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Carnegie Caulfield CC
Glenvale Crescent, Mulgrave, Victoria, January 18, 2004
By Mal Sawford
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Early morning rain saw the start of racing delayed by thirty minutes, but the wet roads kept may at home, and small bunches were the order of the day. The visiting Korean team was amongst the first to sign on, and with the top local riders contesting the Australian Open title in Buninyong, the powerful Korean’s were the ones to watch.
Sure enough, after a few early attacks the main move of the day contained two of the three Korean riders. Winner at Sandown last week Kyung Bang Song was joined by Soon Young Choi, and locals Michael Bailey (Bicycle Superstore), Danny Kah and Mark Howard (O’Mara). Despite the best efforts of the bunch, the break pulled away, with Leigh De Luca (Specialised) putting in a big solo effort to bridge alone.
Midway through the race, Howard, and shortly after De Luca found the pace too hot and lost contact, leaving the four leaders to continue their efforts. At the finish, Choi took the win ahead of Song and Bailey, while in the closing laps big Matty Chessum (Fitzroy Cycles) attacked the bunch to solo home for fifth place points. The final points went to Warren Knevitt (O’Mara) who inched out Seok Kyu Suh in the bunch kick.
B Grade finished in a bunch sprint, despite the best efforts of Martin Bole. Bole featured in an early break with James Attard which was only reeled in with a handful of laps remaining, and had another go two laps out, but couldn't hold off the charging bunch.
A great throw saw Matt Shea take the sprint by half a wheel ahead of Evan Lennon, with Matt Jensen and Greg Nicholson following home in the minor places. Cheryl Walker (Victorian State Homeloans) handled the speed well in her first ride at the circuit since promotion to B Grade, taking out the Women’s division.
Simon Vandestadt destroyed the C Grade bunch with his early attack in C Grade. While he opened a twenty second lead, the chase group was down to six riders early on: the Korean women were represented by Yong Mi Kim and Song Hee Han, and also surviving were Richard Cormick, Scott Jensen (Kennedy Cycle Fit) and Peter Johnson.
Vandestadt’s lead was gradually whittled down by the chasers, with the capture coming with around fifteen minutes to race. Cormick was next to attack, and this time the chasers had no answer, allowing him to ride to a good win, and promotion to the B Grade bunch. Han’s lead out saw team mate Kim take out the bunch sprint for second, with Johnson passing Vandestadt on the line to claim third.
Two new riders proved far too strong for the D grade bunch; father and son pair Adrian and Matthew Curnow (the Freedom Machine) blasted away as soon as the traditional neutral period ended, and quickly made up a half lap deficit on the C Grade bunch! The pair easily stayed clear to fight out the finish, with young Matt unable to come around his father in the head wind finish and having to settle for second. Back in the bunch, Daniel Mendoza had the quickest finish, holding off junior Aidan McInernay for third, with Athena Greenall-Wilson the only survivor in the Women’s division.
Cheryl Walker (98) has moved to within two points of Simon Lancaster’s lead in the $7000 Team Alex Series. Matt Jensen’s third place in B Grade moves him to outright third (88), with Warren Knevitt in the points again to remain the leading A Grade rider on 79. Walker leads the Women’s series, with Ferne Walklate (85) and Lisa Friend (78) not far behind.
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.
Photography
Images by Mal Sawford
- Warren Knevitt leads the A Grade bunch in unsuccessful pursuit.
- Marin Bole and James Attard had a long escape.
- B Grade corner at high speed.
- Matt Shea judges the sprint best to win B Grade.
- Richard Cormick won C Grade with a late break.
- Korean Yong Hi Kim led the C Grade bunch home.
- Matt and Adrian Curnow were too strong for D Grade.
- The D Grade bunch race on wet roads.
Results
A Grade, 1 hour + 3 laps, 18 starters 1 Soon Young Choi (Korea) 2 Kyung Bang Song (Korea) 3 Michael Bailey (Carnegie Caulfield) 4 Danny Kah (Carnegie Caulfield) 5 Matt Chessum (Carnegie Caulfield) 6 Warren Knevitt (Carnegie Caulfield) B Grade, 1 hour + 3 laps, 24 starters 1 Matthew Shea (Footscray) 2 Evan Lennon (Blackburn) 3 Matt Jensen (Carnegie Caulfield) 4 Greg Nicholson (Carnegie Caulfield) 5 Tom Blazevic (Carnegie Caulfield) 1st Woman: Cheryl Walker (Carnegie Caulfield) C Grade, 50 minutes + 3 laps, 13 starters 1 Richard Cormick (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Yong Mi Kim (Korea) 3 Peter Johnson (Carnegie Caulfield) 4 Simon Vandestadt (Carnegie Caulfield) 1st Woman: Yong Mi Kim (Korea) D Grade, 45 minutes + 3 laps, 12 starters 1 Adrian Curnow (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Matthew Curnow (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Daniel Mendoza (Carnegie Caulfield) 4 Aidan McInernay (Carnegie Caulfield) 1st Woman: Athena Greenall-Wilson (Dirt Riders)
