24 Feb 2010
Manning Valley Cycle Club conducted the final Criterium Championshipe for 2010 with C & D Grades fighting out the title on the Arkwright Crescent course at Kolodong. C Grade raced for 25 minutes + 2 laps & D Grade for 20 minutes + 2 laps. After a steady start, an attack from Bill Harris & Alex Cudlin looked promising, increasing their lead steadily for a couple of laps until Michael Godwin & Troy Unicomb close down the gap bringing the rest with them. Unicomb then attempted a breakaway but was not allowed to escape. In a final lap flurry which saw several riders left behind, Graeme McGechan came up the hill in the lead but was closely marked by, Godwin, Stephen McInerney, Unicomb & Cudlin. Godwin came off McGechans wheel to take the title with McGechan hanging on to just hold out a fast finishing Unicomb. McInerney had spent to much energy in the last lap & had to settle for fourth with Alex Cudlin in fifth.
In D Grade it was a case of the Duck has landed with Darren "Duck" Harvey taking his first Club Championship in a large bunch finish with 11 riders all looking for a clear path to the line. The experienced riders came to the fore in these conditions with Wilf Alley in second, Richard Parvin third, Amber Piper fourth & Robert Alley fifth. The young contenders in Oscar Watson-Sutherland, Matthew Blick & Tyler Nicholson were bustled out of contention but will be a force during the Road Season when there superior fitness will prevail. The girls in the grade also rode well with Alicia Norris & Kelle Nicholson in the mix but also found it all a bit hectic.
A grade raced for points in the Bourkes Bicycles Summer Pointscore & visiting rider Phil Grenfell showed that he is in excellent form by winning the sprint. Daniel Clinch took maximum points being the first Club rider over the line with second place & continues his return to the form we know he is capable of. Third place was Josh Blick, fourth place to Daniel Aldridge & fifth, Tai Piper. It was welcome to Justin Woolard as he came up to the premier grade from B Grade.
Congratulations to Josh Blick & Peter Lewis who were both selected for the NSW under 17 state team for the National Championships in Melbourne. Well done young men, we wish you well.
B Grade continued to be raced at a fast pace averaging over 40 km/h again. Riders like Wayne Callaghan, Nathan Loreton, Paul Nixon, Gavin Jackson & Silas Sutherland are in top form & keeping the pace high. Visiting Rider Jamie Comyns from Newcastle was also riding hard & figured strongly in the placings. All riders made the sprint except for Ian Budden & Janusz Hashek who struggled with the pace. Tanya Cross also struggled but hung on well to only lose contact in the final laps. Nathan Loreton was the fast man this week, sprinting to victory from our Newcastle visitor in second, Shane Dowsett in third, Silas Sutherland fourth & Tony Kiehne fifth.
E Grade was a win to Jack Renneberg, outsprinting current E Grade champion Graeme Budden. Max Eden was third after an attacking race. It's great to see Max improving each week. Brian Louden huffed & puffed his way to fouth place & Stephen Nicholson was fifth. Jahl Nicholson unfortunately failed to finish. Graeme Budden will progress to D Grade next week now that all the Championships are over.
F grade raced their usual 3 lap handicap & this weeks victor was Zane Dawson riding with 2 1/2 minutes advantage over the scratch riders. Bayden McIntosh-Clinch was second riding with 3 minutes start & third went to Fraser Crossingham from the limit mark of 5 minutes. Fouth went to Baxter Pattison riding from the scratch mark & took fastest time with Marcus Worth home fifth riding from Chopping Block with 1 minute advantage. The unluckiest rider was Cale Dawson who unfortunately fell heavily early in the race but after some attention from his "senior rider" who accompanied him in the race, Troy Unicomb, rode on to finish 10th. One tough little guy.