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Timbercorp Tour of GippslandDEMPSTER WINS FIRST EVER MULTI-STAGE TOUR By Rod Morris - 8th August 2007 - Back to News Victorian teenager Zak Dempster is the first leader of the Timbercorp National Cycling Series after winning the Tour of Gippsland today.
Dempster (19) won the five day tour by just 15 seconds from NSW rider Chris Jory with Tasmanian mountain biker Ben Mather a surprise third , 57 seconds behind Dempster.
In the overall series, which will include the three day Australian Cycling Grand Prix in Ballarat, the Tour of the Murray River and the Tour of Tasmania, Dempster is just four points clear of Queensland’s Grant Irwin, who wrapped up the Gippsland Tour with a sensational last stage victory.
A healthy crowd was at Bairnsdale to witness the final day’s action with Irwin winning from Robbie Cater (NSW) and Nick Sanderson (Vic.).
Dempster held the overnight lead after a consistent week of racing and only had to stay upright and protect a 14-second lead to claim his first ever multi-stage tour.
"My biggest win before this was a National underage track event and the Austral Wheelrace," Dempster said.
"In most other tours, I’ve been a domestique, riding to help teammates, so this was all a bit new for me."
"To be honest, I was a little nervous this morning going into the last stage, I just wanted everything to work out the way we planned."
Dempster heads overseas on Tuesday to contest World Under 23 championship events in Italy, Ireland, Germany and Britain and won’t be returning to Australia till early October.
His absence will pave the way for Irwin to take the series lead, although there will no doubt be challengers coming from the likes of Chris Jory, Patrick Shaw and Cameron Meyer.
How Day Five unfolded –
STAGE 8
Brisbane based 22-year-old Grant Irwin confirmed his growing reputation in Australian cycling with a stunning performance in the last stage of the Tour of Gippsland, winning the 40 km street circuit in Bairnsdale.
Irwin scored his sixth top 10 placing in eight stages, when he finished ahead of consistent NSW rider Robbie Cater and Victorian ace Nick Sanderson.
Irwin kept the GC leaders, Zak Dempster, Chris Jory and Ben Mather honest throughout the stage and his victory maintained his own lofty rating on the GC leaderboard.
Irwin did not contest the 2006 Tattersall’s Cup, which was the forerunner to the newly named Timbercorp National Series, but did win the Merbein to Wentworth stage in the 2005 Tour of the Murray River.
Whilst not a realistic chance to win the Tour of Gippsland, Irwin was however embroiled in a thrilling battle with Dempster for the overall series lead, which will include upcoming tour events at Ballarat, the Murray River and Tasmania.
Dempster started the stage holding a 14 second lead over Jory, with Tasmanian Mather a further 40 seconds back in third place, as the only realistic challenges for GC honours.
Dempster watched every move Jory made and had his southaustralia.com teammates covering any other attacking moves.
Jory admitted afterwards that pegging back 14 seconds on Dempster and his team was always going to be hard, but "we had a few things planned and we weren’t going to go down without a fight."
"As it was. Zak proved to be the best rider this week and full congratulations to him and his team, they are a good outfit."
Irwin is a member of the newly formed Ord Minnett team out of Queensland and their results this week suggest they have a solid future.
"We came here to try and do well and I’m stoked to have won the last stage," Irwin said.
"We’re only an amateur team and it’s a bit hard to compete against the more professional teams, but the results are coming and its been a good week," he said.
Irwin had three bike lengths to spare in his stage win from Cater, who was a wheel width ahead of Sanderson.
Day Five results –
STAGE 9 – BAIRNSDALE CRITERIUM, 42 km
1. Grant Irwin (Qld), 55.12 minutes
2. Robbie Cater (NSW), same time
3. Nick Sanderson (Vic), same time
4. Patrick Shaw (Vic), same time
5. Sid Taberlay (Tas), same time
6. Chris Jory (NSW), same time
7. Zak Dempster (Vic), same time
8. Peter McDonald (NSW), same time
9. Nathan Wise (Vic), same time
10. Jarrod Harman (Tas), same time
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION (FINAL)
1. Zak Dempster (Vic), 15 hours 46.03 minutes
2. Chris Jory (NSW), +15 seconds
3. Ben Mather (Tas), +57 seconds
4. Peter Herzig (NSW), +2.12 minutes
5. Patrick Shaw (Vic), +2.54 minutes
6. Grant Irwin (Qld), +3.38 minutes
7. Cameron Meyer (WA), +4.20 minutes
8. Steven Robb (Vic), +4.33 minutes
9. Cameron Hughes (Qld), 4.37 minutes
10. Peter McDonald (NSW), +5.45 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: Grant Irwin (Qld)
The Big Garage Bairnsdale Most Aggressive: Peter McDonald (NSW)
To come –
Australian Cycling Grand Prix – August 17-19
Tour of the Murray River – August 26 to September 2
Tour of Tasmania – October 2-7
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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