30/09/2006
Football? What football? Saturday’s beautiful weather, mild wind conditions and car-free roads thanks to the AFL Grand Final were the perfect combination for the Warragul Cycling Club 48km handicap event. The race was held on the doorstep of the Fonterra factory in Darnum, and involved six laps of an eight kilometer circuit into Darnum and back out to Stuhrs Road – the first time the Club has hosted a local event on such a circuit. The Club is thankful for the support of Fonterra towards our local racing.
Chief handicapper Staf Duncan was given a difficult task in assigning start times on an unknown circuit, the challenge compounded by an influx of Melbourne riders of unknown strengths and junior gear restrictions. The end result was a splitting of D grade for two separate limit markers, followed by a small C grade unit at seventeen minutes, a large B grade bunch departing at seven minutes and a six-rider scratch group.
C grade were the first bunch to take off, with Dave Axford, Stefi Hofer and Blackburn rider John Fox combining well over the first lap. The two D grade bunches departed after the C grade bunch, as they required to complete only five laps of the course.
B grade consisted of an eleven-strong bunch but once out on the road it was soon discovered that scratchie and Club life member Geoff ‘Thomo’ Thomson had inadvertently joined the peloton. The group wasted little time in catching the D grade bunch consisting of Pam Bensted, Gita Walker and Tammy Patrick for the first time – but would they have enough time to catch them a second time? Despite the large group, it took over a lap for a rhythm to form, with the group finally receiving even contributions but losing Tim Lee and U15 Blackburn rider Matt Henderson in the process. Although Thomo’s presence added another level of strength to the B grade bunch, his absence was sorely noted in the scratch bunch, now down to five riders.
With a huge task ahead of them, the A grade bunch were soon riding team pursuit-like turns on the front. Riding in single file, the front rider would take a long turn ‘pulling’ the group on the front before recovering at the back until the next turn. Ahead of them, trouble was brewing for the second D grade bunch as Brendan Pridmore was forced to retire early, leaving Noel Mason to continue solo until the C grade bunch came to his rescue. Dave Axford went into difficulty from the C grade pace and was left to face the circuit sans wind break. But John Fox was intent on staying away, taking some punishment on the front despite his corked thigh from a mid-week crash.
With two laps remaining, all eyes were on the time difference between scratch and the B grade bunch. With Shane Stiles, James Henry, Luke Hanley and Glyn Thomas working solidly, the scratch bunch was consistently shredding a minute each lap off the B grade head start.
Towards the end of lap five, B grade caught sight of Gita Walker, Pam Bensted and Tammy Walker for the second time, before catching the rogue C grade bunch at the start/finish line. The chase was now over, the bunch began looking at their teammates to see who was freshest for victory.
Pete Finlayson clearly wasn’t keen for a bunch finish and initiated the first attack, chased down by U17 Blackburn rider George Sutton. His effort was countered by Chris Beales before Finlayson had one more crack, all to no avail. John Fox took the final corner for a 500m lead-out, but behind him a fading Gavin Sittampalam put rest to Finalyson’s hopes as he tried to go on Sittampalam’s inside and only found the gutter. Monique Hanley and Clint Hick made contact in the pack but the tangle seemed to scare Beales behind them more than anyone else As the pack paused, Sutton took up the initiative and launched himself early, spinning to an uphill victory on his restricted gearing. Only Beales and Thomo were able to make any headway to Suttons move, but their efforts came too late and they finished 2nd and 3rd respectively. Finlayson came 4th followed by a fast finishing Yeatman who just pipped Hanley. The scratch bunch crossed the line only 40 seconds behind.
With such great weather there should be plenty of cyclists out this week in the lead up to Ride to Work Day (October 4th) and the Round the Bay (October 15th). Why not get the bike out and join us on a training ride each Sunday from Bicycle Superstore? The faster bunch departs at 8am but a steady-paced bunch leaves at 8:15 to complete a 40km circuit followed by coffee in Warragul.
