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Melbourne Cup on Wheels - NE
Melbourne, Australia, December 3, 2005
Howard and Bayley do the double
By Mal Sawford in Melbourne
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One week after his stunning debut in senior ranks which earned him the Sydney Thousand title, Geelong schoolboy Leigh Howard (Victorian Institute of Sport) chased down reigning Olympic Sprint and Keirin Champion Ryan Bayley to snatch the prestigious Melbourne Cup on Wheels from a star studded field.
The other highlight of the carnival was a pair of Australia v Germany match
races; Australian Keirin Champion Joel Leonard took on Matthias John, while
in round two of the 'Match Race of the Century' reigning World Champion Rene
Wolff took on Athens Gold Medallist Bayley.
Much to the delight of the vocal crowd, the Aussies came away with narrow 2-1
wins in both matches, with each race up for grabs until the last pedal stroke.
Melbourne Cup on Wheels
The first four finishers in each of the six Cup on Wheels heats qualified for
the eight lap, 2000 metre final. Brendan Schultz took the first heat after rolling
unchallenged off the front of the pack two laps from home for a comfortable
win. Adrian Hanson (Lloyd Morgan) made good use of the form he has shown on
the boards over the winter season with an impressive sprint in the second heat,
while big Jeremy McLay (Nepean Cycles) shrugged off his recently broken arm
to lead out and win the third heat.
The final three heats saw success for the back markers, with Howard leading
all four 'backies' home in Heat 4. Bayley made it look all to easy in his heat,
while Leonard had to work much harder in the final heat, closing a forty metre
gap in the final lap to catch the two leaders on the line.
Howard was a raging favourite for the final, with a handy buffer over back markers Bayley, Steven Rossendell (Pratties) and Leonard. Many wrote Bayley off after three tough rides against Wolff in their Match Races, but when the gun fired, Bayley was clearly chasing the win, pulling hard turns in pursuit of Howard's group of five riders. Out front, Brett Williams and Peter Tsebelis started well and held off Dean Stewart and Schultz for two laps. Hanson elected to wait for the massive bunch of middle markers, but lost any chance of a result after pulling his foot as he tried to join the pace line.
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Howard's group made contact with the tail end of the middle bunch three laps
in, and the field of twenty four had resolved into three groups: the four outmarkers
still held a twenty metre advantage of Howard's bunch, with the back markers
a similar distance behind and closing. The field came together at half distance,
with Howard's VIS team mate Jason Niblett leading from Sid Patterson Grand Prix
winner Andrew Shannon (Kathy Watt's Personal Training). Howard had had a dream
run behind team mates Niblett and Sean Finning, and hadn't yet felt the wind,
but had an equally fresh Mitchell Docker (Drapac - Porsche Development) perched
on his wheel, while Bayley had to make his way through traffic to move into
contention.
Shannon hit the lead at two to go, before Bayley made his big move around the
outside. Howard kicked hard and briefly latched onto the Olympic Champion's
wheel, but lost contact at the bell and dropped a bike length behind. It seemed
Bayley would race to a clear win, but the young star dug in, and drew back on
terms coming into the final bend. A tiring Bayley couldn't hold off the challenge,
with Howard kicking clear to win by over a length, with time for a triumphant
two armed salute.
The winner was delighted with his ride, which felt "really fantastic, it's
the second week in a row I've won a big race - to come back this week and back
it up with a good ride is really good". Howard's sights are firmly set on the
junior world championships in Belgium. Despite his impressive sprinting, his
main aims are the Individual Pursuit and Teams Pursuit. "I'm not a sprinter!"
he said "also the Madison hopefully, and maybe the Points Score, we'll see how
it goes through the year."
When asked what it was like to beat the Olympic Champion, Howard's initial response
was simply "hard". He confessed he didn't think Bayley was beatable when he
flew past, saying "when he first stepped round me, I though definitely not,
but then I started reeling him in with three-quarters, half a lap to go, and
then I started to come round him, and he hit the wall".
Bayley wasn't too disappointed with his second place, saying "It was actually a pretty impressive ride from a lot of people, there were a lot of people having a go which was really good to see. I was coming in with a lap and a half to go, and I saw a line, so I took it - it was a long way out, especially with all the crappy travel I've been doing lately - but I had a crack at it, that's the sprinters way! If you see it, have a go at it. If it doesn't pay off, do it a different way another day.
The better rider on the day won. He won last week, he did a really good ride back then and done an absolutely awesome ride this time round. He seems very strong and he's not scared to have a go. He's not the type of person to wait for the end, he tries to have a go whenever he can - he tried blocking me, tried pushing me up the track; which is very rare to see, especially when I'm 90 kilos and he's only probably 60 something! He's got a lot of heart and obviously he's going to make something of it if he sticks with it."
AIS riders are often criticised for not supporting major domestic carnivals. After missing most of the past twelve months due to injuries from a fall in a similar style carnival, Bayley could have been excused for staying out of trouble tonight, but was clearly racing to win every start. He went on to say "For once it was actually a very safe race. There wasn't a lot of psychos trying to pull right hand turns or trying to kill the person on the back so I was pretty happy with that!"
Match races
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After losing Round One of the 'Match Race of the Century' in Sydney, Wolff had promised to try new tactics in Melbourne, and surprised Bayley in the opening ride with a full throttle attack almost two laps from home. Wolff pulled almost ten lengths clear, but a determined chase saw Bayley close the gap steadily, but fall short by half a wheel.
Bayley rode more positively in the second heat, with both riders using the full width of the track to try to claim the front position. Once he was in front, Bayley wound up the pace from two laps to go, and held his German rival comfortably on the hip to reverse the margin from the opening ride.
The final heat saw Wolff in the lead, with a watchful Bayley giving him a little room. With the gap around three lengths a lap and half from home, Wolff saw an opportunity and kicked for home. Again, Bayley was forced to chase, finally drawing level in the home bend, and in the drag race to the line the Australian powered home to take the decider by a few inches. After the win, Bayley told the crowd he felt Wolff should hand over the Rainbow Jersey - Wolff replied "we can talk about it in April!"
Local star Joel Leonard went one up in his first ride against Matthias John,
diving underneath his more fancied opponent 300 metres from home and holding
on by the barest of margins. John reversed the result in the second ride, riding
commandingly from the front and holding Leonard on his hip for the final lap
to take a narrow win.
Leonard took the decider from the front, after realising John had backed off
a little too far in their game of cat and mouse. Winding up to a five length
advantage, Leonard set sail for home, and despite making up ground late, John
fell short by half a wheel.
Support Events
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Howard's opening ride of the night, the Aces Elimination, saw him impress the crowd with a seemingly effortless win. Always well positioned, had little trouble taking the win from team mate Richard England. The surprise of the night came from Todd Wilksch (Fitzroy Cycles). Virtually unbeatable in Aces racing over the past two seasons, Wilksch was caught badly out of position in the opening laps and was the only the seventh rider eliminated.
The finalists for the Keirin proved a promoter's dream - Olympic Champion Bayley, Australian Champion Leonard, German star John, plus in form riders Kial Stewart, Jason Niblett and Steven Rossendell. Bayley pounced on the derny at the start, with Stewart victorious in the tussle for second wheel.
When the derny swung off, Leonard surged to the front, and Bayley was swamped. As Stewart took the lead at the bell, Bayley was four wide and coming fast, but with so much extra ground to cover high up on the track could only watch as Stewart powered home by the most direct route to take the win from Niblett.
The Aces Scratch race is the traditional finale for Australian track carnivals,
and the young VIS team put on an awesome show for the appreciative crowd. While
most riders kept a close eye on young Howard, Richard England shot off the front
two laps in and spent the next seven laps almost half a lap clear. Stewart ripped
out a huge turn to put an end to England's escape, only to see reigning Junior
World Pursuit Champion Michael Ford surge clear and quickly open a similar advantage.
Tasmanian star Rossendell set off in solo pursuit, and after a long chase made
contact with nine laps to go. Rene Wolff chipped in with a couple of big turns
to reduce the gap, before Ford cracked, leaving Rossendell to continue alone.
Irish rider Paul Healion lifted the pace in the bunch, spelling the end of Rossendell's
effort and the bunch reformed, with Howard looking untroubled in fourth wheel
behind two team mates.
As the other contenders jostled for Howard's wheel, Sean Finning flew from
the back of the bunch, and flew home for the final four laps to claim the win
for the VIS squad. Todd Wilksch showed signs of a return to form, leading the
bunch home for second, ahead of another regular contender in Tim Decker (Decked
Out Coaching).
Women
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Belinda Goss (TIS - Cyclingnews) took out the Scratch race with a strong sprint
to hold off young VIS up and comer Peta Mullens, after a late attack from 1987
Australian Sprint Champion Michelle King (Nepean Cycles) and Nicole Holt (Le
Tour Cycles) was reeled in.
Goss ran into trouble in the closing stages of the Women's Handicap, and was
lucky to avoid the fall that claimed Nicole Whitburn (Quick Cycle Coaching).
Back marker Rahna Demarte (Drapac - Porsche Development) showed great bike handling
skills as she wove her way through photographers and officials on the track
apron to miss the carnage, but the loss of momentum allowed Apryl Eppinger (VIS)
to slip off the front in the final two laps with King and Monique Hanley to
take the win.
Eppinger was delighted with her win, which was a confidence booster in her fight
for re-selection to the state team. "It's been a while since I've won something,
so it's made me feel a lot better, definitely more confident about this season".
Under 17
Last season, Peter Johnstone regularly had to play second fiddle to a dominant Leigh Howard in the junior ranks, but with Howard now mixing with the Elite riders, Johnstone became the new dominator, winning all three races with strong and confident rides. He had no trouble holding the field on his hip in the closing laps, and was able to accelerate away to take each win by a clear margin.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Shane Goss/www.licoricegallery.com
- Racing at Vodafone Arena during Melbourne Cup on Wheels night
- Ryan Bayley was the main drawcard for organisers of the Melbourne Cup on Wheels
- David Mann is decked out!
- World champion Rene Wolff from Germany
- The field in the women’s handicap make their way along the back straight
- A rider from Nepean Cycles has it all to her own in the women’s handicap
- Rene Wolff and Ryan Bayley (foreground) watch their fellow countrymen race in a round of the invitational match race
- Ryan Bayley edges out Rene Wolff in a round of their Match Race of the Century
- German duo Rene Wolff (r) and Matthias John relax before some serious sprinting at Vodafone Arena
- Michael Ford leads Kial Stewart around the boards at Vodafone Arena
- Aussie sprinting star Ryan Bayley in third wheel during a heat of the Melbourne Cup on Wheels
- Joel Leonard leads the back-markers around in a heat of the Melbourne Cup on Wheels
- 2005 Herald Sun Tour winner Simon Gerrans (l) chats with commentator Matt Keenan
- Damien Semmler (62) finds the kiosk at Vodafone Arena in search of some sustenance
- Stuart Doyle (l) and Matt Keenan call the shots at Vodafone Arena
- Joe Ciavola was a fiery Italian rider on the track; now happy in his role as President of CycleSport Victoria
- Leigh Howard (VIS) was even smiling before his big victory…
- Mitchell Docker (VIS) warms up on the rollers at Vodafone Arena
- Joel Leonard (VIS) is focused on a win in the match race
- Matthias John from Germany keeps an eye on Aussie Joel Leonard in their match race
- Ryan Bayley on the startline for another match race against world champion Rene Wolff from Germany
- World Champion Rene Wolff of Germany awaits another thrilling sprint against Aussie Ryan Bayley
- ‘I give you Ryan Bayley’
- ‘I want that world champion's jersey next’
- Media record Ryan Bayley’s comments after his victory in the match race
- Belinda Goss is happy to be back in Australia after winning a bronze medal at the world championships in Russia recently
- Rahna Demarte gets a helping hand from former Aussie track star Gary Neiwand
- A fall in the women’s handicap
- Tasmanian Stephen Rossendell rolls out for the final of the Melbourne Cup on Wheels
- Ryan Bayley salutes the crowd as he rolls around to his mark of scratch for the Melbourne Cup on Wheels final
- Stephen Rossendell (l) and Ryan Bayley, on scratch for the final of the Melbourne Cup on Wheels
- Ryan Bayley goes for it with a lap to go in the final
- Leigh Howard (VIS) takes out the final of the Grand Mercure on Swanston Melbourne Cup on Wheels
- Ryan Bayley (l) can’t believe he missed out on a Melbourne Cup on Wheels victory
- The scoreboard says it all…
- 2005 Melbourne Cup on Wheels champion is Leigh Howard of Victoria
- Joel Leonard leads the charge in the Aces Keirin final
- Kial Stewart from the ACT takes out the Aces Keirin final
- Kial Stewart (ACT) salutes the crowd after his Aces Keirin final victory
- Peter Tsebelis (l) from Victoria takes a breather after his fall as the racing goes on
- Ricky Peoples (28) follows a wheel in the Aces scratch race
- Richard England leads Leigh Howard around in the Aces scratch race
- Sean Finning has the Aces scratch race all to himself
- Sean Finning (Victoria) puts the bike back on the rack…job done
- Leigh Howard (l) and the man who looked after him on the night, former track star Hilton Clarke - now with the Victorian Institute of Sport
Images by CJ Farquharson/www.WomensCycling.net
- Joel Leonard leads Matthias John in the invitation match sprint
- Bayley and Wolff race tactically in their match sprint
- Bayley - at speed and determined
- Olympic champion Ryan Bayley won the sprint over world champion Rene Wolff 2-1
- There is a slight look of disbelief on Leigh Howard's face as he takes his second huge win in 7 days
- There were more women than usual racing at Vodafone tonight - a large bunch in fact
- Briana James (The Freedom Machine) in the bunch during the scratch race
- Tahlia Clayton (Ararat) in action
- Nicole Holt (Blackburn) leads the scratch race
- Rahan Demarte (Drapac Porsche) in the scratch race with 1 to go
- Belinda Goss (TIS) starting from 10m in the six-lap handicap
- Monique Hanley (Quickcycle) leads Apryl Eppinger (VIS) and Michelle King (Nepean)
- Eppinger wins the handicap from Hanley and King
Images by Richard Serong
- John Kennedy smiles for the camera
- Michael Goldie concentrates on the track ahead
- Last minute preparations
- Matthias John leads out Joel Leonard in round 1
- Ryan Bayley prepares for a showdown against Rene Wolff
- You ready...? Rene Wolff gives Ryan Bayley a quick glance
- Bayley and Wolff vie for position
- Wolff picks up the pace in front of Bayley
- A quick glance back at Rene Wolff
- Todd Wilksch rounds the bank in the aces elimination
- Mitchell Docker in the Aces Elimination
- Richard England and teamate race for the line in the aces elimination
- Rahna Demarte rides the bank in the womens scratch race
- Demarte glances across to her opponents
- Joel Leonard begins the cat and mouse game in round 2 of the match race
- Matthias John in Joel Leonard's sights
- Eyes only for the man in front
- Matthias John looks back to Joe Leonard
- A line finish to Matthias in round 2
- Ryan Bayley contemplates the race ahead
- Ryan Bayley on rollers
- Livia Gluchowska warms up on the rollers
- A green machine
- Bayley and Wolff play cat and mouse in round3
- Bayley and Wolff race for line honours
- Nicole Whitburn crashes out in the Womens Handicap
- Leigh Howard walks his winning bike off the track
- Winner of the Melbourne Cup on Wheels was 16-year-old Leigh Howard
- Ryan Bayley on the podium
- Ryan Bayley contemplates his vistory over Rene Wolff
- Jason Niblett lines up in the Melbourne Cup on Wheels final
- John Kennedy visualising the race ahead in the elimination
- John Kennedy eyes the track ahead in the Elimination
- John psyches himself up for the aces keirin final
- A determined Joel Leonard before the aces keirin final
- Bayley glances at the other riders in the aces keirin final
- Profiles of wheels ready to turn (aces keirin final)
- Michael Ford puts the hammer down in the aces scratch race
- Richard England in a blur of motion in the aces scratch race
- An extreme effort
- Michael Ford leads Steven Rossendell
- Steven Rossendell gasps for breath
- Riders push hard trying not to be eliminated
- Richard England in a blur of motion
- Todd Wilksch powers along the black line
- Todd Wilksch rides the bank at high speed
Results
Assos C Grade motor pace 1 Ewin Williams (Brunswick) 2 Brad Connarty (Ararat) 3 Mark Nelson (Carnegie Caulfield) The Locker Group D Grade motorpace 1 Adam Webb (Ballarat-Sebastapol) 2 William Pace (Latrobe City) 3 Brett Williams (Bendigo) John Beasley Cycles invitational match race Round 1 1 Joel Leonard (Australia) 11.18 2 Matthias John (Germany) Fitzroy Cycles match race of the century Round 1 1 Rene Wolff (Germany) 11.65 2 Ryan Bayley (Australia) Cyclesport Victoria B Grade motorpace 1 Adrian Hanson (Coburg) 2 Glenn O'shea (Bendigo) 3 James Langedyk (Geelong) Assos Aces Elimination 1 Leigh Howard (Geelong) 2 Richard England (Blackburn) 3 Tim Decker (Bendigo) 4 Mitchell Docker (Brunswick) John Beasley Cycles Women's scratch race 1 Belinda Goss (Tasmania) 2 Peta Mullens (Latrobe City) 3 Jessica Berry (Bendigo) 4 Rahna Demarte (Northcote) Drapac - Porsche Development Programme invitational U17 scratch race 1 Peter Johnstone (Chelsea & Peninsula) 2 Simon Thorsen (Shepparton) 3 Michael Downing (Carnegie Caulfield) John Beasley Cycles invitational match race Round 2 1 Matthias John (Germany) 10.96 2 Joel Leonard (Australia) Fitzroy Cycles match race of the century Round 2 1 Ryan Bayley (Australia) 10.98 2 Rene Wolff (Germany) The Grand Mercure On Swanston Melbourne Cup on Wheels Heat 1 1 Brendan Schultz (Hamilton) 2 James Langedyk (Geelong) 3 Andrew Stewart (Coburg) 4 Peter Tsebelis (Latrobe City) Heat 2 1 Adrian Hanson (Coburg) 2 Glenn O'shea (Bendigo) 3 Anthony Rix (Bendigo) 4 Brett Williams (Bendigo) Heat 3 1 Jeremy Mclay (Chelsea & Peninsula) 2 Dean Stewart (Northcote) 3 Daniel Ellis (ACT) 4 Adrian Salter (Footscray) Heat 4 1 Leigh Howard (Geelong) 2 Mitchell Docker (Brunswick) 3 Sean Finning (Castlemaine) 4 Tim Decker (Bendigo) Heat 5 1 Ryan Bayley (Western Australia) 2 Gary Mueller (Brunswick) 3 Jason Niblett (Horsham) 4 Steven Rossendell (Tasmania) Heat 6 1 Steven Sansonetti (Northcote) 2 Toby Lennnon (Bendigo) 3 Joel Leonnard (Footscray) 4 Andrew Shannon (New Zealand) Drapac - Porsche Development Program invitational U17 scratch race 1 Peter Johnstone (Chelsea & Peninsula) 2 Michael Downing (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Patrick Drapac (Brunswick) John Beasley Cycles Invitation Match Race Round 3 1 Joel Leonard (Australia) 10.93 2 Matthias John (Germany) Fitzroy Cycles Match Race Of The Century Round 3 1 Ryan Bayley (Australia) 11.17 2 Rene Wolff (Germany) The Locker Group Women's 1500m handicap 1 Apryl Eppinger (Carnegie Caulfield) 2 Michelle King (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Monique Hanley (Warragul) 4 Rahna Demarte (Northcote) Melbourne Cup on Wheels Final - 2000m 1 Leigh Howard (Geelong) 2.07 2 Ryan Bayley (Western Australia) 3 Mitchell Docker (Brunswick) Drapac - Porsche Development Programme invitational U17 elimination 1 Peter Johnstone (Chelsea & Peninsula) 2 Michael Downing (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Luke Jones (Geelong) Australian Abalone Exports aces keirin heats Heat 1 1 Matthias John (Germany) 2 Joel Leonard (Footscray) 3 Jeremy Mclay (Chelsea & Peninsula) Heat 2 1 Kial Stewart (Act) 2 Jason Niblett (Horsham) 3 Rene Wolff (Germany) Heat 3 1 Ryan Bayley (Western Australia) 2 Steven Rossendell (Tasmania) 3 Daniel Ellis (Act) Cyclists International B Grade elimination 1 Adrian Hanson (Coburg) 2 Glenn O'shea (Bendigo) 3 Luke Gooley (Shepparton) Australian Abalone Exports Aces Keirin Final 1 Kial Stewart (Act) 2 Joel Leonard (Footscray) 3 Ryan Bayley (Western Australia) 4 Jason Niblett (Horsham) Eva's Florist - Caulfield C Grade elimination 1 Dean Stewart (Northcote) 2 Ewen Williams (Brunswick) 3 Brendan Schultz (Hamilton) Cyclesport Victoria aces scratch race 1 Sean Finning (Castlemaine) 2 Todd Wilksch (Horsham) 3 Tim Decker (Bendigo) 4 Mark Kelly (Isle Of Man)
