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Australian Madison Championships - CN
Joe Ciavola Velodrome, DISC, Melbourne, Australia, February 18, 2006
Olman & Clarke take championship
By Mal Sawford
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In an enthralling two horse contest that came down to the result of the final sprint, Miles Olman and Simon Clarke (Jayco-Giant) took out the Australian Madison Championships ahead of Sean Finning and Richard England (VIS) after the Victorian pair fell with only one lap to travel.
Olman and Clarke are both nineteen years old and members of the SouthAustralia.com/AIS road team, but are also experienced Madison campaigners: Olman won the Junior World Title in 2004 riding with Matt Goss, while Clarke claimed the 2005 Bendigo Madison with Nic Sanderson after the pair finished second at the 2005 Australian Championships. This was their first ride together, however, and Clarke admitted they had not had a chance to practice changes together but thought "we had probably done a change in training for the Junior Worlds a couple of years ago!"
With Melbourne's premier indoor track off limits due to preparations for the Commonwealth Games, racing was held in front of a full house at the Joe Ciavola Velodrome.
How it unfolded
The Australian Championships deviates from the UCI standard by requiring both riders in each team to complete the first ten laps, before starting the spectacular changes the Madison is renowned for. Straight after the field divided, Japanese rider Yoshii Kouji (Assos) picked up the tempo to string the field out, but the honour of the first attack went to Hamish Taylor (Vodafone) just ahead of the first sprint.
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The result of the opening sprint set the tone for the remainder of the 200 lap race, with Finning narrowly besting Clarke and Peter Fitzpatrick (NSWIS). Clarke kept the pressure on after the sprint, and the three teams rode away from the rest of the bunch. With the chase led by Cofidis neo pro Chris Sutton (The Locker Group), the bunch reformed before the second sprint, which saw Olman outsprint England to even the score.
Finning and England claimed second and then first in the next two sprints, to pull four points clear - the biggest margin of the night. A promising solo attack from Mitchell Docker (Drapac-Porsche Development Program) fizzled out when Docker's rear wheel punctured, which allowed Clarke to take the half distance sprint to cut Finning and England's lead back to two points.
A second place in the next sprint behind Matt Goss (The Locker Group) saw Olman and Clarke take the lead, with the early leaders out of the points for the first time of the night. England took advantage of a sloppy change from the Jayco-Giant pair approaching the sprint at 60 laps to go, and bridged to a break by the Drapac-Porsche (Docker and Zak Dempster) and Vero Insurance (Grant Irwin and Leigh Howard) teams. A second place finish by England was enough to tie up the score once more with only three sprints remaining.
Olman took a leaf from England's playbook, surging around the outside of the VIS pair as they changed a lap before the 40 lap sprint, but dropped down a little too quickly, forcing Finning to check his pace. With Olman heading for what looked like an easy win, the 'Castlemaine Flyer' found something special, and drew level with Olman in the finishing straight, before kicking past and delivering an 'is that all you've got?' glare.
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An attack from 2004 Junior World Pursuit Champion Michael Ford (Lockwood Security Concepts) was the first to bring no response from either of the leading teams. Team mate Decker picked up maximum points at 20 laps remaining, after the pair had combined to open a half lap advantage, before all the leading teams co-operated to end the escape.
Coming into the final sprint, Finning and England were a single point clear - if they could cross the line ahead of Olman and Clarke the race was theirs, but a one point turn around would leave the score tied, and under current UCI rules, the race winner would have been determined by the order in the final sprint rather than a countback of sprint results.
Clarke slung Olman into second wheel just under two laps from home, with England following in third wheel. Finning seemed to have positioned himself perfectly to come in at the bell as Olman started his sprint, before disaster struck, and both Finning and England came crashing down, with Grant Irwin also caught in the carnage.
Olman took the final sprint unchallenged to wrap up the win, with the 50 kilometres covered in a scorching 58'46.33", while a second place to the Fitzpatrick brothers put them level on points with Sutton and Goss and earned them the Bronze Medals by way of their better finish in the final sprint.
Finning took responsibility for the fall, saying "I just came in way too slow and Richard still tried to do the change - I'm going too slow, he's going too fast - it just doesn't work. The one change we messed up for the whole race just happened at the worst time, but that's the way it goes!"
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Cyclingnews spoke to England while his abrasions were being cleaned, and he admitted "the crash hurts, but I don't think it hurts as much as the fact that we didn't end up winning it. Once we had the wheel, and I saw where we were going to change with Sean it was perfect - we had a lap and twenty-five metres to go and we would have changed, and I knew Sean had the edge over Miles from that sprint at 40 to go. I was in fairy land, I was so happy we were changing in the right spot, and to have it all fall apart like that is pretty disappointing."
The reigning Australian Criterium Champion wasn't blaming his team mate for the fall, however. "In the end it becomes both of our problems, and my fault equally as much as his. Although you realise last minute that he's coming in too slow, you've got to make the decision do I sling him, or do I not: I wasn't confident that I could come over Miles so I just went with everything I had and tried my best to hold the bars as steady as possible and see if I could pull it off, and in the end we didn't."
Winners Clarke and Olman have their sights firmly set on representing Australia at the Bordeaux World Championships, and will contest both the Sydney round of the Track World Cup and the Bendigo Madison together in early March in an attempt to impress the Australian selectors.
Clarke was still buzzing ten minutes after the presentation ceremony where he was presented with his first Senior Australian Champions jersey. "It was super close the whole race. Unbelievable. We had really good position coming into that last sprint, and even if they hadn't have come down they would have been coming from behind. Towards the finish of the race the riders that were coming from behind were winning just 'cos everyone was getting tired, and it would have just been a throw on the line, I reckon. The Fitzpatricks gave it a nudge for the Bronze Medal, they knew if they could get some points that they'd be up there, and that worked perfectly in our favour. We stuck glued to their wheel, and you know what they always say, stay close to the front and stay out of trouble. We could have been on their wheel where Irwan was and we could have gone down as well!"
Support Events
Aces
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Although many of the Madison riders soft pedalled and were out early in the Elimination, the final six of Matt Goss, Simon Clarke, Peter Fitzpatrick, Miles Olman, Grant Irwin and Leigh Howard clearly weren't holding back, with Goss holding off Howard and Clarke in a very tight finish.
Malaysian Sprint star Josiah Ng has relocated to Melbourne in preparation for the Commonwealth Games, and trains with leading track coach John Beasley. Mark French is another of Beasley's charges, and the pair put on an impressive show in the sprint events. Ng went straight to the front of the field in the five lap Derby, and gradually wound up the pace. When French tried to come off his wheel at the bell, Ng turned on the afterburners and scorched around the final lap for a clear win.
It looked like it would be more of the same in the Keirin Final, when Ng went to the front at two to go, but French was able to accelerate past to lead by a length at the bell. The Malaysian waited until the final bend to make his counter move, and flew past a shell shocked French in the straight to record a very impressive win.
Olman capped off preparations for the Madison with a win in the final warm up event, the Aces Scratch race. In a hint of what was to come, Finning shot out of the bunch at three to go, but was reeled in a lap and half from home. Olman's counter punch was too good, although Zak Dempster made good ground in the final metres to finish second ahead of Chris Sutton.
Women
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Warragul's Monique Hanley (Quick Cycle Coaching) won both mass start races, the Scratch and Keirin with strong sprints, but was never in the hunt in the Handicap where the backmarkers were never in contention. Michelle King (Nepean Cycles) a former Australian Sprint Champion on the comeback trail reeled in the front markers with two laps to spare and had little trouble taking the win.
Under 17
Trevor Griffiths continued his impressive form, coming over the top of Pete Johnstone to continue his recent run of wins in the opening Scratch race, but both riders were upstaged by Jamie Crass in the second race, who produced an amazing burst of speed to ride away from the field on the final lap.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Shane Goss/www.licoricegallery.com
- The derny paces riders around Joe Ciavola Velodrome and the bar is now open to patrons
- Chris Sutton (Locker Group) now with the Cofidis pro-team in Europe takes on-board refreshments before the start of the madison
- Simon Clarke (Jayco-Giant) lead the field early into the 200 lap Australian Madison Championship race
- The recently named Joe Ciavola Velodrome in Melbourne was the scene for the 2006 Australian Madison Championships
- Miles Olman slings partner Simon Clarke from the Jayco-Giant team into the action during the madison championships
- Riders swing round beneath the scoreboard which shows two teams starting to open a gap on the rest
- Riders on the back straight as team managers and handlers with spares watch on
- Victorian Simon Clarke (Jayco-Giant) powers towards a sprint during the madison
- Commentators Stewart Doyle (L) and Matt Keenan call the action in the background whilst judges keep track of the action
- Tasmanian Matt Goss (Locker Group) partnered Chris Sutton (NSW) in the madison and they were considered one of the main chances to take the title
- Grant Irwin (Vero Insurance) sneaks ahead of Richard England (VIS) to take some sprint points during the race
- Chris Sutton (Locker Group) from New South Wales partnered Chris Pascoe to win the event last year and was riding strongly to defend his crown
- Miles Olman (Jayco-Giant, L) heads for more sprint points as Richard England throws VIS team-mate Sean Finning into the action
- Sean Finning (L) hands VIS team-mate Richard England the reins during the Australian Madison Championships in Melbourne
- Jayco-Giant team-mates Miles Olman (L) and Simon Clarke combine on their way towards winning the 2006 Australian Madison Championships
- Simon Clarke (L) from Victoria and Queenslander Miles Olman riding for the Jayco-Giant team take out the 2006 Australian Madison Championships in Melbourne
- Simon Clarke (L) and Miles Olman from the Jayco-Giant team discuss their winning ride on the way to the presentations
- The Fitzies: Peter Fitzpatrick (L) and Steve Fitzpatrick rode strongly for the NSW Institute of Sport into third place
- Victorian Institute of Sport team-mates Sean Finning (L) and Richard England, second in the titles and always provide stiff opposition on the track
- The final podium - (L-R): Sean Finning-Richard England (Victorian Institute of Sport,2nd), Simon Clarke-Miles Olman (Jayco-Giant,1st), and Peter Fitzpatrick-Steve Fitzpatrick (NSW Institute of Sport,3rd)
- Gold medal winners Simon Clarke (L) and Miles Olman chat with friends and supporters in the crowd after the race
- Miles Olman (L) and Simon Clarke the 2006 Australian Madison Champions at the Joe Ciavola Velodrome in Melbourne
Images by CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net
- Trevor Griffiths glances right to check his lead in the M17 motor pace sprint
- Tabatha Cole and Monique Hanley "in the pink" in the women's scratch race
- Monique Hanley takes the scratch race ahead of Brian James and Michelle King
- Tabatha Cole waits on the 95m mark for her pusher in the handicap race
- Michelle King takes the handicap race from Esther Pugh-Uren and Nicole Holt
- Mark French, Josiah Ng and Simon Clarke take the bell in the keirin final
- The women wait for the derny in the Reuters Invitational keirin race
- Monique Hanley wins the keirin from Nicole Holt and Esther Pugh-Uren
- Australian national road race champion, Kate Bates was in town, prior to the Geelong Tour' s start on Tuesday
- Bronze medallists in the keirin, the Fitzpatrick brothers
- Madison action in finishing order, Championship race: Miles Olman, Richard England and a Fitzpatrick brother
- "Standing Room only" around the track perimeter and in the infield bar
- Miles Olman leads Sean Finning
- Michael Ford and team-mate, Tim Decker worked hard in the Championship race
- Eventual champions Simon Clarke and Miles Olman changeover
- As the bell is rung, the crash occurs
- Riders take evasive action
- The newly presented national Madison champions take their place on the podium
- "Overjoyed" - Olman and Clarke
- Miles Olman listens to Simon Clarke's version of events in the post race interview
- Simon Clarke takes a quick seat on the podium whilst waiting to give his interview
Results
1 Miles Olman/Simon Clarke (Jayco-Giant) 33 pts 2 Sean Finning/Richard England (Victorian Institute Of Sport) 29 3 Peter Fitzpatrick/Steve Fitzpatrick (NSW Institute Of Sport) 13 4 Chris Sutton/Matthew Goss (Locker Group) 13 5 Grant Irwin/Leigh Howard (Vero Insurance) 9 6 Tim Decker/Michael Ford (Lockwood) 5 7 Warren Scott/Gavin Bates (Mercure Grand Hotel On Swanston) 4 8 Mitchell Docker/Zak Dempster (Drapac-Porsche Development Program) 3 9 Darren Young/Nathan Clarke (Australian Abalone Exports) One lap behind 10 Mark Kelly/Yoshii Kouji (Assos) Four laps behind 11 Glen O'Shea/Mark O'Brien The Locker Group C Grade Scratch Race 1 Chris Hunt (Warragul) 2 Scott Townsend (Ballarat-Sebastapol) 3 Ryan Pontelandolfo (Bendigo) 4 Reece Van Beek (Geelong) Drapac Property - Porsche B Grade Scratch Race 1 Dean Taylor (Ballarat-Sebastapol) 2 Adrian Salter (Footscray) 3 Andrew Stewart (Coburg) 4 Tim Hucker (Bendigo) Vero Insurance Aces Elimination 1 Mathew Goss (Tasmania) 2 Leigh Howard (Geelong) 3 Simon Clarke (Carnegie Caulfield) 4 Peter Fitzpatrick (NSW) John Beasley Cycles Invitational M17 Motorpace 1 Trevor Griffiths (Shepaprton) 2 Peter Johnstone (Chelsea & Peninsula) 3 Jake King (Carnegie Caulfield) 4 Patrick Drapac (Brunswicks) First Off The Bike' Radio Cycling Show Women's Scratch Race 1 Monique Hanley (Warragul) 2 Briana James (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Michelle King (Carnegie Caulfield) 4 Esther Pugh-Uren (Bendigo) Assos Cycling Apparel Aces Sprint Derby 1 Josiah Ng (Malaysia) 2 Mark French (St Kilda) 3 Dean Taylor (Ballarat-Sebastapol) 4 Gary Mueller (Brunswick) John Beasley Cycles Invitational M17 Scratch Race 1 Jamie Crass (Bendigo) 2 Michael Downing (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Trevor Griffiths (Shepparton) 4 Patrick Drapac (Brunswick) Eva's Caulfield Florists Women's Handicap 1 Michelle King (Carnegie Caulfield) (50M) 2 Esther Pugh-Uren (Bendigo) (65M) 3 Nicole Holt (Carnegie Caulfield) (75M) 4 Tabatha Cole (Blackburn) (95M) Australian Abalone Exports Aces Keirin Heat 1 1 Josiah Ng (Malaysia) 0.11.03 2 Gary Mueller (Brunswick) 3 Jarrod Moroni (Bendigo) Heat 2 1 Simon Clarke (Carnegie Caulfield) 0.12.41 2 Dean Taylor (Ballarat-Sebastapol) 3 Steve Fitzpatrick (NSW) Heat 3 1 Mark French (St Kilda) 0.11.42 2 Steve Sansonetti (Northcote) 3 Jeremy McLay (Chelsea & Peninsula) Final 1 Josiah Ng (Malaysia) 0.10.68 2 Mark French (St Kilda) 3 Simon Clarke (Carnegie Caulfield) 4 Gary Mueller (Brunswick) Jefferson Ford C Grade Elimination 1 Stuart Vaughan (Hawthorn) 2 Ryan Pontelandolfo (Bendigo) 3 Cameron Sheedy (Carnegie Caulfield) 4 Chris Hunt (Warragul) Vero Insurance B Grade Scratch Race 1 Gavin Bates (NSW) 2 Peter Trigar (Brunswick) 3 Jarrod Moroni (Bendigo) 4 Adrian Salter (Footscray) Reuters Women's Invitation Keirin 1 Monique Hanley (Warragul) 0.12.16 2 Nicole Holt (Carnegie Caulfield) 3 Esther Pugh-Uren (Bendigo) 4 Michelle King (Carnegie Caulfield) The Locker Group Aces Scratch Race 1 Miles Olman (Qld) 2 Zak Dempster (Bendigo) 3 Chris Sutton (NSW) 4 Peter Fitzpatrick (NSW)
