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Jayco Herald Sun Tour - 2.1

Australia, October 8-14, 2006

Main Page    Results   Overall standings    Stage Details     Previous Stage  Next Stage

Stage 4 - October 11: Mitchelton Winery (Nagambie) to Benalla, 178.4km

Sitoshi takes tight win over local boy Tanner

By John Trevorrow in Benalla

Satoshi Hirose (R ), (Japan-Latrobe City), edges out David Tanner (Australia Under 23 team)
Photo ©: Shane Goss
(Click for larger image)

Local boy David Tanner's dreams of a fairy-tale win into Benalla were dashed by the width of a tyre by Japan's Sitoshi Hirose. The Benalla crowd was screaming for local boy Tanner as he looked to be in control as they raced around a three kilometre circuit of the town's streets. But in the final metres Hirose lunged up on the outside with both riders throwing their bike forward to the line.

Each rider claimed victory and the judges had to go to the photo finish before awarding it to the Japanese star. For 31 year old Hirose, it was a welcome return to form having struggled for three years to recapture the form which delivered him victory in the Tour of Hokkaido in 2003. Despite winning over 30 good races in his native Japan and having taken a ninth placing in a pro stage race in France, the Japanese rider regarded today's as his most significant win in his long career.

Satoshi Hirose (Japan-Latrobe City) celebrates his stage win
Photo ©: Shane Goss
(Click for larger image)

"I had a amateur stage win in Europe, but this is definitely my best win internationally," said Hirose. "With two of us in the lead group, we were able to help each other, but I am happy to be the winner."

Tanner was devastated when the judges announced the decision. "I thought I had just held him off. Yes it's very disappointing, especially since I've had a terrible season finishing second a few times in France. I think I've had 12 second places over the past two years. That's the way it goes I suppose. I've got to work on my sprint a bit. I was in every move and I attacked as hard as I could. Really that was the best selection I could have made and I had to make a big effort to get to them. Once we got clear, Johnny Clarke did some massive turns and had us all hanging."

You stepped into him a little bit near the finish? "Yeah I should have stepped into him a bit more."

Day Four of the 2006 Jayco Herald Sun Tour produced an almost carbon copy version of the previous day, with long breakaway dominating the action for most of the day, before a cat and mouse endured over the final kilometres.

Four riders enter the final ten kilometres
Photo ©: Shane Goss
(Click for larger image)

Like yesterday the attacks were relentless from the start and many breakaway attempt were nullified by the chasing pack. Finally a group of 16 got clear, and it had the right mix, with the most teams represented and no GC riders included.

The race then settled down and the lead group increased their lead to six minutes as the main group rode steady with the HealthNet team of race leader Karl Menzies dominant at the front. That all changed about 25 kilometers from the finish when the race turned into the side winds and the attacks started. The group virtually split in half at one point and the lead got out to 40 seconds but then Hilton Clarke buried himself to bring it back.

Finally it was Hilton's brother, Johnny Clarke, that jumped clear, soon joined by Peter McDonald and then by David Tanner and Satoshi Hirose. For Navigators' lead man, Hilton Clarke it was a day of mixed emotions. Whilst he succeeded in recovering the sprinter's green jersey from Germany's Tobias Erler, he was bitterly disappointed with the news that younger brother Johnny had failed only in the last kilometre to emulate his own efforts of Sunday and win a stage of the Tour.

The race for the sprint crown now looks to have boiled down to a man on man battle between Clarke and Erler. The Victorian made every effort today to push ahead taking second in both intermediate sprints but the German made his presence felt picking up third in Seymour and then getting support from his Giant Asia Racing team mate, Stephen Gallagher, who nudged Clarke out in the win in Violet Town.

Tasmanian Karl Menzies (HealthNet-Maxxis) sprays the champers in Benalla
Photo ©: Shane Goss
(Click for larger image)

HealthNet's Karl Menzies continues to maintain a lead on general classification over Erler, who reduced the gap to just four seconds after pick up a time bonus today. The Tasmanian was again prominent as the main bunch crossed the line, showing little concern about the earlier arrivals, none of whom were within range of an overall win.

"My HealthNet team mates took up the responsibility again today," said Menzies in yellow. "Just keeping the bunch where it should be. But who knows what is going to happen tomorrow."

There was no change in the other categories with the Jayco Australian national team still with a seemingly unbeatable lead in the teams competition, and Simon Clarke (South Australia.com) maintaining the edge over Jayco rider Trent Lowe in the young rider classification.

Tomorrow's 183km stage is the 2006 Tour's longest, taking the 90-rider field from Benalla through sprints at Buxton and Alexandra, before the testing 22km climb to the finish at Lake Mountain.

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Shane Goss/www.licoricegallery.com

Results

1 Satoshi Hirose (Jpn) Japanese National Team             4.19.07 (41.31 km/h)
2 David Tanner (Aus) Australian National U23 Team                
3 Peter McDonald (Aus) FRF Couriers-Caravello                    
4 Jonathon Clarke (Aus) Southaustralia.com-AIS               0.14
5 Hossein Askari (IRI) Giant Asia Racing Team                1.19
6 Tony Mann (Aus) Australian National Team                   1.21
7 Manuel Cardoso (Por) Carvalhelhos-Boavista                     
8 Ger Soepenberg (Ned) Netherlands-Altipower                 1.23
9 Patrick Shaw (Aus) Australian National U23 Team            1.25
10 Brandon Crichton (Can) Canadian National Team                 
11 Yoshiyuki Shimizu (Jpn) Japanese National Team                
12 Peter Mueller (Aus) Savings & Loans Cycling Team              
13 Casey Munro (Aus) Drapac Porsche                          1.28
14 Hilton Clarke (Aus) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team     2.24
15 Kyle Gritters (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis            
16 Stephen Gallagher (Irl) Giant Asia Racing Team            4.19
17 Cornelius Van Ooijen (Ned) Netherlands-Altipower          9.16
18 David McCann (Irl) Giant Asia Racing Team                     
19 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Australian National Team                  
20 David Kemp (Aus) Australian National U23 Team                 
21 Karl Menzies (Aus) Health Net Presented By Maxxis             
22 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Australian National Team                  
23 Matt Wilson (Aus) Australian National Team                    
24 Yasuharu Nakajima (Jpn) Japanese National Team                
25 Dean Windsor (Aus) Drapac Porsche                             
26 John Murphy (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis              
27 Michael Ford (Aus) Southaustralia.com-AIS                     
28 Simon Clarke (Aus) Southaustralia.com-AIS                     
29 Camiel Denis (Ned) Netherlands-Altipower                      
30 Matthew Lloyd (Aus) Southaustralia.com-AIS                    
31 Nariyuki Masuda (Jpn) Japanese National Team                  
32 Grant Irwin (Aus) DFL-Cyclingnews-Litespeed                   
33 Kane Oaley (Aus) DFL-Cyclingnews-Litespeed                    
34 Trent Lowe (Aus) Australian National Team                     
35 Joaquim Sampaio (Por) Carvalhelhos-Boavista                   
36 Ryan Mackenzie (Can) Canadian National Team                   
37 Ciaran Power (Irl) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team          
38 Peter Herzig (Aus) FRF Couriers-Caravello                     
39 Joshua Marden (Aus) FRF Couriers-Caravello                    
40 Bruno Langlois (Can) Canadian National Team                   
41 Cameron Hughes (Aus) Carvalhelhos-Boavista                    
42 Stuart Shaw (Aus) Drapac Porsche                              
43 Mitchell Docker (Aus) Drapac Porsche                          
44 Yoshimitsu Tsuji (Jpn) Japanese National Team                 
45 Dominique Rollin (Can) Canadian National Team                 
46 Russell Van Hout (Aus) Savings & Loans Cycling Team           
47 Trent Wilson (Aus) Australian National Team                   
48 Mark Walters (Can) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team          
49 Joe McDonnell (Aus) FRF Couriers-Caravello                    
50 Ryan Sullivan (Aus) Australian National U23 Team              
51 Henk Vogels (Aus) Australian National Team                    
52 Robert McLachlan (Aus) Drapac Porsche                         
53 Makoto Iijima (Jpn) Japanese National Team                    
54 Jason Hegert (Aus) FRF Couriers-Caravello                     
55 Daniel McConnell (Aus) Southaustralia.com-AIS                 
56 Chris Jongewaard (Aus) Savings & Loans Cycling Team           
57 Will Dickeson (Aus) Savings & Loans Cycling Team              
58 Eric Wolhberg (Can) Canadian National Team                    
59 Ben Day (Aus) Carvalhelhos-Boavista                           
60 Darren Lapthorne (Aus) Drapac Porsche                         
61 James Hannam (Aus) Savings & Loans Cycling Team               
62 David Pell (Aus) Carvalhelhos-Boavista                        
63 Ghader Mizbani (IRI) Giant Asia Racing Team                   
64 David Harrigan (Aus) DFL-Cyclingnews-Litespeed                
65 Paul Griffin (Irl) Giant Asia Racing Team                     
66 Brett Aitken (Aus) Savings & Loans Cycling Team               
67 Maint Berkenbosch (Ned) Netherlands-Altipower                 
68 Stephen Cunningham (Aus) Savings & Loans Cycling Team         
69 Doug Ollerenshaw (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis         
70 Yoshiyuki Abe (Jpn) Japanese National Team                    
71 Phillip Thuaux (Aus) Drapac Porsche                           
72 Garrett Peltonen (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis         
73 Robert Cater (Aus) FRF Couriers-Caravello                     
74 Daniel Lloyd (GBr) Giant Asia Racing Team                     
75 Zac Dempster (Aus) Australian National U23 Team               
76 Phil Zajicek (USA) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team          
77 Mark O'brien (Aus) Australian National U23 Team               
78 Scott Peoples (Aus) Australian National U23 Team              
79 Kirk O'Bee (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis               
80 Greg Henderson (NZl) Health Net Presented By Maxxis           
81 Bernard Sulzberger (Aus) DFL-Cyclingnews-Litespeed            
82 Ben Brooks (Aus) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team            
83 Leigh Palmer (Aus) DFL-Cyclingnews-Litespeed                  
84 Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Southaustralia.com-AIS                
85 Johnnie Walker (Aus) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team        
86 Dustin Macburnie (Can) Canadian National Team                 
87 Derek McMaster (Can) Canadian National Team                   
88 Jeremy Vennell (NZl) DFL-Cyclingnews-Litespeed                
89 Tobias Erler (Ger) Giant Asia Racing Team                     
90 Marvin Van Der Pluym (Ned) Netherlands-Altipower              
91 Jasper Lenferink (Ned) Netherlands-Altipower                  
91 Brendan Brooks (Aus) FRF Couriers-Caravello                   
 
General classification after stage 4
 
1 Karl Menzies (Aus) Health Net Presented By Maxxis      14.09.24
2 Tobias Erler (Ger) Giant Asia Racing Team                  0.04
3 Dominique Rollin (Can) Canadian National Team              0.15
4 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Australian National Team               0.22
5 David McCann (Irl) Giant Asia Racing Team                  0.26
6 Robert McLachlan (Aus) Drapac Porsche                      0.27
7 Chris Jongewaard (Aus) Savings & Loans Cycling Team            
8 Phil Zajicek (USA) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team           
9 Kirk O'Bee (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis                
10 Simon Clarke (Aus) Southaustralia.com-AIS                 1.13
11 Trent Lowe (Aus) Australian National Team                     
12 Ciaran Power (Irl) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team      1.43
13 David Harrigan (Aus) DFL-Cyclingnews-Litespeed                
14 Mitchell Docker (Aus) Drapac Porsche                      3.49
15 Henk Vogels (Aus) Australian National Team                4.58
16 Joe McDonnell (Aus) FRF Couriers-Caravello                7.39
17 Hossein Askari (IRI) Giant Asia Racing Team              17.33
18 Peter McDonald (Aus) FRF Couriers-Caravello              18.47
19 David Tanner (Aus) Australian National U23 Team          20.28
20 Jonathon Clarke (Aus) Southaustralia.com-AIS             20.48
21 Satoshi Hirose (Jpn) Japanese National Team              21.20
22 Tony Mann (Aus) Australian National Team                 21.51
23 Ger Soepenberg (Ned) Netherlands-Altipower               21.57
24 Hilton Clarke (Aus) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team    22.32
25 Kyle Gritters (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis       22.58
26 Casey Munro (Aus) Drapac Porsche                         23.15
27 Trent Wilson (Aus) Australian National Team              24.58
28 Manuel Cardoso (Por) Carvalhelhos-Boavista               25.28
29 Darren Lapthorne (Aus) Drapac Porsche                    25.30
30 Maint Berkenbosch (Ned) Netherlands-Altipower            25.31
31 Peter Mueller (Aus) Savings & Loans Cycling Team         25.39
32 Patrick Shaw (Aus) Australian National U23 Team          25.43
33 Stephen Gallagher (Irl) Giant Asia Racing Team           25.46
34 Brandon Crichton (Can) Canadian National Team            25.52
35 Mark Walters (Can) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team     28.07
36 Matthew Lloyd (Aus) Southaustralia.com-AIS               28.30
37 Scott Peoples (Aus) Australian National U23 Team         28.57
38 David Kemp (Aus) Australian National U23 Team            29.46
39 Eric Wolhberg (Can) Canadian National Team               29.47
40 John Murphy (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis         29.50
41 Grant Irwin (Aus) DFL-Cyclingnews-Litespeed                   
42 Cameron Hughes (Aus) Carvalhelhos-Boavista                    
43 Ryan Sullivan (Aus) Australian National U23 Team              
44 Makoto Iijima (Jpn) Japanese National Team                    
45 Ben Day (Aus) Carvalhelhos-Boavista                           
46 Brett Aitken (Aus) Savings & Loans Cycling Team               
47 Stephen Cunningham (Aus) Savings & Loans Cycling Team         
48 Garrett Peltonen (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis         
49 Daniel Lloyd (GBr) Giant Asia Racing Team                     
50 Greg Henderson (NZl) Health Net Presented By Maxxis           
51 Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Southaustralia.com-AIS                
52 Jeremy Vennell (NZl) DFL-Cyclingnews-Litespeed           30.10
53 Joaquim Sampaio (Por) Carvalhelhos-Boavista              30.25
54 Bruno Langlois (Can) Canadian National Team                   
55 Stuart Shaw (Aus) Drapac Porsche                              
56 Camiel Denis (Ned) Netherlands-Altipower                 30.46
57 Kane Oaley (Aus) DFL-Cyclingnews-Litespeed               31.00
58 Peter Herzig (Aus) FRF Couriers-Caravello                     
59 David Pell (Aus) Carvalhelhos-Boavista                        
60 Yoshiyuki Abe (Jpn) Japanese National Team                    
61 Dean Windsor (Aus) Drapac Porsche                        31.03
62 Bernard Sulzberger (Aus) DFL-Cyclingnews-Litespeed            
63 Russell Van Hout (Aus) Savings & Loans Cycling Team      31.52
64 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Australian National Team             33.13
65 Matt Wilson (Aus) Australian National Team               33.15
66 Joshua Marden (Aus) FRF Couriers-Caravello                    
67 Phillip Thuaux (Aus) Drapac Porsche                           
68 Leigh Palmer (Aus) DFL-Cyclingnews-Litespeed                  
69 Marvin Van Der Pluym (Ned) Netherlands-Altipower              
70 Nariyuki Masuda (Jpn) Japanese National Team             33.23
71 Doug Ollerenshaw (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis         
72 Derek McMaster (Can) Canadian National Team                   
73 Ben Brooks (Aus) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team       33.30
74 Johnnie Walker (Aus) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team        
75 Yoshiyuki Shimizu (Jpn) Japanese National Team           33.44
76 Zac Dempster (Aus) Australian National U23 Team          33.53
77 Ryan Mackenzie (Can) Canadian National Team              33.58
78 Ghader Mizbani (IRI) Giant Asia Racing Team                   
79 Dustin Macburnie (Can) Canadian National Team                 
80 Jason Hegert (Aus) FRF Couriers-Caravello                34.18
81 James Hannam (Aus) Savings & Loans Cycling Team               
82 Mark O'brien (Aus) Australian National U23 Team               
83 Cornelius Van Ooijen (Ned) Netherlands-Altipower         34.53
84 Michael Ford (Aus) Southaustralia.com-AIS                     
85 Daniel McConnell (Aus) Southaustralia.com-AIS                 
86 Will Dickeson (Aus) Savings & Loans Cycling Team              
87 Paul Griffin (Irl) Giant Asia Racing Team                35.08
88 Jasper Lenferink (Ned) Netherlands-Altipower                  
89 Robert Cater (Aus) FRF Couriers-Caravello                35.48
90 Yasuharu Nakajima (Jpn) Japanese National Team           37.48
91 Yoshimitsu Tsuji (Jpn) Japanese National Team            58.24

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