2011 Tour of Bright – Race Report
This would have to be one of the most popular events on the Cycling Victoria race calendar and is now the last road race for the year on the first weekend of December. To highlight how popular the race is entries opened around August with a cap of 550 riders. it was sold out in about 3 weeks. If you got an entry in you had plenty of time to prepare for the event. This year Cycling-Inform had 17 riders across various age groups and grades.
On the Friday night some of the Cycling-Inform riders and partners met for an early meal at one of the local pubs. There was nervousness around the table with this being the first Tour of Bright for most of the riders at the dinner.
Then we all proceeded to registration - what a streamlined process this is. An official for each grade is set up along the registration line and you just go to your grade show your licence and receive your race numbers and transponder. Next you move to the ‘showbag’ line and get a bag of treats from race sponsors. Then on the way out the door you can select an apple from boxes of local produce. Finally is a bike mounted on the wall showing your were your transponder is to go and good examples of red flashing rear lights which are required for stage 3. Registration is a very social event, although the process is quick there are a lot of riders about, so a lot of catching up with people you don’t see regularly or club mates to greet and talk about the pending event.
Stage 1 – Saturday morning 91km road race for all grade except A grade men who do 131km. The route is from Bright to Ovens then over Rosewhite along the Happy Valley Rd, then right at Running Creek along Kiewa Valley Highway to Tawonga then the final ascent to the finish line at the top of Tawonga Gap. There is 2 sprints during the stage – Porepunkah (Boyntons Winery) and Tawonga and 2 KOM points – Rosewhite Gap and the stage finish at Tawonga Gap.
Cycling-Inform results for stage 1
Danny Kah (MAS1, 2+3, 4th on the stage)
David Sturt (MAS4-5, 3rd on the stage)
Michael Hay (MAS4-5, 6th on the stage)
Stephanie Ives (Women’s A grade,)
Carolyn Fraser (Women’s C, 3rd)
Jodie Batchelor (Women’s C, 10th in stage)
Jodie Batchelor (Women’s C, 1st KOM Rosewhite)
Stage 2 – Is a 15.1km time trial for all riders from Bright past Wandiligong and starting and finishing at the Alpine club rooms. This is an undulating course and after stage 1 can be tough on the legs. With 550 riders in the event it’s a lot of riders to get started for a TT and we start in 20 second intervals.Cycling-Inform results for stage 2
Danny Kah (MAS1, 2+3, 10th)
David Sturt (MAS4-5, 2nd)
Michael Hay (MAS4-5, 8th on the stage)
Michael Clucas (MAS4-5, 10th)
Stephanie Ives (Women’s A grade, 4th)
Jodie Batchelor (Women’s C, 5th)
Stage 3 – Sunday morning the stage was to go from Bright to the Cross at the top of Mt Hotham, however the weather conditions required the organisers to shorten the stage by 10km and finish at the Toll Gates. The weather at the top of Hotham was wind gusts of up to 50km and a feel like temperature of around -8.7 degrees. With the shortened stage the climbers where going to have to make the trip out to Harrietville hard to ensure they made the best of the reduced stage.
Cycling-Inform results for stage 3
Danny Kah (MAS1, 2+3, 6th)
David Sturt (MAS4-5, 1st)
Michael Hay (MAS4-5, 4th on the stage)
Stephanie Ives (Women’s A grade, 4th)
Carolyn Fraser (Women’s C, 4th)
Harry Hanley (MAS4-5, 1st Big Shed sprint, 2nd Harrieteville sprint)
Jodie Batchelor (MAS4-5, 1st Big Shed sprint, 2nd Harrieteville sprint)
Final General Classification results
Danny Kah (MAS1, 2+3, 4th)
Steven Green (MAS1, 2 + 3, 59th)
David Sturt (MAS4-5, 2nd)
Michael Hay (MAS4-5, 5th)
Michael Clucas (MAS4-5, 20th)
Harry Hanley (MAS4-5, 31st)
Rod Hill (MAS4-5, 36th)
Damian Burke (MAS4-5, 40th)
Laurie Paltridge (MAS4-5, 54th)
John Taylor (MAS4-5, 66th)
Andrew Weightman (MAS4-5 - DNF)
Steve Cameron (MAS4-5 - DNF)
Heath Jackson (Men C, 88th)
Stephanie Ives (Women’s A, 5th)
Marlena Klaic (Women’s B, 7th)
Carolyn Fraser (Women’s C, 3rd)
Jodie Batchelor (Women’s C, 10th)
Ayllie Allen (Women’s C, 17th)
KOM
Danny Kah (MAS1,2+3, 6th)
David Sturt (MAS4-5, 2nd)
Stephanie Ives (Women’s A, 5th)
Carolyn Fraser (Women’s C, 4th)
Jodie Batchelor (Women’s C, 5th)
Sprint
Harry Hanley (MAS4-5, 2nd)
Jodie Batchelor (Women’s C, 2nd)
