The fourteenth Regional Australia Bank Autumn Festival Criterium was raced today in great conditions that matched the quality of the racing on display. Over 70 riders from 11 regional clubs competed and put on a fantastic show across four grades for the local crowd in the CBD.
Armidale got off to a winning start in D-Grade with local girl Olive Tutt smashing the race with an impressive solo effort that no one could stay with. Alex Harris and Oliver Belson joined Olive on the podium with Tamworth’s Joshua Deasey and Isobel O’Connor rounding out the top 5 in style.
C-Grade was a hotly contested affair with Peter Lane (Inverell) going off the front early on with Armidale’s Richard Wilkinson chasing. This set the tone for the rest of the race with numerous attacks and chases from individual riders. Asher Fawle (Coffs Harbour) rode strongly throughout, grabbing the first intermediate sprint before Peter Lane (Inverell) rode off the front after 10 minutes, quickly pulling out a 20s lead which he held until the end. With 3 laps to go Bryn Griffiths (Armidale), Fawle and Chris Stace (Armidale) were chasing but it was too little too late. Lane held on to win by 11s with a photo finish giving Alistair Lane the edge over his young Coffs Harbour clubmate Asher Fawle.
In B-Grade it was Tamworth’s Rob Wright who made the early running and he was joined by team mate Daniel Nash and Shane Edmonds (Inverell). After 3 laps it was all back together before Nash had another go, followed by Joel Barker (Coffs Harbour). Fletcher Partlin grabbed the first intermediate sprint before Armidale’s Paul Williams and Pete Harris charged off the front and quickly established a lead of 20s. The pair worked well together, picking up the next 3 sprints and holding their lead which extended to 45s by the end. Despite a few efforts, the bunch didn’t get organised with most Armidale riders not willing to chase their club mates up the road. In the end it was Harris who had the stronger legs in the sprint beating Williams by a bike length and Nash winning the bunch sprint for third.
Finally it was time for the much-awaited and hotly contested A-Grade race to begin. There were some early digs from Mick Sherwood and Luke Deasey (Tamworth) who were joined by Kerod Parker (Coffs Harbour). Lots of attacks followed and Peter Horwood (Inverell) and Armidale’s David Cook found themselves chasing Phillip Almond (Coffs Harbour) and Stephen Roberts (Tamworth) who pulled out a gap of 21s on the bunch. Parker claimed the first sprint. Horwood and Brent Rees were active in the early stages pulling back attacks but then after 12 minutes Tamworth’s Stephen Roberts launched an audacious attack off the front that no one responded to. The young 2WA rider impressively spent the next 17 minutes off the front and at one point had a gap of 31s over the bunch. Roberts claimed one sprint prize in that time before things inevitably came back together with 11 minutes to go. There was one more attack from Dave Munday(Armidale) before Brent Rees (Inverell) made the winning move at 37 minutes. Armidale’s Mick Harris briefly stayed with Rees but the Inverell riders stinging attack was too good and he went on to win by 11s. Coffs Harbour riders Kerrod Parker and Phillip Almond took out bunch sprint for second and third places in an enthralling and hard fought contest.
Many thanks to all riders, spectators, club members, our commissaire Kevin Bartlett and all helpers and race officials who ensured that the fourteenth Regional Australia Bank Autumn Festival Criterium was another race to remember. Special thanks to Peter Hosking of Hixit Photography for some great images, more of them to come soon on the club Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/armidalecyclingclub
A-Grade (40 mins + 3 Laps)
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B-Grade (35 mins + 3 Laps)
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C-Grade (30 mins + 3 Laps)
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D-Grade (20 mins + 3 Laps)
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