UCI codes explained

Results and Reports for March 30-31, 2002

Australia

Promoters wishing to submit results should send them to cyclingnews

Carnegie Caulfield Criterium

Glenvale Crescent, Mulgrave, March 31, 2002

Easter Sunday normally means small fields, with many regular riders doing the family thing and going away for a four day weekend. Another (rare) fine day brought a surprisingly healthy 130 riders to the Glenvale Crescent circuit, including a few who'd forgotten about the end of daylight savings and arrived an hour early, and a few more fueled by breakfast of Easter eggs and hot cross buns!

With Robert Tighello unlikely to race Crits again this season as he ramps up the miles before heading overseas to try to claim a place in the Commonwealth Games team, the A Grade race promised to be a free for all as riders who have has to play second fiddle to the early season domination by Hilton Clarke and Tighello get a chance to shine.

Doug Garley (Terry Hammond Cycles), fresh from promoting and finishing in the money in the Club's Madison the day before, launched the first attack after only three minutes, with the lanky Daniel Nelms for company. Hugh Watson and John Madden bridged across while the bunch was still in warming up mode, before an acceleration from Jonny Clarke (ProMotion Cycles) saw the who field step up a gear and the escape was doomed.

The pace was solid until the 20 minute mark, discouraging attacks until star mountain bikers Murray Spink and Trent Lowe (Yeti) got away and were clear until the 30 minute mark. Russell Collet and Nick Pasharis bridged across, but the bunch wasn't prepared to have four working together out front and brought things back together.

The closing stages of the race saw Matt Chessum (Fitzroy Cycles), Sean Boschert, Cameron Streistermanis, David Sturt (Terry Hammond Cycles), Nelms and Garley all dangling off the front, with Jonny Clarke always up the front and looking dangerous. In the end, it would come down to a bunch sprint, where 17 year old Clarke was too fresh, scoring the win. Warren Knevitt (O'Mara Cycles) took his third second place finish in a row, with Chessum, Boschert, Andrew Steele (Le Tour Cycles) and Warren Nelson (Mainline Cycles) rounding out the place getters.

Danny Weatherley did his best to deny the sprinters in B Grade, featuring in the first and last attacks of the day. Riding clear in the opening laps with Matt Dowling, the pair spent the best part of 15 minutes off the front before being pegged back.

Many others tried to go clear, with Mick Hollingworth, Damien Power, Sean Richardson, Eddy Perez and Adam Bonney amongst the notable attempts, but in the end the strength of numbers and fresh legs in the bunch won out.

Bonney was driving in the last few laps, trying to set things up for Perez, only for a clipped pedal in the strung out bunch on the final lap to leave a gap behind the leading pair allowing 'Fast Eddy' to claim a relatively easy win. Sean Richardson took third a few seconds later, from local real estate guru Dennis Bowen-Day (Grand Prix Cycles), with new Club member Vanessa Crawford (Mainline Cycles) leading the ladies home; with all placings going to the host Club.

C and D Grades both came down to bunch sprints. Marty Kean had the C Grade bunch strung out for the first 15 minutes as he 'took it easy', and Paul Groves escaped the attentions of the watchful bunch midway through the race, but in the end a bunch sprint was inevitable.

Vince Condello took the win, denying the Club another clean sweep, ahead of Danny Young, Richard Cormick and David Buntin, with Apryl Eppinger best of the women.

The D Grade win went to big Rob Davis, with juniors Alex Smyth and Sean Bourke taking the next two places ahead of first time rider Dion Warburton. Daphne Dubach led the good sized women's field home.

Congratulations go the Club's juniors excelling in Alice Springs at the Track Nationals, with Shane Perkins, Michael Ford and Brigid Farrell all claiming Gold on the opening day, and Tess Downing also in the medals. Congratulations also to Jamie (iteamNOVA) and Annabelle Drew on the birth this week of Alexander Robin, and we wish them well as they head off the join the team in Europe.

Results

A Grade - 1 hour + 3 laps
 
1 Jonny Clarke (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
2 Warren Knevitt (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
3 Matt Chessum (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
4 Sean Boschert (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
5 Andrew Steele (Blackburn CC)
6 Warren Nelson (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
 
B Grade - 1 hour + 3 laps
 
1 Eddy Perez (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
2 Adam Bonney (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
3 Sean Richardson (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
4 Dennis Bowen-Day (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
1st Women: Vanessa Crawford (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
 
C Grade - 45 mins + 3 laps
 
1 Vince Condello (Italo Australian CC)
2 Daniel Young (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
3 Richard Cormick (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
4 David Buntin (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
1st Women: Apryl Eppinger (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
 
D Grade - 45 mins + 3 laps
 
1 Rob Davis (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
2 Alex Smyth (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
3 Sean Bourke (Blackburn CC)
4 Dion Warburton (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
1st Women: Daphne Dubach (Blackburn CC)
 
E Grade - 45 mins + 3 laps
 
1 Dale Reith (Blackburn CC)
2 Melissa Nicholls (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)
3 Veeral Patel (Balance Carnegie Caulfield CC)