HR 169bpm

Stage 3 @ Yinnar

A tactical race that saw me attempt to break away twice, lots of playing possum and getting dropped twice (at the KOM).  We tired to get our man, (Bealsy) off the front.  Unfortunately he got rolled not far from the line.  35.8kph for 60.39km.  Av HR 151bpm.

Stage 4 @ Picnic Point

Wet and Chilly at Picnic Point.
The first hill was under control so that was comfortable with my zero warm up.  Coming up a hill along the Main Neerim Road I broke away as the pace was pathetic.  I lasted about a km before being reeled in.  At the end of lap 1 an intermediate sprint saw me and about 6 others dropped.  After the Jindivick KOM on lap 2 where I picked up a 3 second time bonus apparently, I had a small gap on my group so decided to give it a go.  I was reeled in. The pace after this went up and the five of us remaining did track turns until the final climb.  Poor positioning saw me get 3rd (so about 12th I think).

The guy who got the break who no one was eager to chase wound up winning overall.  Grrrr.  I came 2nd last overall (about 15th).  Nowhere near my top 10 plan.

So, a bad day one saw me with a 1 minute 30 second deficit I had no chance of getting back without a break away I was not capable of.  The plan next year is to get top 5 in B grade.  NO getting dropped on stage 1, that is for certain.  32.4kph for 45.16km.  Av HR 146bpm.

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Tags: 3 day tour, combine, latrobe city cc, picnic point, wellington cc

23/04/1994

Maffra played host to the Anzac day memorial race with Warragul taking four of the top five placings.

Sprinter Phil Gallagher took out the event from Aaron Nobelius with Chris Kypriotis third, Murray Fenwick fourth and Geoff Thomson fifth.

It was a quiet days racing after the torture the day before with few attacks and little action.

In fact the whole bunch remained together until the sprint.

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Tags: combine, maffra, wellington cc