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Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club
Glenvale Crescent Criteriums, Sunday January 21, 2007
By Mal Sawford
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The forecast was for a wet morning, but the overnight rain cleared allowing racing to proceed at Glenvale Crescent, although the strong gusty winds hadn’t abated much which made for a very tough day’s racing.
Just for something different, the attacks were kicked off in A Grade by riders not wearing the SHM colours! Damon Ginns and Aiden McInernay (Fitzroy Cycles) started the ball rolling, but the acceleration that saw them caught split the bunch into three groups. With dangerous riders like Brendan Rowbotham (SHM), Nick Walker (CBD Cycles) and Peter Trigar amongst the dozen leaders, the chase from behind was frantic and saw many riders lose contact with the bunch for good.
When the second group made contact, it was nearly curtains for the twenty survivors in the third group on the road, until some big turns from Jamie Goddard (Le Tour Cycles) and some helpful instructions on how to roll turns from Leigh De Luca (Jamis) saw the field briefly regroup at the thirty minute mark.
CCCC committee member Paul Mason counter attacked as the bunch reformed, with Rowbotham and Dylan Boone also keen to go on with things. The bunch stayed in touch in the second half of the race despite regular surges from Mason and Rowbotham until Evan Oliphant (Recycling.co.uk/Sovereign Hill-Ballarat), who had had a fairly quiet morning up to that point, shot off the front with five minutes remaining and bridged to Mason.
Despite the all out chase that ensued, the two leaders had done enough, with Oliphant taking the win with the ease befitting the stand out rider in the field. De Luca escaped on the final lap to solo home in third place, while Goddard led the rest home ahead of Rowbotham and Spink.
Michael Vogt (Melbourne Bicycle Centre) was prominent at both ends of the B Grade race. He was the first to establish a significant gap at the half way mark, and then worked with Richard Cormick (Datacom/Burnley Finance), Steve Cuneen and Glen O'Rourke to open a fifteen second advantage on the bunch. The field regained the leaders with fifteen minutes to race only to see young Gavin Sittampalan (Quick Cycle Coaching) jump away strongly.
Sittampalan got out to a sixteen second lead, which he maintained at three laps to go. At the bell, his lead was still eleven seconds, but the bunch was charging in pursuit, and were within fifty metres at the final corner. Sittampalan dug deep, but Vogt shot from the bunch to pass the unlucky leader metres from the line and take the win. Fabio Angelini (Bicycle Superstore) was just behind in third place ahead of Cuneen and Darren Sayers (Top Gear Cycles). Rachel Rademaker (Cycle Link) outsprinted Nicole Whitburn (Mainline Cycles) for the women’s win.
Graham Prosser, James Bourne and Rod Brown formed the only escape of note in the C Grade race, as the strong winds battered the bunch, causing an unusually high rate of early retirements. In the inevitable sprint to the line, Geoff Parker was too quick for Ediie Raffoul and Craig Porter, with Sean Carruthers (Terry Hammond Cycles) finishing fourth in his first race back after a long injury layoff. Shannon McCurley picked up another win in the women’s section, too fast for Radelle Berriman in the dash to the line.
D Grade also saw a bunch sprint decide the placings, with new rider Chris Broeren (Gold Cross) too strong for Matt Fortunato (Richmond Cyclery), David Williams and Alex Rigo. Stephanie Colson collected her maiden women’s win, ahead of Nana Jernstrom and Shae Thomas.
Carnegie Caulfield Criteriums continue every Tuesday evening at Sandown Raceway. Entry is via the Sandown Road entrance (Melways map 80 B6), from 6pm, with all grades racing at 6.30. Sundays are at Glenvale Crescent (Melways map 80 B2). B, D and E Grades start at 9am, while A and C Grade ride at 10am. Please note there is no racing on the Sunday of the Australia Day long weekend, January 28th.
All holders of 2007 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. Licenses are now available at all CCCC events. All returning riders must resume in the grade they last raced in, unless prior arrangement has been made.
For first time competitors and the younger juniors, Tokyo Olympian Mick Hollingsworth conducts novice racing clinics within the E Grade race at Glenvale Crescent. For further details, go to www.carnegiecycling.com.au.
Results
A Grade (1 hour + 3 laps, 50 starters) 1 Evan Oliphant (Scotland) 2 Paul Mason (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Leigh De Luca (Carnegie Caulfield) 4 Jamie Goddard (Blackburn) 5 Brendan Rowbotham (Carnegie Caulfield) 6 Murray Spink (MTBA) B Grade (1 hour + 3 laps, 43 starters) 1 Michael Vogt (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Gavin Sittampalan (Blackburn) 3 Fabio Angelini (Carnegie Caulfield) 4 Steve Cuneen (Bendigo) 5 Darren Sayers (Carnegie Caulfield) Women 1 Rachel Rademaker (Blackburn) 2 Nicole Whitburn (Blackburn) 3 Nikki Matthews (Carnegie Caulfield) C Grade (50 minutes + 3 laps, 32 starters) 1 Geoff Parker (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Eddie Raffoul (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Craig Porter (Carnegie Caulfield) 4 Sean Carruthers (Carnegie Caulfield) Women 1 Shannon McCurley (Latrobe City_ 2 Radelle Berriman (Carnegie Caulfield) D Grade (45 minutes + 3 laps, 33 starters) 1 Chris Broeren (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Matt Fortunato (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 David Williams (Carnegie Caulfield) 4 Alex Rigo (Carnegie Caulfield) Women 1 Stephanie Colson (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Nana Jernstrom (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Shae Thomas (Carnegie Caulfield) E Grade (45 minutes + 3 laps, 9 starters) 1 David Barrett (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Luke Parker (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Munro Boydell (Carnegie Caulfield) 4 Lloyd Dowling (Carnegie Caulfield)
