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Results and Reports from Australia
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Midland Cycling Club
Joe Colgrove Memorial Race - Perth, WA, January 8, 2006
The Conditions were rather humid, but at least the howling winds of previous crits were not evident this morning, although the volunteers had trouble trying to stretch our Gantry over the tarmac for the finishing line. And blurry eyed bike racers were lining up for registrations. The day proved to be a registrar's nightmare as 2006 licenses came into effect, and there were a few riders caught without renewal of club licenses...Warky (not mentioning any names). So here is a tip no 1. for 2006: no CA license no ride. On a brighter note it was an impressive field that showed up with around 80 riders out on the course. A Wonderful sight to behold. Thanks to all of those competitors who showed up great racing guys and girls.
Memorable moments:
Pedro T claimed, " it's hotter than a Turkish prison" though I am not sure
when he was last in a TURKISH PRISON.
Gavin Wark: Tried to batt his eyelashes to forgo filling out paper work for
a 2006 license.
Adam Semple: Faking it (struggling) at the rear of the B Grade bunch to emerge
from the pack to win by 30 metres.
Eddie Hollands: Enquires before the A grade race.
Ryan Suckling: Enquiring when some of the boys would like to do some work at
the front.
Brett Gillespie: Claiming the tours in Brizzie of the beer and Bundaberg factories
were reeking havoc with his fitness. I didn't want to mention the new cologne
of Rum from Bundie was evident (just kidding)
Darren Harry: Emergence from the cocoon of the pack to blossom as 2006 Joe Colgrove
winner with a victory salute to the crowds.
Duke was spotted; out of hospital after his stroke. Welcome back!
Juniors: 5 laps
The juniors were to race the circuit five times, which proved to be a great heart starter for some of the girls who were going to ride in the women's criterium; as there were only three riders in the B & C division they rode to boost the numbers. The handicaps were calculated, and Graeme Marter set out on his lonely quest to put as much distance between himself and the group of estrogen behind him. Next cabs off the ranks were the two Jessica's A & B with a minute on the scratchwomen (oops and one man, Dale Bloor). Then off scratch Sarah Kent, Camille Pallett, Ryla Jakelski, Heather MacPherson, Dale Bloor and Mickey Anderson.
The Scratchmen had their work cut out for them so the pace was on from the
get go.loosing 3 of their riders early, as Sarah Kent was on a mission this
morning. With Jessica B falling off the pace on the hard circuit, Kent, Pallett
& Anderson had to focus on catching Jess A. With 1 lap to go Kent made her move
to bridge the gap to claim first place, with Allen not caught she finished second,
leaving Pallett & Anderson sprinting for minor placing's. Pallett just pipping
Anderson at the finish line.
It was a great race , and well done to the Juniors.
C Grade
A smallish field, with a strong youthful contingent in the U17 junior men, and some well experienced men; Matt Davis, Murray Kent, Owen Jones, and David Shailer. With the humidity claiming riders Kent Senior drenched in sweat decided that he would watch the closing moments of the race from the side lines. The guys played nicely and stayed together for most of their race, with Freiberg, van der Togt, Pattison, the new WAIS TID Durbridge, Davies Junior, Carpenter, Cinanni making up the rest of the field. With the bell lap things hotted up, and in the last 75 meters saw Davies Senior & van der Togt in a battle for the finish line with experience vs. age going head to head, it was going to be a tough call to see who finished in front. Finally with the last reserves of energy, Davies Senior threw his bike at the line and pipped Jordan and relegated him to second place. Patterson finished 3rd, Davis Junior 4th ( not wanting to be left out).
Women's
With a few women withdrawing due to sickness the U/17 & U/15 girls had a crack
at boosting numbers in the women's race. With Michelle Darrington the only women
who has raced at the AHG circuit it was going to prove to be an interesting
race. Liz Laiden was a AHG newbie, accompanied by Gen Warriner, Anne Boyle (
who managed to wake up earlier after a tough night at the track the previous
night) Kylie Hansen a Southwest CC rider, Sue Munroe, and Rhonda Pearce. With
16 women lining up it was great to see a race with "Women ONLY".
The race began hesitantly with very few wanting to risk the safety of the bunch,
and attack. There were a few goes to break the field up from Kent, MacPherson,
with Warriner and Laiden covering the moves. Darrington looked like she was
in it for the long haul, as did Munro & Pearce. With the junior U/19 girls in
Hansen, MacPherson wanting to establish their mark in a women's race the women/girls
were kept on their dainty toes (some as dainty as 43, and 45's)...I have the
inside scoop on some of you.
Insider report was there was a bit of bumping going on in the pack to establish
a pecking order. With the bell ringing in their ears, a few young women tried
their hands at attacking, i.e, wannabee munchkin chief Anderson and young Jess
Allen, but spinning on their 6m gears would prove to be difficult once the bunch
made their last right turn into the home straight. There the sprinters got into
position trying to hit the line first, with Warriner, MacPherson, Kent junior,
Pallett, Jakelski all surging for the line.
The TRUE DAINTY "MacPherson" pipping Warriner for first place, followed by Kent,
Pallett, and munchkin Jakelski (another of 2005 WAIS TID) young riders.
B Grade
A rather meagre field, with most of the boys either choosing to still remain
in holiday mode or unsure if LINE noms were being taken. With Darren Hawley,
Owen Jones, Malcom Lewington, Cameron Lockely, Cameron Macdonald, Daniel O'donoghue,
Moshe Phillips, Semple, Party Hard Gonzales, another father and son duo, in
Mick & Brett Russell, Kim Ford, Scottie Ayles, Steven Hall our AHG virgin for
the day.
This race began with hesitations from the group, with very few trying to make
a move on their own. Riders Choice Scottie Ayles was one of those who braved
the front , Brett Russell trying to break up the bunch in the back straight
with what tail wind was blowing, Cameron Lockey, and Kim Ford also trying to
flick those pesky other riders.
With the bell lap, Semple still faking it at the back of the bunch, to finally breakaway before the home stretch to give him a comfortable lead, I didn't not see the bunch catching him. It was left up to Riders Choice Ayles, Churchill's Brett Russell, Lockey and Ford to fight in the final sprint for the placing. Ayles managing the last drops of energy in his legs the best and coming up with second infront of piston legs Russell, Lockey and Ford.
A Grade
Today's ride was going to prove to be a great race to watch, with the Meyer boys and Johansen returning from the Tassie carnivals with a few dollars to burn, and the tax office looking for them. Though a little birdie told me Cameron was using his winnings wisely. ( Dude! Where is my ticket to the movies?)
The Glen Parker Team were out in force to defend Hilton's win in 2005 of the
Joe Colgrove Memorial. This was the Parkers Team VIRGIN hit out on the course
and I will try to see what they thought of the circuit. Perhaps I should interview
Darren Harry before the next crit. Eddie Hollands, Marty Depiazzi, Hilton, and
Carlo Barendilla all out for a win. They were rather subdue for first timers.
Along with the Parker Boys, TBE was strongly represented with Patriarch Russell
Brooks, Cameron & Travis Meyer, Mitchell Brooks, Nathan Jones. Riders Choice
lead by Phil Riemann and Hall were looking for a big win, and were hungry to
take this race from Team Parker. Other RChoice riders Rhys Sherborne, Ryan Suckling,
etc. A smaller group of Elite cycle boys, with Lord Byron still in Melbourne,
there was only Riggy and another elite "unknown dude" on the course.
WAIS had Michael Fitzgerald, Duane Johansen and Pedro " the Turkish prisoner " to sweat it out on his own. WACF CEO tried to sneak under the radar, but managed to be spotted by your roving reporter who moonlights as a Commissaire.
With a race of 50 mins plus two laps I was left wondering if there was going to be a break in the bunch with a smaller group riding for places as previously at the Tuesday night criteriums. Today's race proved to be a harder nut to crack, unless you're a "Turkish Prison Guard". (pun intended). With Travis buoyed from his win in the Launceston Wheelrace, he rode agressively, attacking on a number of occasions and waiting to see who would come with him. The bunch seemed organised and would regroup before another attack was launched.
Hilton proved that the bruise on his tush wasn't going to hamper his racing today. (Sorry Hilton, I think a little birdie told me). Ridgy also tried to push the envelop and see if a group could break away. The Melville Freo boys were looking to see if one of them could also be in with a chance for the money, with Wark, James, and Gillespie senior (as Gillespie junior was keeping me company on the side lines).
Today with the wind behaving there was little in the way of riders simply being dropped into the head wind. With the bunch still in tact and a call of 2 laps to go, it was going to prove to be the survival of the fittest. The King of the PELETON was going to have to eventually emerge. Speculations from those on the sidelines was, perhaps Hollands, McMurdo, Riemann, either of the Meyer boys, Hallie, Riggy..The Parker boys look strong with Rider Choice also trying to arrange themselves into some kind of formation for a chance.
With one to go, moves and counter moves were being made. Looking like it was going to be a huge 30plus bunch sprint. They boys turned into the back straight when an unnerving sound of something popping or breaking cause my nerves to twitch. It didn't sound like a tyre bursting, but it could have spelt trouble for those in the pack. It was revealed that WAIS rider Michael Fitzgerald snapped a chain, and a major disaster was averted as riders were paying attention and managed to allow him to come to a stop and weave around him. It was a hair raising moment for all i am sure.
Heading back towards the finish line less one Michael Fitzgerald there was Hilton with Eddie on his wheel look like they were going to make a strong showing with Eddie maybe wanting to be the King of the AHG JUNGLE, Travis Meyer making his moves also, Hall & Riemann were not going to let this race in 2006 go to the Parker boys, and they were both pumping their pistons, and sprinting in earnest, from the corner of my eye and with a flash of the British Flag there emerging from the warmth of the Pelton topped with blond PETALS was another Parker boy called Darren Harry.
Darren Harry thought he would like to see his name on the Joe Colgrove Plaque.
And in a blink of an eye Harry raced past compadres Hollands and McMurdo to win. Hollands had to be content with second, and a strong finish by Meyer saw him take out third place from an aggressive Riemann and Hall. Marty decided he wanted to add another Parker jersey to the podium and finished 6th. It was a thrilling finish. Harry, it was a great sprint. You are now officially crowned the King of the Joe Colgrove peloton.
Finally in closing, each and every competitor must be congratulated for coming out. If it wasn't for you , I would have nothing to talk about. No, that's wrong; I'm sure I could find something else to talk about...
