The 2020 Mansfield Subaru Tour is cancelled.
With COVID-19 cases on the rise, Cycling Victoria and the Mansfield Mt Buller Cycling Club have decided to cancel this year’s race, which was due to start on Saturday.
Even though we were unlikely to get to the government mandated maximum of 500 people, we still think this is the right thing to do. The number of people travelling to Mansfield, particularly from interstate, would have negated any community health benefits of social distancing.
Instead of having a cancellation forced upon us at the last moment, we decided it was prudent to give everyone plenty of notice.
In the meantime, you’ve seen and heard all the health warnings - wash your hands properly, and often, and cover your cough.
Once we’re all over this, we’ll start planning a bigger and better Mansfield Tour for later in 2020 or March 2021.
MTBA Nationals
GOLD to Elise Empey in Under 17 Women Downhill
SILVER to Ruby Dobson in Under 17 Women XCO and XCC too.
Talia Appleton 7th in Under 17 Women XCO and sprinted to 6th in XCC.
Matt Empey 10th in Under 19 Men Downhill
Zac Empey 17th in Under 15 Men Downhill
Bruce Halket 6th Masters 6 Men XCO
Tom Logan competed in the Under 13s and survived the dreaded wombat hole!
Here are the results for the Downhill, Cross Country and Short Track Cross Country.
Dirt Crits Team Race
By Damian Grundy
Team captains Charlie Hall and Ariel Stava selected their riders from the motley crew of mountain bikers in attendance.
Charlie’s Angels were: Charlie Hall, Ned Hall, Maddie Smith, Steve Morgan, Archie O’Brien and Selina Green.
Ariel’s Arrows were: Ariel Stava, James Griffin, Bella Green, Rachael Grundy, Phoenix Valerio and Dan Biram.
Riders all had 35 minutes to complete as many laps as was possible and the winning team were to be decided by the most accumulated laps by their team members.
Thanks to Rachael for marking out the course.
It was clear very early in the time that the result was going to be close. James Griffin (Ariel’s Arrows) set a fast pace leading throughout. Ned Hall (Charlie’s Angels) stayed close to James even catching him briefly in the middle, though possibly because of James’s enforced and rather arbitrary wheel removal penalty. Bella Green (also Ariel’s Arrows) showing great improvement was near the front of the rest all night.
In the end however it was the power group of Charlie’s Angels middle riders consisting of Maddie Smith, Steve Morgan and Archie O’Brien who made the difference. At the end it was 32 laps to Ariel’s Arrows and 33 laps to the winning team of Charlie’s Angels. Well done all.
First Winners: Charlie’s Angels: Charlie Hall, Ned Hall, Maddie Smith, Steve Morgan, Archie O’Brien and Selena Green.
Second Winners: Ariel’s Arrows: Ariel Stava, James Griffin, Bella Green, Rachael Grundy, Phoenix Valerio and Dan Biram.
Back on Buller Road
By Jason Parker
Fourteen riders lined up for the start of the Mansfield Mount Buller Cycling Club’s handicap road race on Thursday night. The route was from BP on Mt Buller road to Hearns Lane and then returning to Walsh’s driveway. The last few years have seen only Graded Scratch races held on this course; this was the first Handicap race on the Buller Road for a long time.
The first group to roll off the start line was included Ian Conrick, Micala Jacobs, Belinda Cipa, Di Condie, David Jagger, Craig Wilson, and Jason Parker - such a large group was going to be hard to beat. Two minutes later Janine Appleton and Steve Curnow headed off; Mauro Brega, Darren Bakker and Ewyn Carter a further three minutes behind. Steve Brown and Dave Moore started their race a further minute and a half behind as the Scratch group.
The Conrick group were sharing the work and making good progress towards the turn around at Hearns Lane.
Ewyn and Mauro were on a mission and had dropped Darren early in the race.
After the turnaround Ian charged back up the hill and after the crest, Craig started rolling a big gear and David, Belinda, Ian and Jason came through and maintained a high speed.
Ewyn and Mauro had picked up Di and the group of Janine and Steve C and were advancing on the Limit group quickly.
With a few kilometres left it was clear that the outmarkers were going to have their day. Craig did the final turn coming up to the line, allowing Jason to roll through and take the win, ahead of Belinda, with a small gap to David and Ian.
Next over the line were Ewyn, Di, Janine, Steve and Mauro, rounding out the top ten. Steve B, Dave and Darren crossed the line next with Micala coming in a few minutes later.
Presentations were held at the Delatite Hotel and the fastest time was awarded to Steve Brown. (Speaking of the Delatite, as per our agreement, that’s where presentations will be held for the remainder of the season.)
Thanks to the handicapper, Commissaire and marshals on the night.
Here are the results.
Racing next week will be held on the Howes Creek course, starting from the Lords Ground at 6pm and finishing on the top of O’Hanlons Rd. Jason Parker, Anthony Plummer and Steve Curnow are rostered on for duty; Allan Gerrans and Janine Appleton are the Commissaires.
If you’re worried about your eyesight, don’t be. This is blurry. Blame John Eisner’s photographic skills. Debate rages whether this type of attention to detail is what goes into the handicapping. Jason says no.
Hanging Rock Handicap
You might remember a few MMBCC women raced the Topbike Tours Hanging Rock Handicap a few weeks back.
Here’s a really good article on the race, complete with a little video, with a few glimpses of MMBCC kit.
Maybe this is the kind of thing the MMBCC should look at hosting one day?
