The JWJC has attracted a host of celebrity cyclists including former European-based professionals and Olympians such as Matt White and Graeme Brown and Rochelle Gilmore. Australian paralympians who have made the trek to Jamberoo have included Beijing bronze medallist Jayme Paris and downhill world record skier Michael Milton. Discussions are currently taking place for another high-profile cycling celebrity to join the ride in 2010 so watch this space for more information in the coming weeks.

Money raised for the charity ride will be directed to the Sydney Cancer Centre at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital - Australia's largest and most comprehensive cancer treatment centre made famous by the late Dr Chris O'Brien and visited by Johnny Warren himself before his passing in November 2004. Interested cyclists wishing to take part in the Johnny Warren Jamberoo Classic can register by visiting www.johnnywarrenjamberooclassic.com.au

The first is a Juniors Training Program, aimed at Juniors in the 13 to 17 age group. The program aims to provide a safe and structured training program, suited to both new and experienced riders. The program will be led by Barrie McLean, a highly qualified CA accredited coach, and he’ll be ably assisted by Brett Murphy and members of the club. The focus will be on cycle skills, strength and fitness, cycle racing and personal development through sport. Juniors taking part in this program may see themselves simply riding for fitness and recreation, or competing at club level, or following a path through to state, national and international level competitive cycling. This program complements the ongoing Monday night Juniors program, run by coach Frank Merritt.

Participation in the Junior Program involves joining the club, and paying $5 each training night. Club membership provides affiliation with Cycling Australia, and that comes with a range of valuable insurance benefits.

The second is a Women’s Cycling Program. The aim of this program is to provide an opportunity for women (of any age) to get involved in road cycling, in a safe and structured environment, with other women with similar aims and interests. The program is again led by Barrie McLean, assisted by members of the Cycling Club. The initial focus will be on cycle skills and fitness, and then progress into cycle racing, with a focus on individual and team time trials. We anticipate there will be enough participants in this program to allow riders to ride, train and compete with women of similar strength and fitness. Similar to the Junior program, the Women’s program will cater for those simply riding for fitness and recreation, to competing at club level, or to following a path through to state, and higher levels of competitive cycling. Participation in the Women’s Program involves joining the club at either competition or recreational level, plus $50 for the initial series of 5 training nights. Recreational and competition licences both provide affiliation with Cycling Australia, and thereby a range of valuable insurance benefits.

Interested? If so, please email Rider Development or phone Keiran Hogan on 0418 456134 or Brett Murphy on 0405 476 302 and let us know you are coming, and then come along to the Regatta Centre on 18th November, at 6pm. Bring any bike – we’ll talk about ongoing bike and equipment requirements on the night.

We look forward to seeing you there..

• Eddie Salas won Gold in Road Race and Criterium (Masters 3)
• Ian McGregor won Gold in the team sprint (Track, combined age under 135 yrs)
• Graant Benett won Gold in the road Race, (M6)
• Peter Milostic won Gold in the Road Time Trial (M2)
• Walter Machado won Silver in Road Race and Bronze in Crit (M7)
• Graeme Spratt won Bronze in Road Race and Crit (M6)
• Jeff Smith won Bronze in Pursuit and Scratch Race (M7 track)

See the gallery pages for some photos.

Mick Chapman has been an accredited cycling coach for over 30 years and is currently the head coach of the Hunter Academy of Sport.
www.mickchapmancyclecoach.com

The titles started with a 20km individual time trial, slightly shorter than what I am use to but with extremely tough weather and a hilly course. I won my first masters title, in 26mins 13secs (average speed 45kmph) Sean Brunt finished an impressive 5th in 28mins (less than 10secs off a medal) not bad for a father of 4.

The next day was the Road Race over a hilly 98km course. The field was dwindled down to a 14 man group, in which I finished 2nd in the sprint finish. Sean finished 16th. There was then a 2 day break before the criterium title on Monday. The start was wet and stormy on a sketchy course. The race stayed together for another bunch sprint, I finished 4th.

- Peter Milostic

The MMAS5 race consisted of 2 laps of an out and back course from Stromlo Park criterium circuit down to Uriarra crossing, up the other side to Uriarra homestead (near where the Canberra Tour turns left down Mt McDonald). The course does a U turn here and heads back down to Uriarra crossing before beginning the three-tiered hill and rolling terrain back to the start/finish area.

The race stayed pretty much together until the second lap where, on the climb out of Uriarra on the outward journey, Bruce Goddard from Bathurst grabbed a small lead over the top. Simon Claringbold (Canberra) joined him and they quickly got going before most of the bunch had re-assembled themselves following the climb. There was a short period where myself and Norbert Gerold (Manly) were ready to join the leaders but held off waiting for the rest of the bunch to regather; bad decision.

A group of around 10 chased the 2 off the front along the slight uphill drag toward the U-turn. The crosswinds made it hard and after a short attack the group split, leaving Steve Darracott, Norbert Gerold, Adam Skalka, myself and 'another rider' together in the chase. At the U-turn the 'other' rider fell off so we were down to 4. The leaders stayed around 200m up the road but stretched it out a bit on the fast descent back to Uriarra. On the climb out from the bridge they were only three quarters of the way up the hill and a strong attack would have bridged the gap but no one had the legs.

That's the way it stayed to the finish with the leaders putting in a solid ride and maintaining their lead. Darracott led the sprint out for the bronze medal, Adam Skalka was 4th, Norbert Gerold 5th and myself 6th. Claringbold won on his home course and Bruce Goddard rode solidly for the silver.

- Mike Stacey

Thursday was TT day. When I saw the wind blowing out of the NW at gale force minus 1, I figured my decision to not enter the TT had been the right one! I’d have to check with Peter M but I suspect that the outbound leg against the wind probably averaged 25 kph whereas the return leg with the wind was probably at 65 – did I mention it wasn’t flat?

Anyway Friday morning arrived and so did 3 Penrith riders for the Masters 6 Road Race – 66km with the wind still blowing but now from the south, meaning of course that it was a fair bit cooler than the last 2 days. At least the rain was holding off! So off went the bunch of about 35 riders including me, Graant Benett and Peter Nelson. The race was quick from the start and got quicker! One rider got away coming back into the wind the first time – most of us thought it was a suicide move. However after turning to head back out for a full lap of the circuit, an American rider bridged across to him and this pair started to look dangerous.

This pair was caught as we crested the steep outbound climb from the crossing, and the fierce descent and following ascent had splintered the race with a group of about 10 working well to establish the break. With the windy conditions, there was no coming back if you weren’t in this group. Graant and I made it but unfortunately Peter didn’t.

After the turn, as we raced back down to the crossing before commencing the deciding climb, I went to the front (safest place to be!) only to be passed by a flying Graant as we approached the right angled bend at the bottom. It was here that I observed that Graant is a stickler for the road rules as he dutifully stuck to the correct side of the centre line while another rider whooshed inside him using all of the road. Anyway Graant and I were in the top 3 as we started the climb – this was the place to be! No magpies today – (safety in numbers?). By the top of the climb Graant and I found ourselves in the winning break of 5 with about 12 km to the finish.

As we approached the last couple of kilometres, the American rider began a series of attacks which of course led to a few counterattacks which all resulted in a loss of momentum for the group allowing a following group of 4 to make contact. So nine riders entered the finishing circuit – surprisingly nobody attacked here meaning it came down to a sprint where position was everything. I came in second behind Fred Landon from WA and Graant was 5th. This near miss has Graant thinking that maybe he should further develop his sprinting abilities!

Peter rode very well to come in with the next group of nine just under 4 minutes back. This group included Rob Hadley and Michael Hunt, both former Australian Champions – so Peter was pretty chuffed.

And so ended our Masters 6 Australian Road Race – definitely one of the harder races any of us had ridden in recent times, and a far cry from doing laps of the Regatta Centre!!

- Graeme Spratt

The Crit course features a bend known locally as Collarbone Corner – and it’s not because of its shape. I believe some thought was given at one stage to setting up a portable hospital unit on this corner to save on ambulance bills and so that knitting of fractured bones began as quickly as possible! - nah, just kidding.

Luckily the showers stopped and the course was pretty dry after a couple of laps. The race was aggressive from the start. The man of the race was our own Graant Benett who went off the front about a third of the way into the half hour race with 2 other competitors. They held a lead which was about 10-14 seconds for most of the race. With about 6 laps to go Rob Hadley bridged across in a great move making 4 out front – surely the winning group. But no – the remainder managed to pull it back with just inside 3 laps to go, which meant it now looked like a bunch sprint. But as usual Graant had other ideas and took off again with about half a lap to go. This caused a panic to get him back just when some of us were trying to position ourselves for the sprint. Around Collarbone Corner and into a strong headwind, Graant found the going hard by himself and was swamped thru the last corner by first Hadley and then a number of others beginning the sprint to the line.

Hadley went on to a fine win, I finished 5th and Graant about 13th – crits often don’t reward the bold moves!

- Graeme Spratt