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Mildura-Coomealla CC
May 22, 2004
By Peter Winton
31 Mildura riders had a crack at the one and only "out and back" course on the Club's racing program. This circuit commences just outside of Red Cliffs (the home of "Big Lizzie", a monster residing in Barclay Square) on the Nangiloc Road with a nondescript turn-around at Colignan (that's Nangiloc spelt backwards in case you didn't know !). A gusty tailwind on the outward journey and bludging on the way back is the usual.
Warm, windy and sunny conditions meant sunscreen was a good thing as are 2 bidons for this trip. Rolling sand dune rises which are friendly on the tailwind section but arch enemies on the return offer some relief from the standard mallee scenery with an occasional orange grove and winery thrown in for good measure.
5 grades today catered for the diverse level of fitness and MHR's that are encoded into peoples DNA. D and E grade riders hooked in with the C grade dudes to at least get them to the turn around point in reasonable time. The D grade guys stuck with their C grade colleagues all the way in what really indicated to this observer of no difference at all between them.
C grade today managed a 39.5km/hr average to this point, the A team scored a 43 which shows the wind advantage. The averages held up pretty well as C grade caught B grade on the return leg and then at least 4 passing manoeuvres between each bunch occurred over the ensuing 20 km's, C grade finished with a 38km/hr av.
The winners from each grade were not surprising and in fact go some way in reinforcing the individual standing of each within the Club's pecking order (if I may be so bold as to say so).
Standout efforts by Errol Schmidt in A grade, Peter Doody in B grade and Sean Gallagher in C grade today in keeping the bunches honest by doing big lead out turns rather than have each grade bunch grind down to a "sit and sprint" finish.
Next weeks race is a 100km handicap, a 2 lap affair of the "Fletchers Lake" circuit at Dareton (NSW). The race circuit travels through Dareton, the Coomealla irrigation area, Wentworth, Curlwaa, Dareton, twice. The Club website can be found at www.m-ccc.com.au
Results, 66km graded scratch race
A Grade 1 Damon Stefani 2 Kevin Tankard 3 Rob McNally 4 Errol Schmidt 5 Peter Mulhearn 6 Mark Busch B Grade 1 Ian Beruldsen 2 Rob Akkermans 3 Michael Shipsides 4 Arthur Anderson 5 Pete Doody 6 Nathan Floramo 7 Richard Hale 8 Nathan Welsh 9 Dion Bassi-Anstee C Grade 1 Jack Lokan 2 Adam Wightwick 3 Peter Winton 4 Stephanie Frawley 5 Kevin Gregory 6 Sean Gallagher 7 Harry Robbins 8 David Priedt 9 Kristan Cerini D Grade 1 Greg Scott 2 Jeff Mitchell 3 Bob Pedler E Grade 1 Ian Japp 2 Cameron Crothers 3 Andrew Twaddle 4 Dave Digby
