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Malaysia Airlines Herald Sun Tour of Provincial Victoria - 2.3
Australia, October 14-24, 2004
Stage 1 - October 14: Melbourne, Lygon Street Criterium, 33 km
Latecomer Menzies takes first stage
By Rod Morris
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With little more than 48 hours preparation, Tasmanian Karl Menzies upstaged some big names of international cycling to claim the opening stage and yellow jersey in the Malaysia Herald Sun Tour of Provincial Victoria today. Menzies was a late inclusion in the 85 man field to contest the race after taking the place of Nick Gates, who withdrew after the tragic death of his mother. The 27-year-old former triathlete from Launceston in the North of the Apple Isle, made every post a winner, clearly winning the Lygon St Criterium in Melbourne City.
"I couldn't be happier - I am absolutely stoked to have won the opening stage," he said. "I'll be floating on the pedals for the next few days."
Menzies was targeted for inclusion in the Bicycle Superstore team by road captain David McKenzie, who ended up playing a key role in the Tasmanian's victory. Menzies and McKenzie have recently ridden alongside each other in a tough Launceston to Hobart race in Tasmania and the even tougher Melbourne to Warrnambool classic.
"I know what Karl is capable of on the bike and this win only justifies my decision to get him into the team," McKenzie said.
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Menzies, McKenzie and durable Englishman Dean Downing (Bendigo), almost belittled the remainder of the field with their superb performance. The trio broke clear very early in the 30 lap race and dominated the 11 intermediate sprints, taking all points between them. McKenzie took the lead in the KR Castlemaine Foods Sprint Championship, scoring 24 points to Menzies' 23 and Downing's 19.
At the half way mark of the 33 km journey it was becoming increasingly obvious that the breakaway trio were not going to be seriously challenged by the peloton, which included top riders such as Luke Roberts (Latrobe City), Bart Heirewegh (Half Mile Creek), Baden Cooke (Subaru) and Jayco teammates Simon Gerrans and young gun William Walker. The lead stretched to over a minute with just four laps of the race remaining and in fact some riders suffered the embarrassment of being lapped on the opening day.
More than 12,000 people lined the Carlton streets for the opening stage and Menzies, McKenzie and Downing didn't let them down over the closing laps. McKenzie tried to sprint away at three to go, but was quickly reeled and then at 2 to go, the tough-as-teak Tasmanian hit again, this time leaving his teammate and the Englishman in his wake.
Menzies was able to enjoy the victory as he saluted in his first Herald Sun Tour stage win, some 26 seconds ahead of his race day rivals. "Words cannot describe what this tour stage win does me or what it means personally," Menzies said. "I am indebted to David McKenzie and [race director] John Craven for allowing me a start in the race, I would like to think winning the opening stage pays a little of that debt off."
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Menzies is in his third Herald Sun Tour and yesterday's win erases the memory of this stage in 2001 when he was involved in a spectacular crash in the opening stage criterium. With the benefit of 43 seconds in time bonuses, Menzies will carry a 29 second lead over McKenzie and 32 seconds over Downing into tomorrow's second stage, a 36 km criterium in Werribee before the third stage in the afternoon, a 77.7 km climb from Werribee to the You Yangs.
But the pre-race big guns of the tour will have to work that little bit harder now to eat into Menzies' imposing lead. William Walker (67th), Simon Gerrans (68th), Baden Cooke (74th) and Luke Roberts (79th) are all 1.51 minutes behind.
Photography
Images by Shane Goss/www.licoricegallery.com
- Hans de Clerq of Belgium (BicycleSuperstore) signs on for the 2004 Herald Sun Tour
- Luke Roberts (Latrobe City) one of the pre-race favourites for this year's tour.
- Henk Vogels (BicycleSuperstore) faces the media prior to the start of the Herald Sun Tour in Lygon street.
- William Walker (Jayco) at just eighteen and one of the fancies for overall honours
- At the start line for the 2004 Herald Sun Tour
- The Downing brothers Russell (L) and a happy Dean of the Bendigo team before the start of their tour
- The Mayor of Melbourne John Soh fires the gun (with a little help) to start the tour.
- Another huge crowd turned out for stage one of the tour in Lygon street Carlton.
- Dean Downing (Bendigo) leads BicycleSuperstore teammates Karl Menzies and David Mckenzie round the streets of Carlton.
- Jeremy Hunt of Latrobe City gets a taste of the Herald Sun Tour in Carlton!
- David Mckenzie (BicycleSuperstore) takes a turn at the front in the three man breakaway from the main field
- Spectators grab balcony seats for the tour during lunch hours in Carlton
- The field of the Herald Sun Tour in pursuit of three riders, corner in Lygon street.
- Tour De France star Baden Cooke (Team Subaru) recovering from injuries and a previous winner of the Tour in 2002.
- Riders swing round Carlton on the first stage of the 2004 Malaysian Airlines Herald Sun Tour of Provincial Victoria.
- Tasmanian Karl Menzies (BicycleSuperstore) a last minute entry into this year's tour.
- David Mckenzie (BicycleSuperstore) one of three riders to break away from the field on stage one.
- Baden Cooke (Team Subaru) in white looking to add another Herald Sun Tour to his list of victories.
- Jonathan Cantwell (Half Mile Creek) leads teammate Christian Lademann of Germany and Russell Downing (L) of the Bendigo team round on stage one.
- Kieran Page (C) of the Bendigo team a stage winner last year and a criterium specialist on the Tour.
- Crowds turned out in force once again in Lygon street to welcome the arrival of the 2004 Malaysian Airlines Herald Sun Tour of Provincial Victoria.
- Karl Menzies (BicycleSuperstore) makes the most of his late entry by winning the first stage in Carlton.
- The rest of the field sprint for top ten placings, a lap behind winner Karl Menzies.
- The traditional podium spray on stage one (L-R): David Mckenzie (BicycleSuperstore, 3rd) Karl Menzies (BicycleSuperstore, 1st) and Dean Downing (Bendigo, 2nd).
Results
1 Karl Menzies (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 44.28 (44.53 km/h) 2 Dean Downing (GBr) Bendigo 0.26 3 David McKenzie (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 4 Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) Half Mile Creek 1.08 5 Robert McLachlan (Aus) Argon 18 Bikes - Caravello 6 Glen Mitchell (NZl) Active For Life 7 Ben Brooks (Aus) McGee - NSW Institute Of Sport 8 Kristian House (GBr) Bendigo 9 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Active For Life 10 David Tanner (Aus) McGee - NSW Institute Of Sport 11 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Jayco 12 Felix Odebrecht (Ger) Malaysia Airlines 13 Baden Cooke (Aus) Subaru 14 Russell Downing (GBr) Bendigo 15 Kieran Page (GBr) Bendigo 16 Corey Sweet (Aus) Latrobe City 17 Mateusz Mroz (Pol) Europcar - Pelaco 18 Thomas Gronqvist (Swe) Europcar - Pelaco 19 James Meadley (Aus) Mitchell Building Supplies 20 William Walker (Aus) Jayco 21 Joel Pearson (Aus) Provincial Victoria 22 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Subaru 23 Ashley Baines (Aus) CGU Insurance 24 Russell Van Hout (Aus) Subaru 25 Andrew Graham (Aus) Uno Clothing 26 Jonas Ljungblad (Swe) Europcar - Pelaco 27 Ruber Marin (Col) Subaru 28 Ben Johnson (Aus) Malaysia Airlines 29 Luke Roberts (Aus) Latrobe City 30 Rhys Pollock (Aus) Uno Clothing 31 Tony Mann (Aus) Argon 18 Bikes - Caravello 32 Simon Walker (Aus) Victorian State Home Loans 33 Hans De Clercq (Bel) Bicycle Superstore 34 Nick Kiraly (Aus) Victorian State Home Loans 35 Artur Krzeszowiec (Pol) Europcar - Pelaco 36 David Harrigan (Aus) Latrobe City 37 Rob Sharman (GBr) Sungold Milk - Warrnambool 38 Chrisophe Le Mevel (Fra) Provincial Victoria 39 Chris Sutton (Aus) McGee - NSW Institute Of Sport 40 Craig McCartney (Aus) Provincial Victoria 41 David Pell (Aus) Uno Clothing 42 Trent Wilson (Aus) Subaru 43 Daniel Newnham (Aus) Mitchell Building Supplies 44 Christian Lademann (Ger) Half Mile Creek 45 Steve Cunningham (Aus) CGU Insurance 46 Thomas Liese (Ger) Malaysia Airlines 47 Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Latrobe City 48 Tomas Buchacek (Cze) Latrobe City 49 Timo Scholz (Ger) Malaysia Airlines 50 Hilton Clarke (Aus) Half Mile Creek 51 Benoit Poilvet (Fra) Provincial Victoria 52 Jamie Burrow (GBr) Europcar - Pelaco 53 Anthony Challinor (Aus) Argon 18 Bikes - Caravello 54 Phillip Thuaux (Aus) Jayco 55 Dominique Perras (Can) Active For Life 56 Domenic Gatto (Aus) Victorian State Home Loans 57 Peter Milostic (Aus) Argon 18 Bikes - Caravello 58 Nigel Dunstone (Aus) Argon 18 Bikes - Caravello 59 Matthew Goold (Aus) Active For Life 60 Scott Guyton (NZl) Bicycle Superstore 61 Stephen Cummings (GBr) Bendigo 62 Steven De Decker (Bel) Half Mile Creek 63 Paul Healion (Irl) Sungold Milk - Warrnambool 64 Matthew Lloyd (Aus) Mitchell Building Supplies 65 Jonathon Clarke (Aus) Jayco 66 Chris Bradford (Aus) CGU Insurance 67 Bart Heirewegh (Bel) Half Mile Creek 68 Matthew Rex (Aus) CGU Insurance 69 Daniel McConnell (Aus) Victorian State Home Loans 70 Richard England (Aus) Mitchell Building Supplies 71 Jorn Reuss (Ger) Malaysia Airlines 72 Kieran Cameron (Aus) McGee - NSW Institute Of Sport 73 Mark Roland (Aus) Victorian State Home Loans 74 Nathan Jones (Aus) CGU Insurance 75 Scott Lyttle (NZl) Mitchell Building Supplies 76 Ashley Hutchinson (Aus) Jayco 77 George Vallins (Aus) Uno Clothing 78 Brian Kenneally (Irl) Sungold Milk - Warrnambool 79 Henk Vogels (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 80 Richard Moffatt (Aus) McGee - NSW Institute Of Sport 2.36 81 Jorge Libonatti (Uru) Active For Life 82 Damian Forster (Aus) Uno Clothing 83 Trent Stevenson (Aus) Provincial Victoria 84 Dermot Nally (Irl) Sungold Milk - Warrnambool 4.04 85 Philip Finnegan (Irl) Sungold Milk - Warrnambool Sprints End of Lap 6 1 David McKenzie (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 3 pts 2 Dean Downing (GBr) Bendigo 2 3 Karl Menzies (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 1 End of Lap 8 1 David McKenzie (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 3 pts 2 Dean Downing (GBr) Bendigo 2 3 Karl Menzies (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 1 End of Lap 10 1 David McKenzie (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 3 pts 2 Dean Downing (GBr) Bendigo 2 3 Karl Menzies (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 1 End of Lap 12 1 Karl Menzies (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 3 pts 2 David McKenzie (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 2 3 Dean Downing (GBr) Bendigo 1 End of Lap 14 1 Karl Menzies (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 3 pts 2 Dean Downing (GBr) Bendigo 2 3 David McKenzie (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 1 End of Lap 16 1 Karl Menzies (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 3 pts 2 Dean Downing (GBr) Bendigo 2 3 David McKenzie (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 1 End of Lap 18 1 David McKenzie (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 3 pts 2 Karl Menzies (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 2 3 Dean Downing (GBr) Bendigo 1 End of Lap 20 1 Karl Menzies (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 3 pts 2 Dean Downing (GBr) Bendigo 2 3 David McKenzie (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 1 End of Lap 22 1 David McKenzie (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 3 pts 2 Karl Menzies (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 2 3 Dean Downing (GBr) Bendigo 1 End of Lap 24 1 Karl Menzies (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 3 pts 2 Dean Downing (GBr) Bendigo 2 3 David McKenzie (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 1 End of Lap 26 1 David McKenzie (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 3 pts 2 Dean Downing (GBr) Bendigo 2 3 Karl Menzies (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 1 General Classification after stage 1 1 Karl Menzies (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 43.45 2 David McKenzie (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 0.29 3 Dean Downing (GBr) Bendigo 0.32 4 Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) Half Mile Creek 1.37 5 Robert McLachlan (Aus) Argon 18 Bikes - Caravello 1.39 6 Glen Mitchell (NZl) Active For Life 1.41 7 Ben Brooks (Aus) McGee - NSW Institute Of Sport 1.43 8 Kristian House (GBr) Bendigo 1.45 9 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Active For Life 1.47 10 David Tanner (Aus) McGee - NSW Institute Of Sport 1.49 11 Daniel Newnham (Aus) Mitchell Building Supplies 1.51 12 Richard England (Aus) Mitchell Building Supplies 13 Matthew Lloyd (Aus) Mitchell Building Supplies 14 James Meadley (Aus) Mitchell Building Supplies 15 Scott Lyttle (NZl) Mitchell Building Supplies 16 Nathan Jones (Aus) CGU Insurance 17 Matthew Rex (Aus) CGU Insurance 18 Steve Cunningham (Aus) CGU Insurance 19 Ashley Baines (Aus) CGU Insurance 20 Chris Bradford (Aus) CGU Insurance 21 Chris Sutton (Aus) McGee - NSW Institute Of Sport 22 Kieran Cameron (Aus) McGee - NSW Institute Of Sport 23 Mark Roland (Aus) Victorian State Home Loans 24 Nick Kiraly (Aus) Victorian State Home Loans 25 Daniel McConnell (Aus) Victorian State Home Loans 26 Simon Walker (Aus) Victorian State Home Loans 27 Domenic Gatto (Aus) Victorian State Home Loans 28 Rhys Pollock (Aus) Uno Clothing 29 George Vallins (Aus) Uno Clothing 30 Andrew Graham (Aus) Uno Clothing 31 David Pell (Aus) Uno Clothing 32 Tony Mann (Aus) Argon 18 Bikes - Caravello 33 Anthony Challinor (Aus) Argon 18 Bikes - Caravello 34 Nigel Dunstone (Aus) Argon 18 Bikes - Caravello 35 Peter Milostic (Aus) Argon 18 Bikes - Caravello 36 Joel Pearson (Aus) Provincial Victoria 37 Craig McCartney (Aus) Provincial Victoria 38 Chrisophe Le Mevel (Fra) Provincial Victoria 39 Benoit Poilvet (Fra) Provincial Victoria 40 Rob Sharman (GBr) Sungold Milk - Warrnambool 41 Brian Kenneally (Irl) Sungold Milk - Warrnambool 42 Paul Healion (Irl) Sungold Milk - Warrnambool 43 Artur Krzeszowiec (Pol) Europcar - Pelaco 44 Mateusz Mroz (Pol) Europcar - Pelaco 45 Jamie Burrow (GBr) Europcar - Pelaco 46 Thomas Gronqvist (Swe) Europcar - Pelaco 47 Jonas Ljungblad (Swe) Europcar - Pelaco 48 Kieran Page (GBr) Bendigo 49 Russell Downing (GBr) Bendigo 50 Stephen Cummings (GBr) Bendigo 51 Ben Johnson (Aus) Malaysia Airlines 52 Timo Scholz (Ger) Malaysia Airlines 53 Jorn Reuss (Ger) Malaysia Airlines 54 Thomas Liese (Ger) Malaysia Airlines 55 Felix Odebrecht (Ger) Malaysia Airlines 56 Hilton Clarke (Aus) Half Mile Creek 57 Christian Lademann (Ger) Half Mile Creek 58 Bart Heirewegh (Bel) Half Mile Creek 59 Steven De Decker (Bel) Half Mile Creek 60 Hans De Clercq (Bel) Bicycle Superstore 61 Scott Guyton (NZl) Bicycle Superstore 62 Henk Vogels (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 63 Matthew Goold (Aus) Active For Life 64 Dominique Perras (Can) Active For Life 65 Phillip Thuaux (Aus) Jayco 66 Jonathon Clarke (Aus) Jayco 67 William Walker (Aus) Jayco 68 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Jayco 69 Ashley Hutchinson (Aus) Jayco 70 Ruber Marin (Col) Subaru 71 Russell Van Hout (Aus) Subaru 72 Trent Wilson (Aus) Subaru 73 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Subaru 74 Baden Cooke (Aus) Subaru 75 Tomas Buchacek (Cze) Latrobe City 76 David Harrigan (Aus) Latrobe City 77 Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Latrobe City 78 Corey Sweet (Aus) Latrobe City 79 Luke Roberts (Aus) Latrobe City 80 Richard Moffatt (Aus) McGee - NSW Institute Of Sport 3.19 81 Damian Forster (Aus) Uno Clothing 82 Trent Stevenson (Aus) Provincial Victoria 83 Jorge Libonatti (Uru) Active For Life 84 Philip Finnegan (Irl) Sungold Milk - Warrnambool 4.47 85 Dermot Nally (Irl) Sungold Milk - Warrnambool Emu Spirit Aggressive Rider Awards 1 David McKenzie (Aus) Bicycle Superstore $200 Sprint classification 1 David McKenzie (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 24 pts 2 Karl Menzies (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 23 3 Dean Downing (GBr) Bendigo 19 Team Classification 1 Bicycle Superstore 2.14.58 2 Bendigo 1.08 3 Half Mile Creek 1.50 4 Argon 18 Bikes - Caravello 5 Active For Life 6 McGee - NSW Institute Of Sport 7 Jayco 8 Malaysia Airlines 9 Subaru 10 Latrobe City 11 Europcar - Pelaco 12 Mitchell Building Supplies 13 Provincial Victoria 14 CGI Insurance 15 Uno Clothing 16 Victorian State Home Loans 17 Sungold Milk - Warrnambool Criterium Championship 1 Karl Menzies (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 10 pts 2 Dean Downing (GBr) Bendigo 9 3 David McKenzie (Aus) Bicycle Superstore 8 4 Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) Half Mile Creek 7 5 Robert McLachlan (Aus) Argon 18 Bikes - Caravello 6 6 Glen Mitchell (NZl) Active For Life 5 7 Ben Brooks (Aus) McGee - NSW Institute Of Sport 4 8 Kristian House (GBr) Bendigo 3 9 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Active For Life 2 10 David Tanner (Aus) McGee - NSW Institute Of Sport 1
