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| Poster | Thread |
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| Damo | Posted: 2012/2/26 22:12 Updated: 2012/2/26 22:12 |
Home away from home ![]() ![]() Joined: 2008/8/5 From: Posts: 243 |
CARTER WINS TEAMS CHALLENGE HANDICAP
Last Sunday under cover of grey skies the OPTUS Nowra Velo club held round 2 of the MacDonald International Consulting Teams Challenge. Making a long awaited return to the Main road 92 circuit the race was held over 3 laps of the short course. It was Dion Carter of Access Storage taking a close sprint victory over Mark Williams of TLE Electrical with Richard Vitiello Optus Nowra. With a great roll up of 50 riders in near perfect conditions it was a great chance for riders to stretch their legs in their new team kit over the longer format. With several new riders to the club handicapping this event was going to be difficult and with several large bunches in the middle of the field. The bunch to watch was the 9 minute group of Dion Carter (Access Storage), Mark Williams (TLE), Mick Crutch (TLE), Richard Vitiello (OPTUS), Laurie Byrne (TLE) Joe Pereira (OPTUS), Godfrey Green (Gordon MaDonald), Ian Kielly (Gordon MaDonald) and Jason Hogan (Illawarra CC). This group set a cracking pace that wouldn?t be matched by any other group on the road. Even the scratch bunch of James Rix (Torq/BSS)) Rob Rix (Nowra) Matt Wright (Gordon MaDonald) and Matt Carmelotti (TLE) would fail to make a significant in road into the fast moving bunch. By the end of lap one they had swallowed up the 7 and 5 min groups in front of them and caught the valiant trio off go Brian Corrigan (Gordon MacDonald), Dave Kerr (TLE) and Matt Clark (OPTUS). Behind them Scratch was struggling to make any noticeable inroads into the equally struggling block bunch. So much so that fastest time for the day was going to be very close as the bunches closed on the finish. With no threat from behind the now 20 strong leading bunch was rapidly closing on the finish. The leading quartet lifted the pace with 300 meters to go and strung the group out. Carter had the better finish over the rapidly improving Williams and the consistent Vitiello. Behind them the race was on for fastest time with Block still holding off Scratch. Jacob Stuart (Access) won the bunch sprint over Scott Thompson (Hanlons), as the seconds ticked by James Rix shattered the scratch bunch with 200 to go taking fastest time by a narrow 20 seconds. The winning team on the day was TLE with 226 points narrowly over OPTUS on 223, Hanlons Windows in a tie for third with Gordon MacDonald/ Nowra Cycles on 204, Access storage the unlucky 5th place on 202. This puts TLE on top of the ladder after 2 rounds with Gordon MacDonalds/Nowra Cycles hot on their heels. In the individual competition has Hubert Drehuis on top of the leader board followed by newcomer Andrew Lowe, Mark Williams and Brendan Miller. Racing next week is Graded scratch races at the Flinders Estate course on Sunday morning at 8am. Marshal team is TLE. |






22nd Jun