Australian Road Championships

Men's and Women's Criterium Championship

Perth, November 9, 1997

Men's Criterium Championships

The Victorian team dominated the Men's Criterium Championships taking 5 of the top 6 positions. Stephen Pate, the 1988 World Professional Sprint Champion won the race from his breakaway team-mate Tristan Priem, and beat Priem in a two-up sprint.

His winning time in the 1 hour plus 3 laps event was 1.07.31. Priem came in at same time with Eddie Hollands from Western Australia struggling to stay in contact, coming in at 19 seconds with Victorian Duncan Smith.

Pate was reported on radio as saying: "Tristan and I worked together because we are from the same State. He probably did more than me and I had good legs at the finish. Everything went well today and I made all the right moves. I like Perth. It's good to come over and have some fun and win."

 1. Stephen Pate (Vic)       1.07.31	
 2. Tristan Priem (Vic)
 3. Eddie Hollands (WA)		0.19
 4. Duncan Smith (Vic)
 5. Robert Tighello (Vic)
 6. Jamie Drew (Vic)
 7. John Pollock (Vic)
 8. Daniel Trinne (WA)
 9. Wayne Van Morsel (WA)
10. Sean Sullivan (Tas)
11. Shane Seghers (Qld)
12. Hilton McMurdo (WA)
13. Glenn Stojanow (NSW)
14. Steve Williams NSW
15. Ryan Suckling (WA)
16. David McKenzie (Vic)
17. Jerone Walters (Vic)
18. Jim Krynen (WA)
19. Glenn Harris (WA)
20. Chris Brown	(WA)

Women's Criterium Championships

The Women's Criterium Championship was a 30 minute plus 3 laps event. The local crowd pushed hard for 29-year old Sandra Smith who also pushed hard and she won a 3-up sprint in 37.54 from Anna Wilson from Victoria and another local, Lucy Tyler-Sharman third.

The Western Australian pair combined over the final lap to give one of them the Championship.

She was reported on radio as saying: "Absolutely fantastic. Everyone was yelling 'go Sandra, go Sandra' and the support was fantastic."

Wilson finished the top rider of the Championships taking gold in the ITT, silver in the road and silver in the crit.

The Australian Cycling officials once again revealed they have problems keeping their story straight. The day before Kathy Watt had been victimised on the line when she tried to begin with communication equipment which would have allowed her to talk to her manager Carey Hall during the event. Commissaire George Nelson ordered her to remove the equipment, even though there is no rule against such equipment and it is widely used overseas (Watt uses the same setup overseas!).

While Watt was upset by the apparently "heavy" refusal, Cycling Australia (re-named ACF) President Ray Godkin said later that Nelson could have handled the situation better although he gave Nelson his support. Godkin was also quoted on radio as saying he "would have had no problem with Watt using the device had she asked for permission."

Well, today, before the Criterium, she did ask for permission. The officials, obviously oblivious to what Godkin had said the day before, refused her request.

Something is amiss. Some might say .. as usual.

 1. Sandra Smith (WA)		37.54
 2. Anna Wilson (Vic)	
 3. Lucy Tyler-Sharman (WA)		
 4. Kathryn Watt (Vic)		
 5. Sharon Wheatley (WA)		
 6. Bridget Evans (Qld)	
 7. Lisa Robinson (NSW)
 8. Ellie Kennedy (Qld)		
 9. Julia Wilson (NSW)
10. Margaret Hemsley (NSW)