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Herald Sun Tour, Australia, October 14-24, 2004
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Matt Goold's Sun Tour diary
Although it's one of the two biggest stage races his home country hosts, Australian Matthew Goold is riding the Malaysia Airlines Herald Sun Tour of Provincial Victoria as part of the multi-national Active for Life Team, alongside Canadians Eric Wohlberg and Dominique Perras, New Zealander Glen Mitchell and Jorge Libonatti from Uruguay.
Hailing from the Southern Australian state of Victoria, Goold is a former state road champion whose role in the team will be to ride support for Wohlberg in the hunt for stage victories.
Stage 2 & 3: October 15: Werribee Criterium, 36 km; Werribee - You Yangs, 77.7 km
We're working on it
There were two stages of the Herald Sun Tour conducted today, and they were a total contrast.
Stage two was a 36km criterium in the Victorian town of Werribee, raced in glorious sunshine. The 500 schoolchildren present around the circuit created a fantastic atmosphere, and must have been supporting our team as they were very Áctive for Life, running from one side of the school to the other, to cheer on the riders. The overall race was very even, with Subaru's Baden Cooke winning the sprint to the finish line.
The heavens opened up and it poured, minutes before the start of stage three. But thankfully, the rain and the wind held off during the 78km trek to the You Yangs.
The Active for Life team's aim was to watch and control the breaks until the bottom of the final hill climb. Whilst the peleton was together at the bottom of the climb unfortunately, we were not in the right position. Though even if we were, it would have been very difficult to hold off Tour de France green jersey winner, Baden Cooke, who came home like a train, and claimed his second stage win of the day!
Overall the Active for Life team is happy with where we are placed, through it would be nice to score a stage win in the next couple of days, and we are working on it.
Stage 4 - October 16: Portarlington Circuit race, 117 km
Full of confidence
The Active For Life team went into today's race full of confidence. We knew the course, the weather was looking favourable and we had a team of five fit and willing riders.
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Lap three of the race saw a group of 12 riders make a successful break, and our Captain, Eric Wohlberg, was up there alongside David McKenzie (Bicycle Superstore), Robert McLachlan (Argon 18 Bikes - Caravello) and Kieran Page (Bendigo).
This group worked extremely well, and extended their lead to two minutes before some of the more favored teams got themselves organised. Latrobe City, Europcar-Pelaco and Malaysia Airlines really put the foot down with around five laps to go, averaging 55-60km per hour, putting incredible pressure on the rest of the field. They were soon joined by Subaru pushing hard at the front, and with 50 metres to go, the leading group were caught.
McLachlan managed to hold on for a well deserved and courageous win, following his nasty tangle with a barricade the day before.
Eric managed to hang on for a top ten finish, picking up some valuable bonus points along the way. Eric was also awarded the Emu Spirit Most Aggressive Rider jersey, and the rest of the team finished in the main bunch. So overall not a bad day for the Active for Life team!!
Stage 5 - October 17: Geelong, 77 km
What lies ahead
Unfortunately I did not feel 100% today, and was disappointed with my performance and team contribution. But tomorrow is when the real race starts, so I need to forget about what has happened and focus on what lies ahead.
My room mate, Glen Mitchell, rode a sensational race in Geelong. He covered every move, and was sitting in third place at the last corner, only to be swamped by Cooke, McKenzie and the like, as they made the traditional sprinters' dash for the line. So, another day goes by without a podium finish!
The Active For Life team is looking very strong overall. Every member of our team can climb, and our aim will be to stay together as much as possible over the next few days, which will see us travel through the Otway Ranges on Monday, followed by another tough day in the saddle for the 155km Creswick to Daylesford leg on Tuesday.
Prior to the stage today, we recorded some of our Active For Life team messages, and I can honestly say that if Eric Wohlberg ever decides to quit cycling, there is a career waiting for him in American daytime drama. The 'head turn' and 'camera stare' was something you only ever see on the Bold and Beautiful.
