Timbercorp Cup Tour of the Murray River - NE

Australia, August 31-September 7, 2008

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Stage 5 - September 2: Swan Hill, 45km

Howard moves closer to lead

By John Craven

Geelong's Leigh Howard, the 18-year-old rising star of Australian cycling, clinched a heart-throbbing victory in the fifth stage of the Timbercorp Tour of the Murray River today. Howard, riding for Jayco-VIS, scored by centimetres in a punishing sprint finish from Castlemaine's Sean Finning and Bendigo's David Pell (Savings and Loans) in the 45km criterium in Swan Hill.

Pell, who won the Victorian open road championship at Ballarat on August 17, looked to have the criterium all to himself when he dashed to a 150 metre lead on the last of the 30 laps. He fought gallantly on the gentle rise to the finish line but was swept aside by Howard and Finning in the final few metres in the fast time of 61 minutes 8 seconds.

Howard's Swan Hill victory elevated him to second place on the Murray River Tour general classification, only 29 seconds behind Queenslander David Kemp (Virgin Blue). He is also leading the criterium championship from Finning and Tasmanian Nathan Clarke (Praties).

"I am quite impressed to be leading the criterium championship because I've been working hard on that aspect during my training," Howard said. "It's quite a big gap to David but you never know what can happen over the next five days."

Despite his great criterium ride, Pell is back in 17th place overall - trailing Kemp by 8 minutes 20 seconds.

"I'm really struggling with the speed of this race and I had a disastrous first couple of days," he said. "Hopefully I can get a stage win before we get to Mildura on Sunday."

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Shane Goss/www.licoricegallery.com

Some divine intervention on the start line in Swan Hill for stage five of the Tour.
Australian Road Cycling members (L-R): Patrick Lane, Peter Johnstone and Samuel Genge on the start line in Swan Hill.
David Kemp (Virgin Blue Cycling) has a new set of wheels for the stage five criterium in Swan Hill.
You guys ride and I'll run: Bernard Sulzberger (Virgin Blue Cycling) after crashing during the stage five criterium in Swan Hill.
Robert Lyte (NSWIS) corners in Swan Hill during the 45km criterium.
Ashley Baines (Cycle City Ballarat) in action in Swan Hill.
Sean Boyle (Euston Bowling and Recreation Club) grimaces on the streets of Swan Hill.
Adrian Hanson (Dixon Homes Cycling Team) leans into a bend in Swan Hill.
Peter Milostic (Team Budget Forklifts) is one of the veterans of the National Road Series.
Peter Johnstone (Australian Road Cycling) in action during stage five of the Tour.
Tour leader David Kemp (Virgin Blue Cycling) remained in the lead after stage five.
Peter Smith (Euston Bowling and Recreation Club) was bowling along during stage five in Swan Hill.
Riders in the Tour of the Murray River corner on the streets of Swan Hill during stage five.
Darren Rolfe leads Virgin Blue Cycling teammate Bernard Sulzberger into the home straight in Swan Hill.
Craig McCartney (Savings and Loans) has been an attacking rider so far during the Tour.
Patrick Lane (Australian Road Cycling) accelerates out of a corner and into the home straight in Swan Hill.
Ashley Baines (Cycle City Ballarat) tried to sneak away in the concluding laps.
Darren Rolfe (Virgin Blue Cycling) drives the peloton after a lead group in the final two laps of the stage.
Leigh Howard (Jayco/VIS) wins stage five whilst teammate Sean Finning contemplates a lost chance.
The stage five podium (L-R): Sean Finning (2nd,Jayco/VIS), Leigh Howard (1st,Jayco/VIS) and David Pell (3rd,Savings and Loans).
David Kemp (Virgin Blue Cycling) remains in the Tasco Inland Sprint leader's jersey after five stages.
Michael Matthews (ACTAS) was awarded the MADEC Most Aggressive rider of the stage jersey.
David Kemp (Virgin Blue Cycling) is 29 seconds ahead of Jayco/VIS's Leigh Howard after five stage.

Results

1 Leigh Howard (VIS)                                    1.01.08 (44.165 km/h)
2 Sean Finning (VIS)                                           
3 David Pell (Savings & Loans)                                 
4 Kyle Marwood (Dixon Homes Cycling Team)                      
5 Michael Matthews (ACTAS)                                     
6 Nathan Clarke (Praties Cycling)                              
7 Alex Carver (NSWIS)                                          
8 David Kemp (Virgin Blue Cycling)                             
9 Peter Johnstone (Australian Road Cycling (ARC))              
10 Charles Howlett (Cycle City Ballarat)                       
11 Joseph Lewis (NSWIS)                                    0.04
12 Luis Trueba (Swan Hill Rural City Council P)                
13 Bernar Sulzberger (Virgin Blue Cycling)                     
14 Cameron Hughes (Team Budget Forklifts)                      
15 Alastair Loutit (ACTAS)                                     
16 Timothy Hucker (NSWIS/Roadsafe Mildura/De)                  
17 Benjamin King (Team Budget Forklifts)                       
18 Hayden Brooks (Virgin Blue Cycling)                         
19 Robert Lyte (NSWIS)                                         
20 James Langedyk (VIS)                                        
21 Joel Pearson (Savings & Loans)                              
22 Ashley Baines (Cycle City Ballarat)                         
23 Peter Smith (Euston Bowling & Recreation)                   
24 Dylan Newell (Praties Cycling)                              
25 William Clarke (Praties Cycling)                            
26 Glenn O'Shea (VIS)                                          
27 Peter Milostic (Team Budget Forklifts)                      
28 Patrick Lane (Australian Road Cycling (ARC))                
29 Adrian Hanson (Dixon Homes Cycling Team)                    
30 Cameron Peterson (Euston Bowling & Recreation)          0.11
31 Shaun Mccarthy (Dixon Homes Cycling Team)                   
32 Richard Lang (NSWIS)                                    0.15
33 Anthony Bennett (Swan Hill Rural City Council P)            
34 Brendan Brooks (Swan Hill Rural City Council P)             
35 Nathan Wise (Cycle City Ballarat)                           
36 Mark Hooper (SRT Titans)                                0.18
37 Brendan Schultz (SRT Titans)                                
38 Will Tehan (Total Rush)                                     
39 James Ibrahim (Moama Bowling Club)                      0.20
40 Craig McCartney (Savings & Loans)                           
41 Rohan Dennis (NSWIS/Roadsafe Mildura/De)                0.23
42 Luke Durbridge (NSWIS/Roadsafe Mildura/De)                  
43 Kane Walker (Moama Bowling Club)                            
44 Sean Boyle (Euston Bowling & Recreation)                    
45 Scott Law (NSWIS)                                           
46 Daniel Furmston (Praties Cycling)                           
47 Matthew Jensen (Total Rush)                             0.30
48 Joel Stewart (ACTAS)                                    0.35
49 Jonothan Lovelock (VIS)                                 0.53
50 Nicholas Walker (VIS)                                   1.04
51 William Alexander (Virgin Blue Cycling)                 1.24
52 Darren Rolfe (Virgin Blue Cycling)                          
53 Trent Williams (Moama Bowling Club)                     4.04
54 Ryan Brodie (Euston Bowling & Recreation)                   
55 Glen Peterson (Total Rush)                                  
56 Timothy Decker (NSWIS/Roadsafe Mildura/De)                  
57 Peter Ladd (Team Budget Forklifts)                          
58 Matthew Davis (Euston Bowling & Recreation)             6.06
59 Samuel Genge (Australian Road Cycling (ARC))                
60 Jamie Crass (NSWIS/Roadsafe Mildura/De)                     
61 Craig Gibbs (Cycle City Ballarat)                           
62 Luke Aggett (SRT Titans)                                    
63 Abram Manion (Team Budget Forklifts)                        
64 Jeremy Hills (Praties Cycling)                              
65 Bradley Norton (Praties Cycling)                            
66 Gregory Campbell (Virgin Blue Cycling)                      
67 Joshua Gundry (SRT Titans)                              8.08
68 Malcolm Rudolph (Team Budget Forklifts)                     
69 Matt Meisel-Dennis (ACTAS)                             10.10
70 Scot Cronly-Dillon (Swan Hill Rural City Council P)    12.12
71 Nathan Haas (ACTAS)                                    14.14
DNS Damien Turner (Team Budget Forklifts)                      
DNS Timothy Walker (Praties Cycling)                           
 
General Classification after Stage 5
 
1 David Kemp (Virgin Blue Cycling)                      7.05.51
2 Leigh Howard (VIS)                                       0.29
3 Bernar Sulzberger (Virgin Blue Cycling)                  0.38
4 Glenn O'Shea (VIS)                                       0.57
5 Kyle Marwood (Dixon Homes Cycling Team)                  1.04
6 Nathan Clarke (Praties Cycling)                          1.08
7 Benjamin King (Team Budget Forklifts)                    1.11
8 Cameron Hughes (Team Budget Forklifts)                   1.14
9 James Langedyk (VIS)                                     1.21
10 Peter Milostic (Team Budget Forklifts)                  1.48
11 Hayden Brooks (Virgin Blue Cycling)                     1.50
12 Joel Pearson (Savings & Loans)                          1.51
13 Darren Rolfe (Virgin Blue Cycling)                      3.04
14 Joseph Lewis (NSWIS)                                    4.42
15 Patrick Lane (Australian Road Cycling (ARC))            7.02
16 Mark Hooper (SRT Titans)                                7.16
17 David Pell (Savings & Loans)                            8.20
18 Shaun Mccarthy (Dixon Homes Cycling Team)              12.03
19 Michael Matthews (ACTAS)                               13.35
20 Luis Trueba (Swan Hill Rural City Council P)           14.02
21 Rohan Dennis (NSWIS/Roadsafe Mildura/De)               14.11
22 Jamie Crass (NSWIS/Roadsafe Mildura/De)                15.25
23 Nicholas Walker (VIS)                                  15.58
24 William Clarke (Praties Cycling)                       17.01
25 Malcolm Rudolph (Team Budget Forklifts)                17.03
26 Alex Carver (NSWIS)                                    17.28
27 Peter Smith (Euston Bowling & Recreation)              17.32
28 Luke Durbridge (NSWIS/Roadsafe Mildura/De)             17.39
29 Richard Lang (NSWIS)                                   17.43
30 Alastair Loutit (ACTAS)                                18.28
31 Brendan Schultz (SRT Titans)                           19.03
32 Sean Finning (VIS)                                     20.37
33 Brendan Brooks (Swan Hill Rural City Council P)        21.26
34 Will Tehan (Total Rush)                                21.38
35 Timothy Hucker (NSWIS/Roadsafe Mildura/De)             21.43
36 Kane Walker (Moama Bowling Club)                       22.19
37 Ryan Brodie (Euston Bowling & Recreation)              22.28
38 Peter Johnstone (Australian Road Cycling (ARC))        23.02
39 Dylan Newell (Praties Cycling)                         23.18
40 Jeremy Hills (Praties Cycling)                         23.31
41 James Ibrahim (Moama Bowling Club)                     23.40
42 Daniel Furmston (Praties Cycling)                      24.48
43 Craig McCartney (Savings & Loans)                      25.17
44 Joel Stewart (ACTAS)                                   25.22
45 Matthew Davis (Euston Bowling & Recreation)            25.44
46 Ashley Baines (Cycle City Ballarat)                    26.25
47 Nathan Wise (Cycle City Ballarat)                      26.42
48 Robert Lyte (NSWIS)                                    26.43
49 Abram Manion (Team Budget Forklifts)                   26.58
50 Charles Howlett (Cycle City Ballarat)                  27.28
51 Adrian Hanson (Dixon Homes Cycling Team)               27.34
52 Anthony Bennett (Swan Hill Rural City Council P)       27.42
53 William Alexander (Virgin Blue Cycling)                28.05
54 Cameron Peterson (Euston Bowling & Recreation)         31.28
55 Scott Law (NSWIS)                                      31.45
56 Luke Aggett (SRT Titans)                               32.07
57 Sean Boyle (Euston Bowling & Recreation)               34.13
58 Matt Meisel-Dennis (ACTAS)                             34.57
59 Nathan Haas (ACTAS)                                    36.22
60 Samuel Genge (Australian Road Cycling (ARC))           37.23
61 Glen Peterson (Total Rush)                             37.54
62 Timothy Decker (NSWIS/Roadsafe Mildura/De)             37.57
63 Gregory Campbell (Virgin Blue Cycling)                 39.43
64 Bradley Norton (Praties Cycling)                       39.59
65 Scot Cronly-Dillon (Swan Hill Rural City Council P)    46.10
66 Jonothan Lovelock (VIS)                                48.37
67 Joshua Gundry (SRT Titans)                             48.38
68 Matthew Jensen (Total Rush)                            55.27
69 Peter Ladd (Team Budget Forklifts)                     56.33
70 Craig Gibbs (Cycle City Ballarat)                    1.10.11
71 Trent Williams (Moama Bowling Club)                  1.12.31