Thursday 8 March 2012 - Whitfield Road Handicap

Thursday evening Mansfield Mt Buller Cycling Club riders contested a handicap race out the Whitfield Rd to Sawpit Gully Road and back, some 25km in all. 

A field of twenty six riders greeted the starter and were sent out in groups according to handicap. Scratch began some fourteen and a half minutes behind limit, with Andrew Gerrans, Mauro Brega, Bruce Halket, Mitch Greenway and Steffan Vaivars quietly confident that this was their night.

Ian Conrick made a move early in the race, cycling clear of ‘team-mates’ Tony Williams and Daryl Riley; the benefits of his recent international training clearly evident.  Further back visiting ex-Mansfield resident Peter Walker fitted in comfortably with his group, with the intensive pre-race coaching from Darren Bakker ringing in his ears.  Steve Ward was making a welcome return to club racing, and didn’t seem to mind being slotted straight into the strong ‘block’ grouping. 

By the turnaround scratch were starting to make big inroads into the field.  Conrick had his own ideas though, and after catching his breath behind Michelle Condie and Tony Morris launched a solo bid for glory.  Behind him the chase group grew larger and larger as scratch moved through the field picking up passengers as they went.  But encouraged by loud support from an ‘impartial’ volunteer official Ian drove hard for home.

For those waiting on the finish line the sight of Conrick looking over his shoulder at the advancing hordes while pedalling as fast as his little legs would allow is not one that will be quickly forgotten!  And he made it, recording a famous nine second victory over Halket who beat home Brega, Gerrans and Bakker a sprint for minor placings.

Special thanks to the very big band of willing volunteers including Fiona Greenway and George Chalk.  This week is the annual Stump Hill Classic handicap race on Benalla Road.  Entries to Di Condie on 0438 513 355 by 8pm sharp Wednesday night.

Best wishes to all those participating the next weekend’s races and recreational rides in and around Mansfield.

 

1. Ian Conrick

2. Bruce Halkett

3. Jock Brega

4. Andrew Gerrans

5. Darren Bakker

 

Full Results (needs deciphering!!) - CLICK HERE.

Ladder - CLICK HERE.

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Thurs 16 Feb 2012 - ITT - Booroolite-Chapel Hill Rd

With a forecast full of extreme thunderstorm warnings, 24 cyclists turned up to Piries for the 11km Stewart's Bus Lines time trial. Although beautiful and sunny, the sky to the west was black and ominous. Within half an hour there was serious flickering and rumbling over Mt Torbreck so a last minute call was made to shorten the start time to squeeze everyone in - accompanied by the odd sniffle of "but I'm not ready".

So off everyone rode , one after the other under a darkening sky until there was only Bruce Halket left, having missed the early start with some conscientious warming up. With everyone in the shelter of the Piries CFA shed, Bruce was greeted by a blast of air as the front came through followed by a substantial downpour as he continued past the finish and on to the shelter of the shed without slowing!

Well done to Sue Hall for taking out the handicapped win for the evening with Loretta Armitage coming a close second and Geoff Jones third.

Ray Jarratt , visiting from Cobram, well known within the club, made his trip worthwhile to take out fasted road time for the night with a quick ride, narrowly edging out Josh Hopwood and Mitch Greenway.

Thanks to the patience of all the members while Di redid all the calculations resulting from the compressed start and thanks to Rod Stewart for sponsoring the evening.

This week's race is the Bakker Plumbing Handicap - a longer ride out the Tolmie Road. Entries to Di by 8pm.

 

CLICK HERE for start list and results

AND CLICK HERE FOR THE LADDER

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Thursday 9 February 2012 - Benalla Rd Handicap

An enthusiastic field of 29 cyclists fronted up for the 22km Benalla rd handicap last Thursday evening.

First off were Sue Hall and Lez Large. Lez attacked early but Sue tenaciously reeled him in. Both were caught by half way by the team of David Clark, Tony Morris, Loretta Armitage and Daryl Rielly. Working well together, they established a solid lead with Allan Gerrans, Geoff Jones, Michelle Condie and Tony Williams in pursuit.

Foley Lachal, David Bock, Tony Ryan and Craig Wilson made up the next group. Meanwhile, further to the rear, the group of John Eisner, Steve Plummer, Uschi Steedman and Mark Calvert-Jones dug in hard to catch Will MacDonald,Di Condie, Mark Ross and Will Calvert-Jones just after the half way point.

Mopping up the stragglers, this enlarged bunch could see Lachal et al in the distance but it was the group of Clark & Co who found themselves in clear space with David Clark timing a sprint to the finish well and taking the long awaited win. Morris edged out Rielly on the line with Loretta coming fourth. Of note, Will Calvert-Jones was pleased to narrowly beat Mark (Dad) on the line in a sprint for minor placings.

This weeks race is the Stewart’s Bus Lines time trial at Piries on the Booroolite-Chapel Hill Road. Entries to Di by Wed 8pm please.

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Thursday 19 January - TTT, Whitfield Road.

With a few regular members away at the Tour Down Under and the prospect of a challenging team time trial, only eighteen cyclists fronted up for the 25km race last Thursday.
 
First away was Tony Williams, Dave Clark and Geoff Jones followed by the next group of Mark Ross, Allan Gerrans, Alain Guerin and David Bock. John Eisner, Mick Feeney, Tony Ryan and Di Condie made up group three while Mark Calvert-Jones joined Stefan Vaivars, Rob Greenway and Darren Bakker after his narrow win last week ( that'll teach him). Finally the scratch group of Bruce Halket, Andrew Gerrans, Jock Brega and Josh Hopwood took to the road.
 
With a blustery south westerly adding to tactical considerations, the team of Feeney et al rode quite well to the three quarter mark, passing Williams and Ross's groups until Ryan sustained a puncture with 4km to go and the team arrived in third place.
 
Calvert-Jones did well to hang onto his new group who applied the pressure to come in, in second place but it was the time trial specialists of Halket, Brega, Gerrans and Hopwood who  rode a hot 38'25'' to take out the win for the evening.
 
Speaking of the Tour Down Under, the club was very proud to see life-member Simon Gerrans take the win. Well done Simon!

This week's race is a longer, 30km handicap. Entries to Di by 8pm Wednesday please.

Results - CLICK HERE.

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Thursday 12 January 2012 - Graded Scratch

Graded Scratch 12/01/12 – Tolmie Road

 

Gerro! Again.

 

A grade competitors led out for the first of Mansfield Mt Buller Cycling Club’s races following the Christmas break. The ride out to Bridge Creek was aided by a stiff tail wind, but no-one was interested in pushing the pace until just before the turnaround when Bruce Halket dashed clear. Bruce is too smart to waste energy on hopeless causes, and he was happy to be quickly swallowed up once the bunch turned for home.

With a nasty headwind competitors were even less interested in pushing the pace and visitor Stewart Morton was left to do much of the work on the front. And so the ride back into Mansfield progressed, at pedestrian pace on the flat punctuated by short sharp sprints on the uphills, none of which managed to shake anyone loose. It was only at Deadhorse Lane that things became serious with the sprinters lining up for the finish.

Andrew Gerrans completed a good week for the family with a convincing win. Stefan Vaivars was sufficiently rested after spending the race at the back of the field to take second, narrowly over Darren Bakker who again showed his finishing ability with a hard fought third. Rob Greenway and Mauro Brega made up the top five, while Josh Hopwood and Bruce Halket found themselves caught behind slow-moving traffic and were never in the hunt.

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Thursday 15 December 2011 - TTT

The Mansfield Mt Buller Cycling Club held its final race for the first half of the summer season last Thursday.

The format was a handicapped four person team time trial with seven teams taking part. First off was the team of Sue Hall, Loretta Armitage, Tony Morris and Darren Riley. Several teams followed before the team of Tim Ross, Will MacDonald, Steve Plummer and Euan Friday set off. Enjoying a respite from the higher end of the field, Ross dragged his teammates out and back recording a solid time with a lot of "did that hard" noises from the others.
The top team of Bruce Halket, Josh Hopwood, Mauro Brega and Andrew Gerrans looked like a quick unit and rode smoothly with an average of 40.8km/h but it was the second ranked team of Darren Bakker, Rob Greenway, Stefan Vaivars and New Zealander, Dougal, who rode very strongly coming in minutes ahead of the next group to take out the win for the evening.
The race was followed by the Christmas breakup at the tennis clubrooms with a list of awards. Craig Wilson, surprisingly missing out on a nomination for the Lance Armstrong best return to form from injury, took out the See Saw award for best deception of the handicapper with winning performances followed the next week with end of field results. Stefan Vaivars was acknowledged as an able assistant to the handicapper and Alain Guerin and Steve Plummer jointly shared the Lance Armstrong award for services to the Hospital Emergency Department.
Cam Lachal took out the Queensland-Bus-Driver-Call-In-The-Fashion-Police award for overly long sock wearing during competitions. He rightfully received a pair of cycling socks for his ongoing career.
Up and coming youngsters Mitch Greenway and Foley Lachal were recognised on a more serious note with the winning of an encouragement award each for their impressive improvement over the season so far.
Vanessa Skinner from the Mansfield and District Community Bank attended the awards and was thanked for the substantial donation the bank has made towards the cycling criterium to be held as part of the Tour de Flavour/Scody High Country Cycle Challenge next March. The event was very successful earlier this year and promises to build on that success in what should be a huge weekend of cycling,food and fun in Mansfield.

Thanks also to our volunteer marshals and to Peter Hunt for his photos over the season.

The next race is Thursday 12th Jaunuary 2012. Entries to Di by 8pm Wed 11th.

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Thursday 24 November - Handicap - Sawpit Gully LONG

A  field of 22 cyclists fronted up to the Mansfield Mt Buller Cycling Club's weekly race last Thursday with the longer, challenging distance possibly deterring a few potential starters.

Sue Hall started first on the 34km haul out the Whitfield road and was followed nine minutes later by Craig Wilson,Di Condie, Andy Browning, Tony Williams and Peter Ellett.

Allan Gerrans, David Bock, John Lithgow and Tony Ryan set off in hot pursuit three minutes later with mark Calvert-Jones, Euan Friday, Will MacDonald and John Eisner a further three minutes back.

The Top two bunches of Josh Hopwood, Jock Brega, Bruce Halket, Robbo, Steffan Vaivars, Tim Ross, Mitch Greenway and Darren Bakker condensed more or less by the turnaround but in great riding conditions, most of the teams rode solidly and didn't threaten each other. Block and scratch managed to catch and pass the team of Friday, Eisner and Calvert-Jones with MacDonald managing to hang on to the top of the big hill.  

"One Hill" Craig Wilson managed to stay in touch with his group up the Barwite hill and as a result, emerged to take control of the final sprint, edging out Tony Williams and Andy Browning on the line with Di Condie coming fourth. Josh Hopwood continued to show strong form coming a close fifth, leading the scratch group home.
 
 Results - CLICK HERE.
Ladder after Round 8 - CLICK HERE.
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