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Jayco Bay Classic - NE
Australia, January 5-9, 2005
Main Page Results Next Round CCCC diary
Round 1 - January 5: Williamstown
McEwen and Armstrong take opening honours
By Rod Morris in Williamstown
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If Robbie McEwen had to prove to Australian cycling fans why he is one of the best in the world, then surely he did so in the opening round of the 2005 Jayco Bay Cycling Classic today. A star of the Tour de France in recent years, McEwen won the Williamstown round of the five day criterium series, to set up a record sixth win in his signature event.
McEwen arrived in Victoria from his home state of Queensland with little more than an hour to spare before racing to the venue, trading his civilian clothes for his racing lycra and then putting on a show for all concerned. Fellow Queenslander Jaaron Poad (Colbago/Caravello), formerly from New Zealand, set the scene early by hitting out on the wind-swept course, dragging Tasmanian Bernard Sulzberger (Skilled TIS) and South Australian Mathew Rex (Bicycle Superstore/HLP) along with him.
That trio put plenty of time into their break over the peloton, forcing many lapped riders off the course. But dogged Victorian rider Hilton Clarke (McKnight's Retravision/Fisher & Paykel) and McEwen (Drapac-Porsche Cycling Team) were able to escape the danger and worked hard to bridge the gap, although both would readily admit it wasn't easy.
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"Chasing guys like Jaaron Poad is excruciating," McEwen said. "That was one tough race, particularly for so early in the season."
With McEwen and Clarke finally over the gap to join Poad, Sulzberger and Rex, the margin to the peloton grew steadily and eventually only 31 of the original 65 starters finished the race, highlighting the punishment many went through and underlining McEwen's statement.
The Jayco Bay Classic series is now in its 16th year and McEwen, who has won five times since 1997 is determined to make it six. "I have come a long way for this race and although my form isn't anything special at this time of the season, I feel as though I've got some sprinting in my legs for the rest of the week," he said.
At the bell lap, Sulzberger crossed the line first, but he knew the vultures were waiting to strike, it was just a matter of which one. To the Tasmanian's credit, he remained composed and bided his time, opting to go with McEwen and try and outsprint him... but who in the world can do that? Even Poad, who admits his form is probably at the peak of his career, labelled McEwen as "The fastest man on earth!"
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"I couldn't have done much more than what I did," Poad said. "I hit out early trying to bust the bunch up...that worked. I was in good position over the last five laps, I only had a few riders around me to watch...that worked. Sprinting to the finish line had one small problem...Robbie McEwen."
The leading five riders had a comfortable 40 second buffer before the bunch came limping home for the remainder of the top 10 positions. Former West Australian - now Queensland based - Henk Vogels (Bicycle Superstore/HLP) led the chasers home, followed by Canberra's Rory Sutherland (Victorian State Home Loans), big Tasmanian Karl Menzies (Skilled TIS), and Victorian pair Simon Clarke (Carnegie Caulfield/Billa Bridge) and Robert Crowe (Bicycle Superstore/HLP).
Women: Armstrong gets up
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The Elite Women's race saw a superhuman effort from NSW rider Sky-Lee Armstrong (Mercure Grand Hotel on Swanston). Hindered and delayed by rain, the women's event had Armstrong hit out very early and ride a lonely race for 16 laps before teammate Oenone Wood and fellow Sydney rider, Kate Nichols (NSWIS) bridged the gap at lap 22. By then the margin had grown to an imposing 40 seconds with the peloton appearing to ride with heavy legs.
On the final lap, Armstrong made a bold move, she decided to hit Wood and Nichols again and the latter pair were caught surprised and had to be content with the minor placings.
In the Men's Support race, Sydney's Mitchell Pearson, a member of the Eurobodalla Cycling Club won from Tasmanian track scratchman Stephen Rossendell and Victorian country rider Alistair Farley.
The Bay Criterium series will continue on Thursday with Round 2 at Portarlington.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Shane Goss/www.licoricegallery.com
- Henk Vogels models his new Davitamon-Lotto jersey on the startline at Williamstown
- The field for race one of the Jayco Bay Classic Series in Williamstown
- Robbie McEwen (Davitamon-Lotto) powers out of a bend during race one
- Riders swing around the roundabout at the end of the home straight
- William Walker (Jayco) alone and out in front early in race one
- Riders negotiate the tight bend at the end of the home straight in Williamstown
- TV coverage high in the air at the end of the home straight
- The speed was on in race one of the Jayco Bay Classic Cycling Series
- Oenone Wood (Mercure Grand Hotel on Swanston) wired for sound before the start
- Hayley Rutherford (L, Mercure Geelong) keeps media appointments while Rochelle Gilmore (NSWIS) makes final adjustments
- Girls shelter from the rain prior to the start of their race
- Robbie McEwen (Davitamon-Lotto) takes out the first race in Williamstown
- '"What time did mum say dinner was going to be on the table?"
- The peloton from the womens' race make their way along the home straight
- Bernard Sulzberger (Skilled TIS) on the podium in third place
- Bernard Sulzberger (Skilled TIS) has the leaders pouring on the pace
- Robbie McEwen (Davitamon-Lotto) in his yellow Jayco Leader's jersey after race one
- The field in the B Grade race make their way under the Jayco banner
- Peter Ladd (on ground) and Ryan Kelly both of Victoria get into a tangle during the B grade race
- Mitch Pearson (NSWIS) broke clear and set the pace in the B Grade event
- The three leaders in the B Grade event corner in the final laps
- Riders in the B grade event accelerate out a bend in Williamstown
- Mitch Pearson (NSWIS) salutes the crowd to take out the first race in their five race series at Williamstown
- The podium in B Grade - (L-R) Stephen Rossendell (Tas, 2nd) Mitch Pearson (NSW,1st) and Alistair Farley (VIC,3rd)
- The field in the womens' event make their way down the back straight
- Riders in the womens' race look for some divine intervention down the back straight!
- Girl power out of the corners at Williamstown
- Sky-Lee Armstrong (Mercure Grand Hotel on Swanston) takes out race one in the womens' event in Williamstown
- The place-getters in the womens' event cool down after some hot racing!
- The Women's podium - (L-R) Oenone Wood (Mercure Grand Hotel on Swanston,2nd) Sky-Lee Armstrong (Mercure Grand Hotel on Swanston,1st) and Katie Nicholls (NSWIS,3rd)
- Robbie McEwen shows off his new Davitamon-Lotto jersey in Australia
- The peloton in search of the leaders down Nelson Parade in Williamstown
- Jaaron Poad (Colnago/Caravello) off the front in the break
- Mathew Rex (Bicycle Superstore-HLP) on the front an chasing the Sprint Points Leader's Jersey
- Henk Vogels (Davitamon-Lotto) in the thick of it at Williamstown during race one
- A great crowd lined the home straight in Williamstown to watch race one in the Jayco Bay Classic Cycling Series
Results
Elite Men 1 Robbie McEwen (Drapac-Porsche Cycling Team) 12 pts 2 Jaaron Poad (Colnago/Caravello) 10 3 Bernard Sulzberger (Skilled Tasmanian IS) 8 4 Hilton Clarke (McKnight Retravision/Fisher & Paykel) 7 5 Mathew Rex (Bicycle Superstore/HLP) 6 6 Henk Vogels (Bicycle Superstore/HLP) 5 7 Rory Sutherland (Victorian State Home Loans) 4 8 Karl Menzies (Skilled Tasmanian IS) 3 9 Simon Clarke (Carnegie Caulfield/Billa Bridge) 2 10 Robbie Crowe (Bicycle Superstore/HLP) 1 Elite Women 1 Sky-Lee Armstong (Mercure Grand Hotel on Swanston) 12 pts 2 Oenone Wood (Mercure Grand Hotel on Swanston) 10 3 Kate Nichols (NSW IS) 8 4 Emma James (Mercure Geelong) 7 5 Rochelle Gilmore (NSW IS) 6 6 Jenny MacPherson (Jayco VIS) 5 7 Haley Rutherford (Mercure Geelong) 4 8 Bridget Evans (Mercure Geelong) 3 9 Therese Cliff-Ryan (ACT) 2 10 Belinda Goss (Drapac-Porsche Cycling Team) 1 Support Men 1 Mitchell Pearson (NSW) 12 pts 2 Stephen Rossendell (Tas) 10 3 Alistair Farley (Vic) 8 4 Ben Isaksen (NSW) 7 5 Wesley Sulzberger (Tas) 6 6 Cameron Streistermanis (Vic) 5 7 Lincoln Brown (Vic) 4 8 Scott Peoples (Vic) 3 9 Fabio Calabria (ACT) 2 10 Shaun Lewis (NSW) 1 Teams Championship Elite Men 1 Drapac-Porsche Cycling Team 12 pts 2 Bicycle Superstore/HLP 12 3 Skilled Tasmanian IS 11 4 Colnago/Caravello 10 5 McKnight Retravision/Fisher & Paykel 7 6 Victorian State Home Loans 4 7 Carnegie Caulfield/Billa Bridge 2 Elite Women 1 Mercure Grand Hotel on Swanston 22 pts 2 NSW IS 14 3 Mercure Geelong 14 4 Jayco VIS 5 5 ACT 2 6 Drapac-Porsche Cycling Team 1 Sprint Championship Elite Men 1 Mathew Rex (Bicycle Superstore/HLP) 5 pts 2 Jaaron Poad (Colnago/Caravello) 4 3 William Walker (Jayco VIS) 3 4 Bernard Sulzberger (Skilled Tasmanian IS) 2 5 Ben Johnson (Drapac-Porsche Cycling Team) 2 6 Robbie McEwen (Drapac-Porsche Cycling Team) 1 7 David McKenzie (Bicycle Superstore/HLP) 1 Elite Women 1 Sky-Lee Armstong (Mercure Grand Hotel on Swanston) 6 pts 2 Oenone Wood (Mercure Grand Hotel on Swanston) 2 3 Kate Nichols (NSW IS) 2 4 Katie Brown (NSW IS) 2
Results
Coming!
