resultsDiv 1 + 2 Handicap REPORTThis was an intriguing race
The start Div 2b @ 0 min, Div 2a @1 min, Div 1b @ 4 min and Div 1a @ 5 min
In the initial phase of the race Div 1a (scratch) started extremely fast and closed in on the main group of Div 1b (chopping block) However, it was Div 2a who were struggling to make a dint on the lead of Div 2b (limit). It was actually not a surprise considering a large portion of this group were protecting their overall position, while others were preserving their sprint. It wasn’t long until this group was absorbed into Block. We now had three groups on the road moving into middle section of the race
The MiddleOne rider, his name Peter Milostic, would be the protagonist of the event during the middle phase. Milostic singlehandedly split the bunch and set about catching the lead group of div 2 riders. Milostic also sealed the fait of the div 2 breakway which included 2018 Cervelo series winner Aaron Paul. Almost simultaneously Div1a caught the remanence that Milostic had left behind. This gave the sctachies some much needed reinforcements especially in the form of Dhuez-Racing domestics. We now had two groups on the road. The Milostic driven leaders and Dhuez charged chase 40 seconds behind.
The final Just after 1 hr and 10mins of racing the two groups finally merged. It was expected at this point that the pace would slow somewhat. This never happened as the strong riders seemed determined to keep the group strung out and straight-lined over the final 15 minutes of racing. Coming into the treacherous turn #8 and the final Kilometre, one rider had launched clear. It took a long time, form the sidelines to determine it was St George’s Luke Cridland. The front of the bunch was lead by the Dhuez train as they mowed down Cridland with 80m to the finish allowing Jordon Ross to take an impressive sprint victory.
A Fantastic Handicap with Div 2 riders taking 4 of the top 8 positions including 2nd and 3rd.
Div 1 + 2 handicap 1 Jordan ROSS ……………… Illawarra CC ………………………... 1:25:06
2 Kevin BERKELEY ……………… Parramatta CC
3 Ben EXLEY ……………… Central Coast CC
4 Mick CURRAN ……………… Central Coast CC
5 Johnathan MILLINGTON ……………… Hunter District CC
6 Luke CRIDLAND ……………… St George CC
7 Nick JOHNS ……………… Nowra Velo Club
8 Matthew HOOKER ……………… Marconi CC
9 Simon BALL ……………… Marconi CC
10 Eddie SALAS ……………… Penrith CC
11 Andrew BRAY ……………… Harlequin
12 Craig SINTEUR ……………… North Western Sydney CC
13 Ben NEPPL ……………… Hunter District CC
14 Brett DAVIDSON ……………… Sutherland Shire CC
15 John PEPPARD ……………… Eastern Suburbs CC
16 Wesley HURRELL ……………… North Western Sydney CC
17 James SCHNEIDER ……………… Central Coast CC
18 Merrick LAW ……………… Illawarra CC
19 Matthew COY ……………… Bicisport
20 Jake SMITH ……………… Sutherland Shire CC
21 James CARROLL ……………… Sutherland Shire CC
22 Tony GRAF ……………… Southern Cross CC
23 Brendan BUHAGIAR ……………… Central Coast CC
24 Troy FISHER ……………… Sutherland Shire CC
25 Charl VAN WYK ……………… Sydney Uni Velo Club
26 Richard WHITE ……………… Sydney Uni Velo Club
27 Peter MILOSTIC ……………… Penrith CC
28 Greg BURGETT ……………… Lidcombe Auburn CC ……………………... +0:12
29 Jon LEIGHTON ……………… Harlequin
30 Grant HARMER ……………… Central Coast CC
31 Allan SMITH ……………… Randwick Botany CC
32 Geoff BAXTER ……………… Randwick Botany CC
33 Christian GODYN ……………… Hunter Districts CC …………………..… +0:28
34 Jack YUEN ……………… Waratah Masters CC
35 James GILMORE ……………… Marconi CC
Div 3+ 4 Handicap The race the nearly belonged to Division 4
The start Div 4b @ 0 min, Div 4a @1 min, Div 3b @ 3 min 45 sec and Div 3a @ 4min 45 sec
From the start the fastest moving group was Div 4a who caught a somewhat lethargic (or was it frozen) Div 4b by the end of the second lap. They immediately upped the tempo of the front end of the race. Conversely the Div 3a (scratch) took an eternity to close the 1-minute gap to Div 3b (block). We now have two groups on the road Div 4 leading by about three minutes over the entire Div 3.
The MiddleNot much happened! Not trying to be dismissive of the riders efforts and I am sure the riders in the bunches will have stories of epic attacks and Jens Voigt like turns. But from the side lines of the start-finish, all that I saw was the gap slowly diminishing like a wall with rising damp. By the 1 hour mark the gap was recorded at 1 min 10 seconds and reducing at a rate of 9 seconds a lap. It was now clear that Div 4 would win.
The extra Lap!Some div 4 riders will read this with a bitter taste: “I added a lap”. The reason being that my calculations would see the Div 1 + 2 race catch and pass the Div 4 + 3 race perfectly on the scheduled bell lap of the race. If you are a Sydney cyclist, you know and understand the impact this has on the race result and if you are a race organiser or commissaire you know the complaints and finger pointing that is guaranteed to occur. Thus, I made the decision to call three laps to go instead of two. Did this affect the result YES. Did I make the right decision YES.
The final Div 3 can thank their lucky stars with regards to the extra lap. As they only managed to catch the Div 4 riders after the bell. In fact the div 3 riders only managed to see the front of the bunch cresting the crucial climb 1.5km form the finish.
After 1 hr and 20 minutes of racing and 50.9km's it came down to a bunch sprint. Div 4 rider, Blake Callen lead it out and from where I was standing it appeared he got swamped by at least 4 riders including Campbell Fuller whom I was mistakenly celebrated as the winner. The photo revealed a different story. Blake had amazingly held on to take an gritty win.
Div 3 + 4 Handicap 1 Blake CALLEN ……………… Central Coast CC ………………………… 1:23:03
2 Roger CULL ……………… Sydney CC
3 Campbell FULLER ……………… Randwick Botany CC
4 Paul DRURY ……………… Parklife CC
5 Ivor THOMAS ……………… Manning Valley CC
6 Justin WOOLLARD ……………… Manning Valley CC
7 Peter MCKAY ……………… Manning Valley CC
8 Richard MEASURES ……………… Manly Warringah CC
9 Rodney LATHAM ……………… Illawarra CC
10 Nosh MISTRY ……………… St. George CC
11 Rhys ASHPOLE ……………… Hunter Valley Masters CC
12 Neil ARNOLD ……………… Illawarra CC
13 Arthur SNOW ……………… Hunter Valley Masters CC
14 Chris KNOX ……………… Northern Sydney CC
15 Bryan ATKINS ……………… Hunter Valley Masters CC
16 Daniel KING ……………… Newcastle CC
17 Dugald SPENCELEY ……………… Lidcombe Auburn CC
18 Michael KELLY ……………… Sydney CC
19 Katie BANERJEE ……………… Harlequin
20 Peter COOPER ……………… Illawarra CC
21 Ross MURDOCH ……………… Newcastle CC
22 David BROWNE ……………… Bicisport
23 Brad FONG ……………… Penrith CC
24 Dean MARCINKOWSKI ……………… Illawarra CC
25 Mj GALANG ……………… North Western Sydney CC
26 Darrin TUCKER ……………… Randwick Botany CC
27 Bill WILLIAMSON ……………… Dubbo CC
28 Andrew JACKSON ……………… Camden CC
29 David HILL ……………… Muswelbrook CC
30 Andrew ROBERTSON ……………… Lidcombe Auburn CC
31 Bradley PATTERSON ……………… Central Coast CC
32 Ruth STRAPP ……………… Bicisport
33 Michael BROWN ……………… Newcastle CC ………………………… +0:17
34 Anthony CUMMINGS ……………… Penrith CC
35 Peter SHARMAN ……………… Randwick Botany CC
36 Emmanuel PINEDA ……………… Penrith CC ………………………… +0:28
37 Jamie GROEN ……………… Newcastle CC ………………………… +0:46
38 John MUIRHEAD ……………… Parklife CC
39 Nick BOWD ……………… Randwick Botany CC ………………………… +1:31
40 Mark FIORENTINO ……………… North Western Sydney CC ………………………… +1:52
41 Patrick GRANT ……………… Hunter District CC ………………………… +2:50
Div 5 Race report
Please accept my apologies as I am unable to write a report regarding the result of this race. Initial reports indicate that the bell was not audible to the bunch. Although I heard the bell and announced the last lap on the PA, I was very much pre-occupied with lap times to ensure Div 5 got a clean sprint (no passing grades).
These results will remain final and I sincerely do not wish to detract from the winners and placegetters of the race. However out of respect to those who have complained I will not write a report on this race. 
Div 5 across the line 1 HOPE-HODGETTS John …. CCCC
2 REGATTIERI David …. CCCC
3 ROURKE Harry …. WMCC
4 GRAINGER Ian …. BICI
5 HOPE-HODGETTS Yoni …. CCCC
6 COCHRAN Lois …. Pen
7 PAGE Guy …. CCCC
8 JONES Hugh …. HVcc
9 TRAPPITT Andrew …. CCCC
10 JANSONS Mark …. LACC
11 McAthure Don ….. NWSCC ….
12 BROOS Colin …. M V
13 FISHER Greg …. WMCC
14 KNEALE Colin …. Suth
15 ROWBOTHAM Penelope ….
16 CRAIG Mark …. NScc
17 GARSTANG Riussell …. CCCC
RACE result Age minus place 1 ROURKE Harry ……………… 68
2 GRAINGER Ian ……………… 67
3 ROWBOTHAM Penelope ……………… 66
4 COCHRANE Lois ……………… 65
5 McAthrur Don ……………… 63
6 PAGE Guy ……………… 62
7 KNEALE Colin ……………… 62
8 JONES Hugh ……………… 62
9 REGATTIERI David ……………… 58
10 HOPE-HODGETTS Yoni ……………… 58
11 HOPE-HODGETTS John ……………… 54
12 TRAPPITT Andrew ……………… 52
13 FISHER Greg ……………… 52
14 BROOS Colin ……………… 51
15 CRAIG Mark ……………… 40
16 GARSTANG Riussell ……………… 30
