Results and Reports for February 15 Clássica do Montijo Portugal, February 13, 2000 Courtesy of Manuel Azevedo Results (173 km) 1. Marco Madrucci (Ita) Benfica 3.57.58 (43 km/h) 2. Manuel Liberato (Por) Barbot-Gondomar 3. Pedro Lopes (Por) LA-Pecol 4. Nuno Marta (Por) Maia-MSS 5. Ivan Herrero (Spa) Porta da Ravessa 6. Oscar Serrano (Spa) Cantanhede 7. Pedro Soeiro (Por) Boavista 8. Pedro Cardoso (Por) Maia-MSS 9. Paulo Martins (Por) Gresco-Tavira 10. Serguei Smetanine (Rus) Benfica Prueba Challenge Lloret de Mar, Spain, February 14, 2000 Results - Stage 1 (140 km) 1 Paul van Schalen (Ned) Bankgiroloterij-Batavus 2 Michel Van Haecke (Bel) Tönissteiner-Landbouwkrediet 3 Renger Ypenburg (Ned) Bankgiroloterij-Batavus St Valentines Day & Merced criteriums Brea & Merced, USA, February 12-13, 2000 Courtesy of John Wordin & Jeremy Dixon In Brea, The Mercury team was coming off the big victory in Langkawi and the riders were looking to tune up for the NRC opener and the Upcoming Redlands Classic. With several pro teams training in California, the St. Valentine's Day race was going to be a showdown. The weather held as the rain stayed away. With the race half way through, a break including Horner and Wordin was soon joined by Norm Carter (IKON Lexus), Mike Johnson (Team Helen's) and Bratkowski. When the looking around started, Horner jumped away and was joined by Carter; Johnson; and Bratkowski. The 4 riders slowly built their lead with Bratkowski taking the Sprint. Mercury/Fuji junior Rahsaan Bahati was 5th. The other half of the Mercury team was up north at the Merced Criterium. The race was held under a constant downpour. The Mercury riders were determined not to repeat their mistakes from the day before which saw Mercury manage only a second place finish. Roy Knickman and Mike Sayers counterattacked the field after a Roberto Gaggioli move. The duo lapped the field and took an impressive victory in front of the local Fuji Force. Results St Valentine's Day Race 1. Jan Bratowski (Cze) Mercury Merced Criterium 1. Roy Knickman (USA) Mercury 2. Mike Sayers (USA) Mercury 3. John Peters (USA) Mercury Peter Clark Memorial Perth, Australia, February 14, 2000 Courtesy of Mark Chadwick & WACF Over 170 cyclists turned out to compete in the "Peter Clark" Memorial race held at Joondalup on Sunday. This race in memory of a great person and fellow cyclist, Peter Clark who was tragically taken from us as he cycled home after a race. Our thoughts go out to the Clark family as this time of the year is no doubt very hard for them. The races were 1st class with good fields in all grades. It was very pleasing to see a good turn up in the women's field. The racing was very fast with some tightly contested bunch sprints. The A Grade event saw a small break of 6 riders get away (McMurdo, Dawson, N Brown, C Brown, Hollingbery & Poad). These riders worked very well together to hold the field at bay. Chris Brown was unfortunate to puncture in the closing stages of the race, as he was a real contender in the finish. Poad and Dawson were locked together as they hit the line with Poad holding on to record a great win. Dawson finished second with Nic Brown third, and McMurdo and Hollingbery 4th and 5th. The bunch sprint was won by Glenn Harris to take 6th. Results 1. Jarrod Poad (NZ) 2. Brent Dawson (NSW) 3. Nic Brown (NSW) 4. Hilton McMurdo (WA) 5. (?) Hollingbery (WA) 6. Glenn Harris (WA) 35th Perfs Pedal Road Race Meonstoke, England, February 13, 2000 Courtesy of www.echelon-velo.uk On a bright and sunny day, a full field of 70 riders started the 35th edition of the Perfs Pedal Race, one of the most well known events on the UK calendar. The winning move, made by Paul Rogers on the descent of the main climb two laps out from the finish, drew six riders clear from which Justin Hoy won the sprint ahead of Rogers. The break only just managed to hold off the bunch who finished on their heels. After the race, Echelon-Velo caught up with Jason Streather (Anglia Sport/Condor), who said it was a fast race at more than 39 km/h and with a full field of 70 riders, a lot of attacks were going clear but because of the still conditions, the bunch was able to keep coming back up. After having ridden race 13 in the winter series the day before, Jason said his legs were fine but that he went a bit early in the sprint about 400 metres out. He also heaped praise on Matt Beckett who did a lot of work on the front along with Gary Baker to chase the break. He went onto to say that he found the race a lot easier than Hillingdon. "It's really weird, last year was the same when I was getting stuffed at Hillingdon I rode the Perfs and felt fine. I suppose because it has a few little bumps in it." Peter Swettenham (Twickenham CC): The current leader of the overall in the Winter Series in London, Peter described the day as frustrating. Along with teamate Dave Cowie and Doug Crow, who was as always active during the race, Peter finished in the bunch. A lottery was how he described the race saying that "with the large bunch and the still conditions in the Forest of Meonstoke, the race just wasn't hard enough. I felt really good, but the break went on a descent with some really nasty bends on it and despite doing some turns on the front with Rob Hurd, it didn't make any difference. We got within sight of them, but we didn't get close enough to them and people stopped working," he said. "I had some digs up the long drag early on, riding with the best of them at the front and although it was stringing them out, it was never enough because it was too easy sitting in the wheels." Results (61 km) 1. Justin Hoy (Liphook Cycles Racing Team) 1.00.30 2. Paul Rogers (VC St Raphael/Waite Contracts) 3. Rowland Tilley (Extreme Extreme) 4. Tim Bailey (Artic 2000) 5. Paul Wilkes (Alsys Bradgate) 0.15 6. Jason White (Southend and County Wheelers) 7. Jason Streather (Anglian Sport/Condor) 8. Rob Hurd (RCS Bioagrico) 9. Robin Charman (Bradgate) 10. Darren Perry (Terry Wright Cycles) 11. Dean Shannon (Southend County Wheelers) 12. Mike Cotty (Primera) 13. Daniel Lloyd (Primera) 14. Steve Wharton (Team Sport) 15. Peter Tadross (Velo Club Bayeaux) 16. Ian Hallam (GS Strada) 17. Tom Smith (Twickenham CC) 18. Dale Alexander (Matlock CC) 19. Jamie Streather (VC St Raphael/Waite Contracts) 20. Dave Rand (Bourenmouth Arrow) Twickenham CC, Winter Series #13 Hillingdon, London, February 12, 2000 It was a windy but dry day that greeted yet another big field in race 13 of the Winter Series. Putting in an appearance was the UK number one, Gordon McCauley (Oleum.co.uk) who despite being restricted to a 53x16 (by his new coach), still managed to cross to Doug Crow who slipped away from the peloton early on after a series of attacks had left the rest powerless to respond. All that is except Gordon McCauley and Peter Sweetenham who bridged to Crow and from then on made big time gaps as the bunch sat up and played games with riders attacking and then coming back. One of the things about UK racing that stands out, especially at Hillingdon, is that rarely is there an organised chase which generally means that breaks have a good chance of succeeding. Those in the bunch knew the three up the road were the strongest in the race and basically let them go. It was only at the end of the race that a series of late attacks broke the main field up and the rider to impress was Jamie Streather (VC St Rapheal/Waite Contracts) who crossed a number of gaps to get up and take another fine 4th place. Results (52 km) 1. Peter Swettenham (Twickenham CC) 2. Doug Crow(Twickenham CC) 3. Gordon McCauley (Oleum.co.uk)) 4. Jamie Streather (VC St Rapheal/Waite Contracts) 5. Stuart Jackson (Heffs Cycles) 6. Paul Bridgen 7. Mick McManus (Twickenham CC) 8. Jez Cox (Twickenham CC) 9. Jason Streather (Anglian Sport/Condor) 10.Dave Griffiths (Twickenham CC) 11. Paul Doherty (Heffs Cycles) 12. Vince Freeman (Terry Wright Cycles) 13. Trevor Smith (ST Raphel/Waite Contracts) (Junior) 14. Larry Hickmott (Echelon-Velo.co.uk) 15. Grant Philips (Team Synergy) 16. Mario Manelfi (Old Ports) Overall Table After Race 13 1. Peter Swettenham (Twickenham CC) 388 pts 2. Doug Crow (Twickenham CC) 357 3. Stuart Jackson (Heffs Cycles) 340