Team Cyclingnews.com - 2005

Team Journal Entry - October 20, 2005, by Cam Jennings

How it all ended up

Hi all,

Team Cyclingnews.com-Fondriest before the start of the opening stage of the Herald Sun Tour
Photo ©: Shane Goss

Well, I am currently back in Rockhampton after a long year and having a good break and catching up with mates and family. But more on that later. Firstly, I would like to let you all know how the season ended up for me and the Cyclingnews.com/Fondriest boys.

Omloop van de Vlaamse Scheldeboorden - Bazel - Kruibeke - 1.1, Belgium, September 27, 2005

Kruibeke was a 1.1 and was the team's last race in Belgium. In typical September Belgium weather, it decided to be cold and rain for the entire 205km, but, we had to get through it and we did our best to put the conditions towards the back of our minds. One guy who did not seem to be perturbed by the conditions was a friend of myself and Glen's, Damien Harris. Damo is currently living in England after having met a fine back-packer lass in Rockhampton last year called Tracey. He is on a working visa in GB but decided to pop on over for a week and see a race or two and catch up. The passenger seat in the team car was cleared and Damo settled in.

The race was on and nothing to negotiate on the big lap apart from a big crash on a small stretch of cobbles. I was riding next to Johan van Summeren from Davitamon-Lotto and he slipped on the cobbles and fell from a great height, blocking the entire road. I looked behind and instead of seeing 100 riders on my tail, I saw 100 on the ground. About time I missed a crash, I guess.

Remainder of the race was attrition and trying to get in the right moves. Glen did well and got into the front split and ended up a commendable 15th. I finished in popular position of mine lately, 32nd. Good to get through the race and showed legs were still ok for the Sun Tour.

A week followed between this race and the Sun Tour and was filled with getting over a cold I developed after Kruibeke, training rides with Damo and a typical Belgium feed of frites and steak that my heart and arteries are still recovering from. Kicked Damo out, cleaned the house, packed my bags and I was off...

Few hours later I was met in Brisbane by my mum and I unloaded half my suitcase onto her and grabbed my bike bag, talked, went for a ride, slept and repacked my suitcase to get down to Melbourne for the Sun Tour starting on Sunday.

Results

Herald Sun Tour - 2.1, Australia, October 9-15, 2005

Arrived in Melbourne with Glen and was greeted by Jeff Bryan, a top bloke who was helping us out. You see, the tour organisers were not prepared to pay for us or our management to come out for the tour, so we had to improvise. Paul Brosnan from the TIS was contacted as he had a team car plastered in Cyclingnews.com as the TIS is sponsored by this great website. Paul jumped on board and took over managing us and brought along Dale Woolston as our mechanic and big old Jeff to rub legs and hand out bottles. Would like to say right now; thanks a lot guys; can't fault ya. So the team lining up for the 54th Herald Sun Tour was:

Glen, Kane, Daniel, Cody, Jeremy, Mark Chadwick, Bernie Sulzberger, and me

plus

Paul Brosnan, Dale Woolston, and Jeff Bryan.

So after a good feed, getting to know all the guys and giving Bernie and Mark their kit for the week, we had a quick meeting and got ready for the tour. First stage was a 5km TTT at Williamstown just over the bridge.

Stage 1 - October 9: Team time trial Williamstown, 4 km

Team Cyclingnews.com
Photo ©: Mark Gunter

Good to get a short effort to start the tour. Glen and I were still feeling a bit seedy after our flight home and nothing suited us better than a short effort to blow out the webs. We got ready and did a good warm-up and then waited on the line to get called up. After a quick blast from the commentator who wrote us off as no-hopers, we got stuck into it and after a shaky start we drove across the line in 4th. Kane let a few expletives rip in front of John Trevorrow and a tape recorder and ended up on Cyclingnews.com giving the commentator a blast. Can't fault Kane saying inappropriate stuff at the appropriate time.

Results

Stage 2 - October 10: Bendigo - Bendigo, 150.9 km

Kane Oakley (Cyclingnews.com)
Photo ©: Mark Gunter

After the roasting we got yesterday live-to-air, we were determined to shut the doubters up and all wanted a good day out. The 150km trip today around Bendigo was sure to be testing with rolling hills and a tough climb up Mt. Alexander to contend with. Tried to get away a few times early before the climb but like all the early attempts, they were reeled in. Mt. Alexander was a tough climb. Just before the top, I had to settle into my tempo and stayed with a larger group over the top less than a minute down on the front group which had Glen and Dag in it. The group I was in chased hard for 20km and regained contact with the front group. Glen and Dag still looking good and the rest of us travelling ok.

At the time we regained contact, a strong group of six was off the front and the bunch had just started their chase. By the final classified climb of the day, some 10km from the finish, the remnants of the break was still away. Turned a sharp right onto the climb and we were caught out. Over the top it had split with Jeremy in the front but Bernie, Glen, Kane and myself were too far back. FdJ were keen to set up the sprint for Baden and we had no chance of getting back. Jeremy finished well in front whilst the 2nd group came in 20 seconds down. Not really a good start but could have been worse.

Results

Stage 3 - October 11: Bendigo - Shepparton, 153km

Today was going to be a difficult day as the wind was firing up nicely and with long, straight roads to deal with there was going to be some time spent in the gutter. It was on from the start and after 50 or so kilometres it had split for the first time today, and Glen, myself and a few others from our team were caught out. Fortunately a few other guys missed out as well and after a concerted chase we got back. However, we did lose Mark to a crash and a subsequent mechanical problem during this section of crosswind so that was a bit of a bummer.

Not long after the group was all back together, I followed a few moves and was off the front in a strong group. There were six guys from the HLP team and a few other teams with multiple riders up the front so did what I needed to do. The group was away for maybe 20-30km but the Davitamon-Lotto team were not represented and lead the chase back.

The bunch settled down again until 20km to go when another section of crosswind fired the bunch up and before we knew it the bunch was pushed right and had split. Glen and Jeremy made it into the front group of 15 and Bernie and myself were in the next group. Jelly Belly missed the split and chased hard but was never going to get back. Glen and Jeremy finished 20 seconds up with Simon Gerrans winning the stage.

Results

Stage 4 - October 12: Mitchelton Winery - Marysville, 172.6km

Cyclingnews.com
Photo ©: Mark Gunter

Longest stage of the race today and a pretty uneventful day. A day-long break was away but did not contain any major threats to long term GC so were let go for a little. The bunch was controlled and over the climbs on today's stage the bunch stayed together and I was feeling better. The remnants of the break were caught some 20km from the finish and the stage was being set up for a bunch sprint. The last 5km were on a big wide road and was a constant false flat. With 1.5km to go, I had a go off the front but didn't really get too much of a lead and was reeled in before I knew it.

Sprint was a bit dicey with Baden Cooke winning and Bernie riding well to get 10th on the stage.

Results

Stage 5 - October 13: Healesville - Healesville, 140.9km

The queen stage of this year's Herald Sun Tour and was going to be tough. Raced over a hilly parcours and with the ever present wind in the Yarra Valley, it was going to be crucial to be at the front. Was keen to get away and was feeling good, so was at the front and following the moves. After a few efforts a big group got away but was brought back but then it went straight away again. Then on the next hill another group of 10 jumped across and I was just too far back and stuck in the middle of the bunch. Break got away, all the strong riders were away so the bunch shut down for the day and let the front group sort it out. We had Bernie and Glen up the road but Glen got caught out in the crosswind and lost some time and Bernie hunger flatted on the last time and lost a few minutes, so it did look good for the team at the start but did not quite turn out the way we wanted. Baden Cooke won again.

Results

Stage 6 - October 14: Monbulk - Mt Dandenong ITT, 11km

Glen Chadwick (Cyclingnews.com)
Photo ©: Mark Gunter

Today was always going to be the stage that determined who would capture and keep the yellow. With the top five in classification only separated by 30 secs or so, it was definitely up for grabs. As for us, we still wanted to show our wares and Glen was particularly keen to make up for yesterday. Glen did not disappoint and placed 3rd behind stage winner McCann and Simon Gerrans who got the yellow. The rest of us finished the TT and either had a decent go at it or took it as easy as possible.

Results

Stage 7 - October 15: Lygon St, Melbourne criterium, One hour

Last stage in Melbourne was raced around Carlton and was going to be flat out, just like all of the other stages. Got to the start line early but still managed to find myself at the back of the bunch come start time. Crit started flat out and punctured pretty much straight away as I hit a man hole cover. Wheel change, lap out and got back in near the front. It was at this stage that a break had gone but wasn't too far in front of the peloton.

The break got brought back and then a group of three went straight away including Hilton Clarke and young gun and top bloke Matt Goss and this group was never to be seen again. The group hovered out front at 30 seconds and come the finish they ended up winning by five seconds.

It was purgatory in the bunch. Was difficult to move up as there were plenty of corners to contend with, a long uphill drag to the finish and the continuous dive-bombing up the inside of corners by the Japanese riders also did not help. Hung tough and avoided the crashes on the last two laps, one being caused by the aforementioned dive bombing and finished a few seconds back due to the crashes. Berni, Glen, Jeremy and myself all finished together on the stage and we all moved up a few places in GC due to the large dropout rate in the crit. So, the season's finished and again for me it has been another year of progression and improvement.

Had lunch with the sponsor and had a good night out and officially switched off for the year. Returned home after an eight month absence to be greeted by my brother who I have not seen for a bit and even managed to fly in under the local newspaper's radar as they were not there to take my arriving home photo. Pleased to say that nothing much has changed up in Rocky and have spent the last few days catching up with mates, enjoying my break and organising my off season work so I can get back overseas again. Joys of a Continental rider.

Results

Shall be starting back at work by the end of the week. Will be having a good break but will still tick over on the bike a couple of times a week. Next race to kick things off will be The Coral Cove Cycling Classic presented by the Coral Isle Cyclists Inc. in Bundaberg. Was a great event last year and hopefully this year it will be better supported by the riders in Queensland and beyond.

Well I guess that is it for the year. To all those who followed the reports on Cyclingnews.com or elsewhere on my mailing list, thanks for reading and supporting me and the team. Hopefully you found my updates readable and enjoyable and that I did not dribble on too much. Thanks again and hope to be back riding and writing next year.

Till next time we meet,
Cameron