Archive for the Race Results Category

 

It was a race that certainly had everything. Sleet, rain, high winds and even sunshine. 105 riders entered and about 70 hardy riders finished the event. The numbers were affected initially by a no show of 17 riders whom were concerned about the weather, and another similar amount were part of the attrition due to punctures and fierce riding of the bunches.

The race was a handicapping masterpiece by state handicapper, Col Hooper, who was thrilled as the bunches came together virtually in the last kilometre.

The scratch bunch was minimised early when Glen Scouller punctured early and local lad Scott Townsend found the going tough and was gone before Quarry Hill.

Being a light rider is normally an advantage, but Andrew Pascoe’s low body weight, coupled with deep dish wheelset, saw him literally blown off the road and out of contention. This should have made the task virtually untenable but they caught local hardman Doug Garley who chipped in and didn’t miss a turn.

So with the eventual winner assisted by murderous turns by Andrew “Bam Bam” Weightman, and help from Gary Parsons, Roy Clark and Justin Mollinson set about reeling in the field.

Further out the 10.30 bunch was pumping along with Warrick Bott, Kane Airey, Darren Terry, Dean Hayward and Craig Halliday sharing the load. They rode through the two bunches in front and added Bob Morley, Gail Oliver and Ian Ravenscroft to their midst. This bunch narrowed further to 5 or so and they sighted the leading bunch and were giving chase.

The leading bunch turned into the wind after the hairpin turn. Terry O’Brien was on the front into the strong head wind, doing most of the heavy lifting with Bernie Greally chipping in as well. Anne Gourley, Amanda Hosking, and Jacinta Welch were still there and were eying off the placings. Better co-operation would have seen this bunch get up. Just as the Kane Airey, Warrick Bott led bunch were looking good to make the capture, they were enveloped by the scratch bunch and anyone else that survived the onslaught. The field came together with a bunch of 20 or more riders. Gail Oliver jumped in an attempt to shake things up and the riders came to life.

Peter Howard took a well deserved first and fastest with Neville Laffy and Garry parsons filling the minor placings. Jeff McLean was fifth, Barry Jane rode well to take sixth place. Kane Airy sprinted well for 7^th place with local legends Doug Garley and Peter Kiel 8^th and 9^th. Rounding out 10^th place was time trialling specialist Andrew Weightman.

The wining bunch only averaged 37.5 which is indicative of the difficult conditions.

A great race that was supported by excellent facilities and food after the race. The marshals were out in force and did an excellent job.

See you all at the Geelong Open in a few weeks time and we will do it all again.

 

Winner and Fastest-           Peter Howard

2 -Neville Laffey

3-Gary Parsons

4-Roy Clark

5-Jeff McLean

6-Barry jane

7-Kane Airey

8-Doug Garley

9-Peter Kiel

10-Andrew Weightman

 

Rod Hetherington had a great weekend of racing winning on Saturday and then again on Sunday.

Once again, it was a well handicapped event, that was held in perfect conditions. Second scratch, for the fourth week in a row, stayed away from scratch and rode through the field. If having Bob Braszell, in recent weeks, wasn’t enough in the legend stakes, add a dash of Adam Smith and the bunch was going to be all go. Smith has not raced for ages and in true bike rider style was saying he has hardly done a thing for years. He proceeded to dominate his bunch and the race in general.

Steve Atkinson and Ray Hodgson were first away with a 34 minute advantage over scratch. Followed by Graeme parker and Shirley Hetherington.

The next bunch included the perplexing incoherent bunch riding of Greg Curnow and Gary Blood. They had a new rider added to their bunch, Nick Verhagen, to help out. Verhagen is a new rider and he struggled to understand the method the other boys were employing. They were doomed from the outset.

It was all happening toward the back of the field with the six minute bunch of Bob Morley, Brian Lee and strong man Darren Terry were making inroads to the eleven minute bunch. The eleven minute bunch was being lead by the never say die Gail Oliver backed up by big John Creek, Popeye Lee and Alan Barnett.

Morley, Lee and Terry had collected the bunch in front and then engulfed the bunch in front that included the hard working Larkin and the cagey pair of Wallis and Ferguson.

Thing were looking promising for this bunch with half working and half sitting on.

Then the comfort level took a major turn to major discomfort as Adam Smith stormed through on the inside doing 15 kay an hour faster than the bunch. He was 50 metres in front before every one woke up and by that time Smiths co-riders came through to offer a tow. With five kay to go, it was on ‘til the finish. The pace lifted in the home stretch, with Darrell Stewart hammering on the front a long way out. Riders were strung out behind waiting to see who was going to make the decisive move.

Shaun Terry exploded down the outside with Adam Smith on his wheel. On Smith’s wheel was renowned sprinter Rod Hetherington. Shaun Terry blew up and Smith went for it, but Hetherington continued his winning ways for a strong well judged win. Smith hung on for second. Third was Bob Braszell. I have run out of superlatives for Bob over the years. Fourth was Bob Morley and John Creek continued his good form with a fifth placing.

Scratch, once again had ridden bravely with Tony Mirrabella and Scott Townsend dispensing their bunch and went man o’ man in the sprint. Townsend hung on by a short margin as Mirrabella nearly took out Billy Goldfinch who was holding the chequered flag.

Richard Taylor continued to show strong form by winning a contested sprint on the Hetherington circuit on Sunday.

Taylor is becoming the complete racer as he was asked how he was feeling prior to the race and he said that he would be lucky to make the distance!! Yep. No worries.

Once again for the third week in a row second scratch stayed away from scratch making a mockery of the chopping block status they generally hold.

Once again excellent handicapping saw a great race unfold.

Second limit Mandy Rhook and Ray Hodgson were rounded up on the second lap by a Larkin led 15 minute bunch they then caught and left the out markers, Maz Morley and Steve Atkinson in their wake. Larkin and Terry Collie performed a minor miracle by keeping Greg Curnow under control and kept him working in the bunch the whole race.

The six minute bunch of the eventual winner Taylor, Andrew Rushton, Bob Morley and Dave Peters were flying when the lost their strongest rider in Peters. He had grass in his eye and pulled out of the race. This made them vulnerable to the underrated 3 minute bunch. No bunch with Bob Braszell in it should be underrated. When you add the hirsute Darrell Stewart, the incredible Pippa Read and the boyish enthusiasm of Rick Calvert, you have a deadly mixture.

Good money before the race would have been on Scott Townsend, Tony Mirrabella, Doug Garley and Phil Cartledge as certainties to ride through the field but it wasn’t to be. They rode tempo and were happy to fight it out for fastest time. Mirrabella may be saving himself for next week’s trophy race!

The three middle bunches came together with a lap to go and the pace was on to catch the remaining 15 minute bunch. With Pippa Read using every opportunity to ride off the front, the pressure was on to keep up. John Creek Kevin Lee and Alby Govan showed they have improved and covered every attack with tenacious riding.

It took until the home straight ‘til Larkin, Collie and Curnow were reigned in.

Darrell Stewart had a couple of goes to see where the strength lay and he was covered each time. He found himself on the front with 500 to go looking back every 5 seconds waiting for “the move”. It wasn’t ‘til 100 metres to go, Richard Taylor, as usual, in the biggest gear available, went for it. He held it easily and Rick Calvert hung on for second and a surprise third place was big John Creek, who has been showing the benefits of some midweek training. Fourth was the indefatigable Bob Braszell and Bob Morley half a wheel behind for fifth.

A minute behind Scott Townsend predictably took out fastest time after an initial burst from Tony Mirrabella

1st Richard Taylor, 2nd Rick Calvert, 3rd John Creek    Fastest time Scott Townsend

Brad Fry made amends for misjudging the finish line last week and took victory with a strong sprint.

The biggest scratch bunch for the year gave the eventual winning bunch 5 minutes but with Doug Garley a non starter and Shane Cody pulling out early to go to the movies, found themselves one minute short of the winning bunch.

Bob Braszell and Pip Read led the 5 minute bunch and were supported by last weeks’ winner Pete Livi, with Rick Calvert and eventual winner Brad Fry rounding out a very even group.

The 10 minute bunch fancied their chances with Alby Govan, Bob Morley, John Creek and the Lee brothers working well. They took 2 minutes out of the 14 minute bunch on the first lap  but lost momentum on the second lap as the fourteen minute bunch absorbed the 16 minute bunch that had already shelled Malcolm Rock and Greg Curnow.

The fourteen minute bunch set off at a great rate with Alan Barnett doing long smooth turns. Ron Larkin, Jacinta Welch and the flu ridden Rob Ferguson complemented Alan’s work and the bunch was humming. They caught the sixteen minute bunch on lap two and Graeme Parker started working turns. Some riders from the sixteen minute bunch fell away past the quarry and Fergie had punctured. This left only Graeme Parker, Alan, Ron and Jacinta all riding well with only half a lap to go and Mandy Rhook in sight.

Mandy Rhook was off 32 minutes and she caught and passed Maz Morley. She was determined to put up a good show riding her brand new Trek.

The Brad Fry led bunch captured the 10 minute bunch and continued on with people jumping on for the ride. Fry, Calvert and Read put in some strong attacks and thinned out the field considerably. The lone brave Mandy Rhook was caught in the home straight and that’s when the tactics began.

Nobody wanted to reduce their chances by leading the field home and the pace slowed. Jacinta Welsh flashed past with Larkin on her wheel and the sprint was on in earnest. They were brought back to the fold and the strong riders asserted themselves.

Brad Fry was strong and went over the line unchallenged. Legend Bob Brazsell was second with last week’s winner Pete Livi sprinting well for third. Bob Morley took fourth place with John Creek capping his improvement with a fifth place.

Scott Townsend continued his good form by taking out the fastest time.

1-Brad Fry 2-Bob Braszell, 3-Peter Livitsanis 4-Bob Morley 5-John Creek

Fastest time Scott Townsend