UCI codes explained

Results and Reports for April 27-28, 2002

Australia

Promoters wishing to submit results should send them to cyclingnews

Murwillumbah Cycle Club

April 27, 2002

The demanding Bald Mountain course was the route of the Murwillumbah Cycle Club's weekly road race held on Saturday, April 27, 2002

Regular readers will remember that this course takes riders out to Bald Mountain and then across country to Numinbah before returning to Dulguigan for the finish. There are plenty of hills spread along its 55 kilometre length but with no serious climbs there is usually a sprint finish to these races.

A total of 58 riders faced the starter over five grades. A and B Grades combined for a total field of 19 riders in their race. This quickly became a see sawing affair as the attacks began within the first 15 kilometres of racing. There were some determined efforts by riders such as Jeff Collier and Craig Reston but none of these attacks were successful apart from gradually diminishing the size of the field as riders succumbed to the pace and dropped off the bunch.

What remained of this group were still together with just a few kilometres to go and remained that way despite a furious pace coming into the finish line. In A Grade Andy Stewart was first ahead of Ricky Lanyon whilst in B Grade a great sprint by Ashley Gowie saw him home ahead of Graham Harvey with Paul Howard third and Jeff Collier picking up fourth place.

There were 18 riders in C Grade and this group wasted no time in getting down to business with a fast pace and constant surging marking the first part of the race. This resulted in the bunch splintering on the run into Bald Mountain. Once past the turn here John Anderson and Dennis Kane jumped away and managed to keep the chasers at bay until Numinbah. Things settled after they were caught and remained so for much of the return leg of the race.

However, John Anderson attacked again within the last few kilometres of the race and held onto a slender lead coming into the final straight The bunch were not be outdone though and hurled themselves after Anderson who was beginning to tire over the last 500 metres. Stuart Ellick showed that he had the fastest legs on the day to take first place with Walter Peron, Paul McRobert, John Anderson and Dennis Kane finishing in that order.

A good field of 15 riders set off in D Grade. The white flag came in after the first few kilometres as the pace went up and riders began to disappear off the back of the bunch. Consistent work by Gail Zinn, Sharon McDowell, Stuart McPherson and Lindsay Crisp ensured that this pace was maintained and by Bald Mountain there were only ten riders left in the bunch. This group continued to work well together until the last two kilometres when Zinn and McDowell opened up a small gap. They maintained this into the home straight where a desperate chase by the other riders saw Dennis Brown just nip by Gail Zinn to take first place with Sharon McDowell third, Phil Ruge fourth and John White picking up fifth spot after his best ride so far this season.

E Grade had six riders who raced over a shorter distance of 36 kilometres to Chillingham and return. Again the pace was too quick for some of the riders in this group and at the finish Stan James used his well developed sprint to take first place with Vince Nucifora in second spot.

Racing next week is the monthly handicap over the 'out and back' Tyalgum course. Start time is 2.00 pm from Pat Smith Park, Dulguigan.

Results

A Grade - 55km
 
1 Andy Stewart (Gold Coast)     1.24.00 (39.3 km/h)
2 Ricky Lanyon (CATS)
 
B Grade - 55km
 
1 Ashley Gowie (Gold Coast)     1.24.00 (39.3 km/h)
2 Graham Harvey (Murwillumbah)
3 Paul Howard (Murwillumbah)
4 Jeff Collier (Murwillumbah)
 
C Grade - 55km
 
1 Stuart Ellick (Murwillumbah)  1.30.00 (36.7 km/h)
2 Walter Peron (GoldStars)
3 Paul McRobert (Gold Coast)
4 John Anderson (Murwillumbah)
5 Dennis Kane (CATS)
 
D Grade - 55km
 
1 Dennis Brown (Murwillumbah)   1.37.00 (33.9 km/h)
2 Gail Zinn (GoldStars)
3 Sharon MsDowell (CATS)
4 Phil Ruge (Murwillumbah)
5 John White (Murwillumbah)
 
E Grade - 36km
 
1 Stan James
2 Vince Nucifora