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Vic Roads Herald Sun Tour 2003 - 2.3
Australia, October 16-26, 2003
Stage 1 - October 16: Melbourne Criterium, 33 kms
Mike Sayers takes first stage of Herald-Sun Tour
By Rod Morris in Melbourne
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An American veteran and a rising Australian star, stole the headlines on the opening day of the VicRoads Herald Sun Tour today. Michael Sayers (33) from Tucson, Arizona, won his first ever stage of the Tour, with a blistering finish in the opening Lygon St Criterium in Melbourne's busy CBD.
Sayers, who in two previous tours has been a workhorse for other, better-credentialed riders, surprised many, none the least, himself. Even this week, Sayers, who is riding for the Ballarat *eureka! team is regarded as a domestique for the No. 1 and No. 2 team members, Chris Wherry and Scott Moninger. Sayers dedicated his win to his best friend - and fellow cyclist - Gord Fraser, who is a new father. "Gord and I train every week and this win is for him and his new born son," Sayers said.
Whilst Sayers bathed in glory of his first Australian road win, 23-year-old Victorian Simon Gerrans (Malaysia Airlines) fulfilled a childhood dream of wearing the leader's yellow jersey. "This is fantastic," Gerrans beamed. "I watched this race as a young boy and dreamed of someday riding in the race and - naturally enough - doing well. But to actually have the lead after the first stage is unbelievable," he said.
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The opening stage criterium was highlighted by thousands of on-lookers, enjoying a sensational Melbourne summer day and even better race. Early attacks were the norm, with the first major assault coming from Hilton Clarke (Barlowworld). Clarke's solo attack was reeled in after four laps with Moninger - the 1996 Herald Sun Tour champion - Gerrans and Tasmanian rider Sean Sullivan (Barloworld) putting in a solid onslaught on the remainder of the 85-strong field.
But every attack was being carefully watched by astute and experienced road campaigners. David McKenzie (Jayco) won the opening day criterium last year and he too was watchful of moves within the field. As the race wound down towards the last six laps, Sayers, Jamie Drew (Jayco) and Uruguayian rider Hector Morales (Active For Life), along with the chasing pair of Gerrans and Sullivan had established an 18-second lead over the main bunch and it was highly likely they would take the leading placings.
In a hectic sprint to the finish it was Sayers who pipped Morales on the line with Drew claiming third. Drew however was disappointed with the finish. "There were spectator's hands too far over the barriers and I had to pull on the handbrake about 100m from the finish - it cost me dearly and I'm extremely disappointed I couldn't get the win on day one," Drew said.
Drew had to settle for second place in the traditional Herald Sun Tour lead-up race, the Melbourne to Warrnambool last Saturday. "My time will come, I'm riding well and its just a matter of hanging in there," Drew added.
Although Sayers won the stage, the overall lead was taken by popular Victorian Simon Gerrans, although by the barest possible margin - one second! Sayers is Gerrans' closest challenger, with Morales a further three seconds back in third place and the Tasmanian, Sean Sullivan at 6 seconds behind the leader.
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Gerrans, the 2002 Australian Under 23 Road Champion is quickly making the "big boys" sit up and take notice. He claimed the yellow jersey through his ability to feature in most of the intermediate sprints, which carry important time bonuses, deducted from a rider's aggregate race time.
Gerrans is also the opening day's leader in the Castlemaine Bacon Sprint Championship, while in other categories, Canberra's Robert McLachlan (Caravello) is the best of the Herald Sun Australian Based Riders, Hilton Clarke leads the Savings and Loans Most Aggressive Rider and Sayers, naturally enough leads the Active For Life Criterium Championship.
The 2003 Herald Sun Tour moves to Geelong today (Friday) for the second stage, a 117 km kermesse at Port Arlington, starting at 11.30 a.m. On Saturday, the action will be at Eastern Beach in Geelong with a lightning fast 77 km kermesse, starting at 1.30 p.m.
Photography
Images by Shane Goss/Cyclingnews.com/www.licoricegallery.com
- Hilton Clarke (Team Barloworld) before the start of the Herald Sun Tour
- Brett Aitken (Rio Coffee) has lunch before the start of the Herald Sun Tour
- The Vic Health Herald Sun Tour and all its colour
- The start line of the 2003 Vic Health Herald Sun Tour
- Action from stage one of the Herald Sun Tour
- The peloton on Lygon st during the first stage criterium
- School's out at the Herald Sun Tour
- An old jersey of former tour rider Angelo Catelano hangs along Lygon street
- Scott Moninger (Ballarat eureka) leads a breakaway group around a bend early in the stage
- Riders power past a mini in Carlton during the first stage of the Herald Sun Tour
- The Sun Tour snake winds its way down Cardigan street in Carlton
- The chase group around a bend in the opening stage of the Herald Sun Tour
- Scott Moninger (Ballarat eureka) and Sean Sullivan (Team Barloworld) around a bend
- Hilton Clarke (Team Barloworld, L) and Simon Gerrans (Malaysia Airlines) attempt a breakaway
- Looking through a Lygon street window at the peloton rushing past
- An international flavour on the first day of an Aussie Tour
- Riders on Lygon street on their last lap in front of a huge crowd
- The cafe scene on Lygon street as riders speed by
- Michael Sayers (Ballarat eureka) leads Hector Morales (Active for Life) with a lap to go
- Michael Sayers (Ballarat eureka) edges out Hilton Clarke the first stage in Carlton
- Michael Sayers (Ballarat eureka) the Arizona flyer after his first stage win
- Podium (L to R): Hector Morales, Michael Sayers and Jamie Drew after stage one
- Simon Gerrans overall leader of the tour after stage one
Results
1 Michael Sayers (USA) Ballarat*Eureka! 45.11 2 Hector Morales (Uru) Active For Life 3 Jamie Drew (Aus) Jayco 4 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Malaysia Airlines 5 Sean Sullivan (Aus) Barloworld 6 David Kupka (Cze) Team Warrnambool 0.10 7 Lubor Tesar (Cze) Team Warrnambool 8 Hilton Clarke (Aus) Barloworld 9 Ivan Fanelli (Ita) Pelaco 10 Robert McLachlan (Aus) Caravello 11 Jonas Ljungblad (Swe) City Of Melbourne 12 Scott Guyton (NZl) Jayco 13 Alex Candelario (USA) Ballarat*Eureka! 14 Kjell Carlstrom (Fin) Pelaco 15 Joel Pearson (Aus) Subaru 16 Mateusz Mroz (Pol) Pelaco 17 Tony Mann (Aus) Caravello 18 Tiaan Kannemeyer (RSA) Barloworld 19 Kieran Page (GBr) Bendigo Building Industry 20 Greg Henderson (NZl) Carlton Midstrength 21 Kristian House (GBr) Emu Spirit-Apsco 22 Milton Wynants (Uru) Echuca-Moama 23 Michal Precechtel (Cze) Team Warrnambool 24 David McKenzie (Aus) Jayco 25 Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) Vicroads 26 Pavel Zerzan (Cze) Team Warrnambool 27 Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Malaysia Airlines 28 Jorge Libonatti (Uru) Active For Life 29 Jaco de Witt (RSA) Barloworld 30 Brett Aitken (Aus) Rio Coffee 31 Matt Wilson (Aus) Malaysia Airlines 32 Jindrich Vana (Cze) Team Warrnambool 33 Russell Van Hout (Aus) Emu Spirit-Apsco 34 Jamie Burrow (GBr) Pelaco 35 James Perry (RSA) Barloworld 36 Cameron Jennings (Aus) Caravello 37 Alvaro Tardaguila (Uru) Echuca-Moama 38 Chris Bradford (Aus) Subaru 39 Bart Heirewegh (Bel) Carlton Midstrength 40 Phillip Thuaux (Aus) Ballarat*Eureka! 41 Scott Moninger (USA) Ballarat*Eureka! 42 Jose Medina (Chi) City Of Melbourne 43 Rhys Pollock (Aus) Vicroads 44 Trent Wilson (Aus) Jayco 45 Andrew Graham (Aus) FRF Couriers 46 Garry Parsons (Aus) Malaysia Airlines 47 Jorge Libonatti (Uru) Active For Life 48 Adrian Laidler (Aus) Rio Coffee 49 Gerado Castro (Uru) Echuca-Moama 50 Anthony Challinor (Aus) FRF Couriers 51 Matthew Goold (Aus) Malaysia Airlines 52 Tomas Buchacek (Cze) Emu Spirit-Apsco 53 Dominique Perras (Can) Active For Life 54 Allan Iacuone (Aus) Jayco 55 Chris Newton (GBr) Bendigo Building Industry 56 Brian Steel (GBr) Bendigo Building Industry 57 Nigel Dunstone (Aus) Caravello 58 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Active For Life 59 James Hannam (Aus) Rio Coffee 60 Tim Johnson (USA) Active For Life 61 Danny In't Ven (Bel) Carlton Midstrength 62 Tim Decker (Aus) Subaru 63 Ashley Hutchinson (Aus) Carlton Midstrength 64 Troy Glennan (Aus) FRF Couriers 65 Graham Rootes (Aus) Rio Coffee 66 Chris Wherry (USA) Ballarat*Eureka! 67 Alejandro Acton (Arg) Echuca-Moama 68 Marek Wesoly (Pol) Pelaco 69 Luke Weir (Aus) City Of Melbourne 70 Glen Stojanow (Aus) Caravello 71 Paul Redenbach (Aus) City Of Melbourne 72 Paul Manning (GBr) Bendigo Building Industry 73 George Vallins (Aus) Vicroads 74 Stephen Wooldridge (Aus) Carlton Midstrength 75 Colin Thornton (Aus) Emu Spirit-Apsco 76 Luis Fernando Sepulveda (Chi) City Of Melbourne 77 Shaun Higgerson (Aus) FRF Couriers 78 Luke Roberts (Aus) Emu Spirit-Apsco 79 Domenic Gatto (Aus) Subaru 80 Stephen Cummings (GBr) Bendigo Building Industry 81 Peter Milostic (Aus) FRF Couriers 2.00 82 Ashley Baines (Aus) Subaru 83 Trent Stevenson (Aus) Vicroads 84 Kane Oakley (Aus) Vicroads 4.00 85 Joseph Papp (USA) Echuca-Moama 6.00 Sprints End of Lap 6 1 Sean Sullivan (Aus) Barloworld 3 pts 2 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Malaysia Airlines 2 3 Scott Moninger (USA) Ballarat*Eureka! 1 End of Lap 8 1 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Malaysia Airlines 3 pts 2 Scott Moninger (USA) Ballarat*Eureka! 2 3 Sean Sullivan (Aus) Barloworld 1 End of Lap 10 1 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Malaysia Airlines 3 pts 2 Scott Moninger (USA) Ballarat*Eureka! 2 3 Sean Sullivan (Aus) Barloworld 1 End of Lap 12 1 Kjell Carlstrom (Fin) Pelaco 3 pts 2 Michael Sayers (USA) Ballarat*Eureka! 2 3 Allan Iacuone (Aus) Jayco 1 End of Lap 14 1 Kjell Carlstrom (Fin) Pelaco 3 pts 2 Jonas Ljungblad (Swe) City Of Melbourne 2 3 Allan Iacuone (Aus) Jayco 1 End of Lap 16 1 Jonas Ljungblad (Swe) City Of Melbourne 3 pts 2 Scott Moninger (USA) Ballarat*Eureka! 2 3 Michal Precechtel (Cze) Team Warrnambool 1 End of Lap 18 1 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Malaysia Airlines 3 pts 2 Hilton Clarke (Aus) Barloworld 2 3 David McKenzie (Aus) Jayco 1 End of Lap 20 1 Robert McLachlan (Aus) Caravello 3 pts 2 Sean Sullivan (Aus) Barloworld 2 3 Kieran Page (GBr) Bendigo Building Industry 1 End of Lap 22 1 Kjell Carlstrom (Fin) Pelaco 3 pts 2 Andrew Graham (Aus) FRF Couriers 2 3 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Active For Life 1 End of Lap 24 1 Robert McLachlan (Aus) Caravello 3 pts 2 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Active For Life 2 3 Scott Moninger (USA) Ballarat*Eureka! 1 End of Lap 26 1 Hector Morales (Uru) Active For Life 3 pts 2 Michael Sayers (USA) Ballarat*Eureka! 2 3 Jamie Drew (Aus) Jayco 1 General classification after stage 1 1 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Malaysia Airlines 44.46 2 Michael Sayers (USA) Ballarat*Eureka! 0.01 3 Hector Morales (Uru) Active For Life 0.04 4 Sean Sullivan (Aus) Barloworld 0.06 5 Jamie Drew (Aus) Jayco 0.08 6 David Kupka (Cze) Team Warrnambool 0.25 7 Kjell Carlstrom (Fin) Pelaco 0.26 8 Robert McLachlan (Aus) Caravello 0.27 9 Hilton Clarke (Aus) Barloworld 10 Lubor Tesar (Cze) Team Warrnambool 11 Scott Moninger (USA) Ballarat*Eureka! 12 Jonas Ljungblad (Swe) City Of Melbourne 0.30 13 Ivan Fanelli (Ita) Pelaco 0.31 14 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Active For Life 0.32 15 Andrew Graham (Aus) FRF Couriers 0.33 16 Allan Iacuone (Aus) Jayco 17 Michal Precechtel (Cze) Team Warrnambool 0.34 18 Kieran Page (GBr) Bendigo Building Industry 19 David McKenzie (Aus) Jayco 20 Colin Thornton (Aus) Emu Spirit-Apsco 0.35 21 Tomas Buchacek (Cze) Emu Spirit-Apsco 22 Kristian House (GBr) Emu Spirit-Apsco 23 Russell Van Hout (Aus) Emu Spirit-Apsco 24 Luke Roberts (Aus) Emu Spirit-Apsco 25 Tim Decker (Aus) Subaru 26 Joel Pearson (Aus) Subaru 27 Domenic Gatto (Aus) Subaru 28 Chris Bradford (Aus) Subaru 29 Anthony Challinor (Aus) FRF Couriers 30 Troy Glennan (Aus) FRF Couriers 31 Shaun Higgerson (Aus) FRF Couriers 32 George Vallins (Aus) Vicroads 33 Rhys Pollock (Aus) Vicroads 34 Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) Vicroads 35 Nigel Dunstone (Aus) Caravello 36 Glen Stojanow (Aus) Caravello 37 Cameron Jennings (Aus) Caravello 38 Tony Mann (Aus) Caravello 39 Luke Weir (Aus) City Of Melbourne 40 Paul Redenbach (Aus) City Of Melbourne 41 Luis Fernando Sepulveda (Chi) City Of Melbourne 42 Jose Medina (Chi) City Of Melbourne 43 Jaco de Witt (RSA) Barloworld 44 James Perry (RSA) Barloworld 45 Tiaan Kannemeyer (RSA) Barloworld 46 Tim Johnson (USA) Active For Life 47 Jorge Libonatti (Uru) Active For Life 48 Dominique Perras (Can) Active For Life 49 Stephen Wooldridge (Aus) Carlton Midstrength 50 Ashley Hutchinson (Aus) Carlton Midstrength 51 Danny In't Ven (Bel) Carlton Midstrength 52 Bart Heirewegh (Bel) Carlton Midstrength 53 Greg Henderson (NZl) Carlton Midstrength 54 Alejandro Acton (Arg) Echuca-Moama 55 Alvaro Tardaguila (Uru) Echuca-Moama 56 Gerado Castro (Uru) Echuca-Moama 57 Milton Wynants (Uru) Echuca-Moama 58 Jindrich Vana (Cze) Team Warrnambool 59 Pavel Zerzan (Cze) Team Warrnambool 60 Stephen Cummings (GBr) Bendigo Building Industry 61 Brian Steel (GBr) Bendigo Building Industry 62 Paul Manning (GBr) Bendigo Building Industry 63 Chris Newton (GBr) Bendigo Building Industry 64 Jamie Burrow (GBr) Pelaco 65 Mateusz Mroz (Pol) Pelaco 66 Marek Wesoly (Pol) Pelaco 67 James Hannam (Aus) Rio Coffee 68 Graham Rootes (Aus) Rio Coffee 69 Adrian Laidler (Aus) Rio Coffee 70 Steve Cunningham (Aus) Rio Coffee 71 Brett Aitken (Aus) Rio Coffee 72 Phillip Thuaux (Aus) Ballarat*Eureka! 73 Alex Candelario (USA) Ballarat*Eureka! 74 Chris Wherry (USA) Ballarat*Eureka! 75 Scott Guyton (NZl) Jayco 76 Trent Wilson (Aus) Jayco 77 Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Malaysia Airlines 78 Garry Parsons (Aus) Malaysia Airlines 79 Matthew Goold (Aus) Malaysia Airlines 80 Matt Wilson (Aus) Malaysia Airlines 81 Ashley Baines (Aus) Subaru 2.25 82 Peter Milostic (Aus) FRF Couriers 83 Trent Stevenson (Aus) Vicroads 84 Kane Oakley (Aus) Vicroads 4.25 85 Joseph Papp (USA) Echuca-Moama 6.25 Team Classification 1 Barloworld 2.15.26 2 Malaysia Airlines 0.02 3 Active For Life 0.06 4 Jayco 0.09 5 Team Warrnambool 0.18 6 Europcar / Pelaco 0.24 7 Caravello 0.29 8 City Of Melbourne 0.32 9 FRF Couriers 0.35 10 Bendigo Building Industry 0.36 11 Rio Coffee 0.37 12 Carlton Midstrength 13 Vic Roads 14 Subaru 15 Emu Spirit / Apsco Sprint Classification 1 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Malaysia Airlines 11 pts 2 Kjell Carlstrom (Fin) Pelaco 9 3 Scott Moninger (USA) Ballarat*Eureka! 8 4 Sean Sullivan (Aus) Barloworld 7 5 Robert McLachlan (Aus) Caravello 6 6 Jonas Ljungblad (Swe) City Of Melbourne 5 7 Michael Sayers (USA) Ballarat*Eureka! 4 8 Hector Morales (Uru) Active For Life 3 9 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Active For Life 3 10 Hilton Clarke (Aus) Barloworld 2 11 Andrew Graham (Aus) FRF Couriers 2 12 Allan Iacuone (Aus) Jayco 2 13 David McKenzie (Aus) Jayco 1 14 Jamie Drew (Aus) Jayco 1 15 Michal Precechtel (Cze) Team Warrnambool 1 16 Kieran Page (GBr) Bendigo Building Industry 1 Criterium Championship 1 Michael Sayers (USA) Ballarat*Eureka! 10 pts 2 Hector Morales (Uru) Active For Life 9 3 Jamie Drew (Aus) Jayco 8 4 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Malaysia Airlines 7 5 Sean Sullivan (Aus) Barloworld 6 6 David Kupka (Cze) Team Warrnambool 5 7 Lubor Tesar (Cze) Team Warrnambool 4 8 Hilton Clarke (Aus) Barloworld 3 9 Ivan Fanelli (Ita) Pelaco 2 10 Robert McLachlan (Aus) Caravello 1
