2012 EVCC Teams Race 5 @ Metec

The penultimate race of the  EVCC summer teams series was a criterium around the Metec training centre.  A less than ideal riding surface on a circuit which is quite technical where you negotiate all manner of road obstacles including a railway crossing.  Thankfully a closed circuit means no trains, cars, trucks or other such vehicles to contend with.

The wind was up which was going to make any solo break almost neigh impossible.  However this didn’t stop Guy Green (Doherty/Eltham Cycles) opening up hostilites early which he held for around 4 laps.

Guy out early

Once Guy was brought back in to the fold, it became a procession of closing down counter attacks. Just about every rider was involved at some point trying to get off the front, bridging to a break or actively involved in the chase.

An audacious mid race move by Adriatic riders, Jamie Steward and David Holt could have stolen the show, however the attentive bunch was able to respond and put out the fire within a lap.

After 50 minutes of racing Dave DePedro (Croydon Pick-A-Part), Rob Amos (Doherty/Eltham Cycles) and Tony Chandler (Adriatic)  finally found the winning formulae.  Working well together they managed to put half a lap on the remaining bunch.

the break that stuck

Boyd Friis the sole representative for Giant-Celtic and Frank Nyhuis (Coonara) battled valiantly, however they missed that important break & it didn’t look like Stef was going to help them out.

After what seemed an eternity, the bell was sounded after 75 minutes of racing. In the photo below, Cav is providing last minute sprint tips to Tony.

With Tony and Dave more known for their climbing abilities, all money was on Rob to take the 3 up sprint.  However around the last sweeper, Rob managed to high side himself and found the gravel.  Tony led out strongly and looked to have it however Dave found enough to get his wheel over the line first to take the win. Tony 2nd and Rob 3rd.

Check out more of my photos and the following video.

Race 5 Results

PLACE	RIDER	TEAM
1st	David DePedro	Croydon Pick-A-Part
2nd	Tony Chandler	Adriatic
3rd	Rob Amos	Doherty/Eltham Cycles
4th	Roy Clark	Croydon Pick-A-Part
5th	Guy Green	Doherty/Eltham Cycles
6th	Jamie Steward	Adriatic
7th	Stef Kirsch	Doherty/Eltham Cycles
8th	David Holt	Adriatic
9th	Cam Winton	Doherty/Eltham Cycles
10th	Boyd Friis	Giant-Celtic

Team Standings

It looks like Croydon has just about got the series wrapped up with only Dunlop Road on April 14 to go.    However, Doherty/Eltham and Adriatic may be thinking otherwise.  It should make for an interesting showdown.

TEAM	RACE 1	RACE 2	RACE 3	RACE 4	RACE 5	TOTAL
Croydon Pick-A-Part	17	24	21	15	23	100
Doherty/Eltham Cycles	12	20	19	18	22	91
Adriatic	17	14	2	17	20	70
Giant-Celtic	13.5	3	15	12	1	44.5
Coonara	6	5	9	4	-	24
EVCC	0.5		-	-	-	0.5

Individual Standings

Regardless of Tom having a week off as he was preparing for the cycle leg of the Melbourne Ironman, he has a stranglehold on the best rider of the series.  The competition for the minor places however is alive and well.   Gerard, who missed today due to a nasty accident involving a car stills hangs on for second with Jamie & Guy are not far behind.

PLACE	RIDER	TEAM	POINTS
1st	Tom Leaper	Croydon Pick-A-Part	52
2nd	Gerard Donnelly	Giant-Celtic	34
3rd	Jamie Steward	Adriatic	32
4th	Guy Green	Doherty/Eltham Cycles	30
5th	Roy Clark	Croydon Pick-A-Part	24
6th	Rob Amos	Doherty/Eltham Cycles	23
7th	Peter Howard	Doherty/Eltham Cycles	18
8th	Damian Burke	Coonara	16
9th	Justin Davis	Adriatic	15
	David DePedro	Croydon Pick-A-Part	15

2012 EVCC Criterium @ Dunlop Road by Frank Nyhuis

Last Saturday @ Dunlop Road was an auspicious occasion with the launching of  the new Team Skoda.  The boys, decked out in colours not too dissimilar to GreenEdge, looked the goods and did the new kit proud with Frank Nyhuis picking up 2nd & Darren Darling 4th.   Guy Green, wearing a new BikeGearNow kit, was too good on the day to take the A Grade win with the ever impressive Tom Leaper in 3rd.

Daz,Gooch, Frank & Rob fly the Skoda colours

Following is the A Grade report written by Frank Nyhuis:

OK, so it’s going to be another tough day at the office – Tom’s here, Guy’s here, Roy’s here, Stefan’s here, Rob A’s here, as well as a few faces that haven’t been around much lately – Russell Newnham and Ian McGeoch. And we had a few of the old Coonara team now sporting the new SKODA team kit – myself, Darren Darling, Damian Burke, Steve Ross and Anthony Gullace, as well as Rob Harris fronting up after doing the B Grade race earlier in the day..

The weather is just about perfect for Dunlop Rd. – 30°, sun shining, slight headwind in the finishing straight, and no roadworks.

After the neutral first lap, Darren Darling decided to stretch his legs and went off the front, and it took a couple of laps before Guy decided to reel him in, with Tom in tow. The pace was constant right from the start, and it was obvious everyone was watching and waiting for Tom to make his usual moves, but you really have to watch everyone, because any break away has the potential to stay away if they have the right mix. Ray Russo punctured early and took a lap out, Shane Dawson and Rob Harris paid the penalty for their earlier race and continued with TT training, and after covering several of Tom and Stefan’s earlier forays off the front, Anthony G. went back to ride out the race with Rob H.

Throughout the race, Stefan, Guy, Tom, and Roy all made moves to get away, but always had someone in tow, and the bunch reacted to all of them to reel it back in. Then around the 20min mark, Ian McGeoch went off the front, and made about 100m. I was feeling pretty good today, so I bridged across, and after giving Ian a bit of a breather, tried to work together to increase the gap. Unfortunately, Ian had spent most of his bikkies while out the front on his own, and wasn’t able to help too much with the escape, so after about 3 laps, we were brought back into the fold.

At about the halfway point, Tom decided the rest of us smelled, and took off on his own, gaining a lead of almost the whole straight, before the bunch decided to work together and reel him back in. It was full on for the next 15 minutes, judging by the half dozen that got shelved in the chase, but when it was obvious to Tom that the gap was shortening, he allowed himself to be caught, likely thinking he would take a few deep breaths and recover before making his last attack!

At around the 55 minute mark, Guy Green went off the front, and I had a quick look around and saw that no-one else felt like joining him. I don’t mind Guy, so before he got too far away,I decided to keep him company and bridged across. Rob Amos was at the front of the bunch, and would normally latch on, but realised everyone would just sit his wheel and get dragged up, so he decided to let someone else do the work for once. I don’t know whether Tom was a bit tired, but Guy and I were left alone for the remainder of the race, and at around the 1 hour mark, we crossed the finish line expecting the bell, but it never came.

Apparently those attentive souls on the line thought we were off the back, so they just rang the bell for the bunch who were by now 150-200m behind us!  Thankfully, we were far enough in front to take the first 2 places, with Guy getting first because it was his turn at the front as we crossed the line. OK, so he probably would have beaten me in a sprint anyway, but we’ll never know will we?

Guy & Frank going for the win

In the fight for the last two paying positions, Darren Darling decided to back his ability and went from the the last corner, with Tom Leaper the only one able to latch on to his wheel, and got towed to the line where he had enough gas to get him for 3rd. 

A happy Frank

See the EVCC Newsletter for reports and results from all the other grades.  Also check out the photos from Kris Muncha & Brian Farrell.