Australian Cycling Grand Prix - NE

Ballarat, Australia, August 15-17, 2008

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Stage 3 - August 17: Road race, 153/81.6km

Pell breaks through for major victory

Broun win women's race

By Rod Morris in Ballarat

After more near misses than he cares to remember, popular Victorian rider David Pell broke through for one of his most cherished victories in yesterday's Australian Cycling Grand Prix road race.

Pell, 28 years-old, overcame a last lap challenge from fellow Victorian Pip Grinter to claim line honours in the arduous 153 km race on the famed Buninyong circuit, just out of Ballarat. Before yesterday, Pell's other major victories had been in the 2001 Australian Under 23 national road race and the Bendigo to Nagambie stage of the 2007 Herald Sun Tour.

In 2006 he was beaten into second place in the time honoured Melbourne to Warrnambool 300 km Classic, but yesterday belonged to Pell. He was part of a 12 man breakaway group that put significant time into the large peloton, from the original field of 109 starters.

The "Dirty Dozen" included the likes of Sydney's Peter Herzig, who was concentrating on winning points in the king of the mountain championship, Adelaide mountain biker Chris Jongewaard, Grinter's Drapac Porsche team-mates Mark O'Brien and Daniel Braunsteins, in-form Queensland rider Michael England and Brunswick's Dylan Newell, a recent winner of the Tour of Gippsland.

One by one, members of the dozen escapees tried to splinter the group with further breaks, but on each occasion their challenge was thwarted. However on the third last lap, Braunsteins made a significant move, getting 50 seconds up the road on his fellow breakaways.

Braunsteins, however, was reeled in on the penultimate lap when Grinter and Pell put considerable distance into the lead group. At the bell, Grinter and Pell had a lead of 1:09 but the cavalry was coming.

Grinter hit Pell going up the Midland Hwy hill for the last time, but the latter saved his best for last. On the Fisken Road descent, a treacherous part of the Buninyong circuit, Pell hit top gear, took Grinter in his stride and set sail for home.

The home straight at Buninyonng is made for sprinters and a delight for spectators with 500m of clear view on a flat open road. Pell was able to sit up and savour his victory, three seconds ahead of Grinter while teenage Geelong sensation Leigh Howard, winner of the previous day's criterium, led the bunch for third place.

Just as significantly for Howard, his performances in Ballarat over the weekend catapulted him into the lead in the Scody Cup, which doubles as the national road series. The series includes multi stage tours of Gippsland, Murray River and Tasmania and three separate races at the Ballarat Grand Prix. Howard has amassed 82 points from 11 races so far and is level with Tasmanian Bernard Sulzberger, but ahead on a countback, courtesy of more stage wins.

The overall winner of the Grand Prix was Jongewaard, who would otherwise have been racing in Beijing if he had not been omitted from the Australian Olympic mountain bike team. Jongewaard won Friday's time trial, placed in Saturday's criterium and was fourth home in the road race.

Broun sprints to win

Held over 83 km, just 11 riders were able to go the distance in the women's road race, won by Queensland based Tasmanian Kirsty Broun. After placing in Saturday's criterium, Broun was always going to be one of the big fancies in the road race over eight laps. Although only 18 riders faced the starter, the pace was on from the start and many became early casualties.

Melbourne's Bridie O'Donnell was the pre-race favourite after winning both the time trial and criterium buther every move was being watched by fellow medal challengers.

O'Donnell kept herself safe throughout the race, but on the final lap was double teamed by the two Queenslanders, Broun and Carly Hibberd, and she couldn't control both of them. Broun and Hibberd settled down for a match race sprint to the finish line, an unusual ending for a race over more than 80 km.

O'Donnell was third across the line and was clearly the best performed rider overall for the weekend.

Lisa Jacobs of Victoria won the queen of the mountains title, while the sprint championship went to Chloe McConville, despite the fact she was unable to finish the journey.

Results

Elite women

1 Kirsty Broun (Qld)       2.34.09
2 Carly Hibberd (Qld)             
3 Bridie O'Donnell (Vic)          
4 Suzanne Always (Vic)            
5 Rebecca Locke (Vic)             
6 Lisa Jacobs (Vic)           0.04
7 Fiona Spargo (Vic)          0.35
8 Davina Summers (WA)         2.54
9 Simone Spykers (Vic)            
10 Radele Berriman (Vic)      2.55
11 Liz Young (Qld)            7.08
DNF Jacqui Hickey (Vic)           
DNF Chloe Mcconville (Vic)        
DNF Tess Downing (Vic)            
DNF Nicole Whitburn (Vic)         
DNF Turi Berg (Vic)               
DNF Rebecca Domange (Vic)         
DNS Lisa Friend (Vic)    

Women's sprint classification

1 Chloe McConville (Vic)         7

Women's mountains classification       

1 Lisa Jacobs (Vic)             15
 
Elite men

1 David Pell (Vic)         4.05.46
2 Pip Grinter (Vic)           0.03
3 Leigh Howard (Vic)          1.26
4 Chris Jongewaard (SA)           
5 Michael England (Qld)           
6 Stuart Grimsey (Vic)        1.28
7 Dylan Newell (Vic)              
8 Mark O'Brien (Vic)          1.31
9 Brett Tivers (NZl)          2.37
10 Peter Herzig (NSW)         2.57
11 Shaun Mccarthy (Vic)       3.31
12 Chris Jory (NSW)               
13 Glenn O'Shea (Vic)             
14 Bernard Sulzberger (Tas)       
15 Timothy Roe (SA)               
16 Cameron Hughes (Qld)           
17 William Ford (Vic)             
18 Benjamin King (WA)             
19 Damien Turner (Vic)        3.34
20 Joseph Lewis (NSW)         3.54
21 Nathan Clarke (Tas)        4.53
22 Reuben Meneaud-You (SA)    5.36
23 Richard England (Vic)      6.15
24 Jason Rigg (WA)            6.24
25 William Clarke (Tas)           
26 Craig Mccartney (Vic)          
27 Jason Hegert (Vic)             
28 Brett Anderson (SA)            
29 Dale Scarfe (NSW)              
30 Nathan Wise (Vic)              
31 James Langedyk (Vic)           
32 Vaughan Bowman (Vic)           
33 Lachlan Norris (Vic)           
34 Jonathan Lovelock (Vic)        
35 Timothy Walker (Tas)           
36 David Tozer (Vic)              
37 Daniel Braunsteins (Vic)       
DNF Cal Britten (Vic)             
DNF Tom Leaper (Vic)              
DNF Sean Finning (Vic)            
DNF Matthew Davis (Vic)           
DNF Jay Bourke (Vic)              
DNF Luke Aggett (Vic)             
DNF Gregory Campbell (Qld)        
DNF Tim Guy (NSW)                 
DNF Dione Locke (Qld)             
DNF David Kemp (Qld)              
DNF Will Dickeson (SA)            
DNF Phillip Thuaux (NSW)          
DNF Grant Irwin (Qld)             
DNF Joel Pearson (NSW)            
DNF Trent Stevenson (Vic)         
DNF Chris Pryor (Qld)             
DNF Russell Gill (SA)             
DNF Brad Edmunds (Vic)            
DNF Darren Rolfe (Qld)            
DNF Daniel Furmston (Tas)         
DNF Ashley Baines (Vic)           
DNF Jacob Sutherland (Vic)        
DNF Michael Knoff (Vic)           
DNF Cameron Carlyle (Vic)         
DNF Steven Martin (Vic)           
DNF Stuart Payne (Vic)            
DNF William Raisin-Shaw (Vic)     
DNF Andrew Rolland (Vic)          
DNF Bradley Scarfe (NSW)          
DNF Peter Smith (Vic)             
DNF Stefan Kirsch (Vic)           
DNF Lachlan Stewart (Vic)         
DNF Luke Knox (Vic)               
DNF Will Tehan (Vic)              
DNF Kane Walker (Vic)             
DNF Timothy White (Vic)           
DNF Blair Windsor (NSW)           
DNF Peter Milostic (NSW)          
DNF Dontas Bludzis (Vic)          
DNF Darren O'Grady (SA)           
DNF Chris Bradford (Vic)          
DNF Josh Chugg (Tas)              
DNF Reece Stephens (Vic)          
DNF Sebastian Guiney (Vic)        
DNF Bradley Clark (Vic)           
DNF Ian Coker (Vic)               
DNF Alistair Faulkner (Vic)       
DNF Craig Gibbs (Qld)             
DNF Damien Mcdowell (Vic)         
DNF Ben Grieve-Johnson (Tas)      
DNF Scott Kilmartin (Qld)         
DNF James Henry (Vic)             
DNF Michael Hill (Vic)            
DNF Mark Isaacs (Vic)             
DNF Matthew Jensen (Vic)          
DNF Charles Howlett (Vic)         
DNF James Ibrahim (Vic)           
DNS Benjamin Juzwin (Vic)         
DNS Rowan Dever (Vic)             
DNS Anthony Bennett (NSW)         
DNS William Alexander (NZl)       
DNS Marco Duys (Vic)              
DNS Matthew Gstrein (Vic)         
DNS Jan Willhoft (Vic)            
DNS Samuel Rix (Vic)              
DNS Grant Webster (Vic)           
DNS Peter Dennis (Vic)            
DNS Robert Hodgson (NSW)          
DNS Mark Hooper (Vic)             
DNS Casey Munro (Vic)             
DNS Adam Murchie (Vic)            
 
Men's sprints

Sprint 1

1 Craig Mccartney (NSW)          3 pts
2 Peter Herzig (Vic)             2
3 Matthew Davis (NSW)            1
 
Sprint 2

1 Peter Herzig (Vic)             3 pts
2 Charles Howlett (Vic)          2
3 Jonathan Lovelock (NSW)        1
 
Sprint 3

1 Peter Herzig (Vic)             3 pts
2 David Pell (Vic)               2
3 Sean Finning (Vic)             1
 
Sprint 4

1 David Pell (NZl)               3 pts
2 Brett Tivers (Vic)             2
3 Mark O'Brien (Vic)             1
 
Sprint 5

1 David Pell (NZl)               3 pts
2 Brett Tivers (Vic)             2
3 Sean Finning (Vic)             1
 
Sprint 6

1 David Pell (NZl)               3 pts
2 Brett Tivers (Vic)             2
3 Pip Grinter (Vic)              1
 
Sprint 7

1 David Pell (NSW)               3 pts
2 Peter Herzig (Vic)             2
3 Stuart Grimsey (Vic)           1
 
Sprint 8

1 Leigh Howard (Vic)             3 pts
2 Mark O'Brien (NSW)             2
3 Peter Herzig (Vic)             1
 
Sprint 9

1 David Pell (Vic)               3 pts
2 Leigh Howard (Vic)             2
3 Sean Finning (Vic)             1
 
Sprint 10

1 Daniel Braunsteins (Vic)       3 pts
2 David Pell (Vic)               2
3 Sean Finning (Vic)             1
 
Sprint 11

1 Daniel Braunsteins (Vic)       3 pts
2 David Pell (Vic)               2
3 Pip Grinter (Vic)              1
 
Sprint 12

1 David Pell (Vic)               3 pts
2 Daniel Braunsteins (Vic)       2
3 Pip Grinter                    1
 
Men's sprint classification

1 David Pell (Vic)              24 pts
2 Peter Herzig (NSW)            11
3 Daniel Braunsteins (Vic)       8
4 Brett Tivers (NZl)             6
5 Leigh Howard (Vic)             5
6 Sean Finning (Vic)             4
7 Pip Grinter (Vic)              3
8 Mark O'Brien (Vic)             3
9 Craig Mccartney (Vic)          3
10 Charles Howlett (Vic)         2
11 Stuart Grimsey (Vic)          1
12 Matthew Davis (Vic)           1
13 Jonathan Lovelock (Vic)       1
 
Men's mountains
 
Mountain 1

1 Peter Herzig (NSW)             3 pts
2 Craig Mccartney (Vic)          2
3 Damien Turner (Vic)            1
 
Mountain 2

1 Peter Herzig (NSW)             3 pts
2 Craig Mccartney (Vic)          2
3 Daniel Braunsteins (Vic)       1
 
Mountain 3
1 Bernard Sulzberger (Tas)       3 pts
2 Peter Herzig (NSW)             2
3 Pip Grinter (Vic)              1
 
Mountain 4

1 Peter Herzig (NSW)             3 pts
2 Brett Tivers (NZl)             2
3 Stuart Grimsey (Vic)           1
 
Mountain 5

1 Peter Herzig (NSW)             3 pts
2 Brett Tivers (NZl)             2
3 Pip Grinter (Vic)              1
 
Mountain 6

1 Peter Herzig (NSW)             3 pts
2 Mark O'Brien (Vic)             2
3 Brett Tivers (NZl)             1
 
Mountain 7

1 Peter Herzig (NSW)             3 pts
2 Brett Tivers (NZl)             2
3 Michael England (Qld)          1
 
Mountain 8

1 Peter Herzig (NSW)             3 pts
2 Daniel Braunsteins (Vic)       2
3 Stuart Grimsey (Vic)           1
 
Mountain 9
1 Peter Herzig (NSW)             3 pts
2 Mark O'Brien (Vic)             2
3 Brett Tivers (NZl)             1
 
Mountain 10

1 Mark O'Brien (Vic)             3 pts
2 Sean Finning (Vic)             2
3 Stuart Grimsey (Vic)           1
 
Mountain 11

1 Daniel Braunsteins (Vic)       3 pts
2 Peter Herzig (NSW)             2
3 Pip Grinter (Vic)              1
 
Mountain 12

1 Daniel Braunsteins (Vic)       3 pts
2 Brett Tivers (NZl)             2
3 Pip Grinter (Vic)              1
 
Mountain 13

1 David Pell (Vic)               3 pts
2 Pip Grinter (Vic)              2
3 Michael England (Qld)          1
 
Men's mountains classification

1 Peter Herzig (NSW)            28 pts
2 Brett Tivers (NZl)            10
3 Daniel Braunsteins (Vic)       9
4 Mark O'Brien (Vic)             7
5 Pip Grinter (Vic)              6
6 Craig Mccartney (Vic)          4
7 Stuart Grimsey (Vic)           3
8 David Pell (Vic)               3
9 Bernard Sulzberger (Tas)       3
10 Michael England (Qld)         2
11 Sean Finning (Vic)            2
12 Damien Turner (Vic)           1