14/03/2009
Some treacherous wet roads greeted Warragul Cycling Club members who ventured to Maffra on Saturday for the Gippsland Criterium Championships. Over 50 riders competed in the days races despite the constant rain for most of the day. Warragul riders performed well winning two of the five races and finishing second in two others.
E Grade:
The day started well for the Warragul boys when 12 year old Cyrus Monk took on some more senior riders in E grade. Cy attacked the field after the first of two intermediate sprints and was never headed again in the race. After 3 quick laps of the 1.5 km circuit Cy had established a break as long as the main street of Maffra. He won the second intermediate sprint to took out the overall race victory by a long margin.
C Grade:
In C grade Rob Monk and James Lalor teamed well to take out 2 of the three intermediate sprints. Rob took a fly at the field on the second of the sprint laps and managed to stay away for the 1.5 km lap to take the sprint prime. On the third sprint James copied Rob’s move and did well to hold off the field near the line. In the sprint for overall honours Rob was just pipped by Evan Ralton.
B Grade:
Warragul was represented in B Grade by Club President, Neil Walker and webmaster, Paul Yeatman. Walker did a good job of coaching Yeatman during the race encouraging Paul to curb his natural instincts to single-handedly chase down every break and do more than his share at the front. After riding a more conservative race Yeatman had plenty left to dish out to his opponents in the final sprint. They could not get near the big man and Yeatman won easily.
A Grade:
In the main event all eyes were on Kane Walker but it was James Henry from WCC who surprised many when he joined Ashley Lucus from Latrobe City Cycling Club in a early break away that eventually would lap the field. Kane chased across the gap to these two after letting them get a big break but took one of the wet corners too quickly and hit the pavement. James and Ash battled out the final sprint unfortunately with the company of some other LCCC riders who should have been pulled out of the race as they had been lapped. Ash was just too quick after coming off his lead-out train and James could not get over the top of him. James took second with Kane coming in a brave third after remounting after his crash.
