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Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club
Glenvale Crescent, Mulgrave, February 15
Clarke conquers heat; Mayolo-Pic wins women's crit
By Mal Sawford
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After a 40 degree day on Saturday, the temperature was already 30 degrees at 8am, and climbed back towards 40 as a long morning of racing kicked off. The extreme heat prompted organizers to trial a 'free lap' for riders to take on more water, which allowed racing in the higher grades to stay as aggressive as usual.
Form rider Hilton Clarke (SBR) usually sets the pace, but today was content to allow others to start the attacks - but was still quick to join any move that looked promising. The early antagonists included David Sturt (Colnago), Paul Kelly (SBR), Matt Chessum (Fitzroy Cycles), Leigh De Luca (Specialized) and Martin Bole, but the bunch was kept in contention with strong efforts from Doug Garley (Terry Hammond Cycles), Andrew Steele (Le Tour), Dennis Bowen-Day (Gran Prix), Dean Johnstone (O'Mara Cycles) and Danny Kah amongst others.
By the thirty minute mark, the heat was taking its toll, and fewer riders were prepared to assist the chase. With fifteen minutes remaining, Matt Goold (Genovese Coffee/ACR) and Simon Walker (Victorian State Home Loans) jumped across the ten second gap to the lead group containing Clarke, Chessum, De Luca, Bole and Simon Clarke (BikeNOW), and all motivation seemed to instantly vanish from the bunch, allowing the leaders to pull rapidly away.
The lead group stayed intact to contest the finish, and in a tight contest Hilton Clarke was too strong, holding off a late run from De Luca and Simon Clarke, who had impressed with his second place finish in the Victorian 20km Motorpace Championship under lights at the Leongatha Track Carnival less than twelve hour earlier.
Carnegie also hosted the second round of the Victorian Women's Criterium series, with racing in Elite and Sport categories. Women only fields tend to be quite small, but the quality of the field made up for any lack of quantity. Swiss internationals Priska Doppmann and Bettina Kuhn (Univega) had run 1st and 2nd at last weekend's St Kilda Festival Criterium, and US based Pro's and training partners Helen Kelly (RONA) and Tina Mayola-Pic (Genesis) were also on the start line for the thirty minute race.
The opening fifteen minutes were run at a good pace, before Doppmann and Mayola-Pic jumped away. Local rider Jenny Macpherson (Fitzroy Cycles) saw the danger and bridged up, before the pace went out of the chase. Team tactics in Women's racing are rarely seen outside the Bay Series, and with Kuhn and Kelly slowing the chase the inexperience of the other Women in combating the blocking allowed the break to build an unassailable lead.
At the finish, Macpherson led out strongly, but had no answer for the acceleration from Mayola-Pic who took a good win with Doppmann third. Mountain bike specialist Karen Hopkinson attacked the bunch at three to go, and rode strongly to hold off the chase, led home by Kuhn and Kelly.
The Sport race featured a number of promising juniors, and Women relatively new to the sport. After a brief neutral period, winner of Round 1 at Blackburn's METEC circuit, Ferne Walklate led a group clear containing Amy Phillips (Trak Cycles), Erin Downing (Le Tour) and Lisa Friend (Bianchi).
The leaders worked well, and slowly pulled away from the chasers. The sprint was dominated by Downing, who crossed the line two lengths clear of Under 17 rider Friend and Phillips.
B Grade had the day's biggest field, with most of the Elite Women backing up straight after their thirty minute race for another hour in the hot sun. The brutal conditions kept the big bunch together, and a bunch sprint was the not unexpected result.
Footscray's Matt Shea led round the final corner, and kicked well clear to take the win by six lengths. After his win last weekend, he'll get a chance to show his speed in A Grade for the rest of the season. Regular speedster Darren Cathie took second, with Shepparton's Scott Peoples and Rob Licciardo close behind.
Kym Scrutton didn't spend much of the C Grade race in the bunch. He was in the first move with Amy Phillips, and later bridged to an attack by Simon Bristow and Veteran John Pritchard (Bicycle Superstore). With fifteen minutes remaining, Pritchard found the pace too hot, but as he headed back to the bunch, Barton Duncan (Croydon Cycleworks) chased across, and the three leaders were able to hold on for the win.
Bristow proved the quickest, ahead of Duncan and Scrutton, while Warragul's Tim Lee looked to have pinched fourth with a move two laps from home before Bob Kelly led the sprinters home to overhaul the unlucky Lee in the final meter!
The D Grade bunch sprint saw Andrew Donohue gamble on a line down the right hand gutter; and his gamble paid off with the win, On the left of the finishing straight, Richard Reynolds had to settle for second ahead of Aidan McInernay (Team Alex) and Cam Ely.
Current joint leader in the $7000 Team Alex Series, Matt Jensen, was unable to add to his points tally after having wisdom teeth removed earlier in the week, leaving Simon Lancaster two points clear on 121. Cheryl Walker passed up a start in the Elite Women's race, and the bonus points on offer but remains in third place with 113. Warren Knevitt is the leading A Grade rider on 97 points.
Carnegie Caulfield Criteriums continue every Sunday at Glenvale Crescent (Melways map 80B2). Twilight races are held on Tuesday evenings at Sandown racecourse, on the car racing circuit, with all grades starting at 6.30pm. Entry is via Sandown Rd, from 5.30pm. All holders of 2003 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. 2004 licenses are also now available. 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, 39 starters 1 Hilton Clarke (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Lee De Luca (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Simon Clarke (Carnegie Caulfield) 4 Matt Goold (Carnegie Caulfield) 5 Matt Chessum (Carnegie Caulfield) 6 Simon Walker (Carnegie Caulfield) B Grade, 55 minutes + 3 laps, 46 starters 1 Matthew Shea (Footscray) 2 Darren Cathie (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Scott Peoples (Shepparton) 4 Rob Licciardo (Carnegie Caulfield) 5 Russell Collins (Hawthorn) C Grade, 50 minutes + 3 laps, 38 starters 1 Simon Bristow (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Barton Duncan (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Kym Scrutton (Carnegie Caulfield) 4 Bob Kelly (Carnegie Caulfield) D Grade, 45 minutes + 3 laps, 19 starters 1 Andrew Donohue (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Richard Reynolds (Blackburn) 3 Aidan McInernay (Carnegie Caulfield) 4 Ross Black (Carnegie Caulfield) E Grade, 45 minutes 1 Janelle Evans (Brunswick) 2 Dale Reith (Blackburn) Elite Women, 30 minutes, 13 starters 1 Tina Mayola-Pic (USA) 2 Jenny Macpherson (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Priska Doppmann (Switzerland) 4 Karen Hopkinson (Carnegie Caulfield) 5 Bettina Kuhn (Switzerland) 6 Helen Kelly (Carnegie Caulfield) Sport Women, 30 minutes, 13 starters 1 Erin Downing (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Lisa Friend (Blackburn) 3 Amy Phillips (Carnegie Caulfield) 4 Ferne Walklate (Carnegie Caulfield)
