Cycle Nation Heffron Park Crits – 29 Nov 2011

B Grade lined up for the start. Photo: CycleNation

Written By John Sunde Eastern Suburbs Cycling Club

Fraser and Law the winners in the wind

Racing and the wind returned with a vengeance in last night’s action packed round of Real Insurance’s 30km criterium raced in overcast conditions and a relentless 70kph NE wind. It was a race for the ages with El Pres, Francesco Alcino Conceicao celebrating his milestone Six O and Race Caller Paul Craft quickly capitalising on the opportunity to encourage the 85 starters to wish young Frank ‘Aniversário Feliz’.

The wind was certainly one for the ages and it had everyone looking for cover or trying their best simply to hang on – it was no shame to find your race over after 2 or 3 laps which happened to several riders across all 3 grades. As a result most of the spirit of racing a handicap race went out the window. So much for cohesive, smooth turns to keep the bunches rolling. Unfortunately the stop, start nature of the racing ended Richard Lang’s race when a mishap mid race in A grade resulted in him touching the concrete and losing some skin.

Best quote of the night was from energetic junior rider Patrick Sharpe who claimed the reason he smashed off the front of B grade all night was “my Coach told me to use the race to do efforts.” Bet his Coach doesn’t fork out the $20 entry fee. Then there are the ‘Bomber’s’ – those riders and they’re in every grade, who just love to sit on for a few laps before bombing off the front, going nowhere and ruining the race tempo.

Plenty of tempo in A grade who had some added horsepower with Jayco 2XU duo Ben Kersten and Scott Law, along with Sunday’s NSW Grand Prix star Caleb Ewan lining up for his first Tuesday night race. Three laps to go and A grade still had a massive 1min+ gap to catch a small group of C grade escapee’s. A devastating headwind turn from Ben Kersten on the bell lap finally brought the race together, but unfortunately for the A grade riders 17yo Brad Fraser had long ago escaped the C grade bunch and had a length of the straight gap to claim the win.

Brad Fraser first, daylight second.

In the gallop for A grade supremacy, it was Liam Kelly who continues to display a power output which defies his 45 years who got the jump and lead out the sprint. Scott Law who doesn’t like coming second had just a little more power and class to claim the sprint which was good enough for the A grade win, but not enough for the overall. Nash Kent got caught up in the C grade traffic but still managed to recover some of the ground for fourth, while behind him two of the C grade escapee’s Richard Younger and Daniel Pinczewski fought it out for fifth spot.

Warren Doyle continues to ride a class above the rest of B grade with just the right mix of speed and power, along with the inherent race smarts to be in the right place at the right time, especially at the finish. Peter O’Connor backed up his podium in the NSW Grand Prix Masters race on Sunday to get second from Nathan Bonarius who had another consistent race.

Renshaw in town for 30th Clarence St Cyclery Cup

Get trackside this Sat 3 Dec at Dunc Gray Velodrome for the Clarence St Cyclery Cup Wheelrace. It’s been 9 years sine Cav’s leadout man Mark Renshaw competed in the event but he’s back to see if he can repeat his winning performance from 2002. Complimentary tickets available at The Cyclery.

Uncanny resemblance between the rider in this photo and winner of NSW Grand Prix…

Race Results

Overall
1. Brad Fraser (Easts)
2. Scott Law (2XU)
3. Liam Kelly (Caravello)
4. Nash Kent (Lidcombe Auburn)
5. Richard Younger (Sydney Uni)

A Grade
1. Scott Law (2XU)
2. Liam Kelly (Caravello)
3. Nash Kent (Lidcombe Auburn)

B Grade
1. Warren Doyle (Manly)
2. Peter O’ZConnor (Easts)
3. Nathan Bonarius

C Grade
1. Brad Fraser (Easts)
2. Richard Younger (Sydney Uni)
3. Daniel Pinczewski (Sydney Uni)

Scott Law celebrates as he leads the field home, this time with all fingers closed . Photo CycleNation