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Jayco Bay Cycling Classic - NE
Geelong, Australia, January 2-6, 2008
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Stage 2 - January 3: Portarlington - Elite men
Experienced Wilson nabs maiden win
By Malcolm Sawford in Portarlington
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Matt Wilson (deTourMovie.com), the 2007 Herald Sun Tour winner and veteran of this event, claimed his maiden win with an empathic solo break. Hilton Clarke (Portfolio Partners) and Allan Davis (FRF Couriers NSWIS) finished second and third, respectively.
An exhausted Wilson avoided a number of crashes on the technical circuit and was equally delighted to have broken his duck. "It's fantastic – and on the hardest circuit as well! I think I've been doing this ten years now and I've run about seven second's and never won one before so it's great to get the win, and a great way to win as well."
Wilson launched his winning move on the finishing straight. "I saw my chance with about a minute and three laps left to go, and I jumped away and got a good gap straight away. The bunch sort of sat up for a second and it was just a matter of trying to hold onto it," he noted of his victory.
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Clarke led the field home ahead of Davis, Stuart Shaw (Drapac Porsche - Sofitel mansion Spa) and Cooke, leaving Clarke and Cooke tied for the series lead. Cooke retains the yellow jersey by virtue of his stage one win. "I'm like the little battler!" Clarke quipped. "I can't quite make the race, I'm just following but I've got a second and a third so far."
Wilson praised the efforts of his deTourMovie.com team-mates, who are clear leaders in the team's competition. "We had the leader with Baden Cooke, so we just tried to have a guy in every break so we weren't forced to chase. If it came down to a sprint we were going to try to help Baden. In these races it's so hard to have a set plan and stick to it. They're so fast and furious and it really comes down to race tactics on the fly and having a good feel for it. We'll just try and stay at the front and keep doing what we're doing."
How it unfolded
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If there was a prize for the most aggressive rider, David Tanner (Portfolio Partners) would have had a lock on it. He sparked the first of many attacks ten minutes in, joined by Darren Lapthorne (A&I Helicopters), Matt King (Jayco VIS/Sally's Paddock) and Travis Meyer (Swanston Hotel/Grand Mercure). The escape lasted two laps, but Tanner continued to be aggressive.
Fifteen minutes in, Will Walker (FRF Couriers- NSWIS) was the next to attack, and while initially it looked like he was hoping for reinforcements, when none came he buried his head and pushed on alone. He was well clear at the first sprint and closing in on the second when he pushed to hard in the off camber corner leading into the finish straight and lost his front wheel, crashing to the ground. "I just tried to go round there like Casey Stoner and it didn't work!" he said afterwards. "I was going around that fast every lap, so I'm not quite sure what went wrong. I had a good gap, and I wasn't getting any slower. I was pacing myself quite well."
With Walker forced to resume with the bunch after his lap out, Tanner was quickly on the attack again, joining Stuart O'Grady (Skilled) and Cameron Meyer (Swanston Hotel/Grand Mercure), but once again the bunch was quickly back in contact. Jeremy Hunt led Wilson out to win the second sprint, moving Wilson into the lead of that competition, before Tanner jumped away again with Zak Dempster (A&I Helicopters). Walker ignored his wounds to join the move, followed on the next lap by Mark O'Brien (John Trevorrow Cycle Store/Chifley Hotel). As the final intermediate sprint neared, the leaders held a seven second advantage, which Taiji Nishintani (Aisan - Sofitel Mansion Spa Werribbee) and Chris Luxton (Savings & Loans) were able to bridge.
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Hunt and Rory Sutherland (Geelong Mazda) were next to jump across, followed by Simon Gerrans (Portfolio Partners), Cooke and Allan Davis (FRF Couriers- NSWIS), but the bunch were hot on the heels of the chasers and the race came back together with a little over two minutes to race. Tanner tried one last counter attack with out success, before Lapthorne hit the deck hard in the final corner, causing a number of riders including Davis and Walker to run off the course.
Wilson started his winning move on the final straight a lap later. He was nine seconds clear at the bell, with team-mate Hunt doing his bit at the head of the bunch to delay any reaction. The gap came down to a scant three seconds at the top of the final climb, but Wilson flew down the hill to the final corner and rounded it well to sprint home to the win.
Clarke headed the field for second.
Support
Despite the much tougher circuit, the top three riders from day one were straight back in the thick of the action. Robert Lyte (NSWIS) opened a handy gap early in the race, before Joel Pearson (Savings and Loans), Daniel Braunsteins (Drapac Porsche) and Carlyle (ProMotion Bicycles) combined to chase across.
The quartet pulled further away each lap, eventually sprinting for the win over 50 seconds ahead of a small chase group, and almost a minute and a half clear of what little was left of the main bunch. Pearson once again proved too strong, and took the up hill sprint comfortably, with Braunsteins just holding off Lyte for second.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by WomensCycling.net
- Joel Pearson won the second race and retained his leader's.jersey.
- Pearson in the breakaway.
- The breakaway crests the start / finish hill.
- It was hard work in the front of the race in Portarlington.
- The riders receive the last lap bell.
- Pearson acknowledges a large crowd which enjoyed his win.
- Series Leader after Race 1, Baden Cooke (DeTour Movie.com).
- Will Walker (FRF Couriers) gets a push back into the race.after his crash whilst in the lead.
- Walker (FRF Couriers) splits some clothing seams and and spilt some blood.
- Hilton Clarke (Portfolio Partners) in the bunch.
- Will Walker (FRF Couriers) back in the bunch after his lap out for a crash.
- Graham Brown (FRF Couriers) on the climb.
- Rory Sutherland (Geelong Mazda) working hard on the hill.
- Baden Cooke (DeTourMovie.com) checks on the opposition.
- Richard England (Jayco VIS) digs deep to stay in contact.
- Stuart O'Grady (Skilled) looks untroubled by the climb.
- England (Jayco VIS) makes it hurt.
- Graham Brown (FRF Couriers) doesn't seem troubled on the climb.
- Stuart Shaw (Drapac Porsche) takes a deep breathe in the bunch.
- Mathew Wilson (DeTourMovie.com) makes it count.
- Baden Cooke (DeTourMovie.com) working hard in the bunch.
- Organiser, John Treverrow put his money where his mouth is by also sponsoring the John Treverrow Cycles / Chifely Hotel team.
- Smooth cornering – Mathew Wilson (DeTourMovie.com) during his attack.
- Chris Luxton (Savings and Loans) grits his teeth in the.closing laps.
- Hilton Clarke (Portfolio Partners) concentrates on his line.
- Mat Wilson (DeTourMovie.com) shows the pain of being out on his own.
- Wilson (DeTourMovie.com) takes the win with the bunch just behind.
- Wilson struggles with sweat in his eyes moments after his win.
- Allan Davies (FRF Couriers) considers a response to a question.on the podium.
- Hilton Clarke (Portfolio Partners) after the event.
- Baden Cooke (DeTourMovie.com) provides some much-needed hydration for the crowd in hot and windy Portarlington.
- Sun, sea and Mathew Wilson (DeTourMovie.com) prior to the start.
- Anticipation for the race to come? Baden Cooke.(DeTourMovie.com).
- Allan Davies (FRF Couriers) waits patiently for the start.
- Hilton Clarke (Portfolio Partners) was ready for an active day.
- Baden Cooke (DeTourMovie.com) starts in the bunch.
- Miles Watson (Total Rush) rides along the Bay.
- Trent Wilson (Skilled) puts in a hard effort.
- Will Walker (FRF Couriers) during his early break.
- Baden Cooke (DeTourMovie.com) sits in the bunch.
- Will Walker (FRF Couriers) digs deep.
- Aaron Kemps (A&I Helicopters) checks for the progress of the leaders.
- Will Walker (FRF Couriers) sits for a moment after his crash.as solo leader.
- Not long afterwards, Walker found his way into another break.
- Stuart O'Grady (Skilled) sits patiently in the bunch.
- Hilton Clark (Portfolio Partners) shows the pain.
- The breakaway in the closing laps.
- Mathew Wilson (DeTourMovie.com) gives it everything with a lap to go.
- Wilson celebrates (DeTourMovie.com) his win whilst the bunch fights out second place.
- Baden Cooke (DeTourMovie.com) makes sure to zip up hisleader's jersey.
Images by Nick McGrath
- This corner didn't quite work out as planned.
- Stuart O'Grady in the middle of the men's start.
- Matt Wilson and Cadel Evans share a laugh on the winner's podium.
- A gesture of support for the winner from Pearson.
- A Team Skilled rider
Results
1 Matt Wilson (detour-themovie.com) 12 pts 2 Hilton Clarke (Portfolio Partners) 10 3 Allan Davis (FRF Couriers NSWIS) 8 4 Stuart Shaw (Drapac Porsche) 7 5 Baden Cooke (detour-themovie.com) 6 6 Rory Sutherland (Geelong Mazda) 5 7 Richard England (Jayco Bianchi) 4 8 Chris Luxton (Savings and Loans) 3 9 Jonathon Cantwell (Skilled) 2 10 Koen de Kort (A&I Helicopters) 1 Sprints 1 Matt Wilson (detour-themovie.com) 8 pts 2 Will Walker (FRF Couriers NSWIS) 6 3 Baden Cooke (detour-themovie.com) 5 B Grade 1 Joel Pearson 12 pts 2 Daniel Braunsteins 10 3 Robert Lyte 8 4 Cameron Carlyle 7 5 Will Dickeson 6 6 Peter Braunsteins 5 7 Nicholas Mitchell 4 8 Shaun Gatter 3 9 Bradley Edmunds 2 10 Tim Hucker 1 General classification after stage 2 1 Baden Cooke (detour-themovie.com) 18 pts 2 Hilton Clarke (Portfolio Partners) 18 3 Allan Davis (FRF Couriers) 15 4 Matt Wilson (detour-themovie.com) 12 5 Rory Sutherland (Geelong Mazda) 11 6 Mark Renshaw (Geelong Mazda) 10 7 Stuart Shaw (Drapac Porsche) 7 8 Richard England (Jayco Bianchi) 6 9 Darren Lapthorne (A&I Helicopters) 5 10 Stuart O’Grady (Skilled) 4 B Men 1 Joel Pearson 24 pts 2 Daniel Braunsteins 20 3 Robert Lite 15 4 Cameron Carlyle 15 5 Peter Braunsteins 7 6 Nicholas Mitchell 7 7 Will Dickeson 6 8 Blair Windsor 6 9 Samuel Rix 5 10 Kyle Marwood 4 Back to top
