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Eastern Suburbs Cycling Club
Heffron Park Summer Series #7, Maroubra, NSW - Tuesday, February 20, 2007
C Grade steal another win
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C Grade stole another win in round seven of the Heffron Park summer series when they benefited from a gift additional 20 second time gap to ride away with the race. It was hardly surprising that winner Mark Ardouin (Easts) made easy work of the win when three days earlier he was racing on the same circuit competing in A grade. Coming in second was last year's series winner Aaron Richardson (also Easts) who despite finally graduating to B grade last year seems to have effortlessly slipped back into C grade and back onto the points table. Andrew Duggan (Easts) continues to show good form and finished in the points for third.
Handicapping isn't a mysterious art. It's just a matter of weighing up what the conditions are, evaluating the strength of the field and adjusting the time gaps to suit. These simple considerations completely eluded this week's stand in handicapper when C grade, who won by the length of the straight last week, were given an additional 20 second start which was timed by an independent timekeeper. To compound the plight of the back markers, A grade were a little down on numbers so had no real chance of competing for overall honours.
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That didn't seem to deter the enthusiasm of the chasing A and B grade fields who despite being timed out of the race still made a race of it. Confidently stepping up to B grade after her C grade win last week, Geelong World Cup contender Rochelle Gilmore easily mixed it with the B grade men. Interesting to note that the only two C grade winners to promote themselves to B grade don't wear a red, white and blue jersey.
B grade actually made a race of it for a change when Fergus Bermingham (Waratah), competing in his first B grade race, laid down the power to ride the race at his own intense tempo. He was quickly joined by Tom Reid (Easts) who is never scared to have a go and Sean O'Neill (Randwick Botany) who of course is always having a go. Tony Iannacito resplendent in his new red team kit was also up there with about five other riders who started to give the chasing A grade bunch something to worry about at four laps to go.
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When the B grade break was finally mopped up, the attacks came thick and fast from Peter McDonald (FRF Couriers/NSWIS), Jose Rodriguez (Clarence St Cyclery), Paul Rowney, Dave Early (Easts) and even the odd one from Liam Kelly (Sydney), but they all lead to nothing because after the initial move up the outside, up the inside or down the gutter, each attack ran out of puff. The moves just needed one serious big hitter to carry on with it and the bunch would have disintegrated. Shame Tim Willing was recovering from jetlag after a quick trip to Japan.
Instead, at the bell as C grade were sprinting it out over a half lap ahead, the big A and B grade finale came down to the critical move over the last pimple. Peter Fitzpatrick (St George) got the perfect run off Pete McDonald to put daylight in between him and his bro Steve who just edged out Liam Kelly. The B grade competition evened itself out when boy wonder Ben Elliott used his youth and considerable speed to whiz past John Sunde (St George) - the comp is now a three way tie between these two and early season leader John Peppard (Easts).
After some earlier confusion over the C grade competition common sense has prevailed and now the points table reflects the first three riders across the line. With four weeks of racing left it's potential anybody's series, although it's going to take a big effort to catch current leader Anthony Spurgeon (Caravello). Either that or some very creative timekeeping.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by David Bateman
- Peter McDonald put in another strong performance.
- Scott Simpson powering along in C grade.
- Under starters orders: The B and C grade fields get ready to race on another hot and windy Sydney summer's evening.
- Tom Reid leading the B grade break is always prepared to have a go.
Images by Rocky Fortuna
- Weekly service de course courtesy of Campagnolo and the Cycling Projects team of Felice and Bernard.
- A grade wait to start and Dave Early almost needs binoculars to sight C grade in the distance.
- The view from the back of B grade - you all know who you are!
- Tony Iannacito (centre) and Richard Vial (right) were lively in the B grade break.
- Too strong for C grade, not strong enough for B grade? Mark Ardouin wins round 7.
- Peter Fitzpatrick easily wins the gallop for A grade.
Results
Overall 1 Mark Ardouin (Easts) 2 Aaron Richardson (Easts) 3 Andrew Duggan (Easts) 4 Michael Lynch (Waratah) 5 Kevin Vlahos (Easts) A Grade 1 Peter Fitzpatrick (St George) 2 Steve Fitzpatrick (St George) 3 Liam Kelly (Sydney) B Grade 1 Ben Elliott (Randwick Botany) 2 John Sunde (St George) 3 Dave Stevens (Easts) Points after Round 7, February 20 Summer Series Pointscore 1 Anthony Spurgeon 25 pts 2 Tim Willing 13 3 Mark Ardouin 11 4 Jeff Hopkins 7 4 Fergus Bermingham 7 4 Peter McDonald 7 4 Rochelle Gilmore 7 5 Steve Fitzpatrick 6 5 Andrew Duggan 6 6 Ben Isaksen 5 6 Peter Fitzpatrick 5 7 Aaron Richardson 4 8 Jose Rodriguez 3 9 Jason Webb 2 9 Stewart Campbell 2 9 Warren Scott 2 9 Joe McDonnell 2 9 Michael Lynch 2 10 Gemma O'Brien 1 10 Liam Kelly 1 10 Kevin Vlahos 1 B Grade Series 1 John Peppard 6 pts 1 John Sunde 6 1 Ben Elliott 6 2 Stan Genakis 5 3 Brent Dawson 3 3 Steve Griffiths 3 4 Adam Socha 2 4 Brad Glennan 2 4 Matt Carter 2 4 Dave Stevens 2 5 Warwick Edwards 1 5 Scott Callum 1 5 Nic Rathborne 1 5 John Kenny 1 5 Todd Sinclair 1 C Grade Series 1 Mark Ardouin 7 pts 2 Scott Simpson 5 2 John Greally 5 2 Andrew Duggan 5 4 Frank Conceicao 4 5 Rochelle Gilmore 3 5 Fergus Bermingham 3 5 Dave Stevens 3 6 Kevin Vlahos 2 6 Sen Mitsuji 2 6 Aaron Richardson 2 6 Gemma O'Brien 1
