Canberra Cycling Corner - Weekly Update

After missing last week's update because of Father's Day, the focus shifts back to cycling action. The last Grand tour has finished with Simon Clark (Orica-GreenEdge) being the second Australia to win the mountain classification in a Grand Tour.  Let's hope it is not a poison challis like poor Matt Lloyd, which has not had much luck since winning the mountain classification in the 2010 Giro d'Italia.

Canberra held host to the 2012 Cycling Australia U15 and U17 Road National Championships over the weekend.  ACT cyclists got no home town advantage in the wet and windy conditions with no rider picking up a podium finish in either criterium, road or ITT events.

A BIG SHOUT FOR SUE POWELL

Sue Powell (Vikings Cycling Club member) was not going to let Anna Meares be the only Australian to win a gold medal during a cycling event at the 2012 Olympics/Paralympics.  Powell opened Australia's account at the 2012 Paralympics with a gold medal in the C4 Individual Pursuit. Powell also set the world record by two seconds in her earlier heat.  A huge effort that all of Canberra is proud off.  She followed that effort up with a silver medal in the women's C4 time trial in the women road race.





WEEKLY WRAP OF RACES

The 2012 UCI Road World Championships are only a week away.  The last of the Classics is only 18 days away.  The European season is coming to an end.  So lets see were Canberra riders are riding this week or have been in the past week.

Nathan Haas (Garmin-Sharp) - All roads lead to Britain this week with the Tour of Britain commencing last night. Nathan teams with with his ex-Genesys team mate - Steele Vonhoff. Unfortunately the first stage did not go as planned for Nathan, crashing within the last three kilometres. He was in good company as Mark Cavendish was involved in the same crash.

Michael Matthews (Rabobank) - Matthews is picking up the frquent flyers miles as he heads across the Atlantic to Canada.  Canada did not bring the same joy as the US this time round. At the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal, Matthews failed to make it to the podium, finishing in 71st.

Gracie Elvin - (Team Faren Honda) - Gracie's preparations for the 2012 UCI World Road Race is continuing with a strong performance in the BrainWash Tour.  After 6 stages, Gracie finished in a very solid 39th spot.

Miffy Galloway (Team Faren Honda) - Returns to Italy after completing in the BrainWash Tour in Netherlands.  A tough race with Miffy abandoning the race after 3 stages. Let's hope we see Miffy return to the CCC Summer Criterium Series soon.

Mitch Lovelock-Fay (Team Australia) - After a guest role for Suzuki-Trek, Lovelock-Fay pulls on the jersey for Team Australia at the Tour of China. It appears that Mitch is working to get Ben Hill a result. Sitting 58th after three stages.

Ben Hill (Team Australia) - Ben is ripping it up for Team Australia in the Tour of China. Just missed out on taking 3rd spot during Stage 2 and then followed it up with a 12th spot during the third Stage. He is sitting nicely in 40th spot, 57 seconds down on the leader.

Joe Lewis (BMC-Hincapie Sportswear Development Team) - After a string of strong performances during the Subaru National Road Series, Lewis joins the BMC-Hincapie development team at the Tour of China.  He is certainly giving team bosses plenty of food for thought by finishing 4th in a big sprint finish during the third stage.

Suzuki-Trek is racing at the Tour of Caledonia. Due to terrible internet links, I have no updates on their performance.

Stuart Shaw (Drapac) - With Hill, Lovelock-Fay and Lewis riding in the Tour of China and Suzuki-Trek team riding the Tour of Caledonia, the only ACT representative at the Jayco Tour of the Murry River was Stuart Shaw. After a couple of 4th spots, Stuart finished in 12th spot overall on the General Classification.

The season is over for Matt Hayman (Team Sky) who underwent arthroscopic surgery to a tear in his left labrum - the cartilage that holds the ball at the top of the femur to the pelvic bone - on 2 August.More details on Hayman see an informative article on cyclingnews

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/surgery-brings-an-end-to-haymans-season


LOCAL RACES

Time to stop using my son's football games as an excuse and get back into the racing season.  Next race for me will be CCC race at Lookout Hill Handicap (22/10/2012) - time to get in some training.  However, over the weekend, the CCC held its Symonston Criterium.  Results can be found at:
 
http://www.canberracyclingclub.org.au/events/details.asp?IntContId=1682&IntCatId=33

Look out the Goulburn to Sydney Cycle Classic that commences next Sunday.  It will be the 110th Edition of this Australian Classic.