04/10/2009
A large Warragul contingent saw 44 riders in total contest LCCC’s annual Morwell to Glenmaggie Handicap. Four Warragul riders were on the chopping block of four minutes ahead of scratch. This bunch of eleven took time out of scratch and Thommo took second place behind Dave Gaffa with Jayman Prestidge came 4th. Tristian Marut and Paul Yeatman also finished in the top ten.
Yesterday’s winner, Cyrus Monk rode well and did a turn with the big boys after being caught. Bunch organization fell apart once everyone was caught. This enabled the large group of riders to stay together until 1-2km from the finish.
RESULTS 32nd Edition October 4, 2009
Local LCCC rider Danny Gafa first and fastest time in the Grand Junction Hotel Morwell to Glenmaggie (World Championship Handicap) on Sunday morning from a record field of 44 riders. Times and place getters came from the second and third scratch bunches, with second scratch taking fastest time when they pulled 1 minute and 05 second out of the scratch bunch of 7 riders that consisted of top Gippsland riders. The second scratch bunch of 11 riders started 4 minutes in front of the scratch bunch group that started at 26 minutes. Then 3 minutes earlier a bunch of 6 started, two minutes earlier than that a bunch of 5 set off to chase a fairly strong group of 7 starting 6 minutes in front of them but were blown apart when several riders missed the turn at the bottom of chook hill and were left by bunch and then later being involved in a crash that took two of them out of the race. They in turn were chasing a group of 4 riders that had started 5 minute before hand with the limit bunch a further 6 minutes up the road in front of them.
At around Cowwarr bunches 4, 5 and 6 came together to form a very large bunch of around 25 riders with a good number all working hard to keep the scratch bunch at bay.
With around 5 km to go a small bunch of 7 or 8 riders broke clear and held on to take the major places.
Danny Gafa (22mins) busted out of the bunch close to the finish to take the win from Warragul CC veteran Geoff Thomson 2nd (22mins) with Latrobe City CC rider Joe Makowski 3rd (19mins).
The work by the second scratch bunch from which the winner came from also netted fastest time ( 1.37.20) after starting 4 minutes in front of scratch and taking 1.05 out of them. The scratch bunch led home by Shane Stiles 26mins) crossed the line some 5 minute 05 seconds later to record a time of 1.38.15.
The first unplaced female was Wellington CC junior Olivia Verey, first unplaced junior went Warragul CC to Cyrus Monk and the Lantern Rouge (last rider home) went to Wellington CC John Bodey (he did have a taillight – just in case I suspect).
Another great event put on by the Latrobe City CC and sponsor The Grand Junction Hotel, Traralgon.
