EUROPA W.A.R.S. – 18 June 2017
Winter Aggregate Race Series
round 2
Mt Misery reverse – 46 km, graded scratch racing
deja vu
deja ‘vu’
noun
a feeling of having already experienced the present situation.
“a feeling of déjà vu”
STOP the PRESS!
REWIND to June 5th 2016 and double check the results for round 1 of the EUROPA W.A.R.S. on the Mt Misery reverse circuit…
First in C Grade = Steve Linane
First in B Grade = Peter Livitsanis
First in A Grade = Matthew Ayres
FAST FORWARD to June 18th 2017 and check the results for round 2 of the EUROPA W.A.R.S. on the Mt Misery reverse circuit…
First in C Grade = Steve Linane
First in B Grade = Peter Livitsanis
First in A Grade = Matthew Ayres
YES it happened…SAME winners, SAME circuit, SAME series!!!
A Grade
A Grade saw plenty of early action with most of the riders launching the odd attack whilst heading west along Ercildoune Road. Nothing stuck, however the animation made for a solid race.
Peter Kiel launched the first attack that really had riders gasping as they arrived at the base of the Mt Misery climb (see video on Facebook).
Kiel’s attack saw Tony Mirabella try a few short attacks before breaking away from the pack as they crested the first part of the climb. The bunch quickly rallied their effort to ensure Mirabella didn’t get too far ahead.
Mirabella was still out of sorts during the race following a close encounter with a football (ok, a soccer ball) on the Saturday evening. His lead never stretched beyond 250 metres and some solid efforts from Paul Pickersgill and Rob Phillips up the long climb kept Tony within reach (and had Stuart Brien and Matt Ayres clinging on at the rear of the bunch).
Mirabella was back in the fold before the turn at Addington, a few attacks from him up the next climb were countered by the bunch, however first time A grader Mark O’Callaghan was finding the increasing pace a touch too hot.
Pickersgill put in a huge turn of pace before the turn out of Edmonston Rd, he had the bunch stretched out before peeling aside and leaving Brien on the front with a kilometre remaining.
New to the circuit Brien was unsure where the finish line was and he was quickly jumped by the “old stagers” as they struck out for home.
Mirabella opened the sprint early with Phillips challenging, but Ayres wound up and reminiscent of his win a year earlier, blew them away. Brien rallied late to nab third on the line.
Results:
1st – Matt Ayres
2nd – Tony Mirabella
3rd – Stuart Brien
Tony Mirabella on the attack
A Grade chasing Tony
B Grade
Due to a number of absentees, the remainder of the riders found themselves facing off different foes… B Grade saw some exciting attacks from Jeremy Humber, some extraordinary “shut downs” by Dan Whelan, some calm pacing by Bob Morley, some yo-yoing by James Gretton, a long solo effort (off the back) by Brian Ure and was rounded off with a perfectly timed sprint by Peter Livitsanis. Peter has raced around Mt Misery so many times that he has the exact spot to launch his sprint dialled in to the millimetre! Standout effort by James Gretton stepping up a grade and somehow fighting back after being dropped twice – to be able to contest the sprint.
Results:
1st – Peter Livitsanis
2nd – Jeremy Humber
3rd – James Gretton
Dan Whelan leading B Grade up the early slopes
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