Reckoning on the mount – 9 September 2018
Graded Divisions
Mount Beckworth – 54 km
RETURN OF BIG MIG
WHEELER WINS AT FIRST OUTING
OGILVIE WINS FOR THE CROWD
Cool and overcast conditions greeted riders as they arrived at Learmonth for the first challenge of the spring. Some riders were emerging after their winter hibernation and were shocked to see just what few clothes the hard nuts who had raced during the cold months were wearing.
Eureka was short on officials today – due in part to being the pseudo host of the 2018 KREHALON Australia Time Trial Championships at Balliang – however the remaining committee persons quickly rallied and organised the day…
Roger McMillan sorted out the corner marshals and also performed marshal duty. Dean Wells sacrificed his ride…yes, sacrificed…to perform referee duties. It would be remiss not to mention the efforts of Handicapper – Peter Livitsanis – who directed every rider to an imagined start location some two kilometres away from where the actual start line was…
Big thanks to Grant Dawson and Steve Biram who drove up from Bacchus Marsh for corner duty, then stuck around to do the dishes and sweep the floors.
At the official and correct start line, the race referee determined that the race would be held up until:
a) The sheep were cleared off the road
b) All the riders were actually present
All jokes aside, thank you to the farmer who rode up to start line to inform us that the road was clear of livestock!
Division 3
A super small field with Phil McLennan assuming the road captain duties. He was joined by two new riders – Bill Dwyer and Gary Wheeler.
The race referee assured Phil that there were so many marshals, he could not possibly get lost. “Challenge accepted” replied Phil, then they were away. Phil lead the way into the wind like an old hand. He had the “newbies” rotating through and everything was going well until the climb up to the turnaround at Mount Beckworth. Dwyer struggled with the head wind and the other two got their break.
With the tail wind and gravity assistance – McLennan and Wheeler opened an insurmountable gap. McLennan was confident, however Wheeler was cunning enough to launch early for the line. He won in a trot.
Dwyer eventually made it home and was heard to mutter… “Come and race they said, it’ll be fun they said!”
Results:
1st – Gary Wheeler
2nd – Phil McLennan
3rd – Bill Dwyer
Division 2 - race details courtesy Bob Morley
Basically a Division 2 bunch with three Division 3 riders…but who was who? Jeremy Humber, Ash Burke, Dan Whelan, Pete Livitsanis, Bob Morley, Craig Lightfoot and Rob Phillips rolled up to the start line.
Livitsanis took off like a rocket and gapped the bunch. He pulled a gap of 500 metres, however wise old heads wondered at his logic and just let him go. Phillips gave it a bit of a squirt on the first hill and all were up to it. That burst closed the gap to Fifi and he rejoined around the corner.
The Donovan’s Road stretch was difficult as Lightfoot wound it up and continued to wind it up and put the group in the gutter. Fifi was gapped around the corner and was off the back. Race over. Maybe there was logic to trying to steal a break at the start after all…
Phillips wound it up again up the hill past the quarry just to make sure the handicapper did not get back on. Through Blowhard and the head wind was a slog to the turnaround. Whelan hit out up the rise. This tactic normally works with the Division 3 riders, but this field didn’t even get out of the seat.
Burke led them through the turnaround, with Humber being ever watchful. Down the hill and Whelan was doing what he does best – being on the front. Phillips attacked a few times and did not drop anyone but certainly was softening them up for the finish. Morley was staying in touch without ever getting on the front – too smart for that! Lightfoot was looking light on his Lightweight 6.2 kg bike. It was paradoxically finished off with a $7.00 Aldi tail light that wasn’t even working…
Onto Donovan’s Road and it would be a fast finish with the tail wind. Over the rise together and everyone was watching everyone with no one willing to commit to a long range attack. Lightfoot was on the front again as they came inside the final kilometre. He swung to the right of the road and was being watched. Then the torch was lit and as one the sprint was on. “The big Mig” Phillips got out of the seat and upped the wattage. He raced to the lead, but Humber was quickly onto it and hit the gas. It was a match race.
Humber hard against the gutter with Phillips leading out in the middle. Lightfoot was caught out wide and had to switch wheels to find some clean air. Once free, he dived for Phillips wheel. Burke was also caught up in the wash before finding some open road late.
Phillips still had 3/4 length on Humber at the line.
Results:
1st – Rob Phillips
2nd – Jeremy Humber
3rd – Craig Lightfoot
Division 1
A small yet talented field assembled for Division 1. Brett Martin and Stuart Brien were back after short breaks during winter. Tony Mirabella was feeling confident after a decent training block. David Ogilvie was ready to rumble after travelling far and wide over the past few weeks to compete in CV events. Craig Lee and Jason Birch were just happy that winter had finally broken. Nothing out of the ordinary to report for the first lap – fast and hard like a team time trial…
Birch noticed a tyre issue going past the quarry the second time and was soon out of the race.
Into the headwind through Coghill’s Creek and the pace was fair without being overly challenging. Five riders intact…when would the fun begin?
The Mount Beckworth climb starts from the bridge crossing in Coghill’s Creek. The “steep” bit is a mere 4%, however with a head wind all the way, that little kick can be all the difference…and so it was. Brien was congratulating himself on still being in the pack as they started the climb in earnest. One hundred metres later he was off the back and gone. Ogilvie had applied the pressure and a strong response was required.
With just four remaining in contention the mind games commenced. Attack? Sit? Follow? (It’s much easier when Shark is racing. Everyone just chases…)
On this day, the attacks came in a flurry. Mirabella hit out first after the turnaround. The chasers reeled him in and Martin went…pushing 3000 Watts, although this number is currently being disputed. Ogilvie was next to go. He attacked a few times in a row with sufficient effect to dislodge Lee.
A slight lull allowed Lee to claw his way back, however Ogilvie and Martin kept up the efforts until well into the home straight.
Ogilvie finally stole a break on the field and won with hands aloft for his adoring fan club who vigorously cheered their Daddy home.
Results:
1st – David Ogilvie
2nd – Brett Martin
3rd – Tony Mirabella
KREHALON Australia
State Championship Series
Time Trial
Balliang
LANE – BACK ON TOP
HENDRY – TOP TEN OVERALL
COLLIE – ROOKIE ERROR
BOWMAN – ABANDONS TO AID INJURED RIDER
A mixed bag for riders contesting the 2018 KREHALON Australia Time Trial Championships at Balliang.
Stephen Lane (Northern) scorched around the circuit to claim the M35-39 title as well as Fastest Time of the day. Lane turned the tables on arch rival James Ogilvie (Eastern) who had claimed the Australian title at Maryborough during easter. 32 seconds separated the pair at the line – we’ll have fun watching this unfold over the next few years! A great effort by Eureka’s Jason Hendry – he collected bronze in the category and also finished with the tenth fastest time on the day for the 30 Km event.
Michael Borowski won M40-44 in a canter from fellow Northern rider Luke Medhurst. Eureka’s Mark O’Callaghan collected bronze.
Justin Hogan (Eastern) won the M45-49 category. Eureka’s Matt Bowman was tipped as the major challenger, however he abandoned the race to assist another competitor who had crashed after the wind caught hold of his disc wheel. James Gretton (Eureka) experienced mechanical issues throughout his ride and was unable to finish – although James reckons he was just rubbish on the day…
Eureka’s Gary Beazley claimed bronze in the M55-59 category, which was won by Colin Doherty (Eastern). James Knipe (Eureka) did not make the start line on this day.
Brain Long (Geelong & Surf Coast) bolted in the M85 plus category. Pretty sure that eventually the data entry people will ensure Longy’s name is spelt correctly…
Jacqui Dawson (Eureka) picked up a silver for her effort in W45-49. No time trial specific bike for Jac! Just a regular setup and a determined face contortion!
The hard luck story of the day goes to Terry Collie, who was rather disappointed with his mechanic for forgetting to swap his transponder from his regular race bike to his time trial setup. Unfortunately a DNF alongside Terry’s name, instead of his time which would have netted him a medal on the day in M70-74, which Myles Higgins (Goulburn Valley) won.
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