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Jayco Bay Cycling Classic - NE
Geelong, Australia, January 2-6, 2009
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Stage 3 - January 4: Geelong - Eastern Park - Elite men
Walker attacks to win
By Malcolm Sawford in Eastern Park
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Will Walker (Degani/CBD) took an impressive win on day three of the 2009 Jayco Bay Cycling Classic. The victory followed over 30 of the 55 minutes on the attack on the short but hilly circuit.
"You get a certain amount of rest each lap, and a certain amount of time you've got to be explosive, and that's the perfect mix for me," said Walker. He won ahead of sprint leader Dean Windsor (Mazda).
Graeme Brown took over the race lead, ahead of day one winner Simon Gerrans and Dean Windsor.
Walker, who burst on to the international scene with a win on the same circuit in 2002 at the age of 17, is now an experienced professional in the European peloton. He will ride for the Spain-based Fuji-Servetto ProTour team this season.
"You have to go when it's the hardest. You just attack at the hardest point and then nobody can follow – except Dean Windsor, who is one of the strongest crit riders in Australia, and Kristian House. We thought 'bugger those pro's at the back, we'll just ride away from them!"
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A violent attack from day one winner Simon Gerrans with 15 minutes remaining saw him reduce a 16-second deficit to the leading trio to just four seconds, but he was ultimately unable to close the gap. House (Urban Hotels) eventually dropped back to the chase group. He left the two youngsters to extend their advantage. Third place went to one of Walker's young team mates, Daniel Braunsteins, after a late escape. Rabobank professional Graeme Brown, riding this event for the Urban Hotel team, led the bunch home.
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Overnight leader Joel Pearson (Savings & Loans) and Baden Cooke (O2 Reflections Group) were amongst the riders caught up in an early fall which caused officials to suspend racing for five minutes. Both riders rejoined the race, but Cooke later succumbed to the rapid pace and failed to finish. Pearson worked hard in the chase group, but had his run at the final corner obstructed and finished out of the points.
The fourth stage at Port Arlington promises an even tougher test, with two demanding climbs each lap. Gerrans is a former winner on the circuit, but Windsor also fancies his chances. "My Mazda team did a good job in trying to wreck the chase today, and hopefully I can reward them with a yellow in the next couple of days. The green looks good, but I want a stage win this week," said Gerrans.
Brown is using the event as a final tune up for the Tour Down Under in South Australia later this month, but agreed the chance for the overall win was too good to pass up. "I've definitely got a plan on the way I want to race here, which is best for my whole season. I talked to the [Rabobank] team and the team trainer, and we're not going to go off the plan – but in saying that when you've got the yellow jersey it changes everything."
The support race was dominated by a two rider break away. Cameron Carlyle was too strong for Scott Liston in the sprint to the finish and took an impressive win. Overnight leader Jacob Sutherland finished in sixth place and retained his leader's jersey on a count back from the consistent Shaun McCarthy.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net
- Matt Goss (Skilled) and Baden Cooke (O2 Reflections) share a joke before the start.
- Robbie McEwen (Bike Hub) leads through a corner.
- The aftermath of the crash in the men's race. Baden Cooke and Joel Pearson were involved..
- The bunch crests the climb on the way to the start / finish line.
- The bunch races along the shore road on the circuit in Geelong's Botanical Gardens.
- Dean Windsor (Mazda) retained his sprint jersey on day three.
- Trent Wilson (Skilled) leads the bunch.
- Joel Pearson (Savings and Loans) rejoined the race after the crash on the first corner.
- Daniel Braunsteins (Degani) rides in the fast lined-out bunch.
- Who's going to chase the break? The bunch didn't have much enthusiasm for bringing back the leaders.
- Will Walker (Degani) leads Dean Windsor (Mazda) during their break.
- Baden Cooke (O2 Reflections) leads in to the first corner.
- Will Walker (Degani) on his own.
- Baden Cooke (O2 Reflections), Daniel Braunsteins (Degani) and Graeme Brown (Urban Hotel).
- Will Walker (Degani), on his way to the win.
- Will Walker (Degani) leads Christian House (Urban Hotel) and Dean Winsdor (Mazda).
- Baden Cooke (O2 Reflections) marks race leader, Joel Pearson, (Savings and Loans).
- Christian House (Urban Hotel) dropped off the break to look after teammate, Graeme Brown as the race approached the finish.
- Joel Pearson (Savings and Loans) wasn't able to keep the race leader's jersey after day three.
- Bernie Sulzberger (Virgin Blue) leads Robbie McEwen (Bike Hub) on the hill.
- Brett Aitken (Savings and Loans) checks on the bunch behind.
- Will Walker (Degani) was a clear winner on day three.
- Jacob Sutherland continued to dominate the lead in the support men's race.
- Kirsty Broun (MB Cycles) retained the race lead after day three.
- The support race men in action.
- A crash on the first corner in the support race was the first of one in each race on Day three.
- Leader Jacob Sutherland corners in the sun.
- Leader, Jacob Sutherland, follows a wheel in the bunch.
- Rhys Gillett corners in the support race.
- Surrounded by yellow, but not teammates, Jacob Sutherland in the support race.
- Support race winner on Day three, Cameron Carlyle.
Results
1 Will Walker (Degani/CBD) 12 pts 2 Dean Windsor (Mazda) 10 3 Daniel Braunsteins (Degani/CBD) 8 4 Graeme Brown (Urban Hotel) 7 5 Robbie McEwen (Bike Hub/Ridley) 6 6 Simon Gerrans (O2 Networks - Reflections Group) 5 7 Mark Renshaw (Mazda) 4 8 Jono Cantwell (Virgin Blue) 3 9 Tommy Nankervis (Total Rush) 2 10 Leigh Howard (Jayco VIS) 1 Points Sprint 1 1 Dean Windsor (Mazda) 2 Kristian House ( Urban Hotel) 3 Nic Sanderson (Rock Racing) Sprint 2 1 Dean Windsor (Mazda) 2 Will Walker (Degani/CBD) 3 Kristian House (Urban Hotel) Sprint 3 1 Dean Windsor (Mazda) 2 Will Walker (Degani/CBD) 3 Kristian House (Urban Hotel) General classification after stage 3 1 Graeme Brown (Urban Hotel) 23 pts 2 Simon Gerrans (O2 Networks - Reflections Group) 20 3 Dean Windsor (Mazda) 20 4 Robbie McEwen (Bike Hub/Ridley) 19 5 Joel Pearson (Savings & Loans) 18 6 Bernie Sulzberger (Virgin Blue) 13 7 Will Walker (Degani/CBD) 12 8 Baden Cooke (O2 Networks - Reflections Group) 10 9 Daniel Braunsteins (Degani/CBD) 8 10 Leigh Howard (Jayco VIS) 8 11 Mark Renshaw (Mazda) 7 12 Michael Stallard (Savings & Loans) 5 13 Jono Cantwell (Virgin Blue) 5 14 Tommy Nankervis (Total Rush) 2 15 Cody Stevenson (Budget Forklifts) 2 16 Nic Sanderson (Rock Racing) 1 17 Brett Aitken (Savings & Loans) 1 Points classification 1 Dean Windsor (Mazda) 18 pts 2 Joel Pearson (Savings & Loans) 6 3 Bernie Sulzberger (Virgin Blue) 5 4 Will Walker (Degani/CBD) 4 5 Kristian House (Urban Hotel) 4 6 Rory Sutherland (Total Rush) 3 7 Kris Koke (Trevorrow/Chifley/Sally's Paddock) 3 8 Graeme Brown (Urban Hotel) 3 9 Darren Lapthorne (Urban Hotel) 2 10 Nathan Wise (Degani/CBD) 2 11 Nic Sanderson (Rock Racing) 1 12 Jonny Clarke (2XU) 1 13 Mark O'Brien (Bike Hub/Ridley) 1 14 Rahsaan Bahati (Rock Racing) 1 Teams classification 1 O2 Networks - Reflections Group 30 pts 2 Mazda 27 3 Savings & Loans 24 4 Urban Hotel 23 5 Degani/CBD 20 6 Bike Hub/Ridley 19 7 Virgin Blue 18 8 Jayco VIS 8 9 Total Rush 2 10 Budget Forklifts 2 11 Rock Racing 1 Support men 1 Cameron Carlyle 2 Scott Liston 3 Jarrod Moroni 4 Stuart Grimsey 5 Shaun McCarthy 6 Jacob Sutherland 7 Dale Parker 8 Matthew Benson 9 Nathan Oman 10 Geoff Straub Points Sprint 1 1 Scott Liston 2 Cameron Carlyle 3 Stuart Grimsey Sprint 2 1 Cameron Carlyle 2 Scott Liston 3 Dale Parker General classification after stage 3 1 Jacob Sutherland 24 pts 2 Shaun McCarthy 24 3 Cameron Carlyle 22 4 Matthew Benson 19 5 Scott Liston 16 6 Stuart Grimsey 11 7 Jarrod Moroni 9 8 Patrick Drapac 8 9 Shaun Lewis 7 10 Marc Williams 6 11 Luke Mackenzie 5 12 Samuel Spokes 5 13 Dale Parker 5 14 Luke Ockerby 3 15 Adam Trewin 3 16 Nathan Oman 2 17 Angus Tobin 2 18 Lachlan Morton 2 19 Geoff Straub 1
