17/01/2016
By Rob Monk
Fourth Eight riders contested the second race in the Land Safe Criterium Series on the Burke St circuit on Sunday morning. Conditions were ideal for racing.
Race director Adele Whelan looked a little worse for wear as she started E grade first. She had learned from last week’s mistakes and this week would run like clockwork. That was the case until a touch of wheels saw Ollie McLean, Thomas Fitzgerald and Ben Perry hit the deck in the back straight. In a criterium you can have a lap out after a crash. Ben Perry didn’t know this rule. He remounted and chased hard and caught up to Rachel Kimber and Richard Bridge who were off the front. He managed to catch them and then outsprint them to take victory. Rachel was second with Richard in third. Bridge just cannot translate his training form into a race victory. He trains like Tarzan and races like Jane.
The D grade race saw the comeback of former A grade star Thomas Sandner after a 4 year absence from racing. Thomas still knew what to do. He had at least 4 attempts to get away up the road, often with no-one for company. That’s that way Thomas used to do it. Each time he was brought back, usually by strong men Duane McDonald and Graeme Patrick. Rob Waddel took the intermediate sprint from Jason Fritzlaf and Mark Mason. Sandner had a good lead at the bell but was chased down in the shadows of the post by the fast finishing Jason Fritzlaf. Fritzlaf will be promoted next week as this make it two wins from two races in the series. Thomas was second. The consistent Mark Mason was third with Rob Waddell fourth and Leigh Jamieson fifth.
Neil Edwards provided the most exciting finish of the day. Sean Holden was making a comeback to racing and was aggressive in trying to get away. His efforts would prove futile though as Col Brown and Ross Henry love to chase. They brought everything back. Jimmy Lalor dug deep to pick up the intermediate sprint from Greg Spencer, so deep in fact that he didn’t get out of the hole he created and did not finish the race. Neil Walker sat on the back of the race the whole time and did nothing. He commented after the race, “It was really friendly. They never even asked me to do anything.” At the bell Neil Edwards took off with Holden for company. Holden exploded in an exhausted cloud of “no race fitness” with two corners to go. Edwards didn’t look back. He was “all in”. He would be caught and come nowhere or he would win. He won, by a tyre from a fast finishing Greg Spencer. The wheel sucking Walker rolled the workers in the sprint to take third. Then followed Ross Henry and Col Brown.
The B grade race was a full of attacking but nothing would stick. Matt Malacarne spent much of the first half of the race off the front and was rewarded by getting second in the first intermediate sprint. Harry McLean was also aggressive and he took the sprint. Malacarne appeared to have spent all he had at this point and finished on his own off the back of the bunch. Josh Akarsu was super antagonistic in the second half of the race and did all he could to break away but it was not going to happen. Jayman Prestidge and Simon Baxter where having a bluffing contest to see who would do the least amount of chasing. In the end it was a draw. At the bell the field was together and no-one had enough left for the death or glory final attack. Harry Mclean opened up the sprint but was quickly mowed down by the heavy weights Prestidge and Baxter. Prestidge just prevailed in an epic sprint with a fast finishing Tambassis in third. Then followed Scott Keeble and Rob Monk.
Shane Stiles has an alter ego called Rupert. Rupert is a superior rooster. There is nothing on a bike race that Rupert can’t accomplish. Just ask him.
Rupert toyed with the A grade bunch. Pete Whelan and Jim Timmer-arrends were allowed to establish a good break before Rupert and Leigh Hauxwell teamed up to bring them back. Rupert won the intermediate sprint while looking over his shoulder talking to Will Lumby encouraging him to enjoy what he was witnessing. Hauxwell established a break in the second half of the race and Rupert and Glenn Marriott jumped across to him. It should have been race over but Hauxwell appeared to have developed square wheels on his bike and was no help at all. Rupert waited then for the bell lap. He took the lead at the bell as if to announce, “Follow this boys.” He rode the entire last lap on the front. He slowly increased the speed in the home straight daring those behind to come around him. Try as they might they could not. Rupert won easily from Brett Kennedy with Will Lumby in third. Then followed Glenn Marriott and Graeme Parker.
After the race Rupert was happy to tell anyone who would listen just how good he was.
Race three of the series in on next week, starting at 8.15 opposite the pool on Burke St.
Riders are encouraged to pre enter at the following link : series details and entry.
