Recently on Cyclingnews.com |
 Dauphiné Libéré Photo ©: Sirotti |
Results and Reports from Australia
Promoters wishing to submit results should send them to Cyclingnews
Lidcombe - Auburn Cycle Club
Horsley Park, Sydney, August 6, 2005
By Steve Isaksen
Perfect conditions were on offer for LACC's Road Championships at Horsley Park. A strong showing of over 60 hopeful LACC members signed on to contest the Club Championships, run over four races covering five main divisions. Weather was fine and sunny, with 20 degrees and (surprisingly for August in these parts) no wind. Horsley Park is one of the few true open road courses remaining in the Sydney area and our "license to operate" includes several conditions to which we must comply. Riders were briefed in the marshalling area of the Horsley Park Community Hall before rolling out through the 1.5km neutral zone before the flags dropped.
First bunch off was Elite Men A grade with 17 starters - they were to ride five laps or 70km of the bumpy, undulating, dead roads of our long course. Not far into the race Alex Arias made his first attack of the day. He managed to gain a small gap before being caught by the bunch. Several times over the next few laps he tried again and again to get away, with different companions, including Alf Brown and Pete Hackney (Penrith). Ian Adams also went with one of the attacks but was pulled back.
A few splintering moves were on as well, with various riders putting the pressure on - Dave Green was prominent in a few of these, but always lurking in there were the fast finish favourites of Charles Topfer and Gerard Donaldson, who spent most of their nervous energy chasing down breaks and making sure that the bunch stayed together. Paul Green also joined Arias in one excursion off the front along with Hackney but the group just seemed content to let them "dangle" out there for periods of time. It certainly wasn't as negative a race as it may sound as there were many little attacks which kept the bunch chasing for most of the race. Some of the lower grade B grade boys rode above themselves as well and we must mention Fabrizio Tettoni, Andy Morrisson and Joe Zumbo all having their first ride up with the A graders.
Finally it all ended up in a bunch sprint with the super sprinter Charles Topfer finishing it off in style from Gerard Donaldson and a very disappointed, but philosophical Alex Arias.
The B race comprised only Masters Div 2/3 over four laps and 56km. There was plenty of aggression in the early laps before Albert Tallone and Gil Carver found themselves off the front together. It was difficult for the chasers, as these two were the pre race favourites, but somehow Illawarra visitor and National Track Champion Grant Law got across to the leaders. Mat Coy and Grant Fahey drove the chase group but couldn't bridge. At the finish it was a battle between Carver and Tallone battling it out, Law, very gentlemanly allowing the two club riders to fight it out. Carver won from Tallone and Law 3rd - Bronze Medal for LACC went to Mat Coy.
C grade bunch had an interesting mix of Women, Masters 4/5 and a few other "non championship" riders. Their race distance was 42km, or three laps. It was a large bunch of 18 or so and after a tempo lap it was Tom Carroll forcing the pace up the "double bunger" hill - those strong enough or knowledgeable enough were able to scramble onto his wheel as he powered over the crest. This was the bike race and the lead group was reduced to about 8 including Bruce Wylie, Belinda Diprose, Kate Charge , Mat Anderson and Dave Tallentire. There were plenty of medals on offer as well as race prizemoney and it was Carroll taking the win in from Bruce Wyllie and Mat Anderson. The women, Diprose and Charge got 4th & 5th.
D Grade was also a mixed bunch, the club medal aspirants racing in the Masters Div 6+. This was also over 42km. As is the norm for these events, it was a race of attrition more than aggression, with several usual E graders dropping off the pace and forming their own chase group. A few of our state level U15 riders also got some good hard training in for this race and at the finish it was the speedy Juniors who outsprinted the others with NSW Junior Representatives Scott Law (Illawarra) and Alex Carver taking the placings, with Rob Dowdall third and the gold medal. Minor Masters placings went to Leon Turnbull and Keith Stockall. August is an extremely busy month for LACC with our three-week "Ashfield Cycles Tour of August" (actually over three stages and three weekends) beginning with a time trial (also doubling as Club ITT Champs) at Macarthur CC's excellent Menangle course on 13th Aug, followed by a kermesse at Lansdowne on 20th August (including Sprint Jersey Points) and climaxing with the final stage at Horsley Park on 27th August, including KOM points. It promises to be fast, hard racing and we'll be catering for all abilities and levels of fitness with five grades - A to E
Results
Elite Men, 70km 1 Charles Topfer 1.56.15 2 Gerard Donaldson 3 Alex Arias Elite Women, 42km 1 Belinda Diprose 1.13.10 2 Kate Charge 3 Liz Allan Masters Div 2/3, 56km 1 Gil Carver 1.36.20 2 Albert Tallone 3 Matt Coy Masters Div 4/5, 42km 1 Tom Carroll 1.13.10 2 Bruce Wyllie 3 Peter Docker Masters Div 6+, 42km 1 Rob Dowdall 1.15.45 2 Leon Turnbull 3 Keith Stockall Masters Women Sharon Hughes Junior U17 Mat Anderson
