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2004 Jayco Bay Cycling Classic
Victoria, Australia, January 7-11, 2004
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Mikkeli Godfree Diary
Cyclingnews contributor and rider in the MGZT team, Mikkeli Godfree, spends much of his year racing abroad. Like many Australian riders, he is back home at this time of year and racing in the Bay series in Victoria. He's also writing a diary while on the road, staying connected with assistance from local ISP Big Blue Internet. On day one in Hastings he survived the carnage to bring home a good result for his team and sponsors.
A Day in the Hurt Box
Race 3 - January 9: Ritchie Boulevard, Geelong
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I have to say that I was glad to be back on a course that was pancake flat again. The Ritchie Boulevard course really is a gem with a big grassy bank which serves as a great viewing gallery, helping all the fans to see the race the whole way around.
Going into the race, there were a few riders to watch. McEwen had won the Aussie crit title here before over the SBR boys so they would be closely followed. Likewise, after missing the move at Portarlington, McKenzie would be keen to make amends. Add to that lot, any one of the four Skilled-FDJ boys and you have yourselves a few boys to watch.
Personally, I spent the day in bed with the sweats wondering if I was going to start or not. All I had to do was remember the time I was a mechanic for Hayden Bradbury in '96 when he had a fever before a stage in the Buller Cup and ended up taking out the stage that afternoon.
Anyway, because we still held three spots in the top ten on GC we lined up on the front row. As we racked up, Baden Cooke holding the finish banner, me holding Cooke's handlebars and my teammate Joel Pearson holding my bars, we were ready for a quick start. While waiting for the gun I looked across to see Baden had somewhat modified the Skilled sticker to say *kill** an intimidation tactic that they could probably back up on would have to say.
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Oh, and with minutes to the start someone put up $500 for the first sprint. So as per usual, it was on with the attacks coming thick and fast. The course was alive with heaps of fans yelling and screaming and the smell of gourmet sausages, beer and coffee wafting out of the MGZT marquee as we tore around the tight circuit.
To cut a long story short, the first sprint bonus found a group up the road with our man Karl up there. However, in the last corner, Karl got blinded by money and laid it down, leaving Renshaw to take the sprint and the money. The break was looking good but Karl wasn't and he ended up pulling out. That break ended up getting brought back and immediately McKenzie, Wilson and Cooke went up the road. As they quickly established a lead, the Skilled-FDJ boys shut the race down and that was that.
With the move going up the road McEwen tried to bridge. I went with him but we got nowhere with the FDJ boys shutting it down. I then tried with Gerrans, then Aitken...but nothing stuck. Then it became the race for fourth. The Brits got all 5 men on the front to drive the bunch for the middle section of the race but there was nothing they could do to stop the break lapping the field.
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Back in the bunch the field was strung out along the whole straight. The only place to be was in the top ten wheels and everyone wanted to be there. There were many close calls with some riders (a few New South Welshman who shall remain nameless) continuously cutting in on the inside with no regard for bunch etiquette. That aside, there were a few unavoidable close calls like me getting sandwiched between one rider and NZ-er Henderson. Lucky Hendo was right onto it and he straightened it up just long enough for me to get my wheel out of his foot at 39kph and we were off again with a lap to go.
With points still up for grabs, the fight at the front was insane. The FDJ boys, Aitken, the Brits, Hendo and a few others were trying to sneak into the top ten. The pace was so high that we basically finished in the same order that we finished the last lap in, with the exception of Sutton who did the lead-out for Skilled. I punished myself, passing two riders in the last half lap to finish...11th, one out of the points...quite a surprise given my day in the hurt-box. Looking at the top placed sprinters though (Aitken, Cooke, Henderson, McGee, Cummings, Renshaw, House), I couldn't really complain.
As you well know, McKenzie took the race out with an amazing ride, leading out and holding off the new series leader, Wilson, and fast-man Clarke. I spoke to Hilton that night at dinner and asked him how far off the win he was, he replied that he was hurting so much he nearly came fourth - from a lap up!...good to see some humour in defeat.
On paper, the MGZT team didn't have a great day - the first race where we didn't pick up a point. We are having a great series though, on and off the track with hundreds of people taking advantage of the gourmet sausages, Belgian beer and espresso coffee coming out of our marquee.
Yet again the series heads to a circuit with a little lump in it that may see some different players up front. But, with 5time series winner, McKenzie, now in 3rd overall - all eyes would be on him - especially the eyes of the Skilled boys in 1st, 2nd, 4th and 6th spots overall.
See Full Results
Photography
Images by MGZT (Morcom/Moss)
- The MGZT boys talk about the game plan.
- Mat Wilson (Skilled - FDJ) was very active from the start, here he attacks with Karl Menzies (DSC_MGZ.jpg
- A close-up of the Skilled Team's intimidating sticker work as sported by Baden Cooke: KILL.
- McGee (Skilled - FDJ) House (700c), Pearson (MGZT), Clarke (SBR) and Godfree (MGZT) pay attention at the front.
- Mikk Godfree (MGZT) puts the pressure on with Cooke following.
- Karl Menzies in a Skilled - FDJ sandwich.
- Dave McKenzie attacks with MGZT boys Joel Pearson and Menzies in tow.
- The field spread out all over Ritchie Boulevard.
- The break established with Wilson doing a big turn in front of Clark and McKenzie.
- McEwen makes his bid for the race with the break up the road but is closely marked.
- Keep left: the break rounds the first corner with a comfy lead.
- The McKenzie of a few years ago returned to top form at Geelong in 2004.
- The Brits drive the long bunch but wouldn't get close to bringing the break back.
- The break nearly comes up to lap the field.
- One lap to go for the bunch a major scrabble for the minor placings.
- McGee gets the inside word on the MGZT - the 2004 car sponsor of FDJ.
