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Stage 3, Newcastle Criterium, 30 kms:Sunday, October 24, 1999 |
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The Newcastle Criterium has been attracting growing interest with the race now located in the centre of Newcastle CBD. The support from Newcastle City Council, Newcastle Tourism and NBN3 television has enabled the race to continue to build, and this year the Cycle Classic will feature Masters racing in the lead up to the main event.
The new course was first utilised in 1997 and the crowd response has been growing ever since. The triangular circuit, which incorporates the Hunter Street Mall, and has a large long wide straight for the finish, has been an exciting event. In 1997, the race finish was ten wide across the finish line with Banesto star Jeremy Hunt (DuPont) claiming victory over Jay Sweet and Belgium star Franky Van Haesenbroucke. However last year's race was in stark contrast with Raimondas Rumsas, the powerful member of the MROZ team, stringing out the field over the last 10 laps to record one of the strongest victories of the Cycle Classic. From the archives - Marcel Gono |
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