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Eastern Suburbs Cycling Club
Criterium, Heffron Park, Tuesday December 11, 2007
Luke Davison gets another win as the sprinters patience pays off
Heffron Park is renowned for hot, gusty north easterly winds during summer but on Tuesday night a rare southerly blew in as Sydney's unsettled summer weather persisted with dark clouds and threatening rain once again keeping numbers down. C grade were at the biggest disadvantage with the smallest bunch, however A grade were strengthened by the return of Tim Willing and the presence of mountain biker Perren Delacour, AIS roadie Shaun Higgerson and triathlete Kris Koke. B grade as usual had a solid compliment of energetic masters riders mixed up with some younger riders, many of whom still have difficulty in finding the front.
The different wind pattern certainly made for smoother, faster pedaling in and out of the corners, there are 10 to negotiate in 2kms and all the bunches were lined up in sight of each other with 5 laps to go. In normal conditions, this would give the stronger A grade riders the opportunity to apply the pressure and watch the field disintegrate, but the headwind down the straight gave everyone just that little bit of extra cover to recover each lap and the majority of the field were still in the race with 3 laps to go.
The tactic was then a battle between the 'drivers', Shaun Higgerson, Brad Mills, Perren Delacour, Kris Koke and Troy Glennan and of course Dave Early, (who is like the battery man and just wants to drive alnight) as they desperately tried to split the field and the 'sprinters', Pete Fitzpatrick, Ben Isaksen, Warren Scott and of course the two biggest sit on sprinters Stewart Campbell and Luke Davison who collectively want to stay well away from any wind turbulence until the last 200m.
Perren Delacour didn't miss a turn all night and was always looking to apply more pressure. Troy Glennan had everyone in the hurt box coming into the bell lap but still the rubber band didn't snap. A bold move past the toilet block almost worked when Troy Glennan (again) and Time Willing attacked, but that move was quickly reeled in by Kris Koke. Brad Mills then attacked into the straight and opened what look like a race winning gap only to be mowed down 500 from the line. By now of course it was the sprinters turn. First it was Stewart Campbell who tried to come from 3 back but this just gave Luke Davison the perfect platform to launch his winning move and cross the line for his second win of the year and demonstrate that sometimes patience can pay off.
Ben Isaksen had another strong ride to record his second, second place in 2 weeks while last weeks winner Pet Fitzpatrick was third with Stewart Campbell and Perren Delacour finishing fourth and fifth. In the battle for B grade honours, Peter Hamilton easily came home first B grade rider, which is not surprising because he is an A grade ranked rider, something which continues to elude the notice of the handicapper. Matt Bazzano made a welcome return to Tuesday night racing and showed plenty of glimpses of his classy pedigree to finish second in front of Mike Bolt who was had another strong ride.
After trying to escape from C grade last week with just a little bit of assistance from A grade, David Cobcroft did it the hard way this week and romped home the winner of C grade and must be very close to earning himself a promotion to B grade. The most impressive ride of the night belonged to Jemma O'Brien who showed up a lot of her stronger male companions to get second in C grade. Rounding out the C grade podium was a slighter underdone, but certainly well accomplished Heffron rider Marty Millward who wasn't afraid to mix it up with A grade in the closing laps.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Dave Bateman
- Bebe Adams. Always a pretty sight on the bike and always prepared to give racing her best shot.
- Its all a whirl in B grade as John Sunde, Adam Elias and Mike Bolt flash by.
- Shaun Higgerson is all speed with Alan Bozunovic in tow.
- Troy Glennan puts the entire field under pressure down the straight.
- Ben Isaksen shows off his best de Vlaeminck 'catlike' position in the bunch.
- Ding a ling, one lap to go.
Images by Stuart Baker
- Roger Sackleton and Marty Millwood lead the way for C grade.
- David Robb on the front while a relaxed looking Matt Bazzano waits his turn.
- The jostle for position intensifies in the closing laps.
- One lap later Luke Davison hits the line first.
- David Cobcroft was too strong for C grade with a good win.
Results
A Grade 1 Luke Davison (Sydney) 2 Ben Isaksen (Lidcombe Auburn) 3 Peter Fitzpatrick (St George) 4 Stewart Campbell (Easts) 5 Perren Delacour (Sutherland) B Grade 1 Peter Hamilton (Sutherland) 2 Matt Bazzano (St George) 3 Mike Bolt (Bicisport) C Grade 1 David Cobcroft (Easts) 2 Jemma O'Brien (Eurobidulla) 3 Marty Millwood (Randwick Botany)
