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Australian MTB Championships - CN
Eildon, Victoria, March 18-20, 2005
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Day 2 - March 19: Cross-country
Colson and Jongewaard take green and gold
By Mikkeli Godfree in Eildon, Victoria
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In absolutely thrilling fashion, both Emma Colson (Top Bike Tours - Giant) and Chris Jongewaard (Avanti-JT Cycles) have taken the Elite XC National Championship titles in Eildon today. On an unforgiving track, both Colson and Jongewaard led from the word go, stamping their authority all over their respective fields
After her race, Colson said, "I can't believe it...I'm on top of the world at the moment, it's a great feeling." Colson, who led from half-way around the first lap to the finish, held off a strong charge by Niki Gudex. "I always felt the pressure from Niki. I didn't feel like I was riding the singletrack well, I didn't feel smooth so that really put the pressure on me to climb well.
"I passed my coach [Liz Tadich] on the last lap and she told me I only had 15 seconds. I stressed out and pushed it really hard. I built a gap and got chain suck...but I was close enough to the finish to know I had it."
Chris Jongewaard's run was far less dramatic but no less heroic. Jongewaard literally led the race from start to finish, smoking the field off the start line and building up a lead of nearly two minutes by the end of the second lap. "I was a bit nervous with Paul Rowney behind me looking strong, so I just put the hammer down. I thought the guys behind might be saving something...you just never know so I just wanted to get as far ahead as I could so if something went wrong I would have a bit up my sleeve."
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Jongewaard, who was second in last year's Australian XC Championships went one better today, showing devastating form in the dry and dusty conditions. After crossing the line with a big no-footed coaster mono Jongewaard exclaimed, "finally....finally...a dream cone true!
"I got a sniff of the win last year behind Sid. That was a reality check that I could be up there. I went out as hard as I did last year and tried to hold on. It was a mental game out there but I was able to get there."
Jongewaard, who had planned to spend a year away from international racing in 2005 might re-assess his plans after pulling on the green and gold here in Eildon. However, he wouldn't be drawn into anything in the heat of the moment, "Many thoughts come into my mind today...I was going to have a year off coming into this year, but I'm not going to say anything about that now, we'll see."
Elite Women and Junior Women
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With the reigning women's champion, Lisa Mathison, watching from the sidelines, the women's race was going to be an open affair. However it was a field which hardly lacked depth, the women's category really drawing some good numbers in '05. When the flag dropped it was Niki Gudex (SRM), 3rd in the '04 championships, who took the bull by the horns to lead the field into the singletrack. On a course which favours a rider out in front, Gudex looked good, but was followed keenly by Emma Colson.
With Gudex being a very technically skilled rider, Colson's only option to pass was on an uphill drag, which she did half-way through the first lap. "My plan was to be in front either from the start or by the top of Concentration Hill and I did that," said Colson after the race. Putting her plan into action, Colson went about setting the agenda while Gudex followed, never more than 20seconds behind.
The battle for fourth was hot with Niki Fisher (Assos Clothing) and Jenni King (Spoke(n)) going head to head before a broken chain took Fisher out of the race.
Up front, Colson and Gudex couldn't be separated, lapping like clockwork with neither looking to have the upper hand. Afterwards, Gudex told the real story, "I felt pretty strong but I didn't drink enough. I could keep the pace up but I couldn't attack." Colson wasn't having it all her way either however, feeling slow and awkward in the singletrack. It would come down to a final-lap charge.
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In the last lap, Colson hit the boosters. Concerned by a time-check of only 15 seconds to Gudex, she turned it up a notch to get a gap of just under 1 minute with only a few km to race. Despite chain suck, Colson made it over the line with arms raised aloft and sailed into the arms of her partner, Dave Ollie and coach Liz Tadich (the silver medallist in the '97 World Road Championships). "I couldn't have done it without Dave or Liz. I put complete faith in Liz and...look what's happened."
Behind, a slightly dejected Gudex was philosophical about her race, saying "It is my first big race back after world cup finals...I didn't really know what to expect, I have just been training by myself. It is a good result for where my training is at. I've got a new coach and I'm just building a base at the moment - mainly for Commonwealth games and Beijing."
Jenni King held on for third whilst 24hr Australian Champion Tori Thomas (Scott-Flight Centre) was fourth.
Erica Oldfield (QAS) was never headed in the junior field, finishing her race whilst positioned in 4th place in elite female. The QLD pocket-rocket was really happy with her ride, "My laps were fairly consistent. My lead-up to the season wasn't ideal and I am not to peak fitness. I like racing with the elites, it is much better than just comparing lap times."
Junior Men
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The junior men's races have recently been the most exciting XC race on the schedule with team Cannondale-Maxxis (Gary Millburn and Lachlan Norris) going head-to-head with team Kona-Mt Buller (Joel Healy and Cal Britten). These four boys have been playing musical chairs on the podium at this season's national series and today was another day for which a script could be pre-written.
Healy made his intentions clear from the outset, going out of the blocks like a scolded cat whilst Millburn and Norris had more conservative starts. It wasn't long however until Norris had fought his way back to the front with his teammate and the Kona-Mt Buller - Cannondale-Maxxis slugging match began.
It was to be Cannondale's day though with Norris taking the win after some great pressure from Millburn. After a fast start, Healy latched onto the charging Millburn and the two reached the final 180degree corner side by side. Millburn took the sprint in a nail-biter though to make it a Cannondale 1-2 and a Kona-Mt Buller 3-4 with Cal Britten taking 4th.
Norris was overjoyed with the double of taking the National Championships as well as the National Series, "I was confident coming into to day, I really wanted it. It was good to win the national series but a national title is something special...it is one of the things you dream of. This win is a huge confidence boost for me going into this year."
"I worked myself up to the front while Joel got away. I missed my bottle on the first and third laps and I started to cramp. I gave it to Gary [Millburn] a bit on the last lap, he really surprised me today...it was his best race yet. It was great to have my teammate second."
Elite Men and U23 Men
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When the dust had settled, all eyes were turned to the Elite men. With the reigning Elite and U23 Champions already racing in the U.S. the race, like the women's, was open. However, as with the women's race, this fact had little effect on the day's proceedings as the Elite men put on a display which confirmed the '05 National XC Champs as one of the tightest in years.
As if he was still racing BMX (as he did up until 1998), Chris Jongewaard rocketed off the start line. Gasping in his dust, the rest of the field scrambled for the South Australian's wheel. Paul Rowney (Yeti) was the only rider able to follow but half-way through the first lap, Rowney's week of bad luck would climax in a terrible sequence of events.
After getting a middle-ear infection during the week, Rowney struggled to fix his broken chain as Jongewaard streaked off ahead to a two-minute lead. After re-mounting and getting to within striking distance of the podium by the mind-point of the race, Rowney pushed a bit hard and he rolled a tyre, losing air. An over-inflation and a slow-leak later and it was all over. "I don't get paid to hurt anymore so I don't need to do this. I thought I could come back to second spot after breaking my chain but...I have just had a bad week."
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Rowney's misfortune allowed Shaun Lewis to capitalise and on lap three the youngster left Perren Delacour (Yeti) and Craig Gordon (Cannondale-Maxxis). With Jongewaard a country-mile (quite literally) out in front, Lewis started to turn the screws and put 55seconds between him and third-placed Gordon.
As the laps ticked down, the South Australian training partners Jongewaard and Lewis cemented their positions at the head of the Elite and U23 fields, but behind, the battle for 3rd was far from over. It was a three-way battle between Gordon, Delacour and Spink (Goldcross Cycles) and would come down to the wire.
Up front, it was a jubilant Jongewaard who crossed the line with a huge gap over the rest of the field. Jongewaard, was a cut above the rest of the field today, although no-one will know where Rowney would have ended up if he hadn't been dealt such a cruel hand. In any case, Jongewaard showed such devastating consistency, that he thoroughly deserved the victory.
Having competed in Australia's biggest road tour in January, the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under, Jongewaard noted that this preparation was "definitely the key to my success. My legs were stronger for longer, it was definitely a factor today." As mentioned above, it is uncertain where the Men's Australian Champion jersey will end up this year, but wherever it is it will be worn with pride by Jongewaard.
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While Jongewaard was bouncing from interview-to interview, Shaun Lewis confirmed his arrival in the senior ranks with a win in the U23 category and 2nd across the line overall. After crossing the finish line and hugging his training partner Jongewaard, Lewis said, "You have to rise to the occasion, Chris and myself have done a heap of work together and I think we deserve this."
In his first year in U23, Lewis showed great peaking form by starting conservatively and winding up the pace as the laps wore on, "Today, I didn't care where I ended up in Elite, I just wanted to win U23, but when I was up there I definitely didn't want Gordo to catch me when I was with Perren in the third lap. I put the pressure on and that's where I made my move... It is going to feel good taking the jersey overseas this year."
The battle for third place (actually second place given Lewis' U23 status) was an absolute nail-biter with Gordon just holding off Spink and Delacour. Gordon put together a great race, especially since it was his third time on the MTB for the year and he has only been riding to and from work.
Such a result wasn't without sacrifices though, Gordon commenting, "I cramped really badly and had to walk some sections in the last lap. My arm cramped and I couldn't open it. I have never cramped like that before."
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"I knew the guys were going to catch me, it was just a matter of when. But they caught me near the finish and I knew there was no way of getting past me and all I had to do was give it everything in the last few hundred metres...I'm a happy camper."
In an unfortunate double-blow for team-Yeti, Delacour dropped it in the last corner trying to hold off Spink for 3rd in Elite men and had to settle for fourth while lady luck was absent also for National Series winner, Dylan Cooper (Kona-Mt Buller), who limped over the line after three crashes to take 5th spot.
The XC was a huge success today and was the most successful championships in years in terms of spectator and rider numbers. With great commentary, a heap of SBS video cameras and assorted media, there was a huge amount of hype confirming XC racing's gradual come-back in the face of the DH-4X explosion.
That said, Sunday's DH promises to be a hum-dinger with some quality riders in all categories.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Mikkeli Godfree/freewheel.com.au
- Reigning national champ Lisa Mathison watches the women's start.
- Emma Colson (Top Bike Tours - Giant) takes command.
- Niki Fisher was in 4th before a broken chain ended her day.
- Colson puts the power down.
- Niki Gudex (SRM) kept the pressure on Colson all day.
- Erica Oldfield (QAS) was impressive today.
- Oldfield corners near the feed-zone.
- Tori Thomas was 4th today
- Rob Eva on helmet-cam duties.
- Colson takes the win
- ...and is congratulated by her partner, Dave Ollie
- Joel Healy (Kona-Mt Buller) led early in the U19 race
- Lachie Norris (Cannondale-Maxxis) had the last laugh though.
- Norris taking the win
- Millburn holds off Britten for 2nd
- Paul Rowney on the start line
- Chris Jongewaard (Avanti-JT Cycles) awaits the gun
- Jongewaard stamps his authority over the field in the opening metres
- Perren Delacour and Shaun Lewis take on drinks.
- Jongewaard is followed by the head-cam bike on lap 2
- Lewis cornering hard
- Dylan Cooper (Kona-Mt Buller) yells after reopening a wound on tree-contact
- Craig Gordon (Cannondale-Maxxis) was impressive today.
- Rowney didn't have lady luck on his side today.
- Russell Collet put in a strong ride
- Jongewaard was super-fast at every point of the Eildon course
- Lewis was clearly best of the rest.
- Gordon dug deep for second in Elite
- Rowney ponders the source of his troubles.
- Jongewaard puts the front wheel down after a celebratory wheelie
- Jongewaard and Lewis congratulate each other.
- '"Hey Chris, I won, how did you go?" "Yeah, me too"
- Team Cannondale the family that plays together stays together.
- Gordon happy.
- the women's podium (L-R): Niki Gudex (2nd), Emma Colson (1st) and Jenni King (3rd)
- Elite XC winners (L-R): Craig Gordon (2nd), Chris Jongewaard (1st), Muz Spink (3rd)
- All the XC champions
Images by Shane Goss/licoricegallery.com
- There's gotta be an easier way!
- Tori Thomas (Scott-Flight Centre) finished fourth in the Elite Women's Cross Country
- Emma Colson (Top Bike Tours - Giant) blitzed the field to win the Elite Women's Cross Country
- Spoken is smokin!
- Mechanics work on the machines at Elidon
- Paul Rowney gets set on the startline
- Dylan Cooper (Kona-Mt Buller) sucks it in before the start
- Alistair Farley two bikes are better than one
- The start line for the Elite Men's cross country event
- Scott Finlay (23) prepared for a dusty ride
- The Elite Men's Cross Country is under way
- Chris Jongewaard (Avanti-JT Cycles) took control of the race right from the start
- Riders negotiate a dusty corner around the back of the course
- Perren Delacour (Yeti) in hot pursuit of Jongewaard
- Paul Rowney was in second place before bad luck struck
- James Williamson leads Shaun Lewis into a bend
- Chris Jongewaard (Avanti-JT Cycles) maintained his gap throughout the six lap race
- James Maebus beneath the trees at Eildon
- Chris Jongewaard (Avanti-JT Cycles) celebrates his win on one wheel in the home straight
- Chris Jongewaard (L) and Shaun Lewis get together after their podium rides
- A great crowd turned out for the cross country events at Eildon
- Ouch!
- The podium from the Elite women's race (L-R): Niki Gudex (2nd), Emma Colson (1st) and Jenni King (3rd)
- '"Hey man, mountain biking is cool!"
- The podium from the Under 23 cross country (L-R) : Aiden Lefmann (2nd), Shaun Lewis (1st), and Al Farley (3rd)
- The podium from the Elite men's race (L-R): Craig Gordon (2nd), Chris Jongewaard (1st), Muz Spink (3rd)
- '"Maybe one day I can wear one of those medals?"
- Five National mountain bike champions in a row
- Numero Uno!
Results
Elite Men, 37 Riders, 36 Km 1 Chris Jongewaard (Avanti-JT Cycles) 2.07.10 2 Shaun Lewis 3.25 3 Craig Gordon (Cannondale-Maxxis) 4.42 4 Murray Spink (Goldcross Cycles) 4.44 5 Perren Delacour (Yeti) 4.45 6 Dylan Cooper (Kona-Mt Buller) 6.07 7 Aiden Lefmann 6.34 8 Alistair Farley 7.00 9 Daniel McConnell 9.24 10 Tim Bennett 9.55 11 Nick Both 10.08 12 Russell Collett 10.52 13 Chris Winn 11.33 14 Joel Read 12.27 15 Shaun Lewis 12.39 16 Shane Paton 13.05 17 James Williamson 13.59 18 Rohin Adams 14.29 19 James Maebus 14.49 20 Brian Sing 16.09 21 Ashley Wass 16.12 22 Jon Gregg 20.39 23 Phillip Orr 22.08 24 Graeme Allbon 24.05 25 John Claxton 25.24 26 James Dickey 29.08 One lap behind 27 Matt Hoffmann 28 Grant Webster Two laps behind 29 Scott Finlay Three laps behind 30 Jason Tepper DNF Paul Rowney DNF Matthew Fleming DNF Mark Frendo DNF Peter Hatton DNF Jared Dwyer DNF Steven Van Dyke DNF Joel Donney Expert Men, 17 Riders, 30 Km 1 Brian Price 1.57.39 2 Ben Randall 4.01 3 Adrian Jackson 5.26 4 Mark Howard 6.17 5 Dave Nairn 7.06 6 Peter Butt 9.35 7 Camm Winn 11.30 8 Tom Walter 14.12 9 Grant Lebbink 14.21 10 Steve Peddle 15.28 11 Matt Ligtermoet 17.52 12 Paul McEntee 19.40 13 Andrew Crisp 20.40 14 Ivan Kallaur 22.07 One lap behind 15 Alistair Douglas DNF Hayden Lebbink DNF Luc Plowman Elite Women, 22 Riders, 24 Km 1 Emma Colson (Top Bike Tours - Giant) 1.45.00 2 Niki Gudex (SRM) 0.43 3 Jenni King (Spoke(n)) 2.21 4 Tory Thomas (Scott-Flight Centre) 5.14 5 Erica Gurner 10.50 6 Kimberley Fleming 11.14 7 Lee Schultz 11.30 8 Rhonda Pearce 11.44 9 Lynne Vaughan 14.19 10 Justine Leahy 14.38 11 Maria Papadopoulos 16.05 12 Lindsay Gorrell 16.53 13 Alexandra Kiendl 17.06 14 Janna Corso 18.02 15 Donna Hamlin 19.09 16 Claire Garcia-Webb 19.35 17 Juliette Begg 23.19 18 Lauren Tanzen 25.59 DNF Caroline Jackson DNF Rebecca McConnell DNF Niki Fisher DNF Honi Geysen Sport A Men, 46 Riders, 18 Km 1 Duncan Murray 1.15.13 2 Eddie Oldfield 0.48 3 Andrew Cowie 1.22 4 James Walker 2.02 5 Brian John 2.42 6 Matt Ladner 2.45 7 John Groves 4.08 8 Cameron Froomes 4.37 9 Richard Hawkes 6.23 10 Justin Case 8.07 11 Aaron Chin 8.14 12 Nathan Saber 8.34 13 Dougal MacPherson 8.57 14 David Marriott 9.01 15 Christopher Hemphill 9.28 16 Ross Richards 10.29 17 Luke Garside 11.47 18 Adam Mitchell 11.55 19 Andrew Sleeman 12.42 20 Nick Kelly 13.12 21 James Deane 13.20 22 Leigh Barratt 13.48 23 Matthew Dall 14.03 24 Peter Kennedy 14.17 25 Aaron Davies 14.27 26 John Harvey 14.42 27 Dale Licari 15.03 28 Bodin Pollard 15.19 29 Rowan Smith 15.35 30 Gerard Faulkner 15.54 31 Gareth Heitmann 16.52 32 Nick Colwell 24.53 33 Matt Phillips 26.17 34 Paul Golsworthy 26.56 35 Craig Brinsdon 26.57 36 Alasdair McMillan 28.27 37 Tom Swann 31.44 38 Jason Parker 33.31 39 Ian Thomas 44.45 DNF Lee Floyd DNF Nicholas Deane DNF Chris Cantor DNF Russell Eckersly DNF Damon Willmore DNF Ryan Akers DNF Evan Hayes Sport B Men, 12 Riders, 12 Km 1 Simon Wilkinson 55.30 2 Warwick Hall 0.28 3 Grant Coulthard 0.30 4 Andrew Wills (Ss) 5.33 5 Christian Lloyd 5.42 6 James Perkins 5.44 7 Paul Consto 6.09 8 Karl Neumeister 8.48 9 Andrew Dick 9.25 10 Sean Neumeister 11.15 11 Mark Chaffe 12.36 12 Rohan Klopfer 16.48 Sport A Women, 10 Riders, 12 Km 1 Carmen deRooze 1.00.46 2 Emily Viner 0.13 3 Melissa Licari 2.26 4 Shelley Millwood 9.20 5 Kelly Bartlett 10.12 6 Karen McPherson 11.43 7 Kelly Linaker 12.23 8 Annette Kusinski 14.23 9 Rachel Vergunst 18.26 DNF Jill Cameron Veteran Men, 22 Riders, 24 Km 1 Richard Vollebregt 1.29.58 2 Simon Bowen 6.32 3 Wayne Bower 7.41 4 Matthew Jackson 9.08 5 Craig McLean 10.27 6 David Coward 10.45 7 Tim McColl 11.44 8 Damian Jones 13.52 9 Mallachi Moxon 14.43 10 Tim Northey 19.18 11 Tim Ferres 19.25 12 Damian Auton 20.20 13 Dalen Court 20.48 14 Wes Samson 25.06 15 Sean Kierce 25.41 16 Dale Weston 32.34 One lap behind 17 Pat Fitzpatrick 18 Lachlan Wainwright 19 Johnny Horrocks 20 Erik Voorzaat DNF Brett Bradley DNF Sean Doyle Masters Men, 18 Riders, 18 Km 1 Rob Eva 1.08.18 2 Garron Buckland 3.59 3 Warren Key 4.00 4 Gary Scheld 5.11 5 Paul Burbidge-Smith 6.03 6 Les Heap 8.43 7 Jeffrey Williams 9.01 8 Rob Amos 11.52 9 Craig Peacock 12.22 10 Gavin Burke 13.14 11 Paul Verheijden 13.17 12 Finlay Luff 13.57 13 Ross Sanelli 14.47 14 Chris Haydon 16.26 15 Greg Chatfield 17.02 16 Paul Cook 24.54 17 Mark Newling 24.56 DNF Con Toparis Supermasters Men, 17 Riders, 18 km 1 Nicholas Bird 1.14.37 2 Alan Mumford 1.31 3 Hans Dielacher 2.13 4 Bruce Dickey 5.39 5 Ron McCulloch 6.48 6 Greg Carr 7.17 7 Brian Scarborough 7.55 8 Robert Faull 7.56 9 John Graydon 12.27 10 Kahn Franke 12.39 11 Kerry Ryan 12.49 12 David Braddick 12.51 13 Chris Bland 15.43 14 Brian Case 21.00 15 Murray Willet 23.37 16 Ross Anderson 26.54 DNF Ian De Kam U19 Men, 10 Riders, 24 km 1 Lachlan Norris (Cannondale-Maxxis) 1.28.02 2 Gary Milburn (Cannondale-Maxxis) 0.13 3 Joel Healy (Kona-Mt Buller) 0.15 4 Cal Britten (Kona-Mt Buller) 1.23 5 Daniel Johnston 2.03 6 Andrew Arthur 3.02 7 Scott Liston 9.06 8 Glenn Stewart 11.59 9 Luke Graydon 23.27 DNF David Whitney U17 Men, 23 Riders, 18 km 1 James Maltman 1.09.31 2 Alexander Pung 0.05 3 Benjamin Dyball 3.45 4 Lewis Rattray 3.56 5 Peter Braunsteins 3.58 6 Daniel Hallam 6.07 7 David Johnston 6.12 8 Luke Knox 7.59 9 Robbie Hucker 8.29 10 Paul Mahon 10.24 11 Scott Chancellor 16.00 12 Per Wilson 18.09 13 James Mowatt 19.29 14 Nick Jackson 35.45 15 Michael Graham 35.47 One lap behind 16 Daniel Barrett 17 Alan Van Der Baan 18 David Ransom 19 Charlie Cranswick 20 Ashlie Harvey DNF Tim Dickins DNF Timothy Sanelli DNF Ryan McAloney U15 Men, 8 Riders, 6 km 1 Simon Campbell 28.14 2 Vincent Braddick 0.13 3 Luke Scudamore 0.36 4 James Peacock 1.38 5 Ryan MacAnally 1.47 6 Alistair Thomson 11.21 7 Thomas Hole 14.00 8 Dave Beasley 23.40 Masters Women, 4 Riders, 10 km 1 Sharon Heap 57.32 2 Sandy Magennis 1.15 3 Carolyn Jackson 4.49 4 Carol Moore 35.26 U15 Women, 1 Riders, 5 km 1 Rebecca Henderson 33.42 U17 Women, 2 Riders, 10 km 1 Cailin Carrier 1.11.05 2 Kelly Hughes 2.16 U19XC Women, 2 Riders, 6 km 1 Erica Oldfield (QAS) 1.21.32 2 Natalie MacFarlan 40.28 Veteran Women, 5 Riders, 10 km 1 Tanya Britton 1.00.05 2 Jackie Bower 1.35 3 Melinda Symon 3.45 4 Jane Ollerenshaw 5.29 5 Renate Griese 6.16
