Video footage

Here is some footage of the team in the ANZAC 25 race and the Foodworks Teams series - Round 2, courtesy of SBS - Cycling Central. Please follow the links:

http://vimeo.com/22914412

http://player.sbs.com.au/cycling#/cycling_08/race_highlights/race_highlights/playlist/FoodWorks-road-team-series/

ANZAC 25

To pay tribute to the ANZAC’s, the Hamilton club puts on the annual ANZAC 25 race around the Lakeside circuit. This is a popular and difficult race, with the list of winners being compiled of many of the great riders from the SEQ area.

With the rain around and the wet roads, the first part of the race was spent in a state of caution, with no real breaks being let go. After the second prime, the race started to become more animated, with Sam getting into a small break. But the field didn’t want to let anything go and brought his group back.
Matt anticipated the counter attack and managed to get into a small break of three just before the third prime. This small group gained a gap and it looked like Matt and the others in the break would contest the prime. As they approached the climb that punctuates the course, Matt sensed the others in the break were weakening and attacked hard over the climb and got a significant gap. Matt was solo coming into the straight, but ran out of legs close to the line, with one rider bridging across then coming past him to take the prime.

From this point on many groups tried to get away, with Matt and Sam making sure they were in any group that got off the front. However, no groups were to be let go and a bunch sprint was to ensue, where Jono Cantwell once again took a good win, with Sam placing in the top ten.

Round 2 Foodworks Teams Series

The second round of the teams series was set to show which teams were versatile enough to be both a good TT team but also a good road racing unit. The course was very difficult, as it included a tough 1.5km climb that was very steep, with sections close to 20% in gradient. This climb had to be done twice, so we knew the second time over the climb would be crucial. The race was to be 133km in length.

The team was eager to move up in the overall standings and were set to ensure we had three good finishers to register a good aggregate time. The race started very quickly, with the first 30km done averaging 50km per hour. No real breaks were let go, and the field hit the climb for the first time together. Many people were caught out by just how hard this climb was, with many having to walk up the climb. This first climb already ensured many would lose contact early, with many groups splintering over the climb. On the decent, some groups reformed with a peleton of about 50 left.

After 45km, the break of the day finally formed, with about 10-12 riders gaining about one and a half minutes on the main chase group. Sam was able to get himself into this group, while the rest of the team were able to sit back in the main peleton and allow the other teams to chase.

We knew the second time over the climb would be important. As the break hit the climb for the second time, the chasing peleton caught the break, except for two riders – Reuben Donati and Michael Cupitt. They would continue to ride hard over the climb, as the main peleton exploded across the road with a lead chasing pack forming.

Matt Murray was strong enough to make it into the front chasing group and sat in, with plans to attack in the finale. Meanwhile, Cupitt and Donati continued to forge ahead of the chase.

With 10km to go, it was evident that the front two would not be caught, and as such, Matt was now looking to try and get 3rd place. With 7km to go, the group started attacking each other, and Matt put in his first big attack. The group let him go for several kilometres, but then brought him back. Matt sat in for a kilometre and then attacked hard again. This attack was countered by Kristian Juel, which the group let go. Matt attacked again to try and bridge across to Juel, but again, the group didn’t want to let him go, and so Matt sat in for a sprint.

Matt got himself into the top 15, while Donati took the win ahead of Cupitt and Juel. Tom Szollosi finished in the second chase group, while Brendon Beavon (guest rider) finished several minutes down to complete our 3 riders.

This should mean we move up in the team standings. It was a great day for the team and means we will now look to move up again next round at Miles and Chinchilla.

Round 1 - Foodworks Teams Series

The first round of the teams series was an Individual Time Trial and a Team Time Trial. With Sam's triathlon background and strength in TT's, the team was hoping for a good result from Sam in the ITT. Unfortunately Sam punctured in the first 3km of the itt and his race was over. All of the other boys put in reasonable performances considering TT's are not their strong points and waited for the TTT.

TTT's can be for some, the hardest race they'll ever do. The pace is always fast and sometimes it becomes too much for some to hold. With some illness and inexperience in the team, the TTT was not what the team hoped for. The team also had to contend with some bad ran conditions, which other teams didn't, which really slowed the boys up. Unfortunately the time was several minutes down on the top teams.

What good came of this race was however the realisation of who the stronger riders in the team are and now we can focus on supporting these riders for the future races, which are likely to suit the team much better.

Round 2 of the series is next week at Beaudesert, and should be a great race.