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Results and Reports for April 6-7, 2002

Australia

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Carnegie Caulfield Criterium

Glenvale Crescent, Mulgrave, April 4, 2002

Millward returns at local crit

By Malcolm Sawford

Fine weather brought over 150 riders out to have a crack at the Glenvale circuit as the "Summer" season winds down. Defending World Cup Champion Anna Millward (Saturn) returned to racing today after finally getting to the bottom of her nagging leg injury Ð an MRI revealed a torn tendon in her hip, and things look good for a return to the US to rejoin her team mates towards the end of the month. Jamie Drew (iteamNOVA) was also present for his last race before jetting off to Belgium to join his team, after sitting out last weeks race on this circuit to celebrate the birth of his new baby, Alexander.

Brendan Rowbotham (Fitzroy Cycles) stole one from the Chris Carr tactical handbook, attacking from the gun and quickly opening up a lead of the length of the straight. Ignoring Carr's claim of copyright infringement, Rowbotham powered away alone, and resisted the efforts of Carr (SBR), Daniel Nelms (ProMotion Bicycles) and Mal Sawford who had set off in pursuit.

The big bunch finally got organized around the 10 minute mark, and the chasing trio was hauled in just short of the recapture of the lone leader. The middle stages of the race proved to be stop start in nature. A succession of riders would jump away; the lead riders in the bunch would look around for someone else to do a turn; before a counter attack would see fresh riders swarm from the back of the pack to bring things back together.

Shaun Boschert, popular Elimination winner and wheelrace finalist from the previous nights Sid Patterson Track spectacular Doug Garley (Terry Hammond Cycles) and Matt Chessum (Fitzroy Cycles) all tried to break free unsuccessfully. Small groups fared no better, with Carr combining with Shane Mills (O'Mara Cycles), Dean Johnstone and Chessum just after half way, and Chessum trying again 5 minutes later with Jamie Drew, David Sturt (Terry Hammond Cycles) and Cameron Carlyle (ACR) only for things to be brought back together with 15 minutes to race.

The most dangerous move came with less than 5 minutes to race. Ray Turner (Repco/Diamond Back/Park Tools) joined Russell Collett, Chessum and Nelms, and with some hesitation in the bunch as the B grade field drew level as they wound up for their finish, looked to have the race sewn up. Enter Barcelona Olympian Robert Crowe from stage right. Having his first race this year, and still sporting a plaster cast from a broken wrist 6 weeks ago, Crowe had the field hanging as he did a 2 lap turn at 60kmh, to bring things back together for an all in sprint, denying Sugar Ray the win he could almost taste!

Warren Knevitt (O'Mara Cycles) looked to be about to finally record his first win after a run of near misses, only for Jamie Drew to pip him on the line allowing him to head overseas having won his last 2 races. The other prize money went to Johnstone, Boschert, Jonny Clarke (who had also had a good night at the Sid Patterson with a win and a very close second), and Guy Green.

The B Grade race wound up in the familiar bunch finish, after a number of riders had breakaway efforts disrupted by stop start nature of the A Grade race. Adam Bonney got in an early warm up for his traditional final lead out role by going solo in the opening stages, and Damien Power, David Millward, Mick Hollingworth, Miyoko Karami and Justin Davis (O'Mara Cycles) and Daryl Annells all rode strong attacking races, with Anna Millward testing her legs in the closing stages.

Given 3 to go after finally dropping off the back of A Grade, the bunches natural reaction was to immediately accelerate back into the other bunch, causing confusion and a few hairy moments for both sets of riders. Adam Bonney was doing his best pilot fish impersonation for Frank Cipriano, the last man standing after Bonney has towed the rest of the group of training partners to wins and promotion to A Grade.

The script didn't go quite to plan, with Bonney miscalculating in the confusion and crossing the line first, ahead of 'Cipo', Justin Foster and Matt Dowling. We'll see whether Bonney has the horsepower to duplicate his lead outs in A Grade for the rest of the season! Two of the female stars of last nights track carnival, Narelle Peterson (Giramondo) and the constantly improving Katrina Purcell (Drapac Property Group) lead the women home, with organizers unable to tempt Kristine Bayley from the sidelines to join in.

C Grade also came down to a bunch finish, after the early attack from Kerrie Howard, Craig Hawke and Mark Spataro was neutralized. Kahn Frankie, Steve McDonald and David Buntin all tried to shake things up in the closing stages, but the bunch was determined to let the fast finishers fight out the win.

Buntin had saved enough to take out the win from David Pearce, with both riders earning promotion to B Grade for the last 2 races of the season. Clown Prince 'Jacky' Dovaston lurched into third, with former Club Secretary Peter Ballas in the money in his first race back after many years. Renee Heinreich continues to impress, once again leading the women home.

Alex Smyth finally scored his long sought after win, and will move up to C Grade after leading Sean Bourke home in D Grade. The fast pace proved too hot for many of the riders, with a much reduced bunch left to contest the finish. Greg Nicholson picked up 3rd, ahead of Bruce Logan, with Meaghan Godfrey best of the girls who all finished a lap down.

Racing continues on Sunday mornings for the next two weekends, before the first of the road races is held in the last weekend of April. Check the Club website for up to the minute details of the road fixture at www.carnegiecycling.com.au.

Results

A Grade - 1 hour + 3 laps - 42 starters
 
1 Jamie Drew (iteamNOVA)
2 Warren Knevitt (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
3 Dean Johnstone (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
4 Sean Boschert (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
5 Jonny Clarke (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
6 Guy Green (Blackburn CC)
 
B Grade - 1 hour + 3 laps - 56 Starters
 
1 Adam Bonney (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
2 Frank Cipriano (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
3 Justin Foster (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
4 Matt Dowling (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
 
Women
 
1 Narelle Peterson (Coburg CC)
2 Katrina Purcell (Northcote CC)
 
C Grade - 45 mins + 3 laps - 36 starters
 
1 David Buntin (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
2 David Pearce (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
3 Justin Dovaston (Noble Park - Dandenong CC)
4 Peter Ballas (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
 
Women
 
1 Renee Heinreich (SA)
 
D Grade - 45 mins + 3 laps - 25 starters
 
1 Alex Smyth (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
2 Sean Bourke (Blackburn CC)
3 Greg Nicholson (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
4 Bruce Logan (Coburg CC)
 
Women
 
1 Meaghan Godfrey (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
 
E Grade - 45 mins + 3 laps
 
1 Dale Reith (Blackburn CC)
2 Tom Gallagher (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
3 Veeral Patel (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)