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By Geoff Frost
The Gold Coast boiled this weekend, and the racing too was pretty hot at Burleigh Worlds.
Thirty two riders in A Grade was the largest field since last summer, but the race was decided in the first five minutes. That's all the time it took for Scott Sunderland and Robbie McEwen to ride off the front with visiting British Under 23 mountain biker Tim Morley, and that was the last the bunch saw of them. Riding like a well drilled team time trial team they quickly built a lead of 30 seconds, held it between 25 and 30 seconds for the next twenty minutes, then extended it to over a minute at the finish.
There are only a few riders in the world who can beat McEwen in a sprint finish, and none of them were at Burleigh on Sunday. So it was a predictable win by 10 metres for McEwen, his first in his new Lotto colours and his second win in a row at Burleigh, from Sunderland and Morley. The young British rider showed that he can handle the bitumen as well as the dirt, and he will be an able team mate for McEwen, along with Nick Gates and Jon Cantwell, in the Bay Series in January.
Jason Phillips, Gates and Cantwell tried hard to get across in the last 10 minutes, but to no avail, with Phillips holding on for fourth place. An interesting starter in A Grade was former world BMX and world downhill MTB champion Wade Boots, who found the 60 minute crit about 55 minutes too long for his liking! But boy, he looks like he can sure pack a mean sprint!
B Grade was taken out in a sprint finish by Geoff Willmot, Marc Higgins rode away from C Grade for a lone win, there was an intentional dead heat in D grade between breakaway companions Greg Aroney and Wayne McIvor, while Trevor Brennan proved too fast in E Grade.
Best wishes from the Gold Coast CATS Cycling Club to all cyclists, their families and friends, for a Safe and Happy Christmas and New Year.
For information on CATS racing visit the CATS web site.
A Grade - 60 minutes + 3 laps 1 Robbie McEwen 2 Scott Sunderland 3 Tim Morley 4 Jason Phillips B Grade - 50 minutes + 3 laps 1 Geoff Willmot 2 Brendan McAuliffe 3 Andrew Laurie 4 Steve Christie 1st Lady Sarah Carrigan C Grade - 40 minutes + 3 laps 1 Marc Higgins 2 Wilf Hubac 3 Gary Parkin 4 Rob Driver 1st Lady Sandra Bury D Grade - 30 minutes + 3 laps 1= Greg Aroney 1= Wayne McIvor 3 Nigel Heap 4 Maurice Liussi 1st Lady Sarah Rota E Grade - 20 minutes + 3 laps 1 Trevor Brennan 2 Robyn Taylor 3 Bill Phillips 4 Rob Rota