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Results and Reports from Australia
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Norwood Cycling Club Weekend series #12
Regency Park, South Australia, February 1, 2004
Due to this strange summer South Australia is having the conditions were more suited to road racing, with overcast skies and cool conditions. Just what we need for the next race of the series at the Range.
With a few of the speedsters moved into a higher grade, E grade riders rode a splendid race today. With riders learning how to handle a racing bike under racing conditions, the whole bunch stayed together and was well controller by the big fella Jacob Jacobs. The bunch sprint came down to a battle between Peter Sabine, Martin Pfitzner and Michael Vughts with the riders finishing in that order.
D grade was a small bunch today with strong attacks coming from Corey Roberts and Paul Shepherd. Trouble was the rain started to fall but the pace did not ease and a few of the newer riders took a tumble, Andrew Fon, Michael Johnstone and Michael Schneider. After this a couple other riders decided to pull the pin due to the slippery road, but then the sun came out and dried it all up. In a small bunch sprint Roberts easily took the win over country boy Judd Walker and first year junior rider Jake Edwards.
C grade rider Jason Hagon had similar trouble with too much speed on the bend but rejoined the race. Sensibly the bunch eased off for the few minutes it rained and then got back into the action once it was gone. A few riders like Bernd Froessler, Tony Mingnorance, Alan Braggs, Daniel Smith and Scott Maney kept pressure on the bunch to work and chase them down but no real break eventuated. The final bunch sprint being easily won by Jeff Wheeler who has returned to form over a fast Stephen Cunningham and David Cluse.
From the word go B grade went on the attack with Sam Allen and Rick Steahr putting on the first bit of pressure. Not long after Matt Miller and Daryl Margrate teamed up to make a good break but with more than twenty riders left in the bunch they were just left out to hang and wear themselves out. Miller the hot favourite to take the win miscalculated his run and was caught behind slower riders while James Sampson found some new form to out power the bunch and second place Chris dos Santos for a strong win. Miller weaved his magic through the bunch for third.
The starter said go and off the front went Peter Mueller and Adrian Stevens, with a punishing attack. Mueller is such a fit looking bike rider at the moment and will surely be one to watch this coming road race. After some time these two riders were bought back to the bunch and the pace stayed high. Even though the circuit was wet at one stage the pace never let up. Four riders then went on the attack, Michael McGee, Shaun Lewis, Nick Wood and Lucien Keene. These four riders worked well together and set up a good break on the main bunch.
As the break started to look dangerous another three riders were able to bridge the gap, Adrian Laidler, Darren O'Grady and Joe Underwood. The race now looked all but over with no-one in the bunch wanting to take up the fight and chase, it was now up to seven riders. Laidler was driving the pace hard and O'Grady was struggling to stay on and when Laidler eased up fellow SASI rider and MTB rider Lewis attacked for a solo effort. Lewis went it alone and was not going to be chased by Laidler and in the confusion none of the others wanted to roll to the front. A big break formed and Lewis received two to go and just kept driving, he took the win with his solo effort. Underwood won the bunch sprint over new A grader Wood, Laidler rolled in for fourth followed by Keene, McGee and O'Grady just off the back.
Results
A Grade 1 Shaun Lewis (SASI/Bicycle Express) 2 Joe Underwood (Fairmont Homes) 3 Nick Wood (Bianco Cycling Team) 4 Adrian Laidler (Rio Coffee/Main North Nissan) 5 Lucien Keene (JT Cycles Brighton) B Grade 1 James Sampson 2 Chris dos Santos 3 Matt Miller (Mittiga/Norwood Parade Cycles) 4 Daryl Margrate (Bianco Cycling Team) 5 Mikael Strom (Sweden) C Grade 1 Jeff Wheeler (Herb Valley/Art Ceramics) 2 Stephen Cunningham (Trak Cycles/Ciombola) 3 David Cluse 4 Giac Cirillo 5 Adam Garrod D Grade 1 Corey Roberts (S.C.U.) 2 Judd Walker 3 Jake Edwards (Glenelg Cycles) 4 Greg Ford 5 Paul Shepherd (Mittiga/Norwood Parade Cycles) E Grade 1 Peter Sabine 2 Martin Pfitzner 3 Michael Vughts 4 Jacob Jacobs 5 Gino Delfino Juniors 1 Tiffany Cromwell (Bicycle Express) 2 Michael Davis
