16/04/2011
If you keep trying long enough eventually a breakaway will succeed.
Jason Dastey has been trying to make a break stick on the last lap of every race of the crit series without success. In the first road race of the series he stuck to his plan. The lap of the Darnum circuit may be longer than a crit but with 8km to go Dastey Jimmy Lalor and Geoff Thomson went off the front. Yes folks, that is correct, Thommo got into a break.
This probably ultimately ensured its success. Had Thommo been back in the bunch his gentle encouragement to his fellow races to roll through and chase down those up the road would have doomed Dastey and Lalor’s break to failure.
Earlier in the race Daryl Anderson established a good break for nearly a full lap but Thommo organised the group to bring him back. On lap 7 of 7 laps though, no one was that keen to chase. Simon Baxter had attacked frequently early in the race but was not keen now to chase. Ross Henry as usual chased hard dragging the bunch along be he quickly tired due to a lack of support. Anderson was waiting for a sprint finish. Pete Finlayson was not going to the front on the final lap.
Rob Monk who had not done a thing all race finally took up the chase on Sthurs Rd. Jayman Prestidge also did some work but their efforts did little to close the gap. Thommo sensed the boys were weakening so he dropped back to the peleton hoping to disrupt any organisation in the peleton. There was clearly none so he could have stayed where he was.
Nearing the last corner Dastey and Lalor still had a three hundred meter break. Approaching the final bend Baxter attacked the chasers but was easily covered by Monk and Prestidge. Prestidge countered and led into the final bend with Monk on his wheel. Prestidge corners like a Mack Truck and when he carried too much speed into the corner he ended up sliding sidways just managing to stay upright but having to jump over the traffic island to avoid hitting the tarmac. Monk took up the chase alone.
Dastey had been dropped by Lalor and was weakening quickly but the finish was tantalizingly close. The riders who had done no chasing on the last lap now accelerated to sprint for home. Anderson, Stiles and Finlayson flew past Monk. Lalor kept riding strongly to the line to take the victory. Dastey was still in line for a podium finish with fifty meters to go but was swamped by Anderson and Thommo. Stiles slowed to let Jase take a well earned forth place.
Keep trying Dastey. Eventually one will pay off.
C and D grade combined and had a bunch of eleven riders. Neil Walker and Justin Prestidge were keen to break away early in the race but when they both looked back to see how big a break they had and came together, Walker hit the deck. Loss of skin and pride stirred him for the rest of the race and he was too quick in the sprint finish. George Tambassis was second again. Is he trying to regain that “bridesmaid” tag? Col Brown was strong at the finish to take third with Zvonko Maric and Trev Rollinson finishing next.
Next Saturday’s race is a handicap at Cloverlea.
