Results and Reports for December 24-26AustraliaPromoters wishing to submit results should send them to cyclingnews The Mutual Community Glenelg Criterium
Championships The Mutual Community Glenelg Criterium ChampionshipsGlenelg, SA, December 26, 2000 Men
Staged in the centre of the busy coastal tourist city of Glenelg just South West of Adelaide this morning, Russel van Hout and Corey Sweet broke away early in the 50 minute criterium event The pair were soon followed by Jay Sweet and then Stuart O'Grady. Despite an enduring and galant chase by Luke Roberts and Steve Cunningham, the breakaway group could not be caught. The lead group of four split with just 10 minutes to go with an attack by Jay Sweet. This put pressure on double prime sprint winner Russel Van Hout to chase. As Van Hout tired, Corey Sweet attacked and caught in his brother Jay. Corey Sweet crossed the line first alongside Jay with hands joined and aloft over the line a hundred metres clear from Van Hout and O'Grady. A different result from last year when Corey Sweet who had broken clear only to take a tumble on the last lap. A respectful Stuart O'Grady allowed a gallant Russel Van Hout third place without contest. Women Newly wed Chelsey Key (nee Zucker) led for several laps with a reluctant bunch following. Zucker attacked some distance out to take the prime sprint from best friend and bridesmaid Renee Heinrich. Rennee Heinrich however turned the tables in the final sprint narrowly pipping Chesley Key for the prestigious Mayor of Glenelg Championship. A 30 metre gap back to third place getter Amy Safe indicated the ferocity of the sprint. Results Open Men (City of Holdfast Bay Criterium Championships) 1 Corey Sweet (BankGiroLoterij-Batavus) 2 Jay Sweet (Big Mat - Point P.) 3 Russel Van Hout 4 Stuart O'Grady 5 Luke Roberts 6 Kristen Lewis 7 Steve Cunningham 8 Ben Lindsay 9 Tony McLoughlin 10 Julian Blackwell Open Women (Mayor of Glenelg Championship) 1 Renee Heinrich 2 Chelsey Key 3 Amy Safe 4 Jaci Low 5 Carly Coyne 6 Katie Parker Men's B Grade 1 Franco Ursino 2 Dane Cheers 3 Shane Gill Men's C Grade 1 Kym Hentscke 2 Marc Smith 3 Greg Chivers 4 Harley Johnstone 5 Danny Scott Junior Men/Women U/17 A Grade 1 Luke Wright 2 Mathew Ryks 3 Rene Braithwaite Junior Men/Women U/17 B grade 1 Russel Gill 2 Samantha Gooding 3 Nick Bastiras Masters A Grade 1 Alan Gill 2 Tony McLoughlin 3 Shane Gill Masters B Grade 1 Keith Wong 2 Ross James 3 Michael Young Gold Coast CATS CC CriteriumNerang, Qld, December 24, 2000 Report This week the Sunday criterium moved to the Nerang Cycling Complex, but with the temperature pushing past 30 degrees Celsius by 8 am, the riders knew they were in for a tough morning. The Nerang Complex is a custom built, traffic free criterium circuit, 3 circuits actually, with the largest being 1.5 kilometres and including a solid climb in the back straight, and a fast descent at the start of the finishing straight. Farm Frites rider Jans Koerts, a frequent visitor to the Gold Coast, lined up for his last Australian race before heading back to Europe and then the USA, but he had one question for the organising club. "This is a great circuit" he said. "When I was here last year you raced on it twice a week, but now you are only racing here once a month. Why is that?" he asked. "That's easy, Jans. The local riders will only race here once a month. They reckon it's too hard!" Koerts walked away shaking his head in disbelief. Maybe it's this difference in attitude which is the reason why Koerts is racing with a Division 1 Team, and most of the Gold Coast riders aren't? Back to the racing. Thirty A Grade riders faced the starter this weekend, but less than half that number survived to the finish. Forty minutes into the race Robbie McEwen launched an attack, and took with him former Aussie Champ Nick Gates, Jason Austin, and top Under 19 riders Jon Cantwell and Greg Campbell. Austin was the first to go off the back, before Gates was allowed to ride away solo. This looked like a perfect set up for Robbie to get across the gap, and that's exactly how it panned out. One minute he was part of the chasing three, and suddenly there he was on the wheel of Gates, with the juniors wondering what had hit them. The sprint went to Gates, but McEwen is riding with such power and authority that his clash with Aitken, O'Grady and the like at the Bay Series Crits in the New Year will be something to see. Nick Butcher wrapped up B Grade with a solo break, to improve on his third placing last week, but the sprint for second was marred by a crash on the descent in the finishing straight. Karen Sumpton was one of those to fall, with her injuries putting a question mark over her trip to the Bay Series. C Grade was taken out by Len Crumpler, while D Grade went to Rob Payne. Results A Grade - 60 minutes + 3 laps 1 Nick Gates 2 Robbie McEwen 3 Jon Cantwell 4 Greg Campbell B Grade - 50 minutes + 3 laps 1 Nick Butcher 2 Les Heap 3 Graeme Harvey 4 Brad Payne C Grade - 40 minutes + 3 laps 1 Len Crumpler 2 Denis Cain 3 Bernard Weibel 4 Roy Witney D Grade - 30 minutes + 3 laps 1 Rob Payne 2 Ian Waymouth 3 Frank Betschart 4 Luke Anderson Courtesy of Geoff Frost Carnegie Caulfield CC CriteriumGlenvale Crescent, Mulgrave, Vic, December 24, 2000 Report The morning of Christmas Eve, overcast with showers forecast, a harsh northeasterly wind saw 181 riders attend the Carnegie-Caulfield Cycling Club's regular Sunday morning crit. All the top names in Melbourne for the coming Bay Series appeared to want a hit out to and to see how the opposition was going. A grade started with 50 and BJ McIntosh shook them up with a first lap attack that had many groveling. Such a move is often doomed, but on this occasion a group of 14 formed including most of the serious contenders. Race over. The break caught the "chasing" bunch at two laps to go and blew through. A moments confusion as the bunch got two to go and the break should have had the bell, the bell operator malfunctioned but the break seemed to know what to do as they sprinted next lap anyway. A convincing sprint win to Kristjan Snorrason (SBR/De Rosa) in his first outing aboard the new machine. National Road Champion Jamie Drew (Mercury) was second leading in the "other" All States and Territories Champ Robert Tighello (Peugeot) from USA bound Hilton Clarke jnr (Look) who will ride for Jelly Belly from March 2001 with brother Troy. Lots of attempts at escape in B grade today, notably by Liz Tadich (VIS) and Anna Milward (Saturn) as they prepare for the women's Bay Series. Other prominent women in the race were Annabelle Drew (Velo Belles), Dellys Franke (Merida) and Tasmania's Naomi Williams. The race came down to a field sprint after some determined chasing from the likes of Grant "the Brickie" Mathews reeled in the last real break of the day driven by Milward. The wily sprinter Darren Cathie had spent the day in the wheels waiting, as the last break came back he moved forward finding himself ideally placed at two to go in Milward's draft. As the bunch approached the last turn a move went down the right and both Milward and Cathie made their moves. A drag race out of the last turn saw Cathie ease ahead with Milward making a late second kick to no avail. Chaser extraordinare Mathews followed in third from Adam Clark and the massed bunch. Four away in C grade, easing of the front before half way. Working even turns saw the foursome hold the gap. Daniel Nelmo beat off a determined sprint by Simon Clarke on junior gears to win, both well clear of veterans Darryl Annells and David Downing who appeared satisfied to roll in behind the youngsters. D grade's ranks swelled with vet's ass the local vet club took the day off. The pace seemed higher as the old men made their presence felt. At 25 minutes John Walker jumped away with Troy Reddick followed soon by Bill Upston who bridged with ease. Further attempts at crossing the growing gap were all to fail. Young Reddick got the win from Upston and Walker with Paul Groves taking the field sprint to claim fourth. E grade's race continued the learning process with Rob Doyle winning ahead of Peter Johnstone, Michael Downing and Alex Smythe. Results A Grade - 50 Starters, 1 hour + 3 laps 1 Kristjan Snorrason (SBR-De Rosa) 2 Jamie Drew (Mercury) 3 Robert Tighello (Peugeot) 4 Hilton Clarke jnr (Look) B Grade - 58 Starters, 1 hour + 3 laps 1 Darren Cathie 2 Anna Milward (Saturn) 3 Grant Mathews 4 Adam Clark C Grade - 35 Starters, 45 minutes + 3 laps 1 Daniel Nelmo 2 Simon Clarke 3 Darryl Annells 4 David Downing D Grade - 33 Starters, 45 minutes + 3 laps 1 Troy Reddick 2 Bill Upston 3 John Walker 4 Paul Groves E Grade - 5 Starters, 30 minutes + 3 laps 1 Rob Doyle 2 Peter Johnstone 3 Michael Downing 4 Alex Smythe Results and report courtesy of Mark Chadwick |
