Post date: Oct 24, 2016 9:54:34 AM
Hello Vets,
In the Bleat this week;
• Lift to Fitz's
• Racing this Week
• Race Reports
Please send me your contributions at: TheBleat@actvets.cc
Ian Morton
Does anyone planning on riding the 210/250 km Fitzs on Sunday have room for another rider and bike? I'd appreciate a lift out to the start. I live in Watson. If you can help, please contact me directly at don.mankewich@hotmail.com.
Don Mankewich
Where: Stromlo Forest Park
Sign on: 15 mins before scheduled start time wearing your registered number.
Race Description:
E/F/G 5:50 20 min + 2 laps
A/C 6:15 A 30m+2, C 25m+2
B/D 6:50 B 30m+2, D 25m+2
Race Director: Ben Davis
Contact: Email: bdavis@internode.on.net Ph 0416014629
2 x marshals required for this event
The Program for Wednesday is as follows:
5.30pm – 6.00pm: Warm-up and free practice;
6.00pm – 6.20pm: 8-lap graded scratch race;
6.20pm – 6.50pm: 20 Lap Points Race;
6.50pm – 7.10pm: Italian Pursuit.
Many thanks to Lloyd Bennett for his assistance on the night with running the race and apologies for the incorrect name in the Race Report.
Roger Northcote
Tuesday afternoon was overcast with rain forecast. Wind was a stiff northerly. The forecast must have dampened the enthusiasm of some cyclists as only 73 cyclists attended compared to 83 the week before.
A and C grade started the evening’s racing. The format for the races were that both grades were given 25 minutes with C given 2 laps after time had expired whilst A had 3 laps. In the final laps the grades were shown separate lapboards and a whistle was used to signal C grade’s final lap, A received the traditional bell.
A grade began with 3 riders getting away in the first few laps. These riders were bought back and racing from then on was fast but uneventful. With 5 mins to go the original bunch of 9 had been reduced to 6. The final sprint resulted in Ben Morrison winning from Marc Vroomasns and Jeremy Muir.
C grade stayed together for the first half of the race. With 5 minutes (+2 laps) to go the field had been reduced to 10 riders, from an original 13. Craig Tozer put in a blistering final downhill sprint to move ahead of the fast finishing Claire Aubrey. Bryan Holloway edged out Ian Preston to get 3rd place.
Twenty-two riders started in B grade. B grade was a much more attacking race than the 2 earlier grades. Three riders led by Robin Mules got away early and although the lead changed on numerous occasions the race was won by riders from the chasing peleton. Mark Terrachini, Seymour Savell-Boss, Simon Milnes and Paul Ledbrook all featured in the early attacks with Paul Ledbrook and one other still attacking in the final 3 laps. The break was bought back in the final lap with the sprint finish going to Brendan Lakey from Peter Young and Allan Bontjer.
D grade Race was fairly uneventful until the final 7 laps. Mark Hutchins opened a break with Elizabeth daSilva giving chase. At 2 laps to go David Gunther was the only rider away and the final result went to Andrew McRae, Stjepan Hirsler and Michael Handbury.
E, F and G grades started together in the last of the evening light as the sky was becoming very overcast. A field of 12 E grade riders set a strong pace a separated the four riders that made up F and G grade. The strong E grade bunch soon spread the riders all over the track and in the fading light it became difficult to determine which lap the slower riders were on. There were some notable efforts during the E grade race and two of those riders we identified were Adam Potts and Alison Hale. Not only did these 2 riders feature in the attacks they also finished first and second.
David Witteveen was the only F grader to start (and finish) and Lindsay Graham led Bruce Jones and Bernie Crow in the G grade race.
Thanks to Tom Roberts our sports trainer (first aid) who helped me with the marshaling as there were no volunteers. All went well thanks to Bruce and one or two others who helped before their races). However Rosemary Robinson got in an extra lap due to the confusion created by 3 grades spread all around the track, fading light and the lack of marshals.
Paul Robey
The second Track Racing session for the 2016-17 season attracted a total of twenty-one riders, an encouraging start to the season. The weather was still cool with a very stiff headwind in the back straight. Fortunately the wind moderated as racing progressed.
The 6-lap A grade scratch race may have been influenced by the wind, as no breaks were attempted. The pace started easy and progressively increased putting pressure on several riders and spitting two out the back. As the bell lap approached, Michael Langdon put in a very well timed attack leading Steve Jones over the final lap and holding on for a fine win. Steve took second place with Alec Millett maintaining his good form to take third.
The B Grade scratch race also started easy. However, Steve Hirsler hit the front after three laps and cranked up the pace, considerably. As the whole bunch barrelled into the final lap, Phil Anderson and later Ross Scutts appeared at the front. They were, in turn, swamped by the trio, Ian Drayton, Steve Hirsler and Roger Wheatley who finished in that order.
The evening’s second event was a 2-lap handicap. At this early stage in the season, handicapping is a challenge. Nevertheless it was good to see Steve Dean and Paul Robey make the best of their handicaps to take the wins in A and B grade respectively. Peta Brill and Alec Millet took second and third places in A grade. Matt Morgan and Steve Hirsler took the equivalent places in B grade.
The third event for the session was a mystery race with the final (bell) lap called at random, between laps 5 -9, in this instance. In A grade, Michael Langdon sensed the final lap perfectly, with a well timed break. However, Steve Jones put in a maximal effort to just overhaul Michael on the line. Alec Millett took third place. In B grade, Ian Drayton confirmed his good form with a win over Steve Hirsler and Roger Wheatley.
The track session closed with the usual all-in, Italian pursuit. This was a big race with teams having 9 or 10 members. The race was a little chaotic. Team 1 were required to put in a extra lap, being one rider down. However, the pace was so solid, that a rider in Team 2 dropped off early, requiring the anchor rider, Steve Jones to also put in an extra lap. Despite the chaos, Team 2 took a comfortable win.
6-Lap Scratch: (A Grade): Michael Langdon, Steve Jones, Alec Millett (B Grade) Ian Drayton, Steve Hirsler, Roger Wheatley. 2-Handicap: (A Grade): Steve Dean, Peta Brill, Alec Millett (B Grade) Paul Robey, Matt Morgan, Steve Hirsler.
Mystery Race: (A Grade): Steve Jones, Michael Langdon, Alec Millett (B Grade) Ian Drayton, Steve Hirsler, Roger Wheatley.
Combined Italian Pursuit: Winner Team 2 (Graeme O’Neill, Phil Anderson, Andrew Peel, Steve Hirsler, Ottmar Weiss, Rowan McMurray, John-Paul DeSousa, Ben Robey, Alec Millett, Steve Jones).
Graeme O'Neill