Hello Vets,

In the Bleat this week;

•  Handlebar, Stromlo (Grease Monkeys)

•  First Aid Courses

•  Canberra Events

•  COVID-19 Restrictions

•  Racing this Week

•  Race Reports

Ian Morton
thebleat@actvets.cc

Handlebar, Stromlo (Grease Monkeys)

Dear Members,

Good evening everyone, unfortunately we were unable to generate enough interest for the Handlebar at Stromlo to be able to open up for us on Tuesday evenings this season.

Thank you to everyone that did express interest, this won’t be the last time we try, maybe next season we’ll be able to secure those numbers!

Seymour,
ACT Vets Cycling Club President

First Aid Courses

Apologies to members who have been having trouble accessing Pedal Power’s eventbrite link for first aid courses in March. The response has been overwhelming, and the renewed dates for courses are all over-subscribed.

If you are still interested in undertaking a first aid course, please contact Pedal Power – communications@pedalpower.org.au, and note you are a Vets’ member. If there are any withdrawals from the courses, there may be an opportunity for you to be a back-up.

As well, Pedal Power are considering reapplying for the ACT Road Safety Grant in 2021, so there may well be additional opportunities in future.

Andy Matz

Canberra Events

The Fathering Project

The Fathering Project – The ‘Big Push’ Charity Ride April 30 2021 Sydney to Canberra

Run over 3 days and covering 280kms, the Big Push is a fun-filled cycling event that brings fathers, father figures (and family members) together with one goal: celebrating their most important role – being a dad. Further details available from the web site https://thefatheringproject.org/event/the-big-push-charity-ride-2020/.

Rotary Rides Canberra – Five Peaks Challenge

COVID-19 Restrictions

There are conditions for travelers from other states.

Members should stay home if you have been feeling unwell or showing symptoms of COVID-19 or been in contact with someone who has felt unwell in the past 2 weeks.

RACING THIS WEEK:

Tuesday, 2nd March: Stromlo Criterium

Where: Stromlo Forest Park
Sign on: 15 mins before scheduled start time wearing your registered number.
Race Description:
E/F/G 5:50 25 min + 2 laps
A/C 6:20 A 35m+2, C 32m+2
B/D 7:10 B 35m+2, D 32m+2

Race Director:  Vincent Dunn Contact: Email: v.dunn@innovativeelectrical.com.au    Ph  0429 220 662

Marshals: Colin Kelley

Wednesday, 3rd March: Track Racing

The Program for Wednesday is;
5.30pm – 6.00pm: Warm-up and free practice.
6.00pm – 6.20pm: 8-lap graded scratch race.
6.20pm – 6.40pm: 2-lap handicap (Omnium Event).
6.40pm – 7.10pm: 12-lap snowball.
7.10pm – 7.30pm: Italian pursuit.

Note: Thanks to a generous donation from Robert Langridge, the club now has a spare track bike for temporary loan to anyone who wishes to give track racing a go. If you are interested, bring your own pedals, tyre pump and tools to set saddle height etc. Users will be responsible for checking the bike and ensuring it is safely set up for racing. Come early if you wish to take up this option.

Sunday, 8th No Scheduled Race – Canberra Day Public Holiday Weekend

RACE REPORTS:

SFP Criterium – 23rd February – Club Championship

M4 and M5, These two divisions started as different races, with good numbers in both. Some crosswind and cool conditions

M4

M4 started with a strong attack from Mark Terracini, Steve Crispin doing most of the chasing, keeping the majority of the bunch in the gutter. A few riders felt the pain of the early pace, Ben Carmody did well being dropped but getting back on the bunch.

As soon as Mark was caught a strong counter went containing James Tonkin, Colin Kelley, Peter Young, Ben Neal, Craig O’Neall and a few others, I was too slow to get their numbers.

Nicholas Stewart did a lot of the chasing, with Steve Crispin contributing strong turns as well. Paul Scherl took advantage of the situation and went off on a solo attack. The counter attacks decimated the bunch with Stewart, Crispin, Vrooms, Tiffen leading the charge.

With 15 minutes to go the race was almost decided, with the front group away. In the end the sprint was won by Gerard Tiffen, second Gillman-Wells followed by Marc Vroomans. Steve Crisping came in fourth, frustrated that all his work had not lead to a medal.

M5

In contrast to the M4 race this race started at pedestrian pace, quite a relief for riders in C grade and below. When the action started it really started with quite a few selections made, only to come back together again.

Major features of the race were long solo attacks by Anthong Dick, who was eventually joined by Christophe Barberet. The break was joined by Steve Blackburn, Conan Liu with Nathan Spillane bridging across. Those who decided not to or could not bridge across missed the break and their race was over.

But, of course there was more to come in the lead group, Christophe attacks, Spillane chases and Conan blows up under the pressure. There was even more to come with an attack from Andrew Chamberlain. All this time we are waiting for the decisive Steve Blackburn attack, but this time it came from Nathan Spillane.

Nathan rode to win solo, down to a chase of three with Steve Blackburn coming in second and Christophe Barberet third. Andrew Chamberlain and Ben Healy did well to stay in the lead group.

M1 and M2 and M3 started as one large bunch

Dale Riley only rider and first in M1.

Al Raitt 1st and Ben Zeller 2nd in M2.

The majority of riders in the bunch came from M3. Like M4 this race started with a strong solo attack from Nick Stewart. Rainer Wilton brought it back together, but the strain was showing at the back of the bunch. The race continued with strong attacks from Nick Stewart, Rainer Wilton and Joel Rahman. Joel was in trouble, off the back, but got back on as the bunch went into a temporary lull.

Joel was to see more action, attacking solo, edging his was up to a 15 second gap over about 8 laps. Again, Stewart and Wilton, obviously the strongest riders took responsibility for the chase.

All this action led to a lead group of three, consisting of Wilton, Brad Peppinck and Andrew Murrell. Al Raitt chases the group of 4, with Peppinck the casualty of the action.

After 5 minutes or so of no action another break went up the road, Wilton and Stewart. Only 5 chasers were left, with not a great deal of cohesion. Rahman, Zeller, Riley, Murrell and Peppinck try their best, but the break has gone.

In M3 Rainer Wilton beats Nicholas Stewart for the win. Bradley Peppinck wins the groups of the chases for 4th. A very entertaining race without the team dynamics on display in M4.

Thanks to:
Adrian Breen who did the difficult job of race positions in the finish chute Lee Hopson for timing the races and taking presentation photos Simon Whitehead for being there as first aid and a foil for Lee Hopson’s jokes.

Congratulations to the winners and also all the riders who had a go and made these races very entertaining. Also for those who were dropped by the A and B graders, very good to see you out there having a go, testing yourself.

Allan Bontjer

Track Racing – 24th February

The evening weather for the season’s 15th track racing session was cool and overcast with rain threatening. The wind was slight at the start of the session and dropped off as racing progressed. Overall, conditions were very good for racing. Attendance held up in B grade with 10 riders. A grade mustered only 4 riders.

The 8-lap, A grade, scratch race started at easy pace with John Paul De Sousa leading out. Steve Jones took a turn on the front for lap 2 and the pace became a steady tempo from there until lap 6 when Ben Davis rolled to the front and cranked things up a bit. The pack held the higher pace with Craig Kentwell making a move up the banking ready to pounce. Craig pounced into lap 7 but the bunch were ready and a long sprint commenced. As the final lap approached Steve Jones and John Paul De Sousa attacked solidly from the bunch and soon had several metres gap on the trailing pair. Steve Jones was the stronger taking a good win from John Paul with Craig Kentwell in third place.

The 8-lap B grade scratch race held a steady pace for 5.5 laps with turns on the front by Ken Birch, Bruce Griffin, Phil Anderson James Newhouse and Ian Drayton. Tony Beasley took over the lead on lap 6 and lifted the pace. A long sprint commenced 1.8 laps from the finish. Tony Beasley held out to take the win followed by James Newhouse and Alison Hale in that order.

The evening’s second event was a series of paired, 2-lap match races with results counting towards the Omnium Championship. The races threw up a variety of tactics with longer sprints being quite common. There appeared to be tactical errors in some of the longer sprints. However, it is often difficult to discriminate a tactical error from a rider simply lacking the final sprint speed to compete. Winners from the paired sprints were Ben Davis, Steve Jones, Tony Beasley, Ian Drayton, Phil Anderson, Bruce Griffin and Colin Calderwood.

The evening’s third event was a 2-lap handicap with A & B grades combined in a single race. The shorter handicaps seem to favour B grade riders, motivated by an equalising handicap. This event was no exception. A grade chased hard but B grade dominated in the results with Phil Anderson taking an excellent win from James Newhouse and Colin Calderwood in that order.

The track session closed with the usual, all-in, Italian pursuit. This event had teams of 7 riders. Both teams made good starts and rode without error. On paper Team 2 looked slightly stronger. However, the result was more emphatic than expected. Team 2 powered through the mid-section of the race and progressively built an unbeatable lead. Team 1’s anchor, Ben Davis, put in his usual hard effort. However, Steve Jones, for Team 2, was able to cruise across the line winning by a comfortable quarter lap margin.

Major place getters for Wednesday were as follows:
8-Lap Scratch: (A Grade) Steve Jones, John Paul De Sousa, Craig Kentwell. (B Grade) Tony Beasley, James Newhouse, Alison Hale.
2-Lap Match Races: (A Grade) Ben Davis d Craig Kentwell, Steve Jones d John Paul De Sousa. (B Grade) Ian Drayton d James Newhouse, Tony Beasley d Ken Birch, Phil Anderson d Phil Coulton, Bruce Griffin d Alison Hale, Colin Calderwood d Graeme O’Neill.
2-Lap Handicap: (A&B Combined) Phil Anderson, James Newhouse, Colin Calderwood.
Combined Italian Pursuit: Winner Team 2 (Steve Jones, Craig Kentwell, Ken Birch, Ian Drayton, Phil Coulton, Bruce Griffin Alison Hale).

Omnium Championship Points:
Ben Davis (14), Steve Jones, Phil Anderson (10), Alison Hale, John Paul De Sousa (9), Phil Coulton, (8), Ken Birch, Bruce Griffin, James Newhouse (7), Rowan McMurray (6), Ian Drayton, Colin Calderwood (5).

Season Point Score Update:
Steve Jones (247), Ian Drayton (231), Phil Anderson (218), James Newhouse (218), John Paul De Sousa (212), Ken Birch (183), Alison Hale (177), Phil Coulton (160), Wayne Benham (156), Tony Beasley (142), Bruce Griffin (136), Craig Kentwell (135), Ben Davis (128).

Graeme O’Neill