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Carnegie Caulfield CC
Glenvale Crescent, Mulgrave, April 11, 2004
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Clarke & Walker lap A Grade
Free eggs pull riders to Easter races
By Mal Sawford
The Easter long weekend usually passes without any races held, but an Easter Sunday Criterium proved surprisingly popular, particularly with the A and B Grade riders. The complimentary Easter Egg and PowerBar may have contributed to the turnout, but strong fields ensured action packed racing.
Junior Worlds team mates William Walker (CBD Cycles) and Jonny Clarke (SBR) had announced their intention to compete earlier in the week, and promised to show the regular contenders how to dominate on the fast, open circuit. After an early solo attack from Will Wettenhall (Hendry Cycles), the pair went on the attack and were pulling away from the hard chasing bunch after only ten minutes.
At fifteen minutes, the pair were thirty seconds clear and lapping consistently in 1’20” – over 54 kmh! The chase from the bunch lacked cohesion with the break out of sight, and a number of riders including Simon Clarke (BikeNOW), Cam Wise (Pro-Motion Bicycles) and Michael Tolhurst (Richmond Cyclery) made efforts to start a smaller chase group. Each time, the bunch would react to close down the counter attack, but out front the two leaders kept powering away, eventually lapping the bunch after only thirty five minutes.
Clarke wanted to go straight past the bunch, while Walker suggested they ride with the bunch, which prompted Clarke to go straight on the attack, taking Mark Heintz and Tolhurst away. When the bunch brought things back together, Walker repaid the favour and jumped away with Simon Clarke, Wise, Paul Richards (Team MG-ZT), Adrian Salter (Salter Cycles) and Mathew Heath (Giramondo).
Clarke bridged to the new lead group two laps later, with Danny Kah and Tolhurst, and this group survived to the finish. The sprint was led out by Walker, who was unable to hold off Jonny Clarke for the win. Simon Clarke took the sprint for third, a tyre width ahead of a late charge from Slater, with Heath and Tolhurst the others in the money.
Reece Van Beek impressed with a strong solo ride to take the B Grade win. The deaf rider, who is training for the upcoming Deaflympics, attacked after twenty minutes, and opened a ten second advantage at the half way mark. As the race wore on, his lead edged out to a maximum of nineteen seconds, before individual efforts from Steve Leishman (BikeNOW) and Tyrin Simpson gradually pegged him back.
Veteran Geoff Whiter launched a solo chase with fifteen minutes remaining, and came within five seconds, before Van Beek lifted, to be clear by fifteen seconds with three to go, and comfortably taking the win. Nick Gates (BikeNOW) was a narrow winner in the bunch sprint for second, holding off Tyrin Simpson, Boon Chia (Team Alex) and Victorian Criterium Champion Cheryl Walker (Victorian State Home Loans).
The C Grade race saw first time rider Joel Healy spend most of the race off the front, in the company of regular protagonist Kym Scrutton. The pair stayed away for the first half of the race, before being reeled in by a well organized chase. Just before the final three laps, the pair went clear again and looked to have stolen the race, before the bunch rejoined for the final two laps.
Healy still had the goods to leave the bunch for dead in the dash to the line, with Stuart Hastings leading home the hard working Scrutton and Gordon Minty. In an evenly matched Women’s division, Victorian Junior Track representative Amy Phillips (Trak Cycles), proved too quick for Louisa Judd and former gymnast Livia Gluchowska (Telstra).
Four riders escaped the D Grade bunch midway through their race, and extended their advantage as the race drew to a close, eventually finishing in the same straight as the bunch. Malcolm Wyatt (Salter Cycles) took the win, ahead of James Bell, Zavier Bent and first timer Glenn Drosten, with Andrea Bishop the first female finisher in the main bunch.
Two rounds from the conclusion of the $7000 Team Alex Series, Simon Lancaster will shortly be taking delivery of a Nexus X-3 frameset – and sits on 176 points. The battle for second place saw Cheryl Walker (150) vault into second place ahead of Warren Knevitt (143), Simon Walker (137) and Matt Jensen (133).
Carnegie Caulfield Criteriums continue every Sunday morning in April at Glenvale Crescent (Melways map 80B2). All holders of 2004 Cycling Australia licenses are welcome (don't forget to bring your license or receipt!) and non-members can have a go by taking out a day license for $20. For first time competitors and the younger juniors, Tokyo Olympian Mick Hollingsworth conducts racing clinics in E Grade. For further details, including information and standings for the Team Alex series, check out www.carnegiecycling.com.au.
Results
A Grade, 1 hour + 3 laps, 51 starters 1 Jonathan Clarke (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 William Walker (Brunswick) 3 Simon Clarke (Carnegie Caulfield) 4 Adrian Salter (Footscray) 5 Mathew Heath (Footscray) 6 Michael Tolhurst (Carnegie Caulfield) Women 1 Katie Mactier (Carnegie Caulfield) B Grade, 55 minutes + 3 laps, 35 starters 1 Reece Van Beek (Geelong West) 2 Nick Gates (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Tyrin Simpson (Carnegie Caulfield) 4 Boon Chia (Carnegie Caulfield) 5 Cheryl Walker (Carnegie Caulfield) Women 1 Cheryl Walker (Carnegie Caulfield) C Grade, 50 minutes + 3 laps, 28 starters 1 Joel Healy (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Stuart Hastings (St Kilda) 3 Kym Scrutton (Carnegie Caulfield) 4 Gordon Minty (Mornington) Women 1 Amy Phillips (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Louisa Judd (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Livia Gluchowska (Carnegie Caulfield) D Grade, 45 minutes + 3 laps, 11 starters 1 Malcolm Wyatt (Footscray) 2 James Bell (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Zavier Bent (St Kilda) 4 Glenn Drosten (Carnegie Caulfield) Women 1 Andrea Bishop (Carnegie Caulfield) E Grade, 45 minutes + 3 laps 1 Nick Chilton (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Mitchell Gregory (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Sarah Atkinson (Carnegie Caulfield) 4 Dale Reith (Blackburn)
