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Australian National MTB Championships - CN
Mt Beauty, Australia, January 14-15, 2006
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Race 2 - January 14: Elite/U23/U19 Men (Commonwealth Games selection)
Taberlay is Melbourne bound
By Mikkeli Godfree in Mt Beauty
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As if there hadn't been enough tension and excitement for one day, the men were yet to race. Again, the Commonwealth Games were at the forefront of more than one or two riders' minds with only Chris Jongewaard (Avanti) an assured start in March at Lysterfield. Again, it was a tense, hot and dusty start line with the sun beating down on a pack of 47 elite riders. One riders was keeping cool however, with an umbrella shading him from the rays - Sid Taberlay. Was it a sponsor stunt or was Sid laying his cards on the table as taking this race bloody seriously? Time would tell.
As the gun wen, Jongewaard - in typical style - hit the front and put his South Australian hands around the throat of the race. Chris scorched the track with a 20min-flat lap while a hungry Sid came through eight seconds in arrears with Dan McConnell and Josh Fleming (Felt-Hutchinson) sniffing around within striking distance of the front two but well clear of the rest.
By the second lap, Sid had caught his Avanti teammate Chris, but took a spill allowing the early leader to resume his position at the front of the field. With Sid scrambling back to the wheel of the '05 national champion, onlookers could have been forgiven for thinking that Chris was helping his teammate escape the clutches of the chasers to ensure Sid took the win and with it the second spot for the Commonwealth Games...however, as the race heated up, Sid began to dominate and there was no love lost between these two as each tried to sneak off the front.
In the battle for third, Josh Fleming - national champion the last time Mount Beauty hosted the event - was doing his usual 'start slow and wind up' trick but it was too little too late and all he could do was distance himself from a tiring Dan McConnell.
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With half of the laps down and as the mercury touched 35, it was business time and Sid put the boot in, taking ten seconds out of Chris for the next two laps. Chris simply couldn't follow the pace and on the last lap a small deficit blew out to 51secs by race's end. Sid crossed the line caked in dust (like everyone else) but otherwise looking pretty good. Chris in contrast was a shattered man, hobbling around in the finish area clutching his back wearing what seemed like a permanent grimace...he wasn't the only one though and as the minutes rolled by, the finish area was full of them: third place went to Josh (making a good case for his Commonwealth Games selection) 3:24 while a buckled but elated Mark Frendo came through in fourth to take the U23 title 6:03 behind the elite title winner, Sid, after Dan McConnell flatted on the last lap.
Sid said of the race: "I'm happy with today despite struggling with the weather a bit - you know, it's not that similar to the Tasmanian climate - not recently anyway. Chris went out hard as usual and I knew I had to go with him. I haven't peaked specifically for this race, I'm thinking about March. I've only done four days intensity just to make sure the race wasn't a shock to the system. I'm sure there's still more to come and either Chris and I can win the Commonwealth Games race or at least both come back with medals."
Second placed Chris, despite his pain, managed to tell us about his race and plans in the near future, "I've got two days off before I start the Tour Down Under road event and I finished the Bay Criteriums less than a week ago so I'm really relying on the road at the moment. Because the criteriums were short I was a bit worried about the distance but luckily I got through it, even if my back is a bit worse for wear. I'm happy though and looking forward to racing with Sid at Lysterfield."
Of the rest a notable mention must go to Shaun Lewis Snr (Scott - Flight Centre) who had a cracking race to take out fifth spot while a luckless Dan McConnell and Lachlan Norris took second and third in the U23 category respectively.
Junior Men: Britten too good
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The youngster division was convincingly taken out by Cal Britten (Kona Mt Buller Factory Team) over Daniel Braunstiens (Richmond Cyclery). Cal leaped off the start line and really put the pressure on in the first lap, making the others chase. At the top of the climb on the first lap, Cal looked around to see that only Daniel Braunstiens was with him with David Hallam (Gold Coast) forty seconds in arrears. The front pair would not be alone for long though as David descended like a maniac to be in second spot by the end of the first lap.
Apart from the increasingly-harsh sun, there was not much out on course making Cal sweat. As he turned the screws, the cracks started to appear in both Daniel and David, with the former dropping off the pace and the latter dropping off the pace and then having a mechanical which cost him nine minutes.
Having disposed of his nearest rivals with a few laps to go, Cal was never headed from that point on. Cal went on to win by 1:49 over Daniel and 4:35 over Jamie Paisley (GMBC-Hendry). It was a show of absolute domination from a rider who is definitely a star of the future. A year ago, Cal won his first national series race as a first-year junior. Now, with all the 'oldies' having moved up to U23, Cal is ruling the roost, having won at Lysterfield and now the National Championships.
Cal is looking further afield though at World's, "I was 17th at world's after starting up the back of the grid as a first year, this year I'm much stronger and I have a few results up my sleeve so I should get a front row start...so that should make it a bit easier!"
No doubt a lad who will do the jersey proud.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Mikkeli Godfree/Cyclingnews.com
- Cal Britten taking the U19 race by the horns straight out of the blocks.
- Mark Barends and Rohin Adams on the mic - Rohin also raced Elite men.
- Cal Britten dominated the U19 race.
- Matt King near the end of the lap.
- Peter Braunstiens took second spot in the U17 race.
- David Johnson won the U17 race.
- Dan van der Ploeg congratulates his younger brother on taking fourth in U19. Dan's about to start riding again after being hit by a car and spending months in a coma, and was a welcome face back at the races.
- Less than a year after being told she wouldn't ride again, Tory Thomas wanted to get on the podium.
- Emma Colson tense on the starting line as the gun goes.
- It wasn't Emma Colson's day as she ended up in fourth spot.
- Dellys Starr took the number one spot despite bad luck
- Claire Baxter was impressive in second.
- Jenni King was knocking on the door of the podium but couldn't get there.
- Tory Thomas digs in on the final lap to ensure her third place was secure.
- Lisa Mathison has the magic back and took the U23 win.
- Dellys was ecstatic with her win.
- Tony Scott looking equipped to start the race with gun and all.
- Despite having already qualified for Commonwealth games, Chris Jongewaard was serious... super serious.
- Sid Taberlay was jovial before the start.
- Sid - Mr Umbrella-man.
- Chris Jongewaard on the startline.
- Chris Jongewaard took off fast but couldn't hold off Taberlay.
- Josh Fleming was on the hunt and was able to take a strong third place.
- Sid Taberlay was consistently strong in the brutal conditions.
- Dan McConnell was unlucky to flat whilst in the lead of the U23 competition.
- Mark Frendo - the new U23 champ.;
- Enduro king James Williamson in new Giant colours.
- Sid, a few minutes before becoming national champion again.
- Mark Frendo took the U23 win but it showed.
Results
Elite Men 1 Sid Taberlay (SRAM) 2.06.02 2 Chris Jongewaard (Avanti, Jt Cycles) 0.51 3 Josh Fleming (Felt Hutchinson) 3.24 4 Mark Frendo* (Flight Centre- Scott) 6.03 5 Shaun Lewis Shcc (Scott, Flight Centre Race Team) 7.15 6 Dylan Cooper (Scott, Shimano, Conceptis.com.au) 8.38 7 Aiden Lefmann (Cannondale, SRAM, Maxxis, Giro, Crank Bros) 8.45 8 Daniel Mcconnell* (Giant Bicycles,Adidas) 8.57 9 Murray Spink (Giant Bicycles Sports Performance Management) 10.02 10 Perren Delacour (Team Yeti Aust; Smith; High5; Pearl Izumi) 10.13 11 Lachlan Norris* (Cannondale/Maxxis, SRAM, Avid, Scud, Enervit, Polar) 11.52 12 James Williamson (Giant, Powerbar, Ritchey, Crank Brothers) 11.57 13 Matthew Fleming (Clarence St Cyclery, Trek Bicycles) 12.07 15 Hamish Elliot* (Cannondale/Maxxis) 12.30 16 James Maebus* (Vis, Michelin, Rudy Project, Bikenow) 14.22 17 Adrian Jackson (Melbourne Bicycle Centre) 14.39 18 Chris Winn* (Yeti Cycles; Spoken; SRAM; Smith; Pearl Izumi) 14.52 19 Mark Van Der Ploeg* (Rocky Valley Bike Shop) 15.49 20 Joel Read (Specialized - Total Rush) 18.54 21 Nick Both (Scott, Flight Centre, Netti) 19.49 22 Ashley Wass (Cycle Gallery Mt Barker Gymnasium Polar) 20.16 23 Garry Millburn* (Cannondale Team Member) 22.07 24 Josh Keep* 22.09 25 James Dickey* (Specialised - Total Rush) 22.54 26 Damon Griggs (Derrico Cycles) 25.19 27 Rohin Adams (Specialized Concept Store) 28.35 28 Trevor Hill (Blackman Bicycles) 1 lap behind 29 Dennis Van Mill (HVMBR) 30 Mike Blewitt (Cranks Bike Shop; Scott Bikes) 31 Andrew Blair 32 Stephen Van Dyke (Specialized Concept Store) 33 Christopher Tassell* 34 Ben Henderson* (CORC) 35 Scott Finlay (Ashgrove Cycles Finlay Racing) 36 Garran Hutchison-Menzer (Clarence Street Cyclery) 2 laps behind 37 Daniel Kydd* 3 laps behind DNF Shaun Lewis* DNF John Claxton (Giant) DNF Brian Price (Panther Cycles) DNF Brett Anderson* (Trak Cycles; Anderson Insurance) DNF Alex Randall (Melbourne Bicycle Centre, Netti And Scott) DNF Shane Paton (Kona Mt Buller Factory Team) DNF Julien Redmond (Wheeler) DNF Alistair Farley* (Giant) DNF Adam Freeman (Gt Bicycles, Smith , Fox,Drift) DNS Phillip Orr (Navajo Everything Bicycles) * U23 Men Under 19 Men 1 Cal Britten (Kona Mt Buller Factory Team) 1.28.25 2 Daniel Braunstiens (Richmond Cyclery) 1.49 3 Jamie Paisley (Gmbc Hendry Cycles) 4.35 4 Paul Van Der Ploeg (Rocky Valley Bike Shop) 4.39 5 Ben Grieve-Johnson (Cyclingo) 6.50 6 Joey Esterhuyzen (Wsmtb) 6.56 7 Travis Frisby (Gawler Cycles) 8.17 8 Alexander Pung (Parents) 8.22 9 Luke Graydon (CORC) 9.49 10 Simon Wright (Brunswick Street Cycles) 10.04 11 Daniel Hallam (Gold Coast) 12.23 12 Scott Chancellor (Malvern Bicycles) 15.26 13 Matt King (Cycle Zone Darwin Northern Territory) 16.16 14 Jarrad Burrell 16.19 15 Luke Knox (Bendigo) 16.51 16 Carson Tully 28.03 17 Andrew Adams (CORC) 1 lap behind DNF David Rome (Sic Bikes) DNF Clenn Stewart (Cannondale Maxxis Team / Gordon St Cycles) DNF Per Wilson DNF Nathan Haas (CORC) DNF Mark Flood DNS Andrew Lockhart (Lifecycle) Under 17 Men 1 David Johnston (Specialized The Penny Farthing Bike Shop) 1.11.55 2 Peter Braunstiens (Richmond Cyclery) 0.42 3 Robbie Hucker (Moronis Bike Shop Bendigo; Dad) 1.00 4 James Mowatt (Cycle Science) 2.12 5 Tom Paton (Bike Addiction) 2.44 6 James Peacock (Team Chase) 9.06 7 Nathan Mcmillan (Wheeler And Kirrawee Cycles) 11.14 8 Phillip Bellingham 12.37 9 Lachlan Grose (FTF) 13.13 10 Mark Tupalski (CORC) 13.46 11 Timothy Sanelli (FTF) 16.12 12 Nick Jackson (Croydon Cycleworks) 24.26 13 Alan Vanderbaan 25.48 14 Anthony Rodgers (CORC) 27.29 15 Jesse Dillon 33.22 16 Thomas Hole 35.03 DNF Paul Worsley DNF Aidan Rees
