Reports

Glenvale Crescent Criterium April 22
Mulgrave
Apr 22 2007
Mal Sawford

Stalder takes win but Rowbotham wraps up Inexa Series

It was a wet start to the morning for the second last crit of the season, but the rain cleared early enough for the roads to be dry in time for the start of racing. Numbers were down a little due to the wet which hadn't cleared around other parts of Melbourne as quickly, and because many CCCC riders had tackled the gruelling ascent of Mt Baw Baw the day before.

Fittingly, the A Grade race came down to a battle between the season's most consistent riders, with Inexa series leader Brendan Rowbotham (SHM-CCCC) and second placed Andrew Stalder (Promains) in the thick of the action all day. Both featured in the first significant break of the day with Warren Knevitt (O'Mara Cycles). After a solid ten minutes building a lead, Knevitt found the pace too hot and returned to the bunch, allowing the chasers, led by VIS trio Pat Shaw, Nick Walker and Michael Gallagher, to reel in the escape.

Approaching the half way mark, a series of attacks and counter attacks by Peter Barnett (SHM-CCCC), Anthony Smith and Damon De Angelis (Promains), Tom Leaper (Pro-Motion Bicycles) and Dylan Boone (Inexa Race Frame) saw the bunch split, with a group of fifteen going clear. Only four more riders would reach the front group again, but the time they did, Stalder, Rowbotham and Walker had counter attacked and were heading to the finish.

Stalder was too quick in the dash to the line, and took his sixth win of the season, ahead of Walker and Rowbotham; whose third place was enough to wrap up the Inexa series before the final round. Knevitt led the chasers home in fourth place, ahead of Adrian Salter (Salter Cycles) and Shaw.

Big Neil Robinson (Aboc Cycle Coaching) had the B Grade bunch in trouble early, and later combined with Gary Chamberlain (Bicycle Superstore) to keep the chasers at bay for five laps before a well organised chase saw the field regroup. Counter attacks by Steve Morrow, Sean Carruthers (Hampton Cycles) and Radelle Berriman (Terry Hammond Cycles) were quickly pounced on, and for the final ten minutes a bunch sprint seemed likely.

Tess Downing took over the pace making shortly after the call of ‘three to go', with an impressive effort to set up Drapac-Porsche team mate Lisa Friend, who had been robbed of a high finish at the Baw Baw Classic by a flat tyre. Downing set a high tempo until well into the final lap, and while her 17 year old team mate may not have had the brute strength to hold off Chamberlain and Paul Groves (Croydon Cycleworks) for the top two places, her third place finish in the bunch sprint was still very impressive.

Haydn Green (Hampton Cycles) and Carruthers, who had been a convincing winner of the C Grade division at the Baw Baw Classic, filled the final places on the podium, with Nikki Matthews holding off Berriman for the second women's prize.

Young Trent Williams had been put on notice that another placing would see him promoted out of C Grade, and was determined to go out with a win. He attacked with Adam King and opened a big lead early in the fifty minute race, but was reeled in before the half way mark.

In the second half of the race, the field was much more attentive, and quickly pounced on any break away efforts, with the race decided by a bunch sprint. Williams was good enough to dust the field in the dash to the line, to earn his promotion for the final race of the season, with the other places taken by David Williams (no relation), David Kefaloukos and Peter Ballas.

Forty-five minutes wasn't enough to split the D Grade bunch, although Ian McGinley, Micky White and Nick Bird spent the majority of the race trying, keeping the pace very high, but constant.

The field was together at the bell, before a well timed attack by Ashley Duncan saw him swing into the home straight with a fifty metre lead and hold it all the way to the line. Junior rider Brent Nelson was next home, just ahead of Rebecca Domange and McGinley, with Beata Janetzki and Carla Lawson the next best of the women.

The final Carnegie Caulfield Criterium for the 06/07 season will be held on Sunday morning at Glenvale Crescent (Melways map 80 B2) until the end of April. B, D and E Grades start at 9am, while A and C Grade ride at 10am.

All holders of 2007 Cycling Australia licenses are welcome (don't forget to bring your license or receipt!) and non-members can have a go by taking out a day license for $20. Licenses are now available at all CCCC events. All returning riders must resume in the grade they last raced in, unless prior arrangement has been made.

For first time competitors and the younger juniors, Tokyo Olympian Mick Hollingsworth conducts novice racing clinics within the E Grade race at Glenvale Crescent. For further details, go to www.carnegiecycling.com.au.

See also

Some footage of the race from a bike mounted camera , courtesy of Phillip Bertolus 

Results