Tour of Wellington

New Zealand, April 9-13, 1998


Stage 1      Stage 2      Stage 3      Stage 4      Stage 5      Stage 6      Stage 7      Stage 8

Report from Corey Sweet

Stage 4 - 63 kms: Being 3 secs behind at the start and a fairly easy stage on paper there was no change expected. 18km into the stage there was a very tough 2km climb rising to 300m, over the top there was 6 of us clear with Bradbury taking the points and the KOM jersey. Miller was out the back and I thought we could put some time into him and maybe take back the jersey. But he regained contact shortly after on the descent. The remainder of the stage was an out and back along the foothills with some tough cross wind sections. After a lot of aggressive racing by the majority of the bunch a group of 4 went clear and had 30secs with 10km to go. With 4km to go there were 2 remaining with the bunch at 15 secs, we finally caught them with 2km to go so there was going to be the first bunch kick of the tour.

1km to go with the train going, I was feeling good at 6th wheel and I was preparing to do what my brother is famous for (sprint). With 300m out Greg Henderson flew out the pack and opened up a big enough gap to win the stage by 1sec. I was following Glen Mitchell and began to come off the wheel with 100m out when he took me across the road towards the barrier. I had to back out and settle for 3rd in the stage (not bad for a non sprinter). We put in a protest but nothing was done, so with time bonuses I was now 1sec off the lead.

Stage 5: This stage is the mountain top finish that I won last year, so I was confident knowing that Miller suffered on the morning climb and maybe I could have the jersey again. With the stage being only 57km and with a 12km climb to come, it was very fast from the gun. With an early break being caught at the base of the climb it became a showdown of the climbers. From the start of the steep section - 18% - Mitchell set a blistering tempo with Bradbury going across to him. I was chasing Bradbury. After 5km of climbing there was 7 left, Mitchell still driving and a few of us starting to suffer. When we hit the steepest section of 20% approximately, a few of us lost the wheel and a group of 5 rode away. I knew I had to ride tempo and try to limit my losses which is hard when you consider the toughness of the climb. At the end, Mitchell won the stage to Bradbury with local Greg Scott 3rd and Drew 4th. I lost 46sec, finishing 8th and dropped to 4th GC. Miller caught me with 500m to go and then took 3 secs.

Stage 4, Wellington - Wainuiomata, 63 kms:

 1. Greg Henderson           Proton NZ TR    1.27.13
 2. Glen Mitchel             Nicholsons N       0.03
 3. Corey Sweet              Aust. AIS          0.05
 4. Graeme Miller            Nicholsons N       0.07
 5. Kris Denharn             Aust. AIS          0.09
 6. Heath Degarnham          Samsung            0.11
 6. Warren Jennings          Aust. VIS          0.11
 6. Cameron McDonald         Aust. VIS          0.11
 6. Jarron Poad              Samsung            0.11
 6. Murray Spencer           Truck Rental       0.11
 6. Robin Read               Portland Tow       0.11
 6. Luke Kuss                Aust. Compos       0.11
 6. Haydn Bradbury           Aust. Compos       0.11
 6. Jamie Drew               Aust. Compos       0.11
 6. Daniel Trinne            Aust. Compos       0.11
 6. Greg Scott               Truck Rental       0.11
 6. Ross Heald          B    Wellington N       0.11
 6. Karl Murray              Nicholsons N       0.11
 6. Ben Brooks               Aust. AIS          0.11
 6. John Ownsworth           Nicholsons N       0.11
 6. Gordon McCauley          Fuji Xerox         0.11
 6. David Lee                Fuji Xerox         0.11
 6. Lee Vertongen            Fuji Xerox         0.11
 6. Jarred Alty              Fuji Xerox         0.11
 6. Sean Sullivan            Aust. VIS          0.11
 6. Stephen Wallis           Wallis Cycle       0.11
 6. Ryan Russell             Wallis Cycle       0.11
 6. Andrew Reid              Portland Tow       0.11
 6. Mark May                 Wallis Cycle       0.11
 6. Matthew Yates            Wallis Cycle       0.11
 6. Brian Fowler             Samsung            0.11
 6. Daniel Lithgow                              0.11
 6. Brett Day                Samsung            0.11
 6. Norm Shattock            Samsung            0.11
 6. Jamie Kidd               Portland Tow       0.11
 6. Peter Ulmer         B    Truck Rental       0.11
 6. Andrew Mildenhall        Portland Tow       0.11
 6. George Fuge              Truck Rental       0.11
 6. Andrew Ward              Avery Ford         0.11
 6. Jon-Paul Hendrickson     Truck Rental       0.11
 6. Fraser McMaster          Fuji Xerox         0.11
 6. Karl Williscroft         Portland Tow       0.11
 6. John Barry               Avery Ford         0.11
44. Glen Thomson             Proton NZ TR       0.28
45. Tim Carswell             Proton NZ TR       0.51
46. Mat Rice                 Aust. VIS          0.58
47. Karl Moore               Nicholsons N       5.26
48. Cliff Fellingham    B    Wellington N       5.28
48. Brendan Cameron          Proton NZ TR       5.28
48. Derek Crumpler           Aust. VIS          5.28
48. Nathan Blackman          Aust. Compos       5.28
48. Andrew Widdup       B    Wellington N       5.28
48. Paul Bishop              Avery Ford         5.28
48. Hayden Godfrey           Proton NZ TR       5.28
48. Kyle Jones               Avery Ford         5.28
48. Zachary Prendergast B    Wellington N       5.28
57. Trevor Rice         B    Wellington N      16.53


Stage 5, Petone - Hawkins Hill, 57 kms:

 1. Glen Mitchel             Nicholsons N    1.31.07
 2. Haydn Bradbury           Aust. Compos       0.04
 3. Greg Scott               Truck Rental       0.06
 4. Jamie Drew               Aust. Compos       0.08
 5. Murray Spencer           Truck Rental       0.17
 6. Matthew Yates            Wallis Cycle       0.51
 7. Graeme Miller            Nicholsons N       0.53
 8. Corey Sweet              Aust. AIS          0.56
 9. Sean Sullivan            Aust. VIS          1.01
10. Warren Jennings          Aust. VIS          1.03
11. Daniel Trinne            Aust. Compos       1.09
12. John Ownsworth           Nicholsons N       1.57
12. Jamie Kidd               Portland Tow       1.57
12. Fraser McMaster          Fuji Xerox         1.57
12. Andrew Mildenhall        Portland Tow       1.57
12. Andrew Ward              Avery Ford         1.57
12. Ryan Russell             Wallis Cycle       1.57
12. Andrew Reid              Portland Tow       1.57
12. John Barry               Avery Ford         1.57
20. Mark May                 Wallis Cycle       2.03
21. Ben Brooks               Aust. AIS          2.09
22. Mat Rice                 Aust. VIS          2.10
23. Kris Denham              Aust. AIS          2.12
23. Brian Fowler             Samsung            2.12
25. Heath Degarnham          Samsung            2.32
26. Cameron McDonald         Aust. VIS          2.43
27. Lee Vertongen            Fuji Xerox         2.56
28. Brendan Cameron          Proton NZ TR       2.58
29. Ross Heald          B    Wellington N       3.03
30. Jon-Paul Hendrickson     Truck Rental       3.06
31. George Fuge              Truck Rental       3.09
32. Karl Moore               Nicholsons N       3.15
33. Greg Henderson           Proton NZ TR       3.26
34. Karl Murray              Nicholsons N       3.37
34. Norm Shattock            Samsung            3.37
36. Karl Williscroft         Portland Tow       3.48
37. Robin Reid               Portland Tow       3.54
38. Paul Bishop              Avery Ford         4.03
39. Peter Ulmer         B    Truck Rental       4.10
40. Tim Carswell             Proton NZ TR       4.30
41. Andrew Widdup       B    Wellington N       4.34
42. Jarred Alty              Fuji Xerox         4.38
42. Jarron Poad              Samsung            4.38
42. David Lee                Fuji Xerox         4.38
45. Brett Day                Samsung            5.02
46. Hayden Godfrey           Proton NZ TR       5.12
47. Stephen Wallis           Wallis Cycle       5.15
47. Glen Thomson             Proton NZ TR       5.15
47. Daniel Lithgow                              5.15
50. Gordon McCauley          Fuji Xerox         5.37
51. Zachary Prendergast B    Wellington N       6.04
52. Derek Crumpler           Aust. VIS          6.06
53. Kyle Jones               Avery Ford         6.12
54. Luke Kuss                Aust. Compos       6.36
55. Trevor Rice         B    Wellington N       7.15
56. Nathan Blackman          Aust. Compos      18.00

GC after Stage 5

  1. Haydn Bradbury        Aust. Composite 05.33.51
  2. Glen Mitchel          Nicholsons NZ       0.11
  3. Graeme Miller         Nicholsons NZ       0.24 
  4. Corey Sweet           Aust. AIS           0.28 
  5. Jamie Drew            Aust. Composite     0.42
  6. Murray Spencer        Truck Rental        1.07
  6. Daniel Trinne         Aust. Composite     1.07
  8. Matthew Yates         Wallis Cycles       1.24
  9. Warren Jennings       Aust. VIS           1.28
 10. Sean Sullivan         Aust. VIS           1.43
 11. Greg Scott            Truck Rental        1.59
 12. Ryan Russell          Wallis Cycles       2.32
 13. Jamie Kidd            Portland Towers     2.50
 14. Andrew Reid           Portland Towers     3.20
 15. Brian Fowler          Samsung             3.23
 16. Ben Brooks            Aust. AIS           3.26
 17. Mark May              Wallis Cycles       3.32
 18. Andrew Mildenhall     Portland Towers     3.36
 19. John Barry            Avery Ford          3.41
 20. John Ownsworth        Nicholsons NZ       3.52
 21. Andrew Ward           Avery Ford          3.59
 22. Greg Henderson        Proton NZ Track     4.13
 23. Kris Denharn          Aust. AIS           4.56
 24. George Fuge           Truck Rental        4.57
 25. Fraser McMaster       Fuji Xerox          5.05
 26. Cameron McDonald      Aust. VIS           5.06
 27. Karl Williscroft      Portland Towers     5.11
 28. Norm Shattock         Samsung             5.18
 29. Mat Rice              Aust. VIS           5.24
 30. Jon-Paul Hendrickson  Truck Rental        6.18
 31. Karl Murray           Nicholsons NZ       6.20
 32. Ross Heald          B Wellington News     6.31
 33. Robin Reid            Portland Towers     7.36
 34. Gordon McCauley       Fuji Xerox          8.04
 35. Brendan Cameron       Proton NZ Track     9.03
 36. Lee Vertongen         Fuji Xerox          9.09
 37. Peter Ulmer         B Truck Rental        9.30
 38. Stephen Wallis        Wallis Cycles       9.41
 39. Jarred Alty           Fuji Xerox          9.51
 40. Luke Kuss             Aust. Composite     9.59
 41. Daniel Lithgow                           11.28
 42. Glen Thomson          Proton NZ Track    11.49
 43. David Lee             Fuji Xerox         12.02
 44. Jarron Poad           Samsung            12.52
 45. Tim Carswell          Proton NZ Track    13.11
 46. Derek Crumpler        Aust. VIS          13.50
 47. Paul Bishop           Avery Ford         14.51
 48. Kyle Jones            Avery Ford         16.05
 49. Karl Moore            Nicholsons NZ      16.10
 50. Heath Degarnham       Samsung            17.54
 51. Brett Day             Samsung            18.38
 52. Andrew Widdup       B Wellington News    22.10
 53. Zachary Prendergast B Wellington News    27.01
 54. Hayden Godfrey        Proton NZ Track    28.56
 55. Nathan Blackman       Aust. Composite    35.12
 56. Trevor Rice         B Wellington News    39.17

Other Classifications

Team's Jersey after Stage 5.

 1. Australia Composite                     5.33.51
 2. Nicholsons New Zealand                     1.25
 3. Australia VIS                              4.57
 4. Australia AIS                              5.32
 5. Wallis Cycles                              5.39
 6. Truck Rental                               6.11
 7. Portland Towers Hotel                      7.09
 8. Samsung                                   12.07
 9. Proton New Zealand Track                  16.22
10. Fuji Xerox                                17.14
11. Avery Ford                                19.47
12. Wellington Newspapers                     46.56

Sprint Jersey after Stage 5:

1. Greg Henderson     Proton NZ Track          28
2. Tim Carswell       Proton NZ Track          20
3. Jarron Poad        Samsung                  18
4. Kris Denharn       Aust. AIS                16
5. Gordon McCauley    Xerox                    12
6. Graeme Miller      Nicholsons NZ             8
7. David Triney       Aust. Composite           6
8. Murray Spencer     Truck Rental              6
9. Matthew Yates      Wallis Cycles             4
   
Mountain Jersey after Stage 5:

1. Glen Mitchel       Nicholsons NZ            26
1. Haydn Bradbury     Aust. Composite          26
3. Greg Scott         Truck Rental             20
4. Corey Sweet        Aust. AIS                10
4. Jamie Drew         Aust. Composite          10
4. Gordon McCauley    Xerox                    10
7. Sean Sullivan      Aust. VIS                 8
8. Graeme Miller      Nicholsons NZ             6
9. Daniel Trinne      Aust. Composite           2
9. Murray Spencer     Truck Rental              2