Athorn Capitalises on Pollock Lead-out!

Handicap Road Race 75 km, Kulkyne Way, Saturday 2 May 2009

Athorn Capitalises on Pollock Lead-out!

Mildura-Coomealla Cycling Club staged the fourth race of the Bicycle Superstore Winter 2009 series on Saturday 2 May at its Kulkyne Way course. The 22 seniors raced under handicap conditions over a 75 km out and back course, whilst nine juniors raced a 30 km handicap. Despite some early morning showers and some threatening afternoon clouds the course was dry and with just a moderate southerly wind blowing, conditions weren’t too bad. Making a welcome return to racing were former Club President Peter Winton and Harry Robbins.

The handicapper split the senior field into five starting groups, with Jess Butler, Harry Robbins, Peter Winton and Anne Jones leading the way in limit. Butler was an early withdrawal from the race due to a nagging hip injury. Next away at 2 minutes were Dave Digby, Kevin “The Old Fox” Gregory and Taryn Heather. Starting at 11 minutes were Tom Athorn, Barry Pollock, Ben Vagnarelli, Arthur Anderson and Greg Scott. Chopping block started at 19 minutes and consisted of Nathan Langley, Garry Pitt, Rob McNally, Ian Beruldsen and a newly promoted Les Jordan. A bemused scratch bunch of Kevin Tankard, Gary Henderson, Richard Hale, Simon Wilkinson, Mark Phillips and Ben Nicholson had a 27 minute wait on the start line pondering how far off the money they would finish!

By the turnaround point at the end of the bitumen limit and second limit had come together and had the third limit group breathing down their necks. Chopping block had also done well to close the gap to third limit by more than half and was on track to catch the leaders. A hard charging scratch bunch, which had lost Nicholson on the rise into Colignan, was staggered to discover that it had only made up 2 minutes on chopping block by the turnaround and dug even deeper to try and make up the deficit. An intact chopping block caught third limit on the return leg, although Vagnarelli had already been dropped by the group. Scott put in some impressive turns on the front after the two groups came together but his efforts saw both him and Anderson snap.

With 5 km left in the race the combined chasers finally caught Digby, an evergreen Gregory and Robbins, the leaders on the road. The eventual winner would come from this group of 10 riders and with less than 2 km remaining they realised that scratch weren’t in the picture and started foxing for a win. Pollock jumped first and left the others in his wake scrambling to catch him. The catch was made but Pollock jumped again and this was the decisive move, with Athorn using it power over the line ahead of the more fancied sprinters in Beruldsen, Langley and Jordan! Athorn’s winning time was 2:02:02 hours (36.9 km/h average speed). Henderson led the scratch rider’s home over 3 minutes later to claim twelfth place and fastest time in 1:49:39 (41.0 km/h average speed).

The nine juniors were split into four starting groups, with Martin and Lachlan Ryan in limit. The two boys started 11 minutes ahead of Brodie Athorn, Tyler Beruldsen and James Burge. These two groups had come together before the turnaround point at Deakin Estate winery but Martin and Lachlan were unable to stay with the faster riders. Chopping block started at 14 minutes and consisted of Thomas Henderson and Shane Martin, whilst the scratch duo of Ben Athorn and Alana Hale started a further 3 minutes back.

Scratch and chopping block came together just after the turnaround but lost valuable time as first Thomas, then Shane and then Ben attacked the group despite their being five riders still up the road! Some choice words from Alana managed to restore some order in the chasers as she and Ben eventually left the other two behind, no doubt wondering why they had blown themselves up. Up ahead the leaders had been reduced to just two as Brodie and James had dropped Tyler. As the riders rounded the last bend and the finish line came into view the scratch pair were just behind the race leaders. Ben jumped out of the saddle and just managed to put his wheel in front of Brodie’s as they crossed the line, claiming first place and fastest time in 55:13 minutes (32.6 km/h average speed). James held on for third place, whilst Alana came home in fourth.

Thanks to Penny Hale, Julieanne Ryan, Murray Langley, Barry Pollock, Garry Pitt, Ben Nicholson and Mark Phillips for helping out today. The next event is an 80 km handicap race at Riverside (long circuit) on Saturday 9 May. Murray and Nathan Langley are rostered for race set-up.


Results:

Juniors (30 km):
1. Ben Athorn (JM17) 55:13 minutes (fastest time)
2. Brodie Athorn (U/19) 1:01:13 hours
3. James Burge (JM15) 1:01:22
4. Alana Hale (JW15) 55:30 minutes
5. Tyler Beruldsen (JM13) 1:02:16 hours
6. Thomas Henderson (JM15) 1:00:40
7. Shane Martin (U/19) 1:01:46
8. Martin Ryan (JM15) 1:16:34
9. Lachlan Ryan (JM13) 1:21:20

Seniors (75 km):
1. Tom Athorn 2:02:02 hours
2. Ian Beruldsen 1:54:02
3. Nathan Langley (U/19) 1:54:03
4. Les Jordan st
5. Garry Pitt st
6. Rob McNally st
7. Barry Pollock 2:02:05
8. Dave Digby 2:11:05
9. Harry Robbins 2:13:08
10. Kevin Gregory 2:11:22
11. Arthur Anderson 2:04:07
12. Gary Henderson 1:49:39 (fastest time)
13. Simon Wilkinson st
14. Kevin Tankard 1:49:40
15. Mark Phillips 1:49:42
16. Richard Hale 1:49:43
17. Greg Scott 2:06:24
18. Anne Jones 2:17:44
19. Taryn Heather 2:23:58
20. Peter Winton 2:26:00
21. Ben Vagnarelli 2:18:10
22. Ben Nicholson 2:02:11
DNF Jess Butler (withdrew – injury)