Australian Cycling Grand Prix - NE

Ballarat, Australia, August 15-17, 2008

Main Page Results Overall standings Next Stage

Stage 1 - August 15: Time trial, 38.5/27.4km

Jongewaard answers critics while O'Donnell completes double

By Rod Morris in Ballarat

Controversial Adelaide-based mountain biker Chris Jongewaard let loose his undoubted talents on a road bike yesterday when he won the first leg of the Australian Cycling Grand Prix in Ballarat, the men's time trial.

Jongewaard, who unsuccessfully went to court to try and win a place in the Australian mountain bike team for the Beijing Olympics, rode a superb race in the 38.5km "race against the clock" which was held at Learmonth, 15 km west of Ballarat in country Victoria.

Jongewaard represented Australia at the World Mountain Bike Championships earlier this year, but his future in the sport - particularly in Australia - is unclear. "I'm not sure what'll be doing after the world's, most likely I will base myself overseas," Jongewaard said.

The volatile South Australian has also been involved in a messy court case where it has been alleged he assaulted fellow cyclist Mathew Rex, but for now wants his performances on the bike to do the talking for him.

Jongewaard was ranked number four in the time trial, behind Bernard Sulzberger (Tas), Timothy Roe (SA) and Benjamin King (WA), the three riders who filled the first three placings after the recent Tour of Gippsland, the first of four legs of this year's Scody Cup national series.

Following the Australian Cycling Grand Prix (AGCP), the Scody Cup will take in the Tour of the Murray River and the Tour of Tasmania and Sulzberger will be trying to emulate the performance of his younger brother Wesley, who won the series two years ago.

Sulzberger finished 12th in yesterday's time trial and whilst not picking up any bonus points, lost little ground to his nearest challengers.

Little known NSW 19 year-old Joseph Lewis set the early pattern for the time trial.

Starting in reverse seed order, Lewis was the 10th rider to start and after posting a healthy time of 51:21, began his nervous wait.

Lewis' time matched that of 2007 winner Hayden Josefski and with inclement weather at Learmonth yesterday, it was felt by many that Lewis had done enough to claim victory.

The challengers came thick and fast however. Queensland's Darren Rolfe moved into second on the leaderboard with a 53:37, but his lofty status was shortlived as one-by-one, Nathan Clarke (52:57), Daniel Braunsteins (52:55), David Pell (52:27) all David Kemp (51:29) bettered his time.

Into the upper class of riders in the field and Ben King (52:23), Timothy Roe (52:23), Dylan Newell (51:53) and veteran Peter Milostic (51:25) all gained top 10 spots.

Jongewaard broke Lewis' heart when he crossed the finish line, 1:13 quicker, but the affable NSW youngster was realistic enough to admit, "I have time on my side."

"I don't feel disgraced being beaten by a rider of Chris Jongewaard's ability," he said.

The ACGP time trial doubled as the Victorian Open Time Trial Championship, but for home-grown Victorians, the event was a reality check.

The leading Victorian was Dylan Newell in seventh and even he was riding for a Tasmanian outfit, Praties, the Hobart-based fast food specialists.

O'Donnell scores emphatic victory

Using the disappointment of not being in Beijing as motivation, Melbourne cyclist Bridie O'Donnell scored an emphatic victory in the opening race of the 2008 Australian Grand Prix at Ballarat yesterday. O'Donnell, 37, started the 27.4 km individual time trial as the clear cut favourite, but she blew her opponents out of the water, winning by almost three minutes.

O'Donnell finished the tough wind-swept course in 40.56 minutes, to continue her solid record at Learmonth, just outside of Ballarat.

O'Donnell finished third in the inaugural ACGP time trial in 2006 behind Elizabeth Hayman and Briana James, but then won last year in a time of 39.59 minutes.

"The course was much tougher this year," she said. "The winds and intermittent rain didn't make it any easier, but I am thrilled to win."

"Obviously I am disappointed not to be in Beijing at the Olympics, but I have been given the chance to represent my country at the world championships later this year, so that will be ample consolation," she added.

O'Donnell made her intentions known early in the time trial, passing the four riders who started directly ahead of her.

Starting at a minute apart, O'Donnell swept passed Nicole Whitburn, Stephanie Frawley, Liz Young (did not finish) and Carly Hibberd on her way to a sensational victory to start the three day grand prix, which is the second of four legs that make up the Scody Cup national series.

The silver medal was won by Mildura's Stephanie Frawley, who has been a regular competitor in the ACGP, but until now had missed a podium placing, while third place was won by Davina Summers, who has set the early pace.

Summers was the second rider to start and recorded a fast 44.06 minutes before the nervous wait of riders behind her.

The ACGP continues over the weekend with criteriums and road races for men and women. The 33 km criteriums will be held in Ballarat's CBD, while the 81.6 women's and 153 km men's road race will be staged on the famed - and extremely tough - Buninyong circuit.

Results

Elite women

1 Bridie O'Donnell (Vic)           40.56.4
2 Stephanie Frawley (Vic)           2.51.6
3 Davina Summers (WA)               3.10.0
4 Suzanne Always (Vic)              3.38.4
5 Tess Downing (Vic)                3.48.5
6 Rebecca Barwick (ACT)             4.02.8
7 Nicole Whitburn (Vic)             4.06.4
8 Rebecca Domange (Vic)             4.58.4
9 Rebecca Locke (Vic)               5.15.6
10 Carly Hibberd (Qld)              5.16.4
11 Fiona Spargo (Vic)               6.31.5
12 Ireng Digenis (Vic)              6.40.2
13 Chloe McConville (Vic)           7.07.0
DNF Liz Young (Qld)                       
                                                                           
Elite men  
                               
1 Chris Jongewaard (SA)            50.09.0
2 Joseph Lewis (NSW)                1.12.3
3 Peter Milostic (NSW)              1.17.0
4 David Kemp (Qld)                  1.20.4
5 Dylan Newell (Vic)                1.44.1
6 Timothy Roe (SA)                  2.14.0
7 Benjamin King (WA)                2.14.1
8 David Pell (Vic)                  2.18.3
9 Daniel Braunsteins (Vic)          2.46.8
10 Nathan Clarke (Tas)              2.48.2
11 Darren Rolfe (Qld)               3.28.3
12 Bernard Sulzberger (Tas)         3.40.5
13 Mark Hooper (Vic)                3.53.6
14 Brad Edmunds (Vic)               4.03.1
15 Reuben Meneaud-Young (SA)        4.09.0
16 Jacob Sutherland (Vic)           4.09.8
17 Cameron Carlyle (Vic)            4.12.7
18 Craig Mccartney (Vic)            4.14.5
19 Jonathan Lovelock (Vic)          4.16.4
20 Kyle Marwood (Vic)               4.30.4
21 Brett Tivers (Vic)               4.41.9
22 Sean Finning (Vic)               4.51.8
23 Dione Locke (Qld)                4.53.8
24 Damien Turner (Vic)              5.18.0
25 Peter Herzig (NSW)               5.50.7
26 Will Dickeson (SA)               6.25.4
27 Vaughan Bowman (Vic)             6.26.7
28 Daniel Furmston (Tas)            6.29.6
29 Daniel Hopper (Vic)              6.39.3
30 Timothy White (Vic)              6.50.6
31 James Steinhauser (Vic)          7.00.8
32 Tom Leaper (Vic)                 7.04.2
33 Josh Chugg (Tas)                 7.28.2
34 Ben Grieve-Johnson (Tas)         7.32.7
35 Tim Guy (NSW)                    8.29.9
36 Robert Regester (Vic)            8.32.0
37 Luke Knox (Vic)                  8.39.1
38 Grant Irwin (Qld)                9.00.2
39 Dontas Bludzis (Vic)             9.24.4
40 Reece-Emerson Van Beek (Vic)    10.07.4
41 Samuel Rix (Vic)                10.09.2
42 James Ibrahim (Vic)             14.11.8
DNS Pip Grinter (Vic)                     
DNS William Alexander (NZl)               
DNS Robert Hodgson (NSW)                  
DNS Peter Dennis (Vic)                    
DNS Mitchell Anderson (Vic)               
DNS Anthony Bennett (NSW)