|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
 |
Joseph Sunde Memorial Criteriums
Heffron Park, Maroubra, Australia, January 27, 2003
Elite Race
Results Handicap & Women Masters
Graeme Moffett claims Joseph Sunde Memorial 2003
By John Sunde
 |
Sydney rider Graeme Moffett celebrated the announcement of his new Clarence St Cyclery/Trek team in superb style with an impressive win in the prestigious Joseph Sunde Memorial Criterium at Heffron Park on Monday.
The 2003 edition was the 10th anniversary of this popular event, which is conducted by Eastern Suburbs cycling club and is dedicated to the memory of Joseph Sunde, who passed away in 1993 after an 18 month battle with leukemia (see about Joseph).
The elite field of 55 riders boasted the cream of Sydney cycling talent which once again put on a great display of aggressive racing on the demanding 2km Heffron Park circuit .
What made Moffett's win even more impressive was that he was able to completely out smart and out sprint the 4 Eastern Suburbs riders who were part of the winning 6 man break which dominated the majority of the race. It would appear Easts 'D.S.' Frank Conceicao still wasn't able to engineer a win even when all the cards were favourably stacked.
With a very strong southerly headwind blowing down the finishing straight, St George/FRF Couriers rider, big Troy Glennan was the first to stir up the race when he was able to create and maintain a 200m gap on the bunch for the first 5 laps. Almost immediately after he was reeled in, a 4 man break of Easts rider's Stuart Dangerfield and Paul Rowney, St George/FRF rider Peter Milostic and Graeme Moffett settled into establishing a smooth rhythm which managed to hold the chasing bunch at a comfortable 20sec.
During the past 10 years of the event, no rider has yet won the elite race more than once and 3 riders, Anthony Spurgeon (Caravello), last year's winner Jeff Hopkins (Jittery Joes) and English time trialist Stuart Dangerfield were racing today to attempt to be the first to claim this honour. At the halfway point of the race this advantage was clearly with Englishman Dangerfield who was looking very comfortable in the break and one of the main drivers.
Then came what was undoubtedly the ride of the day when Stewart 'Computer' Campbell almost single-handedly rode down the break with club mate Dave Stewart in tow, leaving the more fancied sprinters back in the bunch.
 |
With the break now 6 strong and Easts rider's Rowney, Campbell and Dangerfield doing the driving with plenty of advice and encouragement coming trackside from 'D.S.' Conceicao, an Easts win was looking predictable.
Not to be intimidated, especially by Dangerfield's potent power and ability to simply ride away on his own in the closing laps, Moffett, sporting his new team colours for the first time, rode masterfully at 5th or 6th wheel just watching the Englishman.
In the headwind sprint, it was Graeme Moffett who made the first jump some 200m out and he was able to maintain his initial gap and hold off a strong finishing Stewart Campbell all the way to the line, with Peter Milostic claiming 3rd.
Photography
Images by Peter Pagidas, Square One Photography
- Graeme Moffett wins the sprint from Stewart Campbell
- Peter Milostic drives the early break
- Paul Rowney, Australian mountain bike champion, leads the break on the bell lap
- Stuart Dangerfield looks to see what sort of gap the early break have on the bunch
- Winner Graeme Moffett with Joseph's parents, John and Christine Sunde
- Top 10 placegetters pose with 'D.S.' Conceicao
Images by Tony Horneman
- Equal first women Rene Fortunato and Emma James pose for the camera
- Handicap winners - Standing: Clive Hammerson, John Buckton, Will Gray, Matt Lucas. In front: Craig Dempsey, Luke Picton, David Johns
Acknowledgements
John, Christine, Edward and Portia Sunde and the Eastern Suburbs Cycling Club would like to thank all those riders and spectators who attended the event and again donated generously to Childrens Cancer Institute of Australia. If you would like to make a donation online to the Institute, please visit their website at www.ccia.org.au
A big thank you also to the sponsors who generously donated prizes for the 3 events:
Peleton Massage (0411 241
486)
Albion Cycles
Casa Bonita
Eastern Suburbs Cycling Club
Velo Vita
Rudy Project Sunglasses
and to the suppliers of the raffle prizes:
Trek Bikes Australia
Wildfire Restaurant
Croydon Industries
Ivan Lulic Pharmacy
Double Bay Podiatry Clinic
Dolina Fashion Group
Results
1 Graeme Moffett (Clarence St Cyclery) 2 Stewart Campbell (Eastern Suburbs) 3 Peter Milostic (St George/FRF Couriers) 4 David Stewart (Eastern Suburbs) 5 Stuart Dangerfield (Eastern Suburbs) 6 Paul Rowney (Eastern Suburbs) 7 Troy Glennan (St George/FRF Couriers) 8 Jeff Hopkins (Bankstown) 9 Anthony Spurgeon (Caravello) 10 Nathan Russell (North Sydney)
