Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Coral Cove Classic

This was Brady’s first time racing at the Coral Cove Classic and wasn’t quite sure what to expect. The course was 1.1km lap of smooth roads and with 1 decent climb. The weather was warm and very windy which it made it difficult along the back straight, there was a fierce head wind which sorted the men from the boys. The race was 30mins + 2 laps, in the 17th minute Brady and National Junior silver medallist Jordan Kierby (Maryborough) broke away, building a gap of well over a minute and a half to the main field. Young Jordan and Brady kept building their lead throughout the remainder of the race and with only 4 laps to go the young champ pulled away. Brady maintained his position not giving in and even gained some time on the 1st place getter over the final 2 laps finishing only 8 sec behind him to claim second place. There was a tight sprint for third which saw the only Elite woman Kirsty Broun (T Mobile member) edged out by a fraction. Brady also took out 1 of the Intermediate Sprints.


The racing was of an excellent standard and we saw local cycling hero’s Scott (T Mobile) and Allan Davis (Astana) compete along side local A Graders, they were an awesome sight as they demolished the rest of the field including Allan’s own ASTANA’s team mates. Allan took out first and Scott second and Victor Broncos Rider Brendon O’Connell third.

The Cumming Clan were flanked by supporters Jamie, Annie, Charlie and Isabelle Cox (Coral Cove locals) and were also pleased to have Dalby Team members Bron and Greenie there to support also.


This is a very well organised event and is certainly something we will be heading up for again next year.

Written by Rach.

Sunday, November 05, 2006

CHIPPO WINS!!!

Tony CHIPPO Nolan wins C grade criterium on the weekend in Brisbane.


Tony,Cooky and Brady took the early trip into Brisbane on Sunday to race the Synergy Park criteriums and all came come pleased as punch. Team Dalby were represented in the top three races. Tony C Grade. Cooky B Grade and Brady A Grade.

Tony started the day off with a bang, winning the C grade race in a powerful sprinting display blowing the opposition away. In an inverview after the race Chippo said it was an easy victory and all his hard training was starting to pay off.He was looking forward to stepping up into B grade next week.


Cooky raced the hotly contested B grade crit and after taking out the cash prize for the prime (intermediate) sprint, he was a marked man. Obviously one of the strongest riders in the race (if not the strongest)the pack watched him like a hawke and wouldn't let him go. They let him do most of the work and when it came down to the finish Cooky sprinted into 5th place. Well done.

Brady had his first taste of A grade and even though it wasn't the strongest A grade field ever assembled it still featured two top ten finishers at the recent Noosa International Criterium.With a confidence boosting ride Brady sprinted home to take 4th, beating some highly credentialled cyclists.

Saturday, November 04, 2006

Racing News

Over the last month Nolsey and Brady have raced in a couple of open races in SE Queensland.
The Ipswich Open was raced at Carole Park on the Synergy Park Crit course, a track known to other Dalby riders that have raced the Ipswich clubs fornightly crits. Nolsey raced in Vet C and with a ten day break off the bike it was always going to be a big ask."Big Ask" it was, the peloton hammered around the course with lightning speed and with heart rates going through the roof the weak were dropping like flys. Nolsey dug in deep and stayed with the group the entire race but didn't have the legs to contest the sprint. No wonder!!!! their avg speed was over 41kph. I raced Elite C and the two events couldn't have been more different.
It was a pretty slow race with not many attacks, we still avg over 40 but with a big pack it was easy to sit in and relax.Believe it or not these races are harder to win than gut busting events because everyone is still fresh. You get good sprinters still there at the end that wouldn't have been if it was a grueling race. Anyhow, I got 6th over the line and a little disappointed, anyway thats racing.

The Murgon Heart Breaker


The town of Murgon put on a great road race in conjunction with their week long "Shakin' Grape Wine Festival".Field numbers were down but the talent wasn't with current Australian criterium champion, a Commonwealth Games rep, an Olympic rep, past Australian vet time trial champ and current Australian Vet road and time trial champion.The Elite A guys were sent off first then the rest went in one big pack all together. This doesn't happen very often we were all racing in separate categories but in one big race, we had Vet A/B, Elite B/C, Elite Woman and under 17. This was going to be tough !!!!
The course was a 22km loop with an big 3-4km climb that had to be ridden 3 times, 66km of the best road race track I've raced this year. Why?
THE HILL! Hills seperate the boys from the men and we don't get many climbs like this one to race on. The first lap and the race was on from the start with attacks left,right and centre in only the first 3 kms. Then came the HILL and no one was slowing down.My heart rate was going up and up as we snaked around bend after bend climbing to the top.As we got to the summit I turned around to look for Nolsey but he was gone.Riding above his normal catergory it was always going to hard for Nolsey and training in flat Dalby doesn't help either.What goes up must come down and descending was fun with a long fast run down to the flat ground, with 40 riders in aero tour de france style position, the adrenalin was flowing.Across the flat and back into the town of Murgon, past the start/finish line and the first lap was over.

We climbed the hill again this time even faster as a little hairy legged bloke from the Gold Coast set a cracking pace. I rode the hill in 3rd place not looking back trying to hold onto the wheel in front, my heart rate going to 186bpm(my max). As we got to the top I looked back and there was no one there, we blew the pack away.
It flattened off a little and we started taking turns at the front pushing as hard as we could, we needed to open a bigger gap on the feild. Looking back to see the damage we caused I noticed a rider trying to bridge the gap, we slowed a little to let him on. This is not the normal thing to do but this was no normal cyclist - Craig Taylor Australian Vet champion, he is strong and would be an asset if we were to stay away. We took turn after turn riding as hard as we could and the little hairy guy couldn't hold on as we started the descent.

Then there were three - I was slightly out of my league in a break away with two Australian Vet champions working harder than I've ever worked, swapping turn after turn.Past the start finish line and out of town again, I was in a world of hurt.We had been away for about 20 kms and had opened a sizable gap on the peloton, the other two blokes were racing VetA so that meant I was winning Elite B/C but not for long.
I blew up! my legs were dead I couldn't take another turn at the front as I let the two STOGS(Scary Tough Old Guys)go. I climbed the hill by myself and as I reached the top the peloton caught me.On the trip home there were more attacks and I was cramping sprinting out of the saddle trying to hold on as we rode into Murgon for the last time. Around the last corner and up to sprint for the finish line but I had no fuel left crossing the line 4th.Not my best placing in a race, but my best effort.
Nolsey came in some time later but finished the race, as other pussies who were dropped pulled out not finishing. Finishing what you have started is character building and Nolsey's day in the sun will come. SOON !