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Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club
Sandown Twilight Series, Tuesday January 23, 2007
By Mal Sawford
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Tuesday night racing brought another mammoth field to Sandown Raceway, with 220 riders signing on to tackle the 3.5km motor racing circuit on a fine but windy evening.
With over seventy riders in the A Grade field, escaping the bunch from the front proved difficult, but the slingshot effect soon took its toll on many of the riders at the back of the long, long line when the speed lifted. Gaps which had been quickly closed in the first thirty minutes began to allow small breaks to form as the race unfolded: Andrew Stalder (Promains) and Chris D'Amelio were the first to look threatening just after half way; and Brendan Rowbotham (SHM) and Murray Spink (Giant) counter attacked after the first pair were reeled in.
The bunch reformed briefly, but the next attack saw a big split develop, including Michael Ford, fresh from the Tour Down Under, and his South Australia.com team mate Sean Finning, Danny Kah, Dale Woonton, Anthony Smith and Mick Teggelove (Promains), Nick Walker, Pete Johnstone (Inexa Race Frames), Wade Wallace, Ben O'Leary, Matt Chessum (Fitzroy Cycles) and three of the SHM boys: Rowbotham, Peter Barnett and Matt Sherwin.
The lead group opened an advantage of fifteen seconds at two to go, and were still ten seconds clear at the bell. The chasers did reach the back of the lead group in the final corners, but few were fresh enough to figure in the bunch sprint. Dylan Boone made his way to the head of affairs 300 metres from the line, but faded as 16 year old Johnstone, winner of the Scratch race at the Youth Olympics, sprinted to his fourth win of the season, ahead of Belgian rider Tijs Billenon, Ford and Dale Woonton.
The winning break in B Grade started when Stefan Kirsch (Croydon Cycleworks) attacked after thirty minutes. A lap later he had Chris Halley, Michael Benham (Kennedy Cycle Fit), Ciaran Jones and Aaron Pitt for company, and a chase group containing Bruce Will, Adrian Curnow (The Freedom Machine), Drew McDonald, Paul McMullan (Datacom/Burnley Finance) and Russell Newnham (ProMotion) were in pursuit.
Kirsch, Jones, Will, Curnow, Pitt and Newnham combined to put the bunch out of contention, riding a virtual team time trial for the final twenty-five minutes. Kirsch forced the pace on the final climb to put Newnham and Curnow in difficulty, but couldn't shake off the faster finishing Jones, who sprinted to the win. Kirsch's efforts were enough for second place ahead of Pitt and Will, while Nicole Whitburn (Mainline Cycles) took the women's win ahead of Mary Rogers (Kathy Watt's Personal Training) at the head of the main bunch.
C Grade strongman Glen Janetzki found two willing break away companions in Chris Broeren and Daniel Noy (Gold Cross Cycles), but the trio weren't able to sustain the pace needed to keep the relentless chase at bay. A bunch sprint always looked the likely result, but a late attack by Paul Weymouth saw him turn into the home straight fifty metres clear.
The sprinters came awfully close, but Weymouth held on, taking the win ahead of Adrian Vlok, Oliver Le Grice (O'Mara Cycles) and Lucas Sproson, with Debbie Hobbs (Fitzroy) too quick for Radelle Berriman in the women's division.
David Williams earned a ride in C Grade with a dominant win in the D Grade bunch sprint. The minor places were taken by David Ward, Matt Garratt and Lucas Sproson, while Anni Jensen sprinted to an equally clear win in a big women's field, with Melissa Nicholls and Zoe Bloore next home.
Carnegie Caulfield Criteriums continue next Tuesday evening at Sandown Raceway is held on at Sandown International Raceway. Entry is via the Sandown Road gate from 6pm (Melways map 80 B6), with racing starting at 6.30pm for all grades. Sunday morning races at Glenvale Crescent (Melways map 80B2) resume on February 4th, with B, D and E Grades starting at 9am, while A and C Grade ride at 10am. Please note there is no racing at Glenvale on January 28th (the Australia Day weekend).
All holders of current Cycling Australia licenses are welcome (don't forget to bring your license or receipt - there is a strict no licence no race policy in effect!) and non-members can have a go by taking out a day license for $20. 2007 licenses are now available at all CCCC events. Returning riders must resume in the grade in which they last raced, unless prior arrangements are made with the handicapper.
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, 73 starters) 1 Peter Johnstone (Chelsea & Peninsula) 2 Tijs Billenon (Belgium) 3 Michael Ford (Carnegie Caulfield) 4 Dale Woonton (Carnegie Caulfield) 5 Dylan Boone (Carnegie Caulfield) 6 Brendan Rowbotham (Carnegie Caulfield) B Grade (55 minutes, 55 starters) 1 Ciaran Jones (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Stefan Kirsch (Blackburn) 3 Aaron Pitt (Mornington) 4 Bruce Will (Carnegie Caulfield) 5 Adrian Curnow (Carnegie Caulfield) Women 1 Nicole Whitburn (Blackburn) 2 Mary Rogers (Carnegie Caulfield) C Grade (50 minutes, 45 starters) 1 Paul Weymouth (Mornington) 2 Adrian Vlok (St Kilda) 3 Oliver Le Grice (Carnegie Caulfield) 4 Lucas Sproson (Carnegie Caulfield) Women 1 Debbie Hobbs (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Radelle Berriman (Carnegie Caulfield) D Grade (45 minutes, 49 starters) 1 David Williams (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 David Ward (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Matt Garratt (Carnegie Caulfield) 4 Terry Anderson (Carnegie Caulfield) Women 1 Anni Jensen (Chelsea & Peninsula) 2 Melissa Nicholls (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Zoe Bloore (Carnegie Caulfield)
