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Results and Reports from Australia
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Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club
Sandown Raceway, Victoria, November 22, 2005
By Mal Sawford
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Three weeks in at Sandown, and rider numbers have almost doubled, with just
under 200 riders on the start line. The increase in participation will see the
club introduce an E Grade race for the remainder of the season, and in other
exciting news, CCCC is pleased to announce that the 'Inexa Series' will kick
off next week for the third season thanks to the generous support of Team Alex
Australia, with full details of the impressive prize list to be released shortly.
The wind was from the south again and the promise of a tough night saw a record
A Grade field assemble, with Barcelona Olympian Robert Crowe making a welcome
return to CCCC racing after the best part of a year directing the new HLP team.
'Crowey' had snuck in a few races with the local Vets recently, including a
win the previous week, but was finally ready to show the younger up and comers
he is still a force to be reckoned with.
Sean Finning (VIS) kicked off his first race for the season with a typical
early break, jumping away with Alex Smyth (Team UNO) and Mick Teggelove. Although
claiming to be underprepared, Finning was clearly the driving force in the break,
and when Matthew Speed (Richmond Cyclery) and Darren Lapthorne (MG-Xpower) closed
the gap, he was the only survivor from the original trio fresh enough to go
on with the attack.
The new trio lasted until the final four laps of the 3.2 kilometre circuit,
and after a brief regrouping the huge field began to splinter under the strain
of the constant counter attacks. Nathan Wise (Richmond Cyclery) and Daniel Nelms
(Koln) jumped away on the climb, with Ross Mueller (Salter Cycles) closing the
gap by the summit of the long drag.
During the next lap the three leaders were joined by Crowe, Richard England
(VIS), Anthony Smith, Smyth, Guy Green (Le Tour), Jason Pastor, Michael Gill
and Andrew Nicholls (Croydon Cycleworks), and pulled away to a twenty second
lead at the start of the penultimate lap.
Nicholls shot off the front of the group at the base of the final climb, and
held a fifty metre lead all the way to the final corner, before the stiff head
wind in the finishing straight brought his bold move to an end 100 metres from
glory. Mueller powered past, but couldn't hold off a fast finishing Crowe, with
England finishing a few inches further back in third.
Dennis Bowen-Day tested the B Grade bunch with an usuccesful solo move early
on, and newly promoted break away specialist Chris Beales (Cycle Science) and
Rick Jones (Burnley Finance) also stretched their legs off the front. The bunch
kept all the early moves in check before the winning move went clear, with Russell
Newnham, Bruce Will, Luke Hanley and Paul Kelly (Burnley) combining well together.
In a nail biting finish, the quartet hung on to take the top four places by
a few lengths from the hard charging bunch, with Kelly taking the win by half
a wheel from Will. Young Tom Gallagher (Inexa) flew home to claim the final
prize, while the women's Queen of the Mountain sprint saw Briana James (The
Freedom Machine) benefit from a long lead out to hold off Jenny Macpherson (VIS)
and Nicole Whitburn (Quick Cycle Coaching).
C Grade saw the only bunch sprint of the day, with Steve Brooks looking good fifty metres from home as he led along the left hand barriers. Unfortunately for Brooks, former track star Simon King (Peninsula Star) saw a sliver of daylight between Brooks and the Armco and flashed past to take the win, with Daniel Oldfield and Damien Jones (Hampton Cycles) filling the minor places.
The Women's hill sprint saw Catherine Allen (Giramondo) take the win from the front, with Michelle Murrell just holding off a determined final charge from Louisa Judd (Hampton).
Manuel Lawrence rode away from D Grade immediately after their two control
laps, and built a commanding lead by the half way mark. With plenty of wise
heads to control the tempo in the bunch, when the windy conditions began to
slow the leader, he was quickly swept up. The bunch stayed together for the
second half of the race, until an attack from Michael Sparkes at two to go went
unanswered, giving him the win. In a very tight bunch sprint for second, Peter
Walker got the verdict over Andrew Rose and Marshal Newman, with crowd favourite
Jack Dovaston an unlucky fifth.
Rebecca Hanning took the mid-race Women's sprint in a virtual replay of the
previous weeks drag race with Karin Coles, with first time racer Jen Ryan not
far off in third place.
Carnegie Caulfield Criteriums continue Sunday mornings are at Glenvale Crescent
(Melways map 80B2). C, D and E Grades start at 9am, while A and B Grade ride
at 10am. Tuesday Twilight racing at Sandown runs every week until the end of
March, with the Sandown Road gate opening at 6pm for a 6.30pm race start for
all grades.
All holders of 2005 or 2006 Cycling Australia licenses are welcome (don't forget
to bring your license or receipt!) and non-members can have a go by taking out
a day license for $20. 2006 licenses are now available at all CCCC events.
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 1 Robert Crowe (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Ross Mueller (Brunswick) 3 Richard England (Blackburn) 4 Nathan Wise (Carnegie Caulfield) 5 Anthony Smith (Carnegie Caulfield) 6 Dale Woonton (Carnegie Caulfield) B Grade - 55 minutes 1 Paul Kelly (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Bruce Will (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Luke Hanley (Warragul) 4 Russell Newnham (Carnegie Caulfield) 5 Tom Gallagher (Carnegie Caulfield) QOM 1 Briana James (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Jenny Macpherson (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Nicole Whitburn (Warragul) C Grade - 50 minutes 1 Simon King (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Steve Brooks (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Daniel Oldfield (Carnegie Caulfield) 4 Damien Jones (Carnegie Caulfield) QOM 1 Catherine Allen (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Michelle Murrell (Mornington) 3 Louisa Judd (Carnegie Caulfield) D Grade - 50 minutes 1 Michael Sparke (Brunswick) 2 Peter Walker (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Andrew Rose (Carnegie Caulfield) 4 Marshal Newman (Carnegie Caulfield) QOM 1 Rebecca Hanning (St Kilda) 2 Karin Coles (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Jen Ryan (Carnegie Caulfield)
