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National Road Cycling Championships - NE
Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, QLD, September 9-15, 2002
Results Event program and results
Road Race - Juniors
By Anthony Tan, Cyclingnews correspondent in Yandina
'Twas on for young and old
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With both the juniors and masters road races being contested, the racing was both literally and figuratively on for young and old at the National Road Cycling Championships, today held in Yandina.
The 10 kilometre loop around Yandina, situated approximately 30 kilometres north of Mooloolaba fulfilled all expectations as a challenging and decisive road race circuit. This ensured some spectacular racing - but what the organisers weren't counting on were some equally spectacular crashes as a period of heavy rainfall set in around 1pm.
Thankfully the slippery parcours claimed only a handful of victims (none seriously hurt) before the rain gods graciously took control - with the ensuing grades that began later in the day enjoying ideal racing conditions.
The tension that goes hand in hand with a national championship provided the perfect blend of anxiety and excitement as riders assembled on the start line. The little 'uns were especially eager to please their parents - with a number of little tackers and their families coming from as far away as WA to hopefully show the potential of being the next Stuart O'Grady, Anna Millward or Robbie McEwen.
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Competition kicked off at a rather uncivilised hour at 7.30am for the Masters 30-39 category (the Cyclingnews crew are not morning people). At midday the juniors began their turn, starting with the event many spectators and talent scouts came to see - the junior under 19 men's road race - consisting of ten laps of the demanding Yandina circuit. Winner David Kemp (Toowoomba) was so excited he almost forgot to brake, stopping five centimetres short of a barricade penned full of people. Kemp outsprinted an in-form Chris Sutton (NSW), who only two days ago took out the U19 individual time trial.
In most grades, crunch time came at the 3-4 kilometre mark along Fairhill Road, characterised by two short climbs in close succession; the first being 350 metres long at an average gradient of around seven percent. This first pinch provided an entree for the main course: a 550 metre ascension that reached gradients of up to 13 percent, which from the bottom appeared to wind its way out of sight. Such a brute of a climb befitted a race of this caliber, and was reminiscent of the "bergs" in northern Europe that the professionals tackle during the Spring Classics.
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All of the attacks initiated early on were quickly mitigated, and for most, it became a race of attrition. As the Ardennes-like berg took its toll on the non-climbers, those more aerobically endowed came to the fore, stamping their authority on the race as they danced effortlessly on the pedals. Earlier on, a general regrouping appeared to be the norm due to the technical descent that immediately followed - allowing those with descending prowess characteristic of Paolo Savoldelli to tag back onto the peloton.
And the wind? Just to spice things up, an ugly cross-head along most of the exposed section of the route on the Old Bruce Highway prevailed for most of the day.
All in all, a great day of racing, and six very deserving national champions. And who better to tell the rest of the story than the riders themselves? - Here's what they had to say.
Post-race comments: Junior U19 Men Junior U17 Men Junior U15 Men Junior U19 Women Junior U17 Women Junior U15 Women
Junior Under 19 Men, 100 km
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David Kemp (Qld) Toowoomba CC - 1st:
"The last three laps were pretty full-on. Halfway through I got pretty got cold and it was really hard to keep the legs warm.
"With three laps to go I tried to attack and got away, but we regrouped. So with two to go, I attacked again, but the same thing happened on the bottom of the climb.
"So before the final climb, I told Chris [Sutton] to hold my wheel up the last climb and we drove over the top, then all the way to the finish. I was extremely worried about Chris after he got his silver medal in the Madison at the Junior Worlds - but I led out the sprint, he came round me, then I managed to come round him again.
"The effort with Chris really hurt, but pain is temporary - success lasts forever, so it was worth the sacrifice."
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Chris Sutton (NSW) St George Cycling Club - 2nd:
"It was very hard. The second climb took alot out of me; Dave Kemp was the strongest out there and deserved to win it.
"The first three-quarters of the race were fairly controlled - there was nothing much happening - there were a few attacks that went up the road but all were within reach [of the peloton].
"When we had one lap to go he [David Kemp] said to me: 'Get on my wheel up the hill and we'll just jam it up the climb and see what happens.
"I knew if it came down to a bunch kick I'd have the legs to win - but I didn't have the legs [half-laughs]. I knew I had a better kick than David but we had to work pretty hard to stay away; it wasn't easy and I had to do my fair share of work.
"But I'm happy with second - I just got beaten by a better bike rider on the day."
Junior Under 17 Men, 60 km
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Matt Goss (Tas) West Tamar Cycling Club - 1st:
"It was very hard - the second hill really took it out of you on the fourth or fifth lap [2-3 laps to go]. I just tried to go with most of the breaks and stay with the lead pack, then prepare myself for the sprint finish at the end.
"There were some really strong guys - I made sure I was in the first two or three at the finish and managed to get a really good wheel, so yeah, I'm happy!"
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Tyler McLachlan (NSW) Southern Cross Cycling Club - 2nd:
"It was hard in sections after the second hill, especially after the rain - the back wheel just kept slidin' out. But other than that, the course was really good.
"When the rain kicked in, it definitely got harder. As soon as you got out of the saddle, the back wheel lost all its traction, but I just went with the flow and made sure I was up the front for most of the climb.
"The hill wasn't long enough to split too many up, and after a while, the [main] group eased up after the climb which allowed the others to get back on.
"Coming into the finish line, it was a bit hairy; it was really hard to get around guys in those last two or three corners. I tried to get a good wheel but it was pretty hard because everyone was still grouped up coming into the finish. But once I saw a gap I let it rip down the straight."
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Cameron Hope (NSW) Wagga Wagga Cycling Club - 3rd:
"It was pretty tough - especially when it started to rain.
"The hill pretty much sorted the front group out - every lap there was four or five guys droppin' off, and it basically got down to a fairly small bunch.
"[With the climbs] I knew the race would sort itself out, and I expected around twenty or [riders] so at the finish, so I was relying on my sprint to get me through."
Miles Olman (Qld) Rockhampton CC:
"The course was pretty scary - it was really slippery after the rain - there were a few mad riders out there.
"The race was really aggressive - everyone was trying to get away - it was pretty mad sometimes. No-one wanted to let wheels go because of the rain.
"You'd get away at the top, and everyone would be strung out at the bottom after the descent, but the rest of the course was just too flat and fast and everyone would get back on again.
[Talking about the sprint] "Man, that was mad. Coming into the final corner, everyone had their head down and no-one was looking up - I was just waiting for someone to go [down]."
Junior Under 15 Men, 22 km
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Greg Beer (NSW) Penrith Panthers CC - 2nd:
"With only two laps, the second climb was pretty-much flat out. After the crash, that got rid of some of the guys, so then I worked with my teammate [Nicholas Spratt] to set ourselves up for the finish."
Nicholas Spratt (NSW) Penrith Panthers CC - 3rd:
"It was tough, especially the second lap going up the hill. I was feeling pretty strong - so I just stayed up the front most of the race, especially on the climbs."
Junior Under 19 Women, 60 km
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Amber Malone (WA) Northern Districts CC - 1st:
"I tried to keep it [the race] together on the first four laps because I didn't really want to ride out there on my own - it's a long way by yourself.
"On the second last lap, I gave it a bit of a go to see how the legs were feeling, and three of us got away. Then on the next time round I thought I'd give it another go - and gave it all I had. I knew it was going to be a tough day, but I also knew there were only a couple of girls here who were strong up the hill.
"I missed out on the bronze in the time trial by 0.2 of a second, so I had to make amends today. It was definitely the race I was targeting this week."
Junior Under 17 Women, 22 km
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Sara Rota (Qld) CATS - 1st:
"I'm stuffed, but I actually thought it was going to be harder out there today with more attacking. There were two or three girls that got away earlier on, but anyone who tried was quickly brought back. My strategy was to stay with the bunch and wait for the sprint."
Junior Under 15 Women, 22 km
Tess Downing (VIC) Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club - 1st:
"It was fairly windy out there, with alot of surges in the pack that made it really tough. I knew it was going to come down to a sprint because the hill wasn't big enough [to break up the bunch] and the sprinters could sit on. I got stuck up the back coming into the sprint, but it was a long straight - and I cut around the pack and just got there."
Angela Jones (NSW) Bicisport - 2nd:
"The race was really fast today with lots of breakaways - everyone was trying to break away on the climb. My plan was just to hang on the back on wait for the sprint at the end."
Photography
Photos by Tom Balks
Men
- Chief Commissaire for the NRCC, Alf Walker, at the start of the junior under 19 men's road race
- Wheelie-bin - plenty of spares, just in case
- Chris Sutton (St George Cycling Club) gave it all he had, but didn't count on an unstoppable David Kemp (Toowoomba) in the junior under 19 men's road race
- David Kemp (Toowoomba) was clearly the protagonist in today's junior under 19 men's road race, and his incessant attacks paid handsome dividends
- The final sprint in the junior under 19 men's road race - both David Kemp and Chris Sutton throw themselves at the line, and on this occassion, Kemp was just too good
- The second climb, 550 metres in length was a real leg-sapper, and proved decisive in a number of categories throughout the day. Here the under 17 men are mostly altogether, and it stayed that way right until the finish
- Hope-d for the best - Cameron Hope (Wagga Wagga Cycling Club) relied on his finishing kick to take him up to a spot on the podium
- Cameron Hope (Wagga Wagga Cycling Club) found the going tough, but gritted his teeth for a fine finish
- Oh my Goss! - Matt Goss (West Tamar Cycling Club) laid the foundation for a superb sprint and cleaned up accordingly in the men's under 17 road race
- Tyler McLachlan (Southern Cross Cycling Club) saw a gap and let it rip, giving him the glory of a silver medal
- Slow and steady wins the race... sometimes - Sam Walton (Canberra CC) gives his best effort, and comes lucky last
- The under 15 men's peloton happy to be out when clouds parted and the sun started shining once again
Women
- Apryl Eppinger (Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club) was one of the three that managed to stay with eventual winner Amber Malone (Northern Districts CC) when she attacked on the second last lap in the women's under 19 road race
- Jessie Maclean (Canberra Cycling Club) gives it plenty of stick in an effort to drop Apryl Eppinger (Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club)
- Jessica Tanner (Shepparton CC) gives a poker-face stare, while riders surrounding her suffer in her wake
- The women's under 17 field negotiate the turn that takes them back for another lap of fun and games
- Rota's got the motor - Sarah Rota (C.A.T.S.) pulled off an awesome sprint to capture the junior under 17 women's road race
- "I'm stuffed, but it was worth it" - Sarah Rota's (C.A.T.S.) pre-race strategy worked to absolute perfection, and won the sprint convincingly in the women's under 17 road race
Results
Note: B = finished with bunch U19 men, 100km 1 David Kemp (QLD) Toowoomba 2.43.52 2 Chris Sutton (NSW) St George Cycling Cub 3 Benjamin Miles (WA) Southern Districts CC 1.06 4 Shaun Higgerson (NSW) Randwick Botany 5 Sam Lee (NSW) St George Cycling Cub 1.53 6 Marc Williams (ACT) Canberra 7 Steven Evans (WA) Midland Cycling Club 3.49 8 Casey Munro (VIC) Brunswick 8.08 9 Luke Dale (NSW) Eurobodalla CTC 8.14 10 Christopher Jenkins (NSW) Randwick Botany 12.18 11 Aaron Kowald (ACT) Canberra Cycling Club 12 Brendan Jones (NSW) Inverell Wheelers 13 Mark Matear (WA) Northen Districts CC 13.31 14 Viktor Temesi (NSW) Team Caravello 17.08 15 Nicholas Dyriw (ACT) Canberra Cycling Club 16 Brendan Kay (QLD) North Brisbane MTB 26.35 17 Tom Mungoven (ACT) Canberra Cycling Club DSQ Andrew Wyper (NSW) Inverell Wheelers DNF Andrew Kidd (NSW) Hunter Districts DNF Ben Nicol (QLD) Kangaroo Point DNF Bradley Payne (QLD) Gold Coast Cats DNF Alan Schnable (QLD) Balmoral Cycling Club DNF Adam Tully (QLD) Balmoral Cycling Club DNF Dane Cheers (SA) Norwood Cycling Club DNF Lucien Keene (SA) Norwood Cycling Club DNF Kato Nixon (SA) Norwood Cycling Club DNF David Klyne (TAS) Mersey Valley CC DNF Dwayne Smith (TAS) Launceston City Cycling DNF Joshua Wilson (TAS) Launceston City Cycling DNF Sean Finning (VIC) Castlemaine Cycling Club DNF Justin Lang (WA) Midland Cycle Club DNF Ross Taylor (ACT) Tuggeranong Vikings DNF Kane Brennan (NSW) Bathurst CC DNF Dane Crawford (NSW) Hunter District Cycling Club U17 men, 60km 1 Matt Goss (TAS) West Tamar Cycling Club 1.43.54 2 Tyler McLachlan (NSW) Southern Cross Cycling Club 3 Cameron Hope (NSW) Wagga Wagga Cycling Club 4 Miles Olman (QLD) Rockhampton CC 5 Michael Ford (VIC) Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club 6 Dean Windsor (NSW) Bathurst CC 7 Ben Mockridge (QLD) C:A:T:S 8 J-L Rathbone (NSW) Penrith Panthers CC 9 Mitchell Docker (VIC) Brunswick 10 Mitchell Black (QLD) Rockhampton CC 11 Luke Anderson (QLD) Gold Coast Cats B Joe Neeman (ACT) Canberra Cycling Club B Luke Cridland (NSW) Southern Cross Cycling Club B Philip Stokes (NSW) Penrith Panthers CC B Josh Wall (NSW) Illawarra Cycling Club B Tristan Ziolkowski (NSW) Parramatta Cycling Club B Adam Davis (NT) Alice Springs CC B Kyle Bateson (QLD) Logan City Cycling Club B Hayden Brooks (QLD) Victor Cycle B Matt Dobinson (QLD) Sunshine Coast Cycling Club B Jacob Kerswill (QLD) Sunshine Coast Cycling Club B Joseph Depasquale (SA) Central Districts B Simon Clarke (VIC) Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club B Trent Clifford (VIC) Geelong West CC B Mario Giramondo (VIC) Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club B Daniel Thorsen (VIC) Shepparton CC B David Bennett (WA) Northen Districts CC B Reegan Clarke (WA) Eastern Goldfields CC B Dorian Gray (WA) Albany Cycle Club B Thomas Greathead (WA) Southern Districts CC B Luke Warren (NSW) Bathurst B Robert Cater (NSW) Randwick Botany B Jason Chilcott (WA) Southern Districts CC 34 Callan Taylor (SA) Central Districts 0.36 35 Jeremy Davis (QLD) Broncos CC 36 Nathan Wise (VIC) Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club 37 Tyrone Devery (QLD) Sunshine Coast Cycling Club 1.02 38 Luke Picton (NSW) Southern Cross Cycling Club 39 Mark Bergamin (SA) Adelaide Cycling Club 4.14 40 Timothy Wiseman (QLD) Coral Isles Cyclicts 41 Brenton Hetherington (QLD) Sunshine Coast Cycling Club 6.25 42 Matthew Hood (NSW) St George Cycling Cub 6.30 43 Matthew Stephens (NT) Alice Springs CC 7.06 44 Matthew James (ACT) Canberra Cycling Club 45 Bobby Gallagher (QLD) Kangaroo Point 7.58 46 Mitch Chapman (NSW) Bathurst CC 9.06 47 Nathan Silleto (ACT) Tuggeranong Vikings Cycling 15.27 48 Fabio Calabria (ACT) Canberra Cycling Club 19.13 49 Joshua Heathcote (QLD) Ipswich Cycling Club 50 Luke Horjus (SA) Central Districts 22.38 DNF Bradley Wright (NSW) Bathurst Cycling Club DNF Christopher Young (NSW) Parramatta Cycling Club DNF Joel Czislowski (QLD) Kangaroo Point DNF Todd Dawson (QLD) C:A:T:S DNF Daniel Mikus (QLD) Broncos CC DNF Nathan Moore (QLD) Logan City Cycling Club DNF Peter Spencer (QLD) C:A:T:S DNF Michael Fountas (SA) Port Pirie CC DNF Timothy Walker (TAS) West Tamar U19 women, 60km 1 Amber Malone (WA) Northen Districts CC 1.57.07 2 Jessie Maclean (ACT) Canberra Cycling Club 1.10 3 Apryl Eppinger (VIC) Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club 1.14 4 Amy Kirk (WA) Midland Cycle Club 1.58 5 Airlie Chalmers (ACT) Canberra Cycling Club 2.01 6 Kirby Piscioneri (TAS) West Tamar 2.06 7 Meg Windsor (NSW) Bathurst CC 5.35 DNF Sarah McLachlan (NSW) Southern Cross Cycling Club DNF Corrine Seegers (NSW) Parramatta Cycling Club U15 men, 22km 1 Scott Sunderland (WA) Midlane Cycling Club 36.57 2 Greg Beer (NSW) Penrith Panthers CC 3 Nicholas Spratt (NSW) Penrith Panthers CC 4 Leigh Howard (VIC) Geelong West CC 5 Nicholas Ruscoe (NT) Alice Springs CC 6 Blake Field (NSW) St George Cycling Cub 7 Joel Lewis (NT) Katherine Cycling Club 8 Kieran Murphy (VIC) Carnegie Caulfield Cycling 9 Michael Fitzgerald (WA) Northen Districts CC 10 Luke Barrett (NSW) St George Cycling Cub B Angus Morton (NSW) Port Macquarie B Matthew Pettit (NSW) Parramatta Cycling Club B Daniel Herrick (NT) Alice Springs CC B Matt Daley (QLD) Gold Coast Gold Stars CC B Jeremy Hogg (QLD) Rockhampton CC B Jack Hudson (QLD) Sunshine Coast Cycling Club B Hayden Josefski (QLD) Broncos CC B Neil Teichmann (QLD) Rockhampton CC B Tarquin Wallace (QLD) Balmoral Cycling Club B Randall Laffin (SA) Port Pirie CC B Ben Young (SA) Whyalla Cycling Club B Sean Oliver (TAS) City of Burnie Cycling Club B Jesse Foster (VIC) Geelong West CC B Will Ford (VIC) Stawell GT Western B Pip Grinter (VIC) Castlemaine Cycling Club 27 Edward Pethey (SA) Norwood Cycling Club 1.30 28 Kieran Lee (SA) Noarlunga South Coast 2.35 29 Craig Mattingly (SA) Adelaide Cycling Club 30 Gareth Coffee (SA) Norwood Cycling Club 31 David Keevers (QLD) Maryborough 3.33 32 William Robinson (TAS) Launceston City Cycling Club 4.03 33 Lee Chesson (SA) Central Districts 4.32 34 Charles Seaman (NSW) Dubbo Cycling Club 35 Jack Rhodes (NT) Alice Springs CC 36 Abe Hastwell (VIC) Ararat + District Cycling Club 5.23 37 Jonathon Cridland (NSW) Southern Cross Cycling Club 38 Benjamin Laskey (TAS) Launceston City Cycling Club 39 Andrew Ingram (WA) Midland Cycle Club 5.34 40 Thomas Robinson (TAS) Launceston City Cycling Club 7.57 41 Alex Holden (TAS) City of Burnie Cycling Club 8.27 42 Troy Asimus (NSW) Dubbo Cycling Club 10.04 U17 women, 32km 1 Sarah Rota (QLD) C:A:T:S 56.03 2 Jessica Tanner (VIC) Shepparton CC 3 Brigid Farrell (VIC) Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club 4 Melissa Moffatt (NSW) Wagga Wagga Cycling Club 5 Naomi Adams (NSW) Dubbo Cycling Club 6 Hannah Banks (QLD) Broncos CC 7 Genna Crean (SA) Noarlunga South Coast CC 8 Victoria Freeland (VIC) Stawell GT Western 9 Amanda Spratt (NSW) Penrith Panthers CC 10 Jessica Armstrong (ACT) Canberra Cycling Club B Skye-Lee Armstrong (NSW) Parramatta Cycling Club B Melinda Harris (NSW) Mudgee B Eve Hood (NSW) Parramatta Cycling Club B Britany Orr (NSW) Randwick Botany B Joanna Von Berky (QLD) Caboolture B Michelle Rowe (VIC) Leongatha 17 Belinda Wild (NSW) Southern Cross Cycling Club 3.11 18 Fiona Streit (QLD) Balmoral Cycling Club 4.33 19 Ilana Boon (QLD) Sunshine Coast Cycling Club 5.18 20 Hannah Bush (VIC) Shepparton CC 5.23 21 Jaclyn Kejda (NSW) Illawarra Cycling Club 5.23 DNF Erin Downing (VIC) Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club DNF Amelia Hallam (QLD) Broncos CC DNF Natasha Mapley (TAS) Mersey Valley Devonport DNF Amy Phillips (VIC) Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club U15 women, 22km 1 Tess Downing (VIC) Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club 42.15 2 Angela Jones (NSW) Bicisport 3 Grace Sulzberger (TAS) West Tamar 4 Erin Peoples (VIC) Shepparton CC 5 Laura Meisel-Dennis (ACT) Canberra Cycling Club 6 Sarah Fiedler (QLD) Sunshine Coast Cycling Club 7 Georgina Freeland (VIC) Stawell GT Western 8 Ingrid Paterson (ACT) Canberra Cycling Club 9 Theresa Blumel (QLD) Broncos CC 10 Therese Rhodes (NT) Alice Springs CC B Jade Reid (NSW) Port Stephens B Tiffany Cromwell (SA) Sturt Holdfast Marion CC B Tiffany Manion (TAS) West Tamar CC B Elizabeth Church (VIC) Castlemaine Cycling Club 15 Loren Rowney (QLD) C:A:T:S 16 Kirsty Bigaila (QLD) Sunshine Coast Cycling Club 17 Carrie Price (TAS) Launceston City Cycling Club 18 Deena-Maree Faulkner (NSW) Southern Cross Cycling Club DNF Jessica Cowman (QLD) Victor Cycle DNF Lara Dyus (SA) Norwood Cycling Club DNF Elicia Kelly (SA) Port Adelaide
