English pips Blair and Lefmann in first stage
Australian continues impressive 2011
World and Australian 24-hour solo mountain bike champion Jason English got two things right pre-race when he predicted that Andy Blair and Aiden Lefmann were the riders he needed to keep an eye on in this week’s Ingkerreke Commercial Mountain Bike Enduro stage race in Alice Springs, NT.
His third prediction – that he would be swallowing their Red Centre dust – he expertly quashed in the final 10 metres from the finish, as he darted ahead to snatch the racing line to take first place for the 49km stage 1 by a mere one second.
The margin between Lefmann and Blair was negligible and they will share second place honours and a time bonus of 10 seconds each. English will have 20 seconds taken off his time and $250 in cash from the day’s sponsor as a stage-winning bonus, plus he claims the right to wear the coveted yellow jersey when they line up tomorrow for stage 2.
“It was fairly technical out there and I was behind the other lads for most of it,” said English, who was the overall winner in 2010. “But I knew I had to get ahead and hold the line, as they are both better sprinters than me. It was my only chance.”
Early on it was Aiden Lefmann who took the fierce approach, speeding off the start line and into the rocky MacDonnell Ranges. Lefmann put in numerous surges but was reeled back every time by Blair and in the later stages by English, who kept his tempo clean and strong.
English’s strategic and course experience played to his advantage with a tight and technical finish playing to his strengths, enough to hold off the two hardy sprinters in the end.
Another notable performance was that of junior racer, 17-year-old Billy Sewell, who came home fourth. Sewell is a protégé of English, who may need to rethink passing on his riding secrets if the young gun pushes any further up the field to threaten his teacher.
In the women’s elite category, Queenslander Anna Beck emerged a clear leader to get her hands on the leader’s jersey ahead of Jess Douglas and pre-race favourite, Jo Wall. Beck is a rider on the rise having registering a third placing in the Australian Marathon Championships. “I was feeling strong and went with it,” said the cross country rider, the length of day one's course suiting her riding style.
Meanwhile, third-place Wall said she felt lethargic in the legs after recently emptying her tanks to win the 24-hour solo nationals. “I wonder if I’ll be able to push up at the front for the rest of the week,” said Wall, who said while the body was feeling it, the mind remains strong and up for a tussle for the rest of the week.
Full results for stage 1 and overall standings
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Anna Beck | 2:46:29 |
2 | Jessica Douglas | 0:02:45 |
3 | Jo Wall | 0:08:12 |
4 | Anne Antrecht | 0:11:35 |
5 | Josie Simpson | 0:23:27 |
6 | Maggie Synge | 0:24:40 |
8 | Lauretta Howarth | 0:25:58 |
10 | Claire Stevens | 0:31:55 |
13 | Jade Forsyth | 0:37:57 |
15 | Georgina Landy | 0:43:09 |
16 | Merle Weber | 0:44:43 |
17 | Jane Clifton | 0:47:49 |
18 | Brooke Cunningham | 0:48:39 |
19 | Jenny Kjar | 0:49:10 |
21 | Bethany Thompson | 1:05:35 |
25 | Rachel Nolan | 1:22:43 |
28 | Lesley Sutton | 1:29:38 |
29 | Kiah Mcgregor | 1:42:16 |
30 | Lee Skerke | 1:49:33 |
31 | Bec Gooley | 2:08:25 |
36 | Susie Williams | 3:14:11 |
37 | Rebecca Dobbs | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Terri Rhodes | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Lisa Barry | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Annie Dummett | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Kate Maffett | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Lauren Branson | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
7 | Jo Riley | 3:12:19 |
9 | Kerstin Oelckers | 3:16:40 |
11 | Jane Ollerenshaw | 3:22:46 |
14 | Juliet Plumb | 3:27:04 |
20 | Jackie Ellis | 3:44:28 |
22 | Ciara O'sullivan | 3:53:06 |
23 | Joanne Oliver | 3:56:31 |
26 | Sarah Lodge | 4:13:03 |
27 | Chris Keir | 4:16:05 |
33 | Jo-anne Gardiner | 5:32:03 |
34 | Sharon Kewley | 5:55:06 |
35 | Jacque Lawrence | 5:55:10 |
DNF | Julie Coller | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
12 | Carolyn Jackson | 3:24:25 |
24 | Sharon Tucker | 3:59:47 |
32 | Pia Larque | 5:14:20 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
4 | Billy Sewell | 2:18:08 |
6 | Ryan Standish | 2:22:10 |
26 | Sebastian Jayne | 2:39:35 |
38 | James Hanus | 2:44:36 |
69 | Jack Hazelgrove | 3:04:38 |
127 | Anthony Driver | 3:55:33 |
148 | Jacques Jacobie | 4:57:36 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Jason English | 2:12:52 |
2 | Aiden Lefmann | 0:00:11 |
3 | Andrew Blair | 0:00:21 |
5 | Chris Hanson | 0:09:18 |
7 | Rohin Adams | 0:09:19 |
8 | Dan Macmunn | 0:10:18 |
9 | Steven Cusworth | 0:12:40 |
10 | Jarrad Burrell | 0:12:46 |
11 | Ken Allen | 0:13:17 |
12 | Mike Blewitt | 0:13:18 |
13 | Simon Frederiksen | 0:14:31 |
14 | Craig Findlow | 0:14:55 |
15 | Andrew Bell | 0:16:19 |
17 | Ray O'shaughnessy | 0:19:37 |
18 | Scott Chancellor | 0:21:56 |
20 | Glenn Stewart | 0:23:03 |
22 | Michael Kerklaan | 0:23:46 |
24 | David Wood | 0:24:48 |
25 | Grant Brow | 0:25:29 |
27 | David Atkins | 0:27:00 |
29 | Nick Both | 0:28:42 |
31 | Michael Crummy | 0:29:37 |
32 | Stephen Alegria | 0:30:23 |
35 | Rik Symes | 0:31:25 |
40 | Mark Hussey | 0:32:26 |
41 | Seb Dunne | 0:32:46 |
42 | Matt King | 0:33:06 |
44 | Benjamin Bruce | 0:33:51 |
45 | Mark Hudson | 0:35:49 |
47 | Shane Jenkin | 0:37:19 |
49 | Jason Hatzimihail | 0:37:33 |
50 | Evan Rohde | 0:37:36 |
55 | Warren Burgess | 0:41:57 |
59 | Dean Ballinger | 0:45:13 |
62 | Rodney Angelo | 0:45:26 |
63 | Robert Waters | 0:47:28 |
65 | Brendon Skerke | 0:49:10 |
66 | Vaughan Sketcher | 0:49:18 |
70 | Adam Nicholson | 0:52:02 |
75 | Dan Harris | 0:55:23 |
76 | Mark Branson | 0:55:32 |
78 | Nic French | 0:58:18 |
79 | Richard Sonnerdale | 0:59:06 |
87 | Michael Norman | 1:05:13 |
89 | Marcus Bridle | 1:05:44 |
90 | Andrew Bennett | 1:07:34 |
93 | Angus West | 1:08:14 |
97 | Scott Hamilton | 1:09:47 |
98 | Bryan Wilson | 1:09:53 |
103 | Nicolas Borchardt | 1:16:24 |
104 | William Sargent | 1:16:27 |
109 | Kim Mason | 1:19:27 |
110 | Richard Kjar | 1:22:47 |
111 | Mark Phillips | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
112 | Nicholas Barnes | 1:23:39 |
116 | Mark Grubert | 1:29:47 |
121 | Adam Morris | 1:39:14 |
122 | Simon Frost | 1:39:59 |
124 | Carlos Aberasturi | 1:40:22 |
126 | Matthew Whitehead | 1:42:40 |
129 | David Higham | 1:45:04 |
130 | Ron Bailey | 1:45:05 |
133 | Peter Wallis | 1:49:57 |
134 | Tim Wallace | 1:49:58 |
136 | Chris Turnbull | 1:58:16 |
137 | Kristian Russet | 2:03:23 |
143 | Patrick Kinsella | 2:39:55 |
DNS | Tom Barry | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Joe Mullan | Row 68 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Nicolas Bowman | Row 69 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Raymond Choi | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
16 | Tim Jamieson | 2:30:29 |
19 | Roelof Burger | 2:34:56 |
21 | Paul Darvodelsky | 2:36:37 |
23 | Paul Brodie | 2:37:16 |
28 | Steve Munyard | 2:41:19 |
30 | Duncan Markham | 2:42:26 |
36 | Mark Hardy | 2:44:22 |
37 | Gary Harwood | 2:44:33 |
39 | Duncan Rose | 2:44:38 |
43 | Ron Whitehead | 2:46:22 |
51 | Malcolm Lindsay | 2:51:40 |
52 | Morten Hansen | 2:53:38 |
54 | Andrew Perry | 2:54:29 |
56 | Glenn Taylor | 2:55:50 |
57 | Vaughan Andrews | 2:56:42 |
58 | Peter Svara | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
61 | Stephen Fortuyn | 2:58:10 |
64 | Alan Hainsworth | 3:00:24 |
68 | Matthew Aldridge | 3:02:56 |
72 | Greg Blackman | 3:05:36 |
73 | Damian Tice | 3:06:16 |
74 | Finbarr Dowling | 3:08:01 |
77 | Lester Hamilton | 3:10:04 |
80 | Kerrod Cronin | 3:12:11 |
81 | Aj Power | 3:12:16 |
82 | Ken Donovan | 3:15:13 |
83 | Kim Bunny | 3:16:00 |
85 | Bradley Roylance | 3:16:21 |
86 | Michael Heyburn | 3:17:55 |
88 | Jason Rolfe | 3:18:18 |
92 | Robert Sewell | 3:20:54 |
95 | Tony Marker | 3:21:49 |
102 | Brett Richardson | 3:28:46 |
105 | Andrew Luedecke | 3:29:43 |
106 | Mike Compton | 3:31:03 |
107 | Peter Pearse | 3:31:13 |
108 | Tim Fryer | 3:32:13 |
119 | Richard Fear | 3:46:33 |
123 | Stephen Brady | 3:53:06 |
125 | Andrew Stone | 3:53:16 |
132 | Scott Wilson-Haffenden | 4:01:44 |
135 | Maurice Antonelli | 4:04:18 |
138 | Gary Fry | 4:18:12 |
139 | Brett Parker | 4:18:37 |
144 | Mark Ashley | 4:54:54 |
145 | Mick Armstrong | 4:54:56 |
146 | Chris Wright | 4:55:47 |
149 | Christo Jacobie | 4:57:37 |
DNS | Richard Sinclair | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
33 | John Allison | 2:43:34 |
34 | Charlie Bottero | 2:43:35 |
46 | Mark Knowles | 2:49:25 |
48 | Ronald Horne | 2:50:24 |
53 | Robert Rhodes | 2:54:25 |
60 | John Travers | 2:58:05 |
67 | Frank Mcgoldrick | 3:02:12 |
71 | Paul Hamilton | 3:05:31 |
84 | Allan Stancombe | 3:16:11 |
91 | Michael Tyrrell | 3:20:31 |
94 | Dave Sutton | 3:21:24 |
96 | Dennis Bowen-Day | 3:22:36 |
99 | Geoffrey Clarke | 3:23:20 |
100 | Alfred Bluch | 3:26:42 |
101 | Ron Guascoine | 3:26:50 |
113 | Richard Tustin | 3:37:38 |
114 | Tony Branchflower | 3:40:34 |
115 | Leigh Onions | 3:40:35 |
117 | Wayne Maher | 3:43:08 |
118 | Greg Smith | 3:44:09 |
120 | Bill Vandendool | 3:47:01 |
128 | Neil Kinder | 3:57:52 |
131 | Colin Hall | 3:59:55 |
140 | Ian Stanley | 4:37:13 |
141 | Micheal Lentas | 4:48:00 |
142 | Malcolm Robins | 4:49:24 |
147 | Shane Mulcahy | 4:56:17 |
150 | Michael Styring | 5:12:27 |
DNS | Lars Spangberg | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*
Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets
After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59
Join now for unlimited access
Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!