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By Renae Woodhams
Despite blustery conditions and the threat of rain Race 2, of the "Be Active Cycle Instead" Criterium Series went ahead as planned.
56 riders stepped up to the line but less than half rolled over the finish line having completed the 55 minutes of racing. The coastal course proved difficult with a strong head and tail wind, along a long, narrow course. Many cyclists were to leave the course in the early stages finding it too difficult to stay with the main bunch. ,p> This race was characterised by sprinters, the likes of Koerts, Brown, Clarke and Hollands. The Green Sprint King Jersey was what all the riders appeared to want. Throughout the race there were many aggressive attacks as the riders gave everything they had. The bunch remained tight with no clear breakaway group, but fast, furious sprints pushed the bunch along at top speed.
Leading team Glen Parker Cycles were aggressive throughout the race, tactically riding as a team. Every attempt at a breakaway throughout the race featured a rider from Team Glen Parker Cycles.
Dutch cycling star, Raymond Raatgever, put in an early break but this was not to last. Local favourite Peter Dawson was determined to put on a big move, much to the delight of his home crowd. Dawson kept up his lead for a few laps until Jans Koerts, in a show of superior sprinting, reeled him in.
With only minutes to go, yellow jersey rider Hilton Clarke made a break taking Graeme Brown, Jans Koerts, Wayne Van Moorsel and Jarrod Poad with him. The six man breakaway were hammering the course. But in a magnificent turn of speed Jans Koerts dragged the main bunch, catching the breakaway group. The bunch were once again compact, and set for an exciting sprint finish.
The final sprint across the finish line saw Hilton Clarke Jnr throw his arms up in winning style, but with Brown close on his wheel the final decision went back to the judges. In a photo finish Hilton Clarke was declared the Race winner, with Graeme Brown coming in second and Jarrod Poad taking third place for the second night in a row.
At the end of race 2, Hilton Clarke Jnr holds the yellow jersey in the Series with Jarrod Poad in second wearing the Green Spring King jersey and Peter Dawson in third.
Race 3 of the Series will be held in Subiaco at 7pm December 29. The Series final will be held on December 30, in Victoria Park, race starts at 6pm.
1 Hilton Clarke (Vic) McInerney Ford 15 pts 2 Graham Brown (NSW) Trek Bikeforce 14 3 Jarrod Poad (NZl) Glen Parker Cycles 13 4 Peter Dawson (WA) WAIS 12 5 Jason Rigg (WA) Bicycle Entrepeneur 11 6 Ed Hollands (WA) Glen Parker Cycles 10 7 Raymond Raadtgever (Ned) Apex 9 8 Wayne van Moorsel (WA) Bicycle Entrepeneur 8 9 Mark Phillips (NZl) Apex 7 10 Phil Rieman (WA) Bicycle Entrepeneur 6 11 Jans Koerts (Ned) Moncrieff 5 12 WaWan Setyobudi (Ind) 96 FM 4 13 Brian Appleyard (NSW) Trek Bikeforce 3 14 Leon Vogels (WA) National Estate Builders 2 15 Andrew Sime (WA) The Professionals 1 Sprint King Sprint 1 1 Hilton Clarke (Vic) McInerney Ford 30 pts 2 Graham Brown (NSW) Trek Bikeforce 20 3 Jarrod Poad (NZl) Glen Parker Cycles 10 Sprint 2 1 Jans Koerts (Ned) Moncrieff 30 pts 2 Graham Brown (NSW) Trek Bikeforce 20 3 Jarrod Poad (NZl) Glen Parker Cycles 10 Sprint 3 1 Graham Brown (NSW) Trek Bikeforce 30 pts 2 Nic Brown (WA) 96 FM 20 3 Jans Koerts (Ned) Moncrieff 10 Sprint 4 1 Hilton McMurdo (GBr) Glen Parker Cycles 30 pts 2 Nic Brown (WA) 96 FM 20 3 Danny Rutherford (NSW) Trek Bikeforce 10 Sprint 5 1 Hilton Clarke (Vic) McInerney Ford 30 pts 2 Graham Brown (NSW) Trek Bikeforce 20 3 Jarrod Poad (NZl) Glen Parker Cycles 10 Teams 1 Glen Parker Cycles 23 pts 2 Bicycle Entrprenuer 17 3 Apex 16 Overall standings after race 2 1 Hilton Clarke (Vic) McInerney Ford 30 pts 2 Jarrod Poad (NZl) Glen Parker Cycles 26 3 Peter Dawson (WA) WAIS 26 Sprint classification 1 Jarrod Poad (NZl) Glen Parker Cycles