Grafton to Inverell Classic

Grafton, NSW, September 20, 2003

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Produced by Gerard Knapp, with reporting by Peter Sunderland

2:20pm EST, 168km/60km to go

There has been a serious attack by three strong contenders - Ben Brooks, Uruguayan rider Jorge Libonatti and Kieren Cameron, who have pulled a 1.50 lead to the remainders of the A grade field which still includes Brett Aitken. This leading trio were about to start the short and sharp climb of the Waterloo Range and had previously rolled through for the intermediate sprint in the regional centre of Glenn Innes in uncontested fashion. "It looks like they're going to work together," Sunderland reports. Nonetheless, Libonatti took the sprint points, ahead of Cameron and Brooks.

Earlier, the main A grade field had upped the tempo and caught the early break-away rider Geoff Cook. But 25 kilometres from Glenn Innes, there was a split in the main group of then 16 riders, with a group of 10 going up the road. This group included all the favourites and after several kilometres of committed attacking, the pace then eased again and the dropped six riders made contact.

The lull didn't last for long, as 10 km from Glenn Innes the now leading trio of Brooks, Libonatti and Cameron made their move and pulled clear.

3:20pm EST, 206km/22km to go

The three leaders are still clear as they approach the final defnitive climb of the Grafton, Wire Gully, the scene of many successful late attacks by the strongest riders. However, only 35 seconds behind the leading trio of Ben Brooks, Jorge Libonatti and Kieren Cameron, is a group of four riders that escaped the remainder of the A grade field. It appears that this gang of four - including Richard Mofatt, Peter Milostic, Scott Lyttle and the second rider from Uruguay, Hector Morales - is working well and will catch the leading trio.

Brooks is watchful in the leading trio and is looking over his shoulder regularly, reports Peter Sunderland. Meanwhile, Brett Aitken has been suffering in the third group on the road, which is now over three minutes behind the gang of four, putting him ansd the others effectively out of contention for a podium finish.

3:45pm EST, 218km/10km to go

Wire Gully was the scene of repeated attacks among the leading trio. Ben Brooks put in an attack about halfway up the climb and pulled clear. Jorge Libonatti responded and was able to bridge to him, but would not roll through. This gave Kieren Cameron the opportunity to rejoin the duo. Brooks attacked again and once again, Libonatti followed but stayed glued to his wheel. As Brooks eased up and Libonatti wouldn't roll through, it gave Cameron the opportunity to not only rejoin them, but actually fly around them and secure the KOM points on offer at the top of Wire Gully.

Once over the climb, Cameron could be seen shaking his finger at Libonatti for his negative tactics. "I think after they gave him a serve he started to work a bit," Sunderland commented.

Libonatti's tactics may yet cost them the race, as behind the three leaders playing their game of cat and mouse, the chasing four had become three as Peter Milostic, Richard Moffatt and Hector Morales put in some big turns to reduce the lead to only 15 seconds. It appears likely there will be a group of six race into Inverell for a lap of the main centre before the final sprint.

4:10pm EST, 228km/0km to go

The chasing trio of Peter Milsotic, Richard Moffatt and Hector Morales finally caught the leaders but shortly after, Milostic attacked again and the two riders from Uruguay were quick to follow. Moffatt was also able to follow while Brooks and Cameron had no answer and were left behind.

As the leading group of four entered Inverell, it appeared the two riders from Uruguay were going to work over the other two. On the final straight, Libonatti lead it out and Moffatt followed, with Morales next in line. The Uruguyuan rider jumped across the road with 300 metres to go and Milostic followed, but the Australian could not round up Morales, who took the win by three bike lengths from Milostic, with Moffatt in third.

Women's race, other divisions

The 140km women's race was won by Kathy Watt, ahead of Zoe Southwell and Christine Riakos. Watt attacked a leading group of nine riders and stayed away to finish on her own.

The last time that David Perry rode in the Grafton was in 1993 and he finished second. This year, after a 10-year break, Perry was back, this time in the over-45s category and apparently riding so strongly he could have been in A grade. Perry easily won his division, again with the strongest rider finishing alone. Second in the over-45s was Steve Darracott and third Gary Reardon.

In B grade, Michael Hoult attacked his leading group of six riders as they entered Inverell and motored away on his own, staying clear for the final three kilometres with John Ebeling taking out the sprint for second and Brenton Bruce in third. The C grade division was taken out by Phil Gough, with Cameron Hughan in second and at the time of writing, judges were still deciding on the third place-getter.

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