Criterium Championships
ILLAWARRA CYCLE CLUB CRITERIUM CHAMPIONSHIPS
A record field of 80 riders turned up at MM beach for the ICC Criterium Championships. Conditions started off perfect for fast competitive racing with only a brief late shower making the riders in A grade take the corners a little more cautiously.
A top class field of 20 riders faced the starter in the blue ribbon Club Championship/A Grade race. Team TW was represented by their 3 tops riders in Tim Morris, Tony Pulo and Roger Ocvirk. It was evident right from the start that they had a plan, Pulo attacked and had the bunch strung out on the first lap. Every time the bunch brought back a break a TW rider attacked again. Twenty minutes into the race the high speed had taken its toll and the bunch had been whittled down to the top 10 riders.
Craig Paull had been marking every move and instigated a few himself. With five laps to go it looked like the winning move had been made, Morris, Paull and Cameron Good had a substantial break but Ryan Bailie towed the bunch for two laps and brought them back into contention. Pulo and Ocvirk gave Morris a breather and then Pulo launched the final move at the start of the last lap. It looked like Paull may have had the legs to take the win but Morris exploded out of the last corner to win by four bike lengths from Paull and Bailie.
The B Grade race was a tough race with Scott Hamilton, Brad Martin and Chris Allen escaping in the latter half of the race. It looked like it was all over but Allen couldn’t sustain the pace being set by Hamilton and then Martin also succumbed over the last two laps. Bradley Heffernan launched himself out of the chasers with under a lap to go and passed the tiring Martin to claim second place. Martin held on for third.
A very large field of 23 riders lined up for the start of the C Grade race but it wasn’t long before they were strung out by a series of attacks. Even with the incessant attacks there were still around 20 riders with two laps to go. When the last lap bell sounded Peter James changed into overdrive and went for home, he had obviously been listening to his father Brian about a few of his race winning moves. The bunch was then racing for second. With under half a lap to go it was the diminutive figure of Charlotte McShane that was giving chase but she was unable to hold off Adam Crowther for second place.
D Grade was also a good size with many of the riders willing to have a go in the early stages of the race. As the race progressed Darryl McAndrew was riding strongly, showing that he was the rider to beat. In the closing stages David Meikle and Mark Molloy rode off the front of the bunch and tried to chase him down but McAndrew didn’t weaken. At the finish line it was McAndrew from Meikle and Molloy.
Juan Ruiz turned out to be the strongest rider in E grade breaking away at half race distance. Holly Heffernan was the only rider able to go with him. Holly came through a few times but Ruiz was relentless. The chase was being organised by Alicia Heffernan and Vanessa Allen, they were closing the gap until the whistle blew for three laps to go and Ruiz surged to the finish. In a very close sprint Holly edged out Ruiz with Alicia taking third place.