Darren Lapthorne (Scratch), Brendon
Sharratt (7min), Tom McDonough
(15min), Luke McDonough and Wayne Gebert (both 19min) contested
the Rob
Vernon Memorial on Saturday. Anthony Somers (limit) was injured
and
unable to start.
The race was conducted in brilliant sunshine on a calm winters
day. The
19 minute bunch worked well early and had limit in sight within
25km.
Upon cresting the feared climb at the 28km mark it was only
about 3km
later that the two outmarker bunches had formed with this
leading group
now numbering about 35 riders. Some riders took this to assume
the role
of a scratch race and the bunch did not co operate well.
The middle markers of Tom McDonough's 19min and Michael Sparke's
12 min
bunch had also formed early and the slackened pace in the
leading bunch
allowed the four bunches to merge at the 80km mark with 30km
still to be
raced.
This leading bunch now numbered about 60 riders and the wind was
not
strong enough to force a selection. With 6km to go the scratch
bunch was
only 1minute 30 behind this leading bunch making for a frantic
finish.
Tom McDonough had a go off the front, but the bunch was resigned
for a big
bunch kick. Mitchell Docker (Brunswick) and David Pell
(Bendigo) managed
to "get up" with about 100m to go. The bunch was that big
though that
they were unable to get around the bunch for the sprint. David
Moreland a
local Bendigo Rider took out the win.
Results
1. David Moreland (Bendigo) 2:52'08
2. Stefan Kirsch (Blackburn) st
3. John Cipriano (Carnegie) st
4. John Macague(Bendigo) st
5.Mitchell Docker (Brunswick) st Fastest Time
6. Jamie Goddard (Blackburn) st
7. Travis Edwards (Shepparton) st
8. Shane Freer (Bendigo) st
9.Rohan McCaig (Bendigo) st
10. Jeffery Hibberd (Broadford Seymour) st
42. Luke McDonough (COBURG) @0.17
43. Tom McDonough (COBURG) @0.17
46. Wayne Gebert (COBURG) @0.29
65. Darren Lapthorne (COBURG) @1.44
68. Brendon Sharratt (COBURG) @2.42
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