19/04/2014
By Rob Monk
Warragul Cycling Club raced at the testing Labertouche Circuit on Saturday. The 3.5km circuit has a couple of sharp little climbs that fatigue legs and lungs quickly. In a bid to spice up the racing, prize money is being paid down to fourth place from now until the end of July. You have to be in it to win it.
In A grade Shane Stiles animated the race early by bouncing off the front of the group. Graeme Parker and Matt Parkinson expended some energy trying to get across to him while Cy Monk bided his time. When Cy finally went across no-one else could go with him and the race was all but over. Cy towed Shane Stiles around for an hour as the pair lapped most of the A grade field. Cy took the win with Stiles in second and Graeme Parker in third. Pete Finlayson and Pete Whelan battled out an epic sprint for fourth with Finlayson prevailing just.
B and C grade combined. Paul Yeatman and Jayman Prestidge broke away and established a 40 second lead by mid race. Rob Monk, Geoff Thomson and Graeme Patrick shared the chasing duties and it was not until 2 laps to go that they caught Prestidge and Yeatman. Prestidge attacked up the hill the penultimate lap and eliminated all but Monk, Thomson and Yeatman. Monk went at the same spot on the bell lap and this time Prestidge was dropped. Monk led out the sprint but Yeatman judged his run to the line to perfection and blew past Thomson to take a strong win. Thommo was second and Monk was third. Prestidge took out fourth position.
In D grade Frank Bensted took home the prize money. He went hard on lap 3 and managed to gap Adele Whelan and Pam Bensted. Adele finished second and Pam was third.
The race next week is the time honoured Autumn Classic, the Sale to Bairnsdale. It will be run on ANZAC day.
Starting this and finishing before our presentation night, we are having an award for points accumulated for race participation:
4 points for 1st
3 points for 2nd
2 points for 3rd
1 point for all starters that didn’t get a place
4 points for being a marshal or running the race (the volunteer positions that prevent you from raceing)
There will be a Race Points award winning club jersey for the winner, with a unique design that you cannot buy.
Current Points after Race 1 – 19th April 2014
Points
4 MONK Cyrus
4 TAMBASSIS George
4 YEATMAN Paul
4 EDWARDS Neil
4 BENSTED Frank
4 Pryjmak Annie
3 STILES Shane
3 THOMSON Geoffrey
3 WHELAN Adele
2 PARKER Graeme
2 MONK Rob
2 Bensted Pam
1 FINLAYSON Peter
1 PARKINSON Matt
1 ROLLINSON Brett
1 WHELAN Peter
1 PRESTIDGE Jayman
1 McDonald Duane
1 PATRICK Graeme
1 PATRICK Brett
1 WADDEL Rob
1 RHODES Ray
If you are a racing member now is the time to come along and have some fun racing with us, this award is open only to Warragul Club members.
We would love to hear some feed back on your thoughts on how to encourage more people to participate in our club racing.
