Kirk wins mini-tour

To celebrate the end of the 2010 Tour de France, Armidale CC staged its own mini tour on Dangarsleigh Road on Saturday 24 July. Although not nearly as strenuous as the French race, many riders found the three stages in one day quite a challenge.

First up was a 5km time trial, won convincingly by Mick Hoult with a time of 7:39. John Scott-Hamilton was second fastest with a time of 7:58, but was relegated to last place due to an infringement at the turn around. This meant that Brent Weston was second on the stage with a time of 8:02 from Pat McMillan on 8:03.

B grade was won by visiting rider Tom Apthorpe of Inverell with a time of 8:23, with Bill Mara second (8:28) and Mark Haydon third (8:33). Mick Sozou won C grade with a time of 8:58, narrowly ahead of Dave Rubie (8:59) and Dean Bourke (9:01).

Stage 2 was a 30km road race for A and B grades, and 20km for C grade. A grade was won by John Scott-Hamilton with Andrew Kirk second and Andrew Swan third. Peter Creagan took out B grade from Bill Mara and Mark Haydon, while Dean Bourke was too good for Mark Jones and Mick Sozou in C grade.

With quite a lot of pursuiter’s cough in evidence, the riders transferred to the track for the final criterium stage. Andrew Kirk reversed the road race result by winning A grade in front of John Scott-Hamilton with Andrew Swan third (although it has to be said that had it been the TdF, Kirkie would have been disqualified for over vigorous use of the helmet on Mitch Bullen’s arm!).

Mark Haydon finally got a win in B grade, with Tom Apthorpe second and Peter Creagan third. Mark Jones won C grade ahead of Dean Bourke and Dave Rubie.

In the final standings Kirkie won the overall in A grade. Mick Hoult was runner up and won the prize for most combative rider, after his excellent time trial, and for continually attacking and driving the winning break in the road race.

Tom Apthorpe set up the win in B grade with his time trial and continued to ride consistently throughout. Mark Haydon was runner up in B grade, finishing on the same number of points as Tom, but losing out on the time trial.

C grade was closely contested, with Dean Bourke winning from Mark Jones, and Mick Sozou and Dave Rubie not far behind.

Videos of the finish of the road race are shown below, along with full results of the time trial.

Thanks go to the race marshals Phil Thomas, Bob Murison and Nick Myhill without whom it would not have been possible to run the event. Thanks also to Dave Jenner who had to sit out the first two stages while he ran the junior racing program.

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* relegated to last place in A grade due to infringement at turn around