01/09/2012
By Rob Monk
Saturday’s Handicap at Cloverlea was contested in near perfect conditions for cycling. When conditions are benign the hard men of the scratch bunch are often doomed. They want it is tough as possible. Alas the scratchmen were disappointed as they could not catch the C grade bunch.
Handicapper Pete Finlayson had given the out-markers a little more time this week but they’d need it. Scratch had a bunch of seven and would chase hard. They flew around the first two laps at over 40km/h. Shane Stiles and Cy Monk were helped by some Melbourne visitors from the Zoom Video Cycling team. Justin Gravitt was his powerful best as well. The scratch men caught the group of Graeme Parker, Glen Marriot, Matt Malacarne, Pete Finlayson, Phil Gallagher and Leigh Hauxwell on lap 3.
They also mowed down the 3 minute group of Jayden Maniveld, Jack Walk, Scott Keeble, Rob Monk, Paul Yeatman, James Lalor and Geoff Thomson. This group had worked well for two laps but for some unknown reason Jack Walk and Thommo decided to stop working and “sat on” from the start of the third lap.
Jayman Prestidge, Pete Whelan and Ross Henry started in “no man’s land”, five minute in front of scratch but two minutes behind the large C grade group in front. Prestidge ran up the white flag after lap one leaving Whelan and Henry to slog it out on their own.
By midway through lap 3, scratch had rounded up the 3 groups in front and a bunch of over 20 riders was charging along Parkers Rd in search of the out-markers.
The C grade group had 7 mins on scratch. Dave Salton, with three weeks of training under his belt was able to drive this group around so they would not be caught. He was ably assisted by experienced handicap riders Trev Rollinson, Andy Nicolls and John Batten. George Tambassis was strong and new comer Stuart Battley, while lacking some polish was keen to do his turns. Simon Baxter found the going too quick and was dropped by the end of lap 2.
The C graders had to catch three groups of outmarkers. The limit bunch of Adele Whelan, Michelle Scur, Matt Williamson, Frank Bensted, Colin Manitveld and first time racer Peter O’Donnell worked together well for the first two laps. They were reeled in by the 11 minute bunch of Ray York, Andrew Gordon, Peter Sorenson, Kate Prestidge, Trudi Gallagher, Graeme Patrick and Grant Neilson but they took some catching.
The C grade crew had nearly caught the outmarkers before the end of lap 3. They charged though the field with only Trudi Gallagher, Andrew Gordon and Graeme Patrick able to hang on.
The scratch bunch were within 500 meters at the end of Parkers Rd but the Salton led leaders were not going to be caught.
Tambassis and Nicholls jockeyed for position and sprinted for victory but Dave Salton had them covered easily. He took the win easily and won’t get 7 minutes head start on scratch again for a long time. Tambassis bettered Nicholls for the sprint for second. Then followed Graeme Patrick, Trudi Gallagher, Andrew Gordon, Stuart Battley, Peter Sorenson and John Batten.
Cy Monk took out fastest time of the day in the scratch bunch.
Next week’s race is at Shady Creek.
- Dave Salton
- George Tambassis
- Andy Nicholls
- Fastest time Cyrus Monk.
Thanks to Jen Davies for today’s race photos.
