Fast Racing at Cloverlea

24/11/2007

Warragul Cycling Club members came out in force to contest the Staff Duncan Handicap at Cloverlea on Saturday. The race is named in honour of long time stalwart of the Warragul Cycling Club, Staff Duncan. Staff was a master at getting the handcaps just right so the bunches finished together at the end of the race. With this in mind it was appropriate that a handicap race was on the program today.  This was the last road race planned for 2008.

First away in the handicap format were the C grade trio of Karen Munro, Dave Axford and Brian Munro.

Next away 10 minutes later were the B2 bunch consisting of Rob Monk, Matt Kennelly, Dave Baillie, Brett Williams, Gordon Foster and Darren Williams. Darren was having his first start in a club race for nearly 3 years. He drove the bunch so hard on the first lap that they managed to lose his brother Brett and Gordon. A scorching 38km/hr pace was too hot to maintain.

Two minutes after the B2 bunch came the B1 boys. Paul Yeatman, Scott Keeble, Brett Rollinson, Ross Henry, Col Brown, Tom Debemhan and Clem Frirs. These boys set off at such a pace that their bunch soon blew to pieces. Only Keeble, Rowlinson, Yeatman and Frirs would see out the race. Yeatman, Keeble Rollinson and Frirs joined Darren Williams, Rob Monk, Matt Kennelly and Dave Baillie towards the end of lap 2. This group of 8 riders combined well and gave the scratch riders no hope of reeling them in.

The scratch bunch consisting of Tim Lee, Mark OakleyBrowne, Cameron Woodcock and Chris Broeren tried valiantly to catch those in front but only managed to reel in some of the stragglers who could not keep pace with their starting bunches.

Junior riders Cy Monk and James Lalor rode 3 laps and started 5 minutes behind the scratch bunch. They were caught by the chasers on their final lap.

Father and daughter combination Karen and Brian Munro still had a 4 minute break on the chase group as they passed the start finish line to get the bell lap. Brett Rowlinson, Scott Keeble and Paul Yeatman ensured the chase group kept the pressure on and turning into Parker Road the final time the combined B grade bunches had caught the Munroes.

It was an eleven rider sprint for the line and Matt Kennelly, who had conserved his energy during the last two laps of the race proved too strong for some of the more fancied sprinters. Matt first, Brett Rollinson second and Paul Yeatman third. Then followed Scott Keeble, Darren Williams, Rob Monk, Karen Munro, Brian Munro and Clem Frirs.

Next week we begin the Criterium series. Races are on Sunday mornings  9am for B grade and D grade,  10am for A and C grade. Races start at the Velodrome.

Final place getters for the winter/spring season of 2007 are:

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