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Mildura-Coomealla Cycling Club

Handicap road race at Deakin Av. and 19th St, March 16, 2003

Dead-Heat Duo

A dead-heat but not a dead issue. That's how you consider the result from this weekend's event. Richard Hale and Yours Truly managed to, somehow, get over the scratchies in the long finishing straight on this circuit and tie the race. The 3 race judges unable to agree on a single winner, must have been the brilliantly clear Sunraysia skies above reflecting rainbows from human sweat droplets (what else could it be?)

The issue that's not 'dead" is the chase for the B grade leaders jersey. With current leader, Brendan Liddle, away in Sydney on a pursuit of another bike fetish (Harley Davidson's), the opportunity was ripe to scoop up some more than useful points.

Coupled with this ambition was the absence of several other notable competitors, Kevin Tankard for one, engaged in a local triathlon. This absence increased the potential for "killer bees" to finish higher up the pecking order than usual.

Fill-in handicapper, Jack Lokan, did a wonderful calculation in setting the scratch riders a 5 minute chase, this bunch rounded up the front group (only 2 bunches today) at midway of the final lap, about 3kms to go. Steeling ourselves for the inevitable whirlwind that often accompanies this, sometimes unpleasant, experience we staggered (and staggered we were!) across the road in a blocking manoeuvre. Well, something worked, as the kamikaze scratchies interspersed with their prey and eased to catch their breath.

Gathering our final energies for the expected lunge towards the finish Jack Lokan surprised with a solo (no, not a can of soft drink!) effort and was set upon by Dion Basse-Anstee. Dion had not shirked the issue all day and he saw to it that the scratch riders and their hanger-ons brought Jack back.

As expected, that "crazee" one took off prior to the last turn and into Deakin Avenue and set up a withering finish over the closing 700 metres.

The chase to round up the front bunch (at 41.3kmns/hr) finally stole the leg speed from those exalted ones and allowed some mere mortals to steal the thunder (and points!). One by one the leading riders "died" on their runs.

Good efforts today by Adrian Lloyd who had to rise to the significant challenge of riding about 2 levels above his normal capacity and also to Dion Basse-Anstee, continuing to improve week by week. Our thanks to HoG's for scheduling their meeting this weekend in Sydney (ha, ha Brendan). Winning isn't everything, just most of it and it's a good feeling to share. Get away Richard, it's really mine, go on , git ! And those are my Zipps (well one of them) too.

Results, 44km

1 R Hale                      1.09.00
1 P Winton   
3 C Baudry   fastest rider with a 1:04 :02 (from scratch mark)
4 I Beruldsen
5 R McNally
6 J Lokan
7 D Basse-Anstee
8 A Lloyd
DNF H Dwyer
 
Fastest time: C Baudry        1.04.02 (from scratch)