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Timbercorp Tour Of GippslandThird New Leader In Two Days By Rod Morris - 3rd August 2007 - Back to News Star Victorian Zak Dempster became the third different leader in just two days of an action packed Timbercorp Tour of Gippsland cycling race, although his elevation was touched with controversy.
Dempster, the reigning Australian road time trial champion, leapfrogged talented Northern Territory rider Matt King as the new leader, but he was quick to criticize the race tactics of some of his fellow cyclists.
King, winner of Wednesday’s second stage in Mallacoota, was involved in a bridge fall in Thursday’s fourth stage from Orbost to Lakes Entrance and while he was being tended to, some riders attacked the clock.
"It’s a bit of an unwritten law that you don’t attack whilst a rider is incapacitated," Dempster said.
"So while I’m glad to have the leader’s jersey, its not necessarily how I wanted to go about getting it."
King was one of two high profile falls on the day, although he was able to finish the stage, albeit 20 minutes behind the winner, William Ford.
King suffered some facial injuries and mild concussion, but it is expected to see out the tour.
The other stricken rider was not so lucky.
Jack Anderson of Queensland was rushed to the Lakes Entrance Hospital, minus one tooth and suffering a suspected broken jaw.
King fell from mid-stage leader to 20th and more than 18 minutes behind the new leader, Dempster, who is now 6 seconds ahead of Chris Jory and a further 31 seconds to one of the many surprise packets of this tour, Ben Mather of Tasmania.
Another Tasmanian, Sid Taberlay was one of yesterday’s stars, winning six of the seven hill climbs and moving into the lead of the Tourism Victoria King of the Mountains championship.
Taberlay – a 2004 Australian Olympian - heads to Paris next Tuesday to race in the Mountain Bike Tour de France and then will target Scotland where he will race in the World Mountain Bike Championships.
How Day Two unfolded –
STAGE 3
Stung by an average ride in the previous day’s road stage, West Australian Cameron Meyer hit back with a stunning victory in the Orbost Criterium over 42 km.
Meyer (19) was instrumental in shaping a breakaway group of 13 riders who put 30 seconds into the main bunch.
At seven laps of the 1.1 km circuit remaining, Meyer increased his attack, this time forcing the break group to disintegrate somewhat.
Overnight tour leader Matt King was one of the casualties, missing the break and handed back 2.21 minutes to Meyer, who improved his rating from 14th to 8th and reduced his overall deficit to 2.58 minutes, but with five races remaining, this tour is still well and truly wide open.
Meyer, winner of three junior world track championships in 2006, wants desperately to win overall honours, but at the moment holds the lead in both the Victoria The Place to Be Sprint King and East Gippsland Shire Council Criterium championships.
"The yellow jersey is the one I really want, but its nice to have the other tops," he said.
"I’ll just keep chipping away at him (King) you never know what might happen in the coming days."
NSW’s Peter McDonald continued his consistent form to snare second place in the Orbost Criterium, with his Institute of Sport teammate Robbie Cater grabbing third.
There was no real change in GC, with King maintaining a 34 second lead over Chris Jory and a further 3-seconds to Victorian Zak Dempster.
STAGE 4
Spills and thrills, excellent racing and yet another change of leadership was the story behind an exciting fourth stage, from Orbost to Lakes Entrance in tough and windy conditions.
The thrills occurred on the same wooden "pick a plank" bridge but in separate incidents.
Queenslander Jack Anderson was motoring along with a talented breakaway group and was almost over the bridge when all mayhem broke loose, bringing down three riders.
Whilst two of the fallen riders were able to remount and chase their compatriots, Anderson was not so lucky.
He suffered a suspected fractured jaw, lost a tooth and required six stitches to his chin after being ferried immediately to the Lakes Entrance Hospital.
Not long after, then tour leader, Matt King of Northern Territory came to grief on the same wooden bridge.
Although slightly concussed and suffering some minor facial injuries, King was able to finish the stage, although he lost considerable time to the winner and his nearest challengers, Chris Jory and Zak Dempter and of course, lost control of tour leadership.
This was without doubt the toughest stage of the tour so far and riders were stretched for miles as they crossed the finish line in dribs and drabs.
Ararat 19-year-old William Ford made amends for two falls on day one with a stunning victory, breaking away from the fellow escapee group once they hit the Lakes Entrance township.
The finish of this stage was almost completely uphill, but Ford had an advantage.
"I came down here on Tuesday and had a good look at the finish, so I knew where the turns were and knew when to attack," he said.
Ford had just seconds to spare from Queensland duo Grant Irwin and Cameron Hughes.
Dempster held on grimly to finish fifth in the stage with Jory not far back in eighth, leaving the judges and timekeepers to ascertain who would be the new wearer of the coveted yellow leader’s jersey.
In the end, the nod went to Dempster, who will carry a 13-second lead into the fifth stage, a 128.7 km hike from Metung to Omeo, a race that will include six intermediate sprints and five hill climbs.
The tour will continue on Saturday with dual stages, a criterium in Paynseville and then Paynseville to Dargo. The final stage will be held on Sunday with a 40 km criterium in Bairnsdale.
Day two results –
STAGE 3 – ORBOST CRITERIUM, 42 KM
1. Cameron Meyer (WA), 1 hour 02.04 minutes
2. Peter McDonald (NSW), +25 seconds
3. Robbie Cater (NSW) +30 seconds
4. Joe McDonnell (NSW), same time
5. Grant Irwin (Qld), (Vic), same time
6. Patrick Shaw (Vic), same time
7. Nicholas Walker (Vic), same time
8. Sean Finning (Vic), same time
9. Daniel Braunsteins (Vic), same time
10. Jarrod Harman (Tas), same time
STAGE 4 – ORBOST TO LAKES ENTRANCE, 113.7 KM
1. William Ford (Vic), 3 hours, 00.11 minutes
2. Grant Irwin (Qld), +3 seconds
3. Cameron Hughes (Qld), +5 seconds
4. Steven Robb (Vic), +7 seconds
5. Zak Dempster (Vic), +1.27 minutes
6. Ben Mather (Tas), same time
7. Patrick Shaw (Vic), +1.33 minutes
8. Chris Jory (NSW), +1.36 minutes
9. Peter Herzig (NSW), +1.53 minutes
10. Cameron Meyer (WA), +3.33 minutes
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1. Zak Dempster (Vic), 7 hours 21.59 minutes
2. Chris Jory (NSW), +6 seconds
3. Ben Mather (Tas), +37 seconds
4. Grant Irwin (Qld), +1.02 minutes
5. Peter Herzig (NSW), +2.02 minutes
6. Patrick Shaw (Vic), +2.47 minutes
7. Chris Pryor (Qld), +3.37 minutes
8. Cameron Hughes (Qld), +4.17 minutes
9. Steven Robb (Vic), +4.19 minutes
10. Cameron Meyer (WA), 4.27 minutes
Championship categories –
Victoria The Place to Be Sprint King: Cameron Meyer (WA)
Tourism Victoria King of the Mountains: Sid Taberlay (Tas)
East Gippsland Shire Council Criterium: Cameron Meyer (WA)
The Big Garage Bairnsdale Most Aggressive: Sid Taberlay (Tas)
To come –
Today (Friday)
Stage 5: Metung to Omeo, 128.7 km, 11 a.m. start
Saturday
Stage 6: Paynesville Criterium, 33 km, 10.30 a.m. start
Stage 7: Paynesville to Dargo, 108.9 km, 1 p.m. start
Sunday
Stage 8: Bairnsdale Criterium, 40 km, 12.30 p.m. start
Further Information -
03 5224 2466 John Craven Director- Caribou Publications
Madeleine Brialey Co-ordinator – Caribou Publications
0428 151 204 Mike Quist East Gippsland Shire Council
0407 684 765 Matt Trewin Timbercorp
0401-760-912 Rod Morris Media Liaison
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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