Nailbiting finish

Fifteen Mount Gambier Cycling Club riders and two visiting Hamilton Club riders signed on for Race 8, a four lap criterium on the renowned, flat and fast Kongorong course. Race day conditions were near perfect for the event, cool at about 15.7 degrees with very light winds of only around 6km/hr from the WSW but turning ENE to about 4km/hr midway through the race.

Tina Opperman was officiating as timekeeper and Commissaire for the event and mustered the riders into their starting positions for a 9am start. The limit bunch was the first to come to the start line, consisting of junior rider Anna LeCornu making her debut to road racing and Mike Bakker acting as riding coach to assist with the finer details of road racing.

There was then a large time gap of 12 minutes before the second limit bunch consisting of three senior riders. Spek Peake, John Cranwell and Troy Mustey took their starting positions and headed onto the course to take up the chase of the two riders ahead.

The third limit bunch of regular duo John DePree and Tegan Kuhl were the next to come to the start line and waited for a three minute countdown before they headed off in pursuit of the bunches ahead.

The third scratch bunch and largest of the bunches today consisting of six riders Matt Opperman, Craig Andrae, Kane Polniak, Phil Stasiw, Craig Dunn and Chris Neave waited five minutes before the Commissaire waved them onto the course.

Only two minutes separated the next bunch with Rob Mann, junior rider Miles Kroon and highly experienced visiting Hamilton rider Dean Menzel taking to the course next.

The last rider was Jack Aitken an extremely talented scratch rider from Hamilton. He waited an agonisingly long seven minutes before he could rip up the course as he aimed to chase down all bunches ahead of him.

Even though he was riding in a solo capacity and giving away 27 minutes to the first bunch it would certainly not be outside his ability to take out the event, although all the other riders were certainly going to be working as hard as possible to keep him at bay.

The bell lap saw Cranwell out in front leading the other bunches a merry chase, with the third limit bunch now consisting of three riders DePree, Kuhl and Peake really upping the ante and closing into striking distance of Cranwell and they closed quickly and finally had their prey just as they came onto Nene Valley Road, with Cranwell joining them as they came past.

Cranwell was able to get some much needed recovery while drafting in the bunch, which he would desperately need because the fast closing third scratch bunch caught the newly formed bunch of four riders also on Nene Valley Road about 1km before the Shepherds Lane turn.

Opperman was at the helm of the bunch of six riders as they whipped past the slower bunch and DePree, Kuhl and Cranwell increased their speed to catch onto the fast moving passing bunch and managed to stick with them.

Peake just couldn’t match the pace and was left to the mercy of the chasing bunches behind him.

The now nine rider bunch was forming into a formidable train snaking down the road with all riders contributing to the speed of the bunch as they powered into School House Road on their way to the finish line only 3km ahead.

Aitken had the bit between his teeth lifting his pace again for the last lap as he was homing in on the bunch of Mann, Kroon and Menzel, and by the time they turned onto Shepherds Lane Aitken was within striking distance and planning his passing manoeuvre to reduce the chance of the second scratch bunch jumping onto his back wheel.

He was precise and passed with a burst of speed which left the second scratch bunch without an opportunity to go with him as he headed along Shepherds Lane with his next victim Peake in his sights.

Meanwhile the newly formed lead bunch were jostling for positions as they entered the last 1.5k to home with Dunn jumping away by about 10 bike lengths as the rest of the bunch started to resemble Browns’ cows.

Opperman and Neave found themselves at the rear of the bunch, Opperman made a move and began working through the melee of riders.

Neave saw the opportunity to chase his wheel and they came to the front of the bunch as Opperman began to close the gap to Dunn.

As they entered into the last 300m Polniak and Stasiw made their move and jumped past Neave and Opperman.

Andrae had been stalking the bunch and powered through from the back around the outside of the other riders.

Polniak and Stasiw quickly overcame the lead rider Dunn but Andrae flying through passed Stasiw and levelled with Polniak as they battled for the top position with Andrae just edging out Polniak on the line with Stasiw just two seconds behind them in third place.

Dunn came through about six lengths 4th with Neave 5th and Kuhl 6th just a length or two behind him then a few seconds later was DePree 7th and then Cranwell 8th, Opperman rolled in a few seconds later in 9th.

Aitken had powered up the finishing straight into 10th place but with and incredible solo effort stopping the clock in 47:58 and taking fastest time (average speed 42.53km/hr for the 34km course) blowing past Peake who rolled in about 10 seconds later in 11th place.

He was followed in by a fast finishing Kroon 12th then Menzel a few seconds later in 13th with Mann on his wheel 14th.

Missing riders LeCornu and Bakker finally returned after a search party had been sent out. Bakker (coach) got carried away with his coaching duties and missed a turn taking his young apprentice rider on a scenic tour of the Kongorong surrounds.

It was good to see them return and at least finish the course.

Race 8 sponsor was GEM Building and Landscape Supplies and on behalf of GEM, Chris Neave made the presentations at the race site to the three place winners and fastest time.

RACE 8 PLACINGS

1st Craig Andrae

2nd Kane Polniak

3rd Phil Stasiw

4th Craig Dunn

5th Chris Neave

6th Tegan Kuhl

7th John DePree

8th John Cranwell

9th Matt Opperman

10th Jack Aitken (Fastest Time 47:58)

11th Spek Peake