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Wayne Horne Earthmoving Hcp.  Windmill circuit.  53 km.

Des Lane Buries ‘Em

Top of the podium at Eureka must be reserved for Warrnambool riders with Des Lane recording the second win in a row for the Warrnambool club.

Des kicked home with a strong final sprint to knock off Lance Rodgers from Geelong & Surf Coast and a fast finishing John Creek from Eureka.

Eureka Veterans CC welcomed 72 riders from Geelong Surfcoast, Warrnambool and Colac clubs with Perfect conditions!  Sunshine, hardly any wind for the first of a four combined club race series which involves the EVCC.

While the conditions favoured the front markers it was the middle marker 12 min bunch that had it pretty much their own way today.
A strong bunch which combined well and rode strongly, and enjoyed a bit of luck with the two chasing bunches behind missing a corner and losing time.

First lap and the 5 limit riders (24 min) saw their lead reduced from 6 min down to 3:35, ahead of the next bunch on the road (18 min) with 15 min bunch also closing in, only a further 2 min back.
The 6 min bunch had missed the turn at Coghills Creek, as had the 9 min bunch who rode on to the next corner.
This gave the 3 min bunch the opportunity to catch both bunches quickly and the three bunches came together at the Donovan’s Rd corner creating a peloton of 27 riders, problem was they were now 7 min down on the next group on the road.
Scratch were struggling to get ontop of the pace required to pull in the field and with only 6 riders chasing 27 it was always going to be a slog, they failed to take any time on the next bunch on the road on the first lap.

2nd lap and the stronger riders in the front bunches started to attack their own bunch in an futile attempt to both stay away from the relentless march of the 12 min bunch and try their luck up the road.
The 12 min bunch were still riding well and had both limit & 2nd limit in sights -they were only 1:30 down & had the race by the throat.
The super peleton of the 3/6/9 min bunch were still 6min down with Scratch still held at 3 min behind.

Final lap the 12 min bunch had the race sewn up, and had scattered a string of limit riders along behind them.
The combine 3/6/9 min bunch were still a good 5 min back at the final corner and riding hard while scratch appeared to now have lost their advantage and had a lot of work to do to make fastest time. Over the final rise and with nothing behind them but empty road the 12 min bunch settled for the finale.

You can see the finish from the top of the rise but you are still too far out to open up, a fact known to local riders who settled in to wait.
With so many riders in the sprint it came down to wheels, lead outs and positioning.  Des had judged his jump to perfection and took his advantage to the line, Lance and John both chasing hard to take the remaining spots on the podium.

The race referees gave Scratch fastest time, but it was close and they hard to work home hard to secure it.
In the final analysis it was Garry Wearmouth that had the watts crossing clear of his Scratch bunch.

Results:

1st – Des Lane (12 min) – Warrnambool VCC
2nd – Lance Rodgers (12 min) – Geelong & Surf Coast CC
3rd – John Creek (12 min) – Eureka VCC
4th – Barry Clay (15 min) – Geelong & Surf Coast CC
5th – Gary Legg (12 min) – Colac VCC

Fastest Time – Garry Wearmouth (Scratch) – Geelong & Surf Coast CC

 

Our Sponsor this week is Wayne Horne Earthmoving.

With over 22 years experience, no job is too big or too small. Wayne Horne Earthmoving specialise in all types of excavation works and their service comes complete with qualified, professional workers and top quality equipment.
From levelling dams to subdivisions, they have it covered.  They also do plant hire.

Wayne and Catherine have been sponsors of the club since it was established in 2009.
The ongoing support of our sponsors is crucial to enabling the EVCC to operate effectively and provide an exciting race calendar for our members.

Wayne Horne Earthmoving is located at 3 Trewin Street, Wendouree.

tel. 5338 1650

Des Lane pictured with his prize money and bottle of Janz.

 

2015 Winter Aggregate Race Series sponsored by Europa Café

W.A.R.S. race 1, Windmill / Mt. Beckworth Handicap

Go, go Gomez

Visiting Warrnambool rider, Richard “Gomez” Adams expresso-ed himself with a strong grind into a block headwind up Mt Beckworth, followed by a frothy downwind dash for home, the chocolate sprinkle on top of his cappuccino was taking the final sprint by half a wheel cup.

Strong northwesterly winds, heavy showers, wet roads and cold temperatures resulted in only the dedicated, desperate and just plain silly arriving at the club rooms for today’s race, the first in this year’s WARS series.  A total of 15 stoic individuals braced themselves for a tough day out.

This week the 9 Minute bunch dominated proceedings.  They adopted the coffee bean race strategy, “if we smash it and mix it with water it will be awesome”. Richard “Gomez” Adams drove the Addams family into the wind, Brian “Fester” Lee felt no pain and was almost religious in his work, never missing a turn and keeping things honest on the rises.  John “Lurch” Creek found his legs earlier than usual and was having a day out, while Peter “Cousin IT” Livitsanis was keeping it grounded and ensuring the bunch stayed a close knit and smooth brew.

They were chasing a quartet off 19 min who were having a mixed day.  Better latte than never Greg Curnow arrived at the start line about 10 minutes behind schedule and his race never got much better, freshly roasted and finely ground he was turfed on the quarry hill first time around.  Despite being a man down early the three remaining riders, Kevin Popeye Lee, Rob Young and Tony Herbert fought hard to hold a 7 minute lead on the chasing bunch after the Windmill lap.  But then the wind got inside the bunch and took its toll, one by one the group fractured, eventually only Tony remained.  He must have had a particularly strong coffee that morning which had given him unrealistic expectations of success.  Despite temperatures south of 5 and a wind chill that had the local farmer putting jumpers on his newly born lambs, Tony had his jersey fully unzipped and flapping in the freezing wind.  When the 9 min bunch caught him on the Donovan’s Rd hill, his manly chest hair was tipped in ice.  Today’s effort being rewarded with Ride of the Day, Iceman Tony will win a race when he learns what the big ring is for.

Chasing the winning 9 min bunch was a group of four off 3 min.  Andrew “Sparky’ Rushton had appeared looking for some race pace to energise his legs and get his season wired up.  Darren Terry, EVCC’s newest little Spanish climber lead them up the first hill but endured the double shot of being dumped by his bunch and dispatched by Scratch as well.  Grant “Smokey” Dawson put everything into his race and despite fewer training miles in the legs than normal he didn’t shirk his duties on the front, eventually he pulled a massive turn, and Smokey was blowing smoke. In conditions that didn’t favour diminutive riders, the hyperactive Peter Kiel was as strong as a short black.  However, with the power in the bunch dwindling quickly the hunters soon became the hunted.  At the turn around they were about 2 minutes behind the Addams family that were rocketing for home.

Scratch could see the race up the road but try as they might it remained just out of reach.  Tony Mirabella is more machine than man these days and fresh from his top ten finish at the Fred Icke the day before his performance today was impressive.  Phil Cartledge and Matt Bowman combined with him to narrow the gap to the 3 min bunch to 20 seconds on the line, with a watchful Tony accounting for Matt in the sprint for fastest time.

So the race came down to the power of a group of four working as one.  They’re creepy and they’re kookie, mysterious and spooky but the Addam’s family were riding in formation, close enough to be in eachother’s pockets.  With the front of the race fracturing and the over-caffeinated Tony visible up the road popping up and down on his tiny gear, confidence was building.  They steamed through Coghills Creek, and darted up the little rise, this put the bite on Fester Lee’s legs and he cramped up and was dropped, Lurch, Gomez and IT rounded Donovan Rd corner with a 2 min lead and pressed for home.  Richard and Peter wound it up with 1 km to go, John was struggling holding a wheel and when Richard decided he was going to be the one, only Peter could go with the acceleration.  With the race between the two of them, professional etiquette was observed, which each rider insisting that the other take the well deserved win. Eventually Richard took the “sprint” from the chair.  Creekie hung in there for a distant third, surprisingly Tony Herbert finished ahead of the fast closing 3 min bunch for fourth, while Kiely sprinting hard for fifth.

Special thanks to our sponsors for this race series, Europa Café, who have donated a $50 voucher to the winning rider of each race and the overall series winner.

Results:

1st – Richard Adams (9 min)

2nd – Peter Livitsanis (9 min)

3rd – John Creek (9 min)

4th – Tony Herbert (19 min)

5th – Peter Kiel (3 min)

Fastest Time – Tony Mirabella (Scratch), 1hr 27m 22s

Ride of the Day – Tony Herbert (19 min)

 

2015
Winter Aggregate Race Series
 

The Eureka Vets CC are excited to welcome Europa Café on as a new sponsor in 2015.

Kathryn and Jason wanted to be involved with the club and we can think of no better place to relax,
either apres velo (after cycling) or just because it’s warm and friendly.

Europa Café is located right in the centre of Ballarat at
411 Sturt Street.
Just a block and 1/2 “up” from the Town Hall, Europa Café is perfectly situated close to the Central Square shopping precinct.

Europa is a spacious, inexpensive family style café, where the coffee is great and the buzz is lively.
The lunch/dinner menu is seasonal and ranges from Italian to venturesome and imaginative Middle Eastern and Asian dishes.
The wine list is extensive and admirable with many by the glass.
All day breakfast at Europa has become something of an institution.
If you are visiting from out of town you should have at least one breakfast during your stay…
if you are a local Kathryn, Jason and the team look forward to seeing you again and again and again…

Open everyday from 7:00am for breakfast and lunch.

www.europacafe.com.au