Latest News

• Add My News • Search Old News

Gippsland › Latest news › Community

Fishers IGA Tour Of The Miurray River (Round 3 Of The 2007 Timbercorp National Cycling Series)

Mcdonald Creeps Closer To Tour Victory - Stages 9 & 10

By Rod Morris - 3rd September 2007 - Back to News

Tasmanian Mark Jamieson went from chocolates to boiled lollies in an exciting day six of the Fishers IGA Tour of the Murray River.

Jamieson (23) won the Ouyen Criterium in stunning style from former New Zealander Miles Watson in the morning stage, but in the Ouyen – Patchewollock – Ouyen road stage later in the day, crashed badly 20 km from the finish and effectively ended his tour.

Watson took a firmer grip on the RoadSafe Mildura Sprint Championship when he won all 11 intermediate sprints in the criterium, while the new leader of the Tourism Victoria King of the Mountain Championship is Queensland’s Miles Olman, who finished second in the afternoon stage to fellow "Banana Bender" David Kemp.

Kemp and Olman were in front of the bunch as they hit the Ouyen township and thus avoided the 10 rider fall, 1100 metres from the finish line.

Meanwhile Sydney based rider Peter McDonald maintained his overall lead in the tour, 26 seconds ahead of Queensland’s Grant Irwin, with Victorian Patrick Shaw the next best on 33 seconds.

The big loser in yesterday’s afternoon stage was Bendigo based David Pell, who had a horror stage losing more than 4 minutes and falling to 11^th position and out of any genuine chance for overall honours.

STAGE 9

A mid-race pact between former New Zealander Miles Watson and Tasmanian Mark Jamieson saw the pair control the intermediate sprints and then quinella the Ouyen Criterium stage, a 36 km sprint.

Watson (21) is in just his second full season of road racing after a strong junior career that included seven national New Zealand mountain bike championships.

Watson also spent three months in Ghent (Belgium) learning the craft of road racing even further.

Watson won all 11 intermediate sprints – with Jamieson second each time – to take complete control of the RoadSafe Mildura Sprint Championship.

The Kiwi and the Apple Islander broke clear of the peloton very early in the 36 km race and were never headed.

Queensland’s Daniel McCulloch made a half-hearted attempt to bridge the gap to Watson and Jamieson and although he stayed with them for a couple of laps, the pressure was too great and he dropped back to the bunch.

The escapees established a margin that hovered around 30 seconds for the bulk of the race, although over the closing laps they increased the margin.

In the long home straight at Ouyen, Jamieson was able to kick clear of Watson and won with 2-seconds to spare.

Third home was Queensland’s Tony Mann, 53 seconds adrift of Jamieson, with Peter Dawson (WA) and David Kemp (Qld) another four seconds back and then Matt King (NT) at a minute behind.

Rounding off the top 10 and leading the bunch home at 1.02 minutes were Michael Stallard (SA), Patrick Shaw (Vic), Leigh Howard (Vic) and Nathan Wise (Vic).

STAGE 10

A 10 rider crash 1100 metres from the finish of Stage 10, caused some chaos for chasing riders and forced judges and commissaries to closely read the rule books, whilst race winner David Kemp was safely out of harm’s way.

Kemp and fellow Queenslander Miles Olman had broken clear of the chasing bunch some 8 km from home and had established what proved to be handy 22 second gap.

That margin allowed them to steer clear of the crash on the third last corner just as the bunch reached the Ouyen townsign.

The worst affected was Queensland rider Hayden Josefski, who – whilst trying to avoid the crash – ended up over a fence and in a local resident’s frontyard.

Earlier in the race, three riders crashed out on the open road, with the biggest casualty, dual stage winner Mark Jamieson.

Jamieson suffered severe cuts and bruises to his hands and elbows and endured the absolute highs and lows the sport can offer.

After winning the morning stage in Ouyen, Jamieson then crossed the afternoon finish line in the back of an ambulance and his tour is now over.

The other riders in the fall with Jamieson were Russell Gill (SA) and David Tozer (Vic), but neither were badly injured.

A group of eight riders, including Sean Finning (Vic), Olman, Darcy Rosenlund (Qld), Daniel Furmston (Tas), Daniel Braunsteins (Vic), Chris Steffanoni (Vic), Leigh Jacob (Vic) and Nathan Wise (Vic) had established the early break as riders left Ouyen on the outward journey to Patchewollock and the strong winds had a severe impact on the field as riders were scattered over many kilometers.

That octet shared the early king of the mountain points before the peloton – or at least what remained of the field to be tagged a peloton – lifted their workrate and reeled them in.

That was at about 18 km to race and then Kemp and Olman hit the field hard, quickly scoring a 70 m lead.

Into the township and Kemp and Olman looked safe and it was only a matter of who had the best sprint left in them.

Kemp is a renowned sprinter and up the home straight had Olman’s measure, winning by a wheel length.

Brief results –

STAGE 9 – OUYEN CRITERIUM, 36 KM

1. Mark Jamieson (Tas), 49.02 minutes

2. Miles Watson (Vic/NZ), +2 seconds

3. Tony Mann (Qld), +52 seconds

4. Peter Dawson (WA), +57 seconds

5. David Kemp (Qld), same time

6. Matt King (NT), +1 minute

7. Michael Stallard (SA), +1.02 minute

8. Patrick Shaw (Vic), same time

9. Leigh Howard (Vic), same time

10. Nathan Wise (Vic), same time

STAGE 10 – OUYEN – PATCHEWOLLOCK - OUYEN, 86.5 KM

1. David Kemp (Qld), 1 hour 59.28 minutes

2. Miles Olman (Qld), same time

3. Peter Dawson (WA), +22 seconds

4. Grant Irwin (Qld), +25 seconds

5. Peter McDonald (NSW), same time

6. Patrick Shaw (Vic), same time

7. Brad Edmunds (NSW), same time

8. Leigh Howard (Vic), same time

9. Daniel Braunsteins (Vic), same time

10. Tom Middleton (SA), same time

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION (after Stage 10)

1. Peter McDonald (NSW), 13 hours 52.46 minutes

2. Grant Irwin (Qld), +25 seconds

3. Patrick Shaw (Vic), +33 seconds

4. Cameron Hughes (Qld), +39 seconds

5. David Kemp (Qld), +48 seconds

6. Benjamin King (WA), +51 seconds

7. Leigh Howard (Vic), +1.01 minutes

8. Jack Bobridge (SA), +1.19 minutes

9. Tom Middleton (SA), +1.20 minutes

10. John Ebeling (NSW), +1.21 minutes

Road Safe Mildura Sprint Championship: Miles Watson (Vic/NZ)

WHK Thomsons Criterium Championship: Grant Irwin (Qld)

MADEC Most Aggressive Rider Award: Miles Olman (Qld)

Tourism Victoria King of the Mountain Championship: Miles Olman (Qld)

To come –

Stage 11 – Loxton Criterium, 42 km, Saturday, September 1

Stage 12 – Loxton Kermesse, 70 km, Saturday, September 1

Stage 13 – Waikerie Kermesse, 44 km, Sunday, September 2

Timbercorp Cup series (events remaining) -

Fishers IGA Tour of the Murray River – August 26 to September 2

Tour of Tasmania – October 2-7

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

• Join our free Beninette Tour for behind-the-scenes access, event facilities insights, and booking information
  Ever wondered what's really beyond the bricks at Berninneit? Thinking about hiring a space or curious about what's backstage? Join us for a free guided tour and get an insider's look at every space in Berninneit, in just half an hour.
• Thurra River bridge and campground reopen for holidays, offering access to Croajingolong's forests, trails, and beaches
  Thurra River Bridge and campground reopen for holidays, restoring access to Croajingolong's forests, trails, and beaches after fire and flood damage, with resilient infrastructure upgrades ensuring long-term safety and community enjoyment.
• Bass Coast wins National AustStab Award for sustainable road recycling and innovative rehabilitation
  Bass Coast Shire Council won the 2025 AustStab Award for Excellence for pioneering road recycling methods, cutting emissions by 85%, truck movements by 80%, and delivering faster, more sustainable, durable roads with less disruption.