Shane Cook Homes – 13 November 2016

Ron Rivette Memorial
Handicap

Balliang Hall – Granite Road circuit – 53 km

Riding for our lost mates

November is Men’s Health Month.
On this day, members of the club ventured to Balliang (south of Bacchus Marsh) to race for a mate – Ron Rivette.
Also on this day, we remembered our mate Craig Fromhold who would have been celebrating his birthday on this day.
We didn’t know the biggest battles that our mates faced; we are poorer for losing TWO of the big characters in local cycling.
Ron and Craig loved riding.  They encouraged so many of us to race, enjoy and be better.
It is OK to ask, “Are you OK”.
We remember our mates Ron and Craig.

Many thanks to the expanded Bacchus Marsh crew for making the race day possible – Shane Cook; Terry Collie; John Faulkner; Robyn Young; Darwin…and all the two legged marshals; as well as everyone else who helped out today to ensure the event went ahead.

Riders travelled all over the state of Victoria looking for blue skies and dry roads…former pro Phil Anderson found sound wonderful cycling weather in Gippsland…Eureka Veterans Cycling Club found it at Balliang.

Sure it was windy…and sure there was a rain shower and everyone got some splash back from the wet roads at the end of the race…but a race was staged none the less.
After all the trash talk (which Craig and Ron would have approved of!) between the Ballarat based riders and the Bacchus Marsh based riders, now was time to rumble.

Robert Young, James Gretton and Roger McMillan were the first away at 23:00 minutes.
They tackled the first third of the race as one.  Together they clawed their way to the top of the Granite Road climb.  Then the fast downhill started to cause a few issues.
At the turnaround it appeared things were going to start going pear shaped.  Robert was soon off the back and together James and Roger would try to hold onto their slim advantage.
The long climb back up Granite Road saw James drop off.  Now Roger had to go.  He opened a gap and drove on, what else was there to do?

Terry Collie and James Knipe were away at 14:00 minutes.
A pair in this wind was always going to be tough.  They did the best they could, however after the turnaround things certainly imploded and they couldn’t stay together.  At least they each only had the second half of the race – including the long slog back up the eastern side of the Granite Road climb – to go…

The Three Amigos – Bob Morley, Peter Livitsanis and Mark O’Callaghan – were next away at 8:00 minutes.
These guys have raced with each other so often this year that they have synchronised their periodical drinking.
Holding a handy six minute advantage over the next group, they set about maximising that gap, or at least limiting their losses.  All was looking good on the way out, yet as they raced down the steep side of the Granite Road climb they could almost sense something was about to happen.
Psssssssst!?!  Pete Livitsanis flatted and was out of the race.
What would happen now with only two Amigos remaining?

The 2:00 minute group was like a reunion of quasi-Scratch riders.
All their names are familiar, because they have all featured in write ups this year for their exploits…placing and winning A Grade Scratch races, Handicaps, Criteriums, Trophy Races and Opens.  Yes this formidable bunch are the Famous Five – Rick Calvert, Grant Dawson, Greg Ley, Matthew Ayres and Darren Terry.
Rick was in for a tough time as this was his first ride on this circuit, yet his companions are the core of the Bacchus Marsh crew!  Rick was also backing up from a race with Ballarat Sebastopol the previous day.
Grant was struggling early as he continues his long way back to race fitness post breaking a collarbone.  The bunch sat up twice to let him rejoin.
Matt Ayres was also struggling mid race, however rumour has it that he is preparing a launch on the Championship Race next weekend.
Darren Terry was a powerhouse…as usual…in just his second race of the 2016 season…
Greg Ley and Rick Calvert are the form riders of the bunch and together they ensured a tempo that kept as many matches dry as possible until it was time to go, go, go..!

Scratch saw Tony Mirabella also backing up from a Ballarat Sebastopol CC race on the previous day.  Matt Bowman was out for a rare race that didn’t involve a time trial bike.  Dean Wells rounded out the group.
Matt was dropping off the back in the early hills, Tony was rolling off the front and Dean was somewhere in between trying to decide whether to go forwards or backwards.
Over the Granite Road climb and Tony had opened a big gap on his cohorts – he was in two minds about sitting up or forging forward.  Matt however used his power booster to first catch Dean on the downhill, then tow him back to Tony.
Just after the turnaround and Scratch was back together.  Tony then did a massive turn back into the wind and uphill.  Matt was lost, however Dean and Tony started to pick up the dropped riders from the 2 minute bunch.

With 15 kilometres remaining, the racers came across wet roads after a short shower (that thankfully went through whilst everyone was on a different section of the course).
Roger was still a clear leader and time trialling his way towards the finish.  James was a clear second.  So great was the margin they held over the chasers, they were never really sighted…
Rick, Greg and Darren were trying their hardest to close down the gap to the leaders, however how do you measure your effort when you can’t even see the lure?
They had picked up Bob Morley who kindly reminded Darren that a win today would see him consigned to Scratch FOREVER. (you can only beat the handicapper once!)
The remains of Scratch – Tony and Dean – were swapping turns as they inch ever closer.  Grant is somehow clinging on after being caught.  Matt Ayres gives one effort and that was all she wrote.  They catch Mark O’Callaghan and he too was able to rally for one effort before lights out.

5 kilometres remaining and Roger was still clear.  Stay upright and the win is his.  James is a clear second and has a massive lead over the chasers.
Rick and Greg loomed as possible dangers to James (if only they could see him).
The Scratch chase had finally compounded.  Over a minute behind with 10 km remaining, Dean and Tony whittled that down to about 40 seconds into a headwind, but they falter.  Late efforts by Grant to try and help them bridge the gap were in vain.

Finish line and with the road to himself…Roger McMillan WINS!
A worthy victor after soloing for such a distance in the conditions.

James Gretton crosses in second.  A tremendous effort after also riding solo for half the race.

The race for third was on.  Darren eased out of the way to leave Rick, Greg and Bob to go head to head.  Rick takes the placing.

The race for Fastest Time was no contest as Dean led out Tony who then sprinted off to the line.

Results:
1st – Roger McMillan (23 min)
2nd – James Gretton (23 min)
3rd – Rick Calvert (2 min)
4th – Greg Ley (2 min)
5th – Bob Morley (8 min)
Fastest Time – Tony Mirabella (Scratch) in 1hr 29m 40s

Picture: Darwin the corner marshal decides that nothing is more fun than a stick…

The Master Of Affairs – 22 May 2016

Coghills Creek Handicap 59 km

Mirabella Still The Master

master

noun
1. a person with the ability or power to use, control or dispose of something

affair

noun 
1. an event or performance

Just in case anyone hadn’t noticed, Tony Mirabella has put a big stamp on the 2016 racing season.  Multiple wins early in the season have been followed by multiple wins in the latter part of the season.
In the middle of the season (winter), Tony took his family on along overseas holiday.  That holiday also meant that for the first time in memory…Tony spent time OFF the bike.  That break has not done any damage to his fitness and it also means he is fully refreshed for the business end of the season!

Spring tried to raise its head today, however any heat the sun put out was quickly whipped away by the chilly south breeze.  The wind chill factor had the “feels like” temperature hovering around the zero mark as riders rolled up to the start of a 59 kilometre handicap.

An early casualty for the day was John Faulkner.  John has been in rare form and has clearly ridden his bike so hard that he broke it…well at least a gear cable.  John’s late scratching left a solitary rider to tackle the limit mark of 25 minutes.  That rider was Graeme Parker and he wasn’t sighted until late in the race.

Matt Ritchie and James Gretton were away at 18 minutes.  Fast with the tail wind and slow with the head wind was the order of the day.  They worked as well as two riders can.  They held onto 8 minute group for a few hundred metres, however they were swept aside with about 12 kilometres remaining and rode home sharing each others company.

The 13 minute group struggled with the wind and cold as well.  Roger McMillan was dropped during the second large lap and was courageous in finishing alone.  Terry Collie is still acclimatising to the extended Victorian winter after his Pacific Island holiday and he felt every knife of that cutting cold as it fought through his multiple layers.Both Terry and Brian Lee were able to stay with the 8 minute group when they were caught.

The 8 minute group consisted of Peter Livitsanis, Bob Morley and Dan Whelan.  They rode a smart and controlled race and on the first lap only lost 1 minute to the chasing 4 minute pair.  By the second lap they had most of the out marker groups in their sights and set about picking them off.

The 4 minute pair was Rob Phillips and Dean Wells.  Rob looked after Dean who was on a “training ride” after requesting a move out whilst overcoming illness.  They held the Scratch group off until late on the second lap, then joined in the chase effort.

The Scratch group were men on a mission today.  Matt Bowman was back for his first club race in a while.  His time trialling prowess came to the fore today as he led the chase.  Tony Mirabella and Andrew Rushton both have some good form at the moment, however they were equally full of praise for Matt’s efforts in driving them towards the finish.
Catching Phillips and Wells was a small relief for the Scratch group as they could now spread the workload and chase down the other riders. Bowman was almost lost on quarry hill, however some quick thinking teamwork brought him back as they turned to get the tailwind for the final time.

With the gap between the combined Scratch/4 minute bunch and the Morley bunch decreasing with every pedal stroke the chasers started planning the assault…only to realise that there was still another rider (Parker) further up the road.
No time for horse play, so the catch was really just a high speed pass that was easy for the Morley bunch to jump onto.

Turning at the church the pace backed off as fewer riders started sharing the lead.  Mirabella put in a few surges and at one point almost split the large bunch.  The bunch regrouped as Parker was caught at the turn into Donovans Road.
A few more surges up the rise dropped some riders off the back of the bunch and then Bowman opened a small gap.  Mirabella jumped out of the pack in an effort to get across in the head wind, but the gap behind him had blown open and none of the chasers seemed to want to work together.

Mirabella caught Bowman with about 3 kilometres remaining.  Bowman had finally blown after all his earlier efforts and so together they swapped turns to try and hold the chasers at bay.  They had 100 metres on Rushton and Phillips with Livitsanis hanging onto those two.
Wells was able to claw his way across to this group then took over the chase.
Could they bridge the gap?  The leaders were just…there!

The gap was gradually closed and cresting the final rise was probably less than 40 metres.  A final effort by Bowman and Mirabella put the race out of the chasers reach and left them to fight out the finish.
In the run to the line, Mirabella scooted away for a comfortable win over the brilliant Bowman.
Rushton hooked out from behind the Wells “lead out train” to open his sprint early and catch Phillips and Livitsanis unawares.  It worked, but Rushton soon found that finish line seemed to be getting further away, not closer.  He held to the line from Phillips and the ever tenacious Livitsanis.

Race Results:

1st – Tony Mirabella (Scratch)
2nd – Matthew Bowman (Scratch)
3rd – Andrew Rushton (Scratch)
4th – Rob Phillips (4 min)
5th – Peter Liviutsanis (8 min)

Fastest Time: Tony Mirabella in 1:37:30

Wayne Horne Earthmoving

Spring Criterium Series
Round 2

Graded Scratch Races – 16 Oct 2016

Production Drive Circuit, Alfredton

Fine weather and plenty of enthusiastic riders made for an exciting day of criterium racing at Alfredton.  Most of the Eureka riders who had ridden the Camperdown to Warrnambool race the previous day backed up with a second day of racing.

A Grade

(45 minutes + 2 laps):  Damien Keirl romped home in another sprint finish, on a day when the biggest question was ‘Who had “self handicapped” themselves the most?’
Rick Calvert and Tony Mirabella were both backing up after impressive rides in the Camperdown to Warrnambool on the previous day, where Calvert claimed the prize for first home in his bunch and Mirabella was a member of the 5 minute bunch that kept Scratch at bay!
That was yesterday…?Not to be outdone, Brendan Schiemer had gone for a lazy 143 kilometre ride on the Saturday and Damien Keirl had partied until the wee hours at a wedding.
So, with a the lot of them asking ‘What am I doing here?’ they rolled off at a rather sedate pace for A Grade.

Not many attacks, but plenty of fast laps that sap the legs!
Schiemer made an attack stick halfway through the race.  The others were happy to let him roll off the front and ride alone…until they realised he was opening up a significant gap. At times he was almost a straight (250 metres) in front of the chasers.
Eventually Mirabella and Keirl started to reel him back.  Their efforts quickly consigning Calvert to an individual time-trial to the finish.

With a handful of minutes remaining, they had brought Schiemer back into the fold.  Now the plotting of how to beat Kierl in a sprint started… Alas, it was all to no avail as Kierl opened his sprint before the final corner and had a healthy gap…healthy enough to sit up take the win with a smile. Mirabella a clear second and Schiemer doing enough to hold onto the minor placing.

Results:

1st – Damien Keirl
2nd – Tony Mirabella
3rd – Brendan Schiemer

B Grade

(40 minutes + 2 laps): Richard Taylor made a rare 2016 appearance a winning ride after instigating an early attack.
Bob Morley and Dan Whelan were backing up from the Camperdown to Warrnambool race on the previous day, with neither sure just what “legs” they had for a criterium.?  Morley decided to give his legs a bit of a test and ramped the pace up for a few laps…unfortunately this provided Taylor with the perfect launch platform…and away he went with the ever vigilant Peter Livitsanis in tow.
The two quickly built up a large lead as Morley and Whelan could only look on and curse!  Pressing their advantage, Livitsanis and Taylor took a lap out of their rivals before eventually settling into an easy rhythm which allowed Whelan and Morley back on (albeit a lap down).

No attacks with two laps to go, Livitsanis and Taylor keeping close watch on each other.
Bell lap and nothing has changed…this is going to be a sprint finish…from a long way out.?  Taylor quickly has a gap when the sprint opens, but Livitsanis is holding onto some matches and he really only lights it all up with 50 metres to go.   Taylor does enough to hold a narrow margin at the flag…almost losing after having a bit of fun and bunny hopping the line.

Results:

1st – Richard Taylor
2nd – Peter Livitsanis
3rd – Bob Morley

C Grade

(35 minutes + 2 laps):  Roger McMillan made a strong statement today for his chances in next month’s C Grade Championship race.?  The pace was kept high throughout the race as rider after rider assumed the lead role.
John Faulkner was prominent throughout and was often seen leading the pack.
Kevin Lee wasn’t letting anything like race fitness stop him and he was seen stretching them out just as many times as hanging off the back.
James Gretton was ever watchful and the crowd was anticipating a big solo effort towards the end.
Rob Young was treating this as yet another training ride, he made sure he kept out of trouble.
Graeme Parker reminded the other lads that he still has some speed in the legs by letting a few fast laps rip.
Terry Collie still had fresh legs…of sorts.  This was just his second race since returning from the Hawaiian sunshine…earlier this week.  Fair effort, especially as he was backing up after the Camperdown to Warrnambool (which was his first race back) the previous day!?

Two laps to go and Collie and McMillan were present at the front, whilst Parker was calling it a day.?  Bell lap and McMillan was still ramping the pace up.  Those expected solo attacks wouldn’t come at this pace!  
?Into the home straight and the gaps had opened up as McMillan and Collie pulled clear to fight it out.  Lee was a clear third and a mere spectator to the race for first.?

Results:
1st – Roger McMillan
2nd – Terry Collie
3rd – Kevin Lee

Wayne Horne Earthmoving have been a long time supporter of our cycling club.
Located in Wendouree, Wayne and the team have all the equipment to perform all civil engineering
work from residential properties through to industrial estates.