Stage 3, Newcastle Criterium, 30 kms

Results and Report

The criterium in Newcastle's Hunter Street Mall was held in dry conditions despite a few showers during the afternoon. Half of the circuit is cobbled pavers and there is a very tight corner just after the finishing straight - tricky in both wet and dry conditions.

The race was predictably very fast, with riders always trying to improve their position or attack at numerous intervals. After Festina's Marcel Wüst led them out for a couple of laps, a small break got away in the hopes of snaring some of the cash sprint primes on offer. Contained in this were Australians Bart Hickson (Caravello, and 4th on GC), and Glenn Stojanow (NSWIS), Max van Heeswijk (Websdale though he rides in Mapei gear), last year's winner Raimondas Rumsas (MROZ) and Slovenian Goraz Stangelj (3rd on GC). Although the break splintered, Rumsas still managed to take the first prime ahead of Dutch rider, Patrick Claessens.

Marcel Wust leads them out
Copyright 1999: Knapp Communications

The only serious move to stay away during the main part of the race came from Festina's Nicholas Reynauld (Fra) attempting to take some of the sprint prime money on offer. However, he lasted not much longer than 5 laps of the 31 lap race and it began to look like a bunch sprint. Websdale's Max van Heeswijk had other ideas though and he attacked with four laps to go, taking the Slovenian Uros Murn with him.

The climber from Hong Kong, Kam Po Wong, tried valiantly to bridge up to them but he was caught with two laps left. In the finish, van Heeswijk easily outclassed Murn to take his first stage win in this year's event, and his 9th in all Bank Races. This equals Jay Sweet's 9 stage wins, and with the Aussie not competing in this year's race, van Heeswijk may easily go to the top of the all-time list by winning 10 or more stages.

After the finish, the always ebullient Max said that he tried several times this morning (in stage 2) to get away but in vain, due to the Mapei jersey he was wearing. "This jersey is too long!" he complained. He was happy with his win tonight and will certainly try for at least another one during the race. He is one of the many overseas cyclists who loves coming to Australia for this race.

3rd place went to the ever consistent Dutch team again, this time with Jan Hordijk edging out Chile's Angel Perez and Franky van Hazenbroeke (once again). A note on the spelling of van Hazenbroeke/ Haesebroucke/ Hassenbroueke etc. - the Dutch in our bus reckon it's van Hazenbroeke so that will do for the time being!

The general classification was unchanged by tonight's results, thus the yellow jersey remains with MROZ Piotr Wadecki only two seconds in front of Dupont's Jeremy Hunt.

For Complete Results.

Stage 3, Newcastle Criterium, 30 kms: 1 Max Van Heeswijk (Ned) Websdale Netherlands 42.09 2 Uros Murn (Slv) Slovenia 0.02 3 Jan Hordijk (Ned) Websdale Netherlands 0.07 4 Angel Perez (Chl) Team Ekono - Chile 5 Franky van Haesebroucke (Aus) QANTAS One World 6 Jans Koerts (Ned) Websdale Netherlands 7 Michael Rogers (Aus) Casino Canberra 8 Brent Dawson (Aus) NSW Institute of Sport 9 Piotr Wadecki (Pol) MROZ 10 Piotr Pszydial (Pol) MROZ GC after Stage 3 1 Piotr Wadecki (Pol) MROZ 4.21.32 2 Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Sportscover World 0.02 3 Gorazd Stangelj (Slv) Slovenia 0.15 4 Bart Hickson (Aus) Caravello 0.17 5 Max Van Heeswijk (Ned) Websdale Netherlands 1.14 6 Jans Koerts (Ned) Websdale Netherlands 1.21 7 Uros Murn (Slv) Slovenia 8 Franky van Haesebroucke (Aus) QANTAS One World 1.25 9 Jan Hordijk (Ned) Websdale Netherlands 1.28 10 Steve Williams (Aus) Caravello 1.31