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46th Grafton to Inverell - NE
New South Wales, Australia, September 16, 2006
2005 Results Results Past winners
ACT's McLachlan takes thrilling victory in The Grafton
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ACT Champion Robert McLachlan won Saturday's 228km Grafton to Inverell Cycle Classic by a wheel from South Australia's Chris Jongewaard in a thrilling 46th running of the prestigious event.
"We had a good lineup," explained Race Director Peter Sunderland. "I think we had about 170 starters in the men's division and I think we had around an 85-90% finish rate."
McLachlan's first victory in 'The Grafton' came with near record pace - setting a time of 6:06.53, just six minutes and four seconds off the record set in 1985.
"[After Grafton] there were a few attempts at breakaways that just didn't go anywhere," explained Sunderland.
However, a group of 25 riders did form a breakaway pack 15km before the event's grueling climb up the Gibraltar range 68kms into the event, but then it was quickly passed by a second group consisting of leading competitors McLachlan, Jongewaard, Peter McDonald and Trent Wilson.Wilson soon dropped away after struggling to maintain his colleague's blistering pace before the pack had reached the summit.
With a commanding five-minute gap to the second breakaway group and a further seven minutes to the main pack, the leading trio even caught the women's race riders - who started 45mins prior to the men's event. The trio stayed together across the mountain range until McLachlan attacked the group on Wire Gully Hill with Jongewaard in pursuit as 2004 event winner McDonald struggled to maintain contact with the pair.
About 1500 spectators lined the street in Inverell to see McLachlan and Jongewaard engaged in a battle for honours that went down to the line."To us it looked like McLachlan was organising it all, he was on a mission and it basically came down to a two up sprint," described Sunderland. "He climbed really well for a big guy."
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Despite several attempts during the sprint to the finish Jongewaard simply couldn't pass McLachlan, who won by half a bike length.
"When he lost Chris dropped his head and banged his hands on his handlebars. You don't like to race 228km and lose like that," Sunderland told The Daily Examiner.
McDonald backed off the pace and settled for third place after losing crucial time to his rivals during the final climb at Wire Gully Hill.Northern Rivers Cycle Club's Tim Davis won the men's B grade for the second consecutive year.
Women's Race
The ACT's Vicki Eustance took honours in the 160km women's race which runs from Grafton to Glen Innes.
Brisbane's Carla Ryan and Carlie Hibberd finished second and third respectively while Kate Nichols finished fourth as she continues to recover from the training accident in Germany last year which claimed the life of Amy Gillett.
Sunderland was delighted with the event following the 2005 running which saw the second slowest race-time in history recorded as the field battled a strong headwind in difficult conditions.
"100 percent turn around from last year as far as conditions go," concluded Sunderland.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Kerri-Ann O'Sullivan/The Inverell Times
- Robert McLachlan receives the winners jersey.
- McLachlan finishes ahead of Chris Jongewaard.
- Podium finishers Mclachlan, Jongewaard and Peter McDonald.
Images by David Lane/actionsnaps.com.au
- Brian Crawford (Kooragang Open) at the start in Grafton.
- Kate Nichols (St George CC) & Vanessa McDonald (Coffs Harbour) ead the women's bunch.
- Ashley Curtis (Balmoral CC) leads the bunch in the C/D event.
- David Morton (Port Macquarie) waves hello.
- Vicki Eustace (Canberra CC) sprints for the win at the Cattle Creek QOM.
- Tom McDonough (Coburg CC) had a one minute break on the peloton.
- The C/D grade peloton chasing at the top of Cattle Creek.
- Keiran Hogan (Penrith Panthers) looks 'bello in selle'.
- The summit of the Gibraltar Range.
- Peter Gwynne (Gold Coast Goldstars)
- Grant Cracknell (Uni CC) and Kim Crockart (Ffast CC)
- Graeme Pont (Central Coast CC)
- Vanessa McDonald (Coffs Harbour) Finished 8th in Inverell.
- Adam Robinson (Hamilton/Pine River CC)
- Rodney Van Den Heuvel (Ffast CC)
- John Solah (Port Macquarie)
- We all know the feeling a delighted Evan Elliott (Dubbo CC).
- The A Grade Peloton
- Stuart Shaw (Drapac Porsche) leading Patrick Shaw (Ballarat/Sebastopol).
- Paul Davis (Tamworth)
- Trent Wilson (Parramatta CC) compares the Gibraltar range to Italy's Stelvio.
- Robert McLachlan (Drapac Porsche) wins the Glen Innes prime.
- Vicki Eustace (Canberra CC) wins the Glen Innes prime.
- Peter Milostic (Penrith Panthers) leads Richard Vollebregt (SouthernHighlands).
- Robert McLachlan (Drapac porsche) and Chris Jongewaard (Savings andLoans) winding it up at the finish.
- Rob's leading by a wheel.
- The joy of anticipation.
- OH YEAH!
- A picture of two men and one epic race.
- The agony and the ecstacy.
- The crowd in Inverell applaud two fine athletes.
- Peter McDonald (FRF Couriers - Excelpro) rolls in for 3rd place.
- Mark Chapman (Orange CTC) wins the sprint from Spencer Flugge (Bathurst CC) in the C Grade event.
- Mark Chapman (Orange CTC) enjoys the biggest win of his career.
- Lee Bolden (Sunshine Coast) coasts in for 3rd and enjoys the occasion.
- Stuart Shaw (Canberra CC) came in 4th ahead of David Pell (Bendigo andDistrict) and Cameron Hughes (Ffast CC).
- The finish of the C/D race gave us a finish fit for any Tour de France.
- Andrew Riordan (Gunnedah CTC) and Beau Harper (Manning Valley) were place-getters in the C/D race.
- Brady Cumming (Club Bike Line) and Neil Soden (Gold Coast).
- D grade roll in with the finish cameras above in the cherry picker.
- It was sweet relief to reach the finish after 228km.
- Jarrett Wood (Kooragang Open) came 4th in B grade.
- Graeme Arnott (Central Coast CC) and Nathan Rollason (Randwick-Botany CC)
- Alex Arias (Lidcombe-Auburn CC) enjoys a personal victory.
- The banners at the finishing line were as colourful as the competitors.
- The A grade men's podium
- Another happy camper
- Sprint King Robert McLachlan asks you to walk this way.
- A rough ride
- The B Grade Podium
- Brad Goods (C.R.A.B.CC)
- The Women's Podium Carla Ryan (Uni CC) 2nd & Carly Hibberd (Victor CC)3rd.
- C Grade Winner Mark Chapman (Orange CTC)
Results - 228 km
A Grade 1 Robert McLachlan (Tuggeranong Vikings) 6.06.53 2 Chris Jongewaard (Norwood) 3 Peter McDonald (Colnago-Caravello) 0.56 4 Stuart Shaw (Canberra Cycling Club) 5.53 5 David Pell (Bendigo & District) 6 Cameron Hughes (Ffast Cycle Club) 7 Tobias Erler (Giant Asia Racing Team) 6.00 8 Michael Tolhurst (Canberra Cycling Club) 12.54 9 Robert Lyte (Bankstown Sports) 10 Peter Milostic (Penrith Panthers) 11 Daniel Alcock (Coffs Harbour) 12 Brendan Jones (Northern Sydney) 13 Peter Herzig (Uni Cycle Club) 14 Andrew Hanigan (Hobart Wheelers) 15 Peter Mueller (Adelaide) 16 Jack Anderson (Uni Cycle Club) 17 Chris Thompson (South West) 18 Mark O'Brien (Horsham Cycling Club Inc) 19 Stephen Isbel (Canberra Cycling Club) 20 Richard Vollebregt (Southern Highlands) 13.24 21 Patrick Shaw (Ballarat/Sebastopol) 24.55 22 Vaughan Bowman (Blackburn Cycling Club Inc) 34.08 23 Nathan Rollason (Randwick Botany) 34.20 24 Alex Arias (Lidcombe Auburn) 41.35 25 Klayten Smith (Clarence St) 26 Peter Garrone (Uni Cycle Club) 1.04.29 27 Gavin Nicholls (Ffast Cycle Club) 1.05.34 DNF Joe McDonnell (Sutherland Shire) DNF Trent Wilson (Parramatta) DNF Nicholas Sanderson (Ararat&District Cycling Club) DNF Owen MacPhillamy (Bathurst) DNF Anthony Challinor (Clarence St) DNF Jonathan Coulter (Ffast Cycle Club) DNF Miles Watson (New Zealand) DNF Robert Cater (Randwick Botany) DNF Joshua Marden (Randwick Botany) DNF Daniel Brickell (Sutherland Shires) B Grade 1 Tim Davis (Northern Rivers Cycling Club) 6.19.47 2 Ian Walker (Murwillumbah Cycle Club) 4.42 3 Brian Fuller (Murwillumbah Cycle Club) 4 Jarrett Wood (Kooragang Open) 21.14 5 Guy Green (Blackburn Cycling Club Inc) 6 Shane Gill (C.A.T.S.) 7 Lewis Garland (Hunter District) 8 Owen Belton (Manning Valley) 21.26 9 Richard Munro (Kooragang Open) 10 Michael Cupitt (Tuggeranong Vikings) 21.14 11 Matthew Johns (Kooragang Open) 12 Craig Taylor (Ipswich) 13 Michael Hoult (Armidale) 14 Graeme Arnott (Central Coast) 21.26 15 Will Grey (C.A.T.S.) 28.41 16 Brian Gaffney (Hunter District) 17 Mathew Camilleri (Manning Valley) 38.07 18 Jason English (MTBA) 19 Mike Jackson (Gold Coast Goldstars) 20 Cameron Winton (Carnegie Caulfield) 39.08 21 James Meyer (Ffast Cycle Club) 52.40 22 Matthew Ryan (Ffast Cycle Club) 1.03.59 23 Dennis Van Mill (MTBA) DNF Grant Webster (Echuca/Moama Cycling Club) DNF Adam Robinson (Hamilton River Wheelers) DNF Jason Doyle (Hunter District) DNF Duncan Kidd (Hunter District) DNF Brenden Egan (Murwillumbah Cycle Club) DNF Jon Guy (Murwillumbah Cycle Club) DNF Luke Cridland (Southern Cross) DNF Sebastian Lambooy (Sunshine Coast) DNF Brian Bagster (Tamworth) DNF Paul Gleeson (Uni Cycle Club) DNF Karl Manning (Uni Cycle Club) C Grade 1 Mark Chapman (Orange CTC) 6.56.21 2 Spencer Flugge (Bathurst) 3 Lee Bolden (Sunshine Coast) 0.44 4 Glenn Mathiske (Manning Valley) 3.23 5 Brian Crawford (Kooragang Open) 6 Richard Sewell (Manning Valley) 7 Scott Wines (Hunter District) 8 Jim Heaslop (Balmoral Cycle Club) 9 Andrew Riordan (Gunnedah CTC) 10 Tom McDonough (Coburg Cycling Club Inc) 11 Andrew Grady (Balmoral Cycle Club) 8.26 12 Trevor Gordon (Ipswich) 9.19 13 Anthony Green (Parramatta) 14 Morgan Pilley (Byron Bay Freeriders) 15 Brady Cumming (Club Bikeline) 16 David Macalister (Parramatta) 17 Declan Hogan (Randwick Botany) 18 Sebastian Lambooy (Sunshine Coast) 19 Patrick Brothers (Parramatta) 20 Ian Gillott (Uni Cycle Club) 21 Paul Gleeson (Uni Cycle Club) 22 Craig Briant (C.R.A.B.S Cycling Club Inc) 23 Peter Gwynne (Gold Coast Goldstars) 24 Paul Howard (Murwillumbah Cycle Club) 25 David Leckenby (Coffs Harbour) 26 David Carman (Logan City Cycling Club) 25.23 27 Kevin Nichols (St George) 28 Peter Kent (C.R.A.B.S Cycling Club Inc) 43.01 29 Gary Land (MTBA) 30 Richard Moye (Sunshine Coast) 31 Ashley Curtis (Balmoral Cycle Club) 56.24 32 Carl Holleman (Central Coast) 58.40 33 Graeme Pont (Central Coast) 34 Rodney Van Den Heuvel (Ffast Cycle Club) 1.00.01 35 Brad Gooda (C.R.A.B.S Cycling Club Inc) 1.02.04 36 Michael McCall (Murwillumbah Cycle Club) 1.04.54 37 Steven Sanders (Port Macquarie) 1.05.47 38 Karl Manning (Uni Cycle Club) 1.12.25 39 Rick Abraham (Hamilton Pine River Wheelers) 1.13.19 40 John Solah (MTBA) 1.15.18 DNF Adam Connelly (Balmoral Cycle Club) DNF Neil Soden (Gold Coast Goldstars) DNF Ian Lovell (Hunter District) DNF David Chick (Sunshine Coast) DNF Robert Symmons (Sunshine Coast) DNF Grant Cracknell (Uni Cycle Club) DNF Adam Robinson (Hamilton River Wheelers) D Grade 1 Alex Malone (Manly Warringah) 6.59.44 2 Rodney Harding (Coffs Harbour) 3 Brett Newton (Inverell Cycle 'N' Tri Inc.) 4 Michael Hoynes (Inverell Cycle 'N' Tri Inc.) 5 Beau Harper (Manning Valley) 6 Eugen Schilter (Dulwich Hill) 7 Daniel Wilks (Inverell Cycle 'N' Tri Inc.) 8 Jani Kroyherr (Ffast Cycle Club) 9 Garry Reardon (Grafton) 5.56 10 Chass Matters (Victor Cycle Club) 11 Brian Elvery (Grafton) 12 Brett Hoffmann (Ffast Cycle Club) 13 Colin Maciver (Armidale) 14 Michael Lawson (Manly Warringah) 15 Peter Cooper (Illawarra) 16 Jeffrey Gray (Illawarra) 17 Michael Jorgensen (Inverell Cycle 'N' Tri Inc.) 18 Mark Stapleton (Central Coast) 19 John Nicholls (Murwillumbah Cycle Club) 20 Rowan McMurray (Hunter District) 21 Grahame Sonter (Hunter Valley Vets) 22 Gregory Walmsley (Dulwich Hill) 6.12 23 Michael Cain (Orange CTC) 18.13 24 Stephen Murray (Gunnedah CTC) 25 Mick Patton (Sunshine Coast) 26 Joel Byrnes (Armidale) 27 Nikolai Wyman (Eastern Suburbs) 28 Emilio Pannaci (Randwick Botany) 29 Brenden May (Orange CTC) 30 Richard Watson (Toowoomba Cycling Club Inc.) 31 Gary Leahey (Peloton Sports Inc.) 1.45.16 32 Sam Freeman (Victor Broncos) 38.42 33 Gordon Coon (Ffast Cycle Club) 39.38 34 Kim Crockart (Ffast Cycle Club) 43.10 35 David Thomas (Randwick Botany) 48.49 36 Jeff Brown (Ipswich) 56.38 37 Russell Hinwood (Sharks Cycling Club) 38 Anthony O'Connor (Tuggeranong Vikings) 39 Evan Elliott (Dubbo) 40 Paul Davis (Tamworth) 41 Mark Patterson (Central Coast) 1.09.02 42 Anthony Kneipp (Illawarra) 1.11.55 43 Keiran Hogan (Penrith Panthers) 1.09.50 44 Griff Davies (Ffast Cycle Club) 1.15.04 45 Anthony Goostrey (Ffast Cycle Club) 46 Marc Goodall (Dubbo) 1.21.47 47 John Harrison (Toowoomba) 1.33.22 48 Maurice Mathe (Hunter Valley Vets) 1.36.14 49 Hal Holley (Northern Rivers Cycling Club) 1.45.16 50 Shane Hulbert (Northern Rivers Cycling Club) 51 Wayne Brien (Byron Bay Freeriders) DNF Mark Woods (C.R.A.B.S Cycling Club Inc) DNF Rodney Beckwith (Central Coast) DNF David Gerrish (Dubbo) DNF Simon Meredith (Dubbo) DNF Jeremy Reid (Dubbo) DNF James Fowler (Dulwich Hill) DNF Robert Dickerson (Eastern Suburbs) DNF Manueal Katsiaris (Eastern Suburbs) DNF Trevor Menhinick (Ffast Cycle Club) DNF Fraser Chapman (Grafton) DNF Tim Hughes (Orange CTC) DNF Andrew Caie (Peloton Sports Inc.) DNF Raymond Potter (Peloton Sports Inc.) DNF Keith White (Peloton Sports Inc.) DNF Peter Brown (Port Macquarie) DNF David Morton (Port Macquarie) DNF Anthony Vickers (Toowoomba Cycling Club Inc.) E Grade/Women 1 Vicki Eustace (Canberra Cycling Club) 5.31.14 2 Carla Ryan (Uni Cycle Club) 3 Carly Hibberd (Victor Cycle Club) 4 Leonie Aisbett (Illawarra) 5 Tiffany Cromwell (Norwood) 12.16 6 Joanna Somerville (Lidcombe Auburn) 7 Emma Sonerson (Tamworth) 8 Vanessa McDonald (Coffs Harbour) 9 Gweneth Newell (MTBA) DNF Kate Finegan (Hunter District) DNF Kate Nichols (St George) DNF Emma Lovelock (Sutherland Shire) DNF Erin Chamberlen (Sydney) DNF Louise Kerr (Uni Cycle Club)
Past winners
2005 G. Henderson (NZ) S. Clarke (VIC) M. Lloyd (VIC) 7.19.56 2004 P. McDonald (NSW) J. Libonatti (Uru) R. Vollebregt (Caravello Team) 7.03.00 2002 L. Godfrey (VIC) P. Redenbach (VIC) T. Wilson (NSW) 6.44.58 2001 D. McKenzie (VIS) P. Milostic (NSW) D. Pell (VIC) 6.22.40 2000 B. Day (QLD) H. Vassen (NSW) D. Mungoven (ACT) 6.33.09 1999 J. Drew (VIS) S. Williams S. Gerrans 6.26.45 1998 B. Brooks (NSW) S. Williams (NSW) H. Bradbury (VIC) 6.45.41 1997 J. Drew (VIS) D. McKenzie (VIS) B. Litchfield (Turra) 6.35.04 1996 D. Forster (VIC) D. Smith (Vic) C. Saunders (NZ) 6.54.19 1995 T. Christopher (ACT) W. Kestle (Vic) C. Saunders (NZ) 6.24.36 1994 C. Saunders (NZ) D. Forster (Vic) P. Rugari (Vic) 6.37.55 1993 S Drake (Vic) D Perry (NSW) T Jordon (NSW) 6.32.30 1992 B J Shearsby (Vic) G Wilson (Qld) M Elliot (Qld) 7.00.43 1991 Stephen Fairless (VIC) Justin Grindal (VIC) Scott Steward (VIC) 6.59.43 1990 Nigel Perry (NSW) Glen Wilson (QLD) David Perry (NSW) 7.01.33 1989 Nate Reiss (USA) Ewe Winter (W/Ger) John Groom (Aust) 6.39.23 1988 G Luc Pierobon (Italy) B St George (Aust) R McCorkell (Vic) 6.39.23 1987 A Peterson (Norway) T Durst (W/Germany) T Mancini (Swiss) 6.19.53 1986 A Logan (NSW) I McKenzie (NT) S Sunderland (NSW) 6.37.27 1985 P Curran (Gt Britain) M Ansermet (Swiss) L Wahlkqvist (Sweden) 6.00.49 1984 M Lynch (Vic) E Poli (Italy) R Crossley (Qld) 6.44.52 1983 R McCorkell (Vic) M Lynch (Vic) C Walsh (Qld) 6.32.14 1982 S Cox (NZ) J Swart (NZ) B Stockwell MBE (NZ) 6.24.35 1981 A Gill (SA) G Oliver (NSW) G Brooks (Vic) 6.24.37 1980 W Hammond (Vic) G Hammond (Vic) M Blyth (NSW) 6.47.05 1979 G McVilley (Tas) V Hanaray (NZ) M Nicholls (NZ) 6.43.46 1978 R Piper (NSW) H Berkery (NSW) M McKinnell (NZ) M Wilson (Tas) 6.37.47 1977 R Glindeman (Qld) G Stone (NSW) R McCorkell (Vic) G Sutton (NSW) 7.33.00 1976 R Sansonetti (Vic) A Spokes (NSW) G Parkes (NSW) 7.19.34 1975 R Hines (NSW) T Parkes (NSW) M Glindeman (Qld) 6.38.21 1974 B Ferris (Qld) R Bates (NSW) K Bartlett (NSW) T Parkes (NSW) 7.18.77 1973 V Breen (NSW) P Brown (NSW) L Roe (NSW) A Spokes (NSW) 6.35.08 1972 K Brindle (NSW) M Kautto (NSW) K Bartlett (NSW) L Cooper (NZ) 6.51.34 1971 R Bush (NZ) R Davis (NZ) M Kautto (NSW) J Trevorrow (Vic) 7.03.33 1970 D Strahley (NSW) E Wixon (Qld) T Moore (NSW) J Trevorrow (Vic) 7.57.08 1969 B Ryalls (Qld) P Littlejohn (NSW) D Thompson (Qld) 6.44.44 1968 K Morgan (Tas) D Browne (NZ) T Savimaki (Qld) 6.23.21 1967 D Wilson (Vic) K Brindle (NSW) D Garrett (Qld) 6.53.54 1966 M Redman (NSW) B Johnson (NSW) P. Markham (NSW) T Savimaki (Qld) 6.57.57 1965 L Cook (NSW) R Barron (Qld) T Moore (NSW) D Wilson (Vic) 6.36.02 1964 J Ferranda (NSW) N McDonough (NSW) K Long (Vic) V Adams (NSW) 7.04.10 1963 N Burnell (NSW) H Summers (Vic) C Kruf (NSW) J Lloyd (NSW) 7.23.23 1962 P Chapman (NSW) G Brown (NSW) F Fransen (NSW) J Lloyd (NSW) 7.19.41 1961 A Grindal (Vic) G Garden (NSW) T Tolley (NSW) 7.39.11 *(Record)
