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2002 Sun Tour

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Giro finale
Photo ©: Bettini

Vic Roads Herald Sun Tour 2003 - 2.3

Australia, October 16-26, 2003

Main Page     Results     Next Stage

Stage 1 - October 16: Melbourne Criterium, 33 kms

Mike Sayers takes first stage of Herald-Sun Tour

By Rod Morris in Melbourne

Sayers beats Morales
Photo: © Shane Goss/CN
Click for larger image

An American veteran and a rising Australian star, stole the headlines on the opening day of the VicRoads Herald Sun Tour today. Michael Sayers (33) from Tucson, Arizona, won his first ever stage of the Tour, with a blistering finish in the opening Lygon St Criterium in Melbourne's busy CBD.

Sayers, who in two previous tours has been a workhorse for other, better-credentialed riders, surprised many, none the least, himself. Even this week, Sayers, who is riding for the Ballarat *eureka! team is regarded as a domestique for the No. 1 and No. 2 team members, Chris Wherry and Scott Moninger. Sayers dedicated his win to his best friend - and fellow cyclist - Gord Fraser, who is a new father. "Gord and I train every week and this win is for him and his new born son," Sayers said.

Whilst Sayers bathed in glory of his first Australian road win, 23-year-old Victorian Simon Gerrans (Malaysia Airlines) fulfilled a childhood dream of wearing the leader's yellow jersey. "This is fantastic," Gerrans beamed. "I watched this race as a young boy and dreamed of someday riding in the race and - naturally enough - doing well. But to actually have the lead after the first stage is unbelievable," he said.

The snake
Photo: © Shane Goss/CN
Click for larger image

The opening stage criterium was highlighted by thousands of on-lookers, enjoying a sensational Melbourne summer day and even better race. Early attacks were the norm, with the first major assault coming from Hilton Clarke (Barlowworld). Clarke's solo attack was reeled in after four laps with Moninger - the 1996 Herald Sun Tour champion - Gerrans and Tasmanian rider Sean Sullivan (Barloworld) putting in a solid onslaught on the remainder of the 85-strong field.

But every attack was being carefully watched by astute and experienced road campaigners. David McKenzie (Jayco) won the opening day criterium last year and he too was watchful of moves within the field. As the race wound down towards the last six laps, Sayers, Jamie Drew (Jayco) and Uruguayian rider Hector Morales (Active For Life), along with the chasing pair of Gerrans and Sullivan had established an 18-second lead over the main bunch and it was highly likely they would take the leading placings.

In a hectic sprint to the finish it was Sayers who pipped Morales on the line with Drew claiming third. Drew however was disappointed with the finish. "There were spectator's hands too far over the barriers and I had to pull on the handbrake about 100m from the finish - it cost me dearly and I'm extremely disappointed I couldn't get the win on day one," Drew said.

Drew had to settle for second place in the traditional Herald Sun Tour lead-up race, the Melbourne to Warrnambool last Saturday. "My time will come, I'm riding well and its just a matter of hanging in there," Drew added.

Although Sayers won the stage, the overall lead was taken by popular Victorian Simon Gerrans, although by the barest possible margin - one second! Sayers is Gerrans' closest challenger, with Morales a further three seconds back in third place and the Tasmanian, Sean Sullivan at 6 seconds behind the leader.

Simon Gerrans
Photo: © Shane Goss/CN
Click for larger image

Gerrans, the 2002 Australian Under 23 Road Champion is quickly making the "big boys" sit up and take notice. He claimed the yellow jersey through his ability to feature in most of the intermediate sprints, which carry important time bonuses, deducted from a rider's aggregate race time.

Gerrans is also the opening day's leader in the Castlemaine Bacon Sprint Championship, while in other categories, Canberra's Robert McLachlan (Caravello) is the best of the Herald Sun Australian Based Riders, Hilton Clarke leads the Savings and Loans Most Aggressive Rider and Sayers, naturally enough leads the Active For Life Criterium Championship.

The 2003 Herald Sun Tour moves to Geelong today (Friday) for the second stage, a 117 km kermesse at Port Arlington, starting at 11.30 a.m. On Saturday, the action will be at Eastern Beach in Geelong with a lightning fast 77 km kermesse, starting at 1.30 p.m.

Photography

Images by Shane Goss/Cyclingnews.com/www.licoricegallery.com

Results

1 Michael Sayers (USA) Ballarat*Eureka!           45.11
2 Hector Morales (Uru) Active For Life                 
3 Jamie Drew (Aus) Jayco                               
4 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Malaysia Airlines                
5 Sean Sullivan (Aus) Barloworld                       
6 David Kupka (Cze) Team Warrnambool               0.10
7 Lubor Tesar (Cze) Team Warrnambool                   
8 Hilton Clarke (Aus) Barloworld                       
9 Ivan Fanelli (Ita) Pelaco                            
10 Robert McLachlan (Aus) Caravello                    
11 Jonas Ljungblad (Swe) City Of Melbourne             
12 Scott Guyton (NZl) Jayco                            
13 Alex Candelario (USA) Ballarat*Eureka!              
14 Kjell Carlstrom (Fin) Pelaco                        
15 Joel Pearson (Aus) Subaru                           
16 Mateusz Mroz (Pol) Pelaco                           
17 Tony Mann (Aus) Caravello                           
18 Tiaan Kannemeyer (RSA) Barloworld                   
19 Kieran Page (GBr) Bendigo Building Industry         
20 Greg Henderson (NZl) Carlton Midstrength            
21 Kristian House (GBr) Emu Spirit-Apsco               
22 Milton Wynants (Uru) Echuca-Moama                   
23 Michal Precechtel (Cze) Team Warrnambool            
24 David McKenzie (Aus) Jayco                          
25 Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) Vicroads                    
26 Pavel Zerzan (Cze) Team Warrnambool                 
27 Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Malaysia Airlines                 
28 Jorge Libonatti (Uru) Active For Life               
29 Jaco de Witt (RSA) Barloworld                       
30 Brett Aitken (Aus) Rio Coffee                       
31 Matt Wilson (Aus) Malaysia Airlines                 
32 Jindrich Vana (Cze) Team Warrnambool                
33 Russell Van Hout (Aus) Emu Spirit-Apsco             
34 Jamie Burrow (GBr) Pelaco                           
35 James Perry (RSA) Barloworld                        
36 Cameron Jennings (Aus) Caravello                    
37 Alvaro Tardaguila (Uru) Echuca-Moama                
38 Chris Bradford (Aus) Subaru                         
39 Bart Heirewegh (Bel) Carlton Midstrength            
40 Phillip Thuaux (Aus) Ballarat*Eureka!               
41 Scott Moninger (USA) Ballarat*Eureka!               
42 Jose Medina (Chi) City Of Melbourne                 
43 Rhys Pollock (Aus) Vicroads                         
44 Trent Wilson (Aus) Jayco                            
45 Andrew Graham (Aus) FRF Couriers                    
46 Garry Parsons (Aus) Malaysia Airlines               
47 Jorge Libonatti (Uru) Active For Life               
48 Adrian Laidler (Aus) Rio Coffee                     
49 Gerado Castro (Uru) Echuca-Moama                    
50 Anthony Challinor (Aus) FRF Couriers                
51 Matthew Goold (Aus) Malaysia Airlines               
52 Tomas Buchacek (Cze) Emu Spirit-Apsco               
53 Dominique Perras (Can) Active For Life              
54 Allan Iacuone (Aus) Jayco                           
55 Chris Newton (GBr) Bendigo Building Industry        
56 Brian Steel (GBr) Bendigo Building Industry         
57 Nigel Dunstone (Aus) Caravello                      
58 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Active For Life                 
59 James Hannam (Aus) Rio Coffee                       
60 Tim Johnson (USA) Active For Life                   
61 Danny In't Ven (Bel) Carlton Midstrength            
62 Tim Decker (Aus) Subaru                             
63 Ashley Hutchinson (Aus) Carlton Midstrength         
64 Troy Glennan (Aus) FRF Couriers                     
65 Graham Rootes (Aus) Rio Coffee                      
66 Chris Wherry (USA) Ballarat*Eureka!                 
67 Alejandro Acton (Arg) Echuca-Moama                  
68 Marek Wesoly (Pol) Pelaco                           
69 Luke Weir (Aus) City Of Melbourne                   
70 Glen Stojanow (Aus) Caravello                       
71 Paul Redenbach (Aus) City Of Melbourne              
72 Paul Manning (GBr) Bendigo Building Industry        
73 George Vallins (Aus) Vicroads                       
74 Stephen Wooldridge (Aus) Carlton Midstrength        
75 Colin Thornton (Aus) Emu Spirit-Apsco               
76 Luis Fernando Sepulveda (Chi) City Of Melbourne     
77 Shaun Higgerson (Aus) FRF Couriers                  
78 Luke Roberts (Aus) Emu Spirit-Apsco                 
79 Domenic Gatto (Aus) Subaru                          
80 Stephen Cummings (GBr) Bendigo Building Industry    
81 Peter Milostic (Aus) FRF Couriers               2.00
82 Ashley Baines (Aus) Subaru                          
83 Trent Stevenson (Aus) Vicroads                      
84 Kane Oakley (Aus) Vicroads                      4.00
85 Joseph Papp (USA) Echuca-Moama                  6.00
 
Sprints
 
End of Lap 6
 
1 Sean Sullivan (Aus) Barloworld                      3 pts
2 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Malaysia Airlines               2
3 Scott Moninger (USA) Ballarat*Eureka!               1
 
End of Lap 8
 
1 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Malaysia Airlines               3 pts
2 Scott Moninger (USA) Ballarat*Eureka!               2
3 Sean Sullivan (Aus) Barloworld                      1
 
End of Lap 10
 
1 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Malaysia Airlines               3 pts
2 Scott Moninger (USA) Ballarat*Eureka!               2
3 Sean Sullivan (Aus) Barloworld                      1
 
End of Lap 12
 
1 Kjell Carlstrom (Fin) Pelaco                        3 pts
2 Michael Sayers (USA) Ballarat*Eureka!               2
3 Allan Iacuone (Aus) Jayco                           1
 
End of Lap 14
 
1 Kjell Carlstrom (Fin) Pelaco                        3 pts
2 Jonas Ljungblad (Swe) City Of Melbourne             2
3 Allan Iacuone (Aus) Jayco                           1
 
End of Lap 16
 
1 Jonas Ljungblad (Swe) City Of Melbourne             3 pts
2 Scott Moninger (USA) Ballarat*Eureka!               2
3 Michal Precechtel (Cze) Team Warrnambool            1
 
End of Lap 18
 
1 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Malaysia Airlines               3 pts
2 Hilton Clarke (Aus) Barloworld                      2
3 David McKenzie (Aus) Jayco                          1
 
End of Lap 20
 
1 Robert McLachlan (Aus) Caravello                    3 pts
2 Sean Sullivan (Aus) Barloworld                      2
3 Kieran Page (GBr) Bendigo Building Industry         1
 
End of Lap 22
 
1 Kjell Carlstrom (Fin) Pelaco                        3 pts
2 Andrew Graham (Aus) FRF Couriers                    2
3 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Active For Life                 1
 
End of Lap 24
 
1 Robert McLachlan (Aus) Caravello                    3 pts
2 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Active For Life                 2
3 Scott Moninger (USA) Ballarat*Eureka!               1
 
End of Lap 26
 
1 Hector Morales (Uru) Active For Life                3 pts
2 Michael Sayers (USA) Ballarat*Eureka!               2
3 Jamie Drew (Aus) Jayco                              1
 
General classification after stage 1
 
1 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Malaysia Airlines           44.46
2 Michael Sayers (USA) Ballarat*Eureka!            0.01
3 Hector Morales (Uru) Active For Life             0.04
4 Sean Sullivan (Aus) Barloworld                   0.06
5 Jamie Drew (Aus) Jayco                           0.08
6 David Kupka (Cze) Team Warrnambool               0.25
7 Kjell Carlstrom (Fin) Pelaco                     0.26
8 Robert McLachlan (Aus) Caravello                 0.27
9 Hilton Clarke (Aus) Barloworld                       
10 Lubor Tesar (Cze) Team Warrnambool                  
11 Scott Moninger (USA) Ballarat*Eureka!               
12 Jonas Ljungblad (Swe) City Of Melbourne         0.30
13 Ivan Fanelli (Ita) Pelaco                       0.31
14 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Active For Life             0.32
15 Andrew Graham (Aus) FRF Couriers                0.33
16 Allan Iacuone (Aus) Jayco                           
17 Michal Precechtel (Cze) Team Warrnambool        0.34
18 Kieran Page (GBr) Bendigo Building Industry         
19 David McKenzie (Aus) Jayco                          
20 Colin Thornton (Aus) Emu Spirit-Apsco           0.35
21 Tomas Buchacek (Cze) Emu Spirit-Apsco               
22 Kristian House (GBr) Emu Spirit-Apsco               
23 Russell Van Hout (Aus) Emu Spirit-Apsco             
24 Luke Roberts (Aus) Emu Spirit-Apsco                 
25 Tim Decker (Aus) Subaru                             
26 Joel Pearson (Aus) Subaru                           
27 Domenic Gatto (Aus) Subaru                          
28 Chris Bradford (Aus) Subaru                         
29 Anthony Challinor (Aus) FRF Couriers                
30 Troy Glennan (Aus) FRF Couriers                     
31 Shaun Higgerson (Aus) FRF Couriers                  
32 George Vallins (Aus) Vicroads                       
33 Rhys Pollock (Aus) Vicroads                         
34 Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) Vicroads                    
35 Nigel Dunstone (Aus) Caravello                      
36 Glen Stojanow (Aus) Caravello                       
37 Cameron Jennings (Aus) Caravello                    
38 Tony Mann (Aus) Caravello                           
39 Luke Weir (Aus) City Of Melbourne                   
40 Paul Redenbach (Aus) City Of Melbourne              
41 Luis Fernando Sepulveda (Chi) City Of Melbourne     
42 Jose Medina (Chi) City Of Melbourne                 
43 Jaco de Witt (RSA) Barloworld                       
44 James Perry (RSA) Barloworld                        
45 Tiaan Kannemeyer (RSA) Barloworld                   
46 Tim Johnson (USA) Active For Life                   
47 Jorge Libonatti (Uru) Active For Life               
48 Dominique Perras (Can) Active For Life              
49 Stephen Wooldridge (Aus) Carlton Midstrength        
50 Ashley Hutchinson (Aus) Carlton Midstrength         
51 Danny In't Ven (Bel) Carlton Midstrength            
52 Bart Heirewegh (Bel) Carlton Midstrength            
53 Greg Henderson (NZl) Carlton Midstrength            
54 Alejandro Acton (Arg) Echuca-Moama                  
55 Alvaro Tardaguila (Uru) Echuca-Moama                
56 Gerado Castro (Uru) Echuca-Moama                    
57 Milton Wynants (Uru) Echuca-Moama                   
58 Jindrich Vana (Cze) Team Warrnambool                
59 Pavel Zerzan (Cze) Team Warrnambool                 
60 Stephen Cummings (GBr) Bendigo Building Industry    
61 Brian Steel (GBr) Bendigo Building Industry         
62 Paul Manning (GBr) Bendigo Building Industry        
63 Chris Newton (GBr) Bendigo Building Industry        
64 Jamie Burrow (GBr) Pelaco                           
65 Mateusz Mroz (Pol) Pelaco                           
66 Marek Wesoly (Pol) Pelaco                           
67 James Hannam (Aus) Rio Coffee                       
68 Graham Rootes (Aus) Rio Coffee                      
69 Adrian Laidler (Aus) Rio Coffee                     
70 Steve Cunningham (Aus) Rio Coffee                   
71 Brett Aitken (Aus) Rio Coffee                       
72 Phillip Thuaux (Aus) Ballarat*Eureka!               
73 Alex Candelario (USA) Ballarat*Eureka!              
74 Chris Wherry (USA) Ballarat*Eureka!                 
75 Scott Guyton (NZl) Jayco                            
76 Trent Wilson (Aus) Jayco                            
77 Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Malaysia Airlines                 
78 Garry Parsons (Aus) Malaysia Airlines               
79 Matthew Goold (Aus) Malaysia Airlines               
80 Matt Wilson (Aus) Malaysia Airlines                 
81 Ashley Baines (Aus) Subaru                      2.25
82 Peter Milostic (Aus) FRF Couriers                   
83 Trent Stevenson (Aus) Vicroads                      
84 Kane Oakley (Aus) Vicroads                      4.25
85 Joseph Papp (USA) Echuca-Moama                  6.25
 
Team Classification
 
1 Barloworld                                    2.15.26
2 Malaysia Airlines                                0.02
3 Active For Life                                  0.06
4 Jayco                                            0.09
5 Team Warrnambool                                 0.18
6 Europcar / Pelaco                                0.24
7 Caravello                                        0.29
8 City Of Melbourne                                0.32
9 FRF Couriers                                     0.35
10 Bendigo Building Industry                       0.36
11 Rio Coffee                                      0.37
12 Carlton Midstrength                                 
13 Vic Roads                                           
14 Subaru                                              
15 Emu Spirit / Apsco                                  
 
Sprint Classification
 
1 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Malaysia Airlines              11 pts
2 Kjell Carlstrom (Fin) Pelaco                        9
3 Scott Moninger (USA) Ballarat*Eureka!               8
4 Sean Sullivan (Aus) Barloworld                      7
5 Robert McLachlan (Aus) Caravello                    6
6 Jonas Ljungblad (Swe) City Of Melbourne             5
7 Michael Sayers (USA) Ballarat*Eureka!               4
8 Hector Morales (Uru) Active For Life                3
9 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Active For Life                 3
10 Hilton Clarke (Aus) Barloworld                     2
11 Andrew Graham (Aus) FRF Couriers                   2
12 Allan Iacuone (Aus) Jayco                          2
13 David McKenzie (Aus) Jayco                         1
14 Jamie Drew (Aus) Jayco                             1
15 Michal Precechtel (Cze) Team Warrnambool           1
16 Kieran Page (GBr) Bendigo Building Industry        1
 
Criterium Championship
 
1 Michael Sayers (USA) Ballarat*Eureka!              10 pts
2 Hector Morales (Uru) Active For Life                9
3 Jamie Drew (Aus) Jayco                              8
4 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Malaysia Airlines               7
5 Sean Sullivan (Aus) Barloworld                      6
6 David Kupka (Cze) Team Warrnambool                  5
7 Lubor Tesar (Cze) Team Warrnambool                  4
8 Hilton Clarke (Aus) Barloworld                      3
9 Ivan Fanelli (Ita) Pelaco                           2
10 Robert McLachlan (Aus) Caravello                   1