Kent-Spark claims 99th Melbourne to Warrnambool

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Geelong’s Oliver Kent-Spark has notched up the biggest win of his career, taking out the 99th Melbourne to Warrnambool in perfect conditions on Saturday.

After 273 kilometres of racing, Kent-Spark (health.com.au/search2retain) pipped Commonwealth Games gold medallist Alex Edmondson (SASI) on the line in seven hours flat. Defending champion Sam Horgan (Budget Forklifts) finished third.

“I can’t believe this has happened, it’s absolutely incredible,” exclaimed Kent-Spark post race. “This is 100% the highlight in my career.

“I had ‘always believe in yourself’ in my head which is actually what my mum said to me this morning – the power of the mind is amazing.”

Kent-Spark was part of a late 12-man breakaway that formed with 40 kilometres remaining and gained a one minute advantage on the peloton.

The group included Horgan, Edmondson, Jacob Kauffman (Budget Forklifts), Wesley Sulzberger (Drapac), Mark O’Brien (Avanti Racing) and Jeremy Cameron (African Wildlife Safaris) and began to splinter on the run into Warrnambool, with Horgan and Kent Spark caught out following an aggressive attack from O’Brien.

With five kilometres remaining, Edmondson, Kauffman, Cameron and O’Brien looked set to contest the finish between them, before Horgan and Kent-Spark dug deep and rejoined the group with three kilometres left to race.

“I was yo-yoing off the back of the break, we kind of came back together on a little downhill and it was Alex Edmondson who led the sprint out half heartedly.

“I thought I was racing for second at best, the uphill sprint is better for me than a flat one but even that’s not great for me, but everything changes at the end of 273 kilometres, it’s a big day,” commented Spark.

Duel track world champion and Commonwealth Games gold and silver medallist, Edmondson, was disappointed to have come so close to victory.

“It’s pretty hard to race almost 280 kilometres and be rolled on the line, but I gave it all I had and I guess I got beaten by a better bike rider on the day,” said Edmondson.

“I take my hat off to the search2retain guys and Ollie Kent-Spark. He’s such a nice guy and did a lot of the work when we got into that small breakaway at the end.”

Alexander Edmonson (SASI), Oliver Kent-Spark (health.com.au/search2retain), Samuel Horgan (Budget Forklifts)
Alexander Edmonson (SASI), Oliver Kent-Spark (health.com.au/search2retain), Samuel Horgan (Budget Forklifts)

Kent-Spark’s victory is the third on the trot for his health.com.au/search2retain team following Patrick Bevin taking out the National Capital Tour and Tour of Tasmania.

The Subaru National Road Series concludes on October 25 with the Grafton to Inverell.

2014 Melbourne to Warrnambool Race Results

Time/Gap
1. 24 Oliver KENT-SPARK (STR) 7h00:21
2. 111 Alexander EDMONDSON (SAS) +0
3. 1 Samuel HORGAN (BFL) +1
4. 8 Jacob KAUFFMANN (BFL) +1
5. 14 Mark O’BRIEN (ART) +1
6. 51 Jeremy CAMERON (AWS) +2
7. 3 Jesse KERRISON (BFL) +5
8. 65 Jonathan CANTWELL (DPC) +5
9. 23 Angus TOBIN (STR) +5
10. 12 Brenton JONES (ART) +5
11. 4 Tommy NANKERVIS (BFL) +5
12. 106 Sean WHITFIELD (TSD) +5
13. 42 Alexander SMYTH (SGR) +5
14. 46 Alexander MALONE (SGR) +5
15. 25 Stuart SHAW (STR) +5
16. 142 Jason LOWNDES (SEI) +6
17. 122 Liam WHITE (PVT) +6
18. 53 James MOWATT (AWS) +6
19. 114 George TANSLEY (SAS) +6
20. 72 Dylan PIERRE-HUMBERT (WCV) +6
21. 58 Daniel NELSON (AWS) +6
22. 193 Anthony COLLINS +6
23. 185 Lee BURCHELL (BGL) +6
24. 133 Hamish SCHREURS (SLB) +6
25. 55 Luke PARKER (AWS) +6
26. 197 Christopher LUXTON +6
27. 165 Tom LEAPER (CCW) +6
28. 18 Neil VAN DER PLOEG (ART) +6
29. 198 Kyle THOMPSON +6
30. 201 Lachlan GLASSPOOL +6
31. 104 Scott SUNDERLAND (TSD) +6
32. 82 Daniel BONELLO (GPM) +6
33. 101 Nick MILLER (TSD) +6
34. 74 Russell GILL (WCV) +6
35. 212 Tom SACRE +6
36. 144 Dylan HATELY (SEI) +6
37. 216 David RUGENDYKE +6
38. 183 Daniel STRAUSS (BGL) +6
39. 52 Tyler SPURRELL (AWS) +6
40. 253 Christopher FULLER (St Kilda) +6
41. 68 Malcolm RUDOLPH (DPC) +6
42. 162 Tyson CHAMBERS (CCW) +6
43. 244 Julian PAYNTER (St Kilda) +6
44. 57 James RENDALL (AWS) +6
45. 36 Jake MAGEE (CHM) +6
46. 54 Darcy WOOLLEY (AWS) +6
47. 56 Sean LAKE (AWS) +6
48. 84 Chris JORY (GPM) +6
49. 213 Ryan COTTRELL +6
50. 2 Timothy ROE (BFL) +6
51. 33 Joshua TAYLOR (CHM) +6
52. 143 Vaughan BOWMAN (SEI) +6
53. 64 Bernard SULZBERGER (DPC) +6
54. 241 Benjamin JOHNSON (Footscray) +6
55. 94 Kris JOHNSTON (CRT) +6
56. 73 Nicholas GRAHAM-DAWSON (WCV) +6
57. 205 Joel WALSH +6
58. 221 Russell VAN HOUT +6
59. 141 Zane HUNTER (SEI) +6
60. 214 Daniel HERREWYN +6
61. 95 Andreas NIELSON (CRT) +6
62. 103 Todd BUSCHKUEHL (TSD) +6
63. 6 Samuel WITMITZ (BFL) +6
64. 234 Mason AUSTEN (Hawthorn) +6
65. 81 Ryan THOMAS (GPM) +6
66. 192 Chris HARPER +6
67. 239 Darryn BENN (Blackburn) +6
68. 87 Thomas PATTON (GPM) +6
69. 16 Tom ROBINSON (ART) +6
70. 121 Nicholas BIEN (PVT) +6
71. 224 Nicholas WOOD +6
72. 67 Jack ANDERSON (DPC) +6
73. 240 Darrin JONES (Port Fairy *) +6
74. 182 Ricky SMEDTS (BGL) +6
75. 7 Daniel BARRY (BFL) +6
76. 134 Keegan AITCHISON (SLB) +6
77. 5 Michael VINK (BFL) +6
78. 83 Mark CRAWFORD (GPM) +6
79. 181 Cameron MCDONALD (BGL) +6
80. 225 Tom PATON +6
81. 195 Jordan PAYNE +6
82. 91 Josh BERRY (CRT) +6
83. 88 Michael TROY (GPM) +6
84. 123 Fergus SULLY (PVT) +6
85. 208 Jake KLAJNBLAT +6
86. 161 Mitchell BARRY (CCW) +6
87. 132 Josh ALDRIDGE (SLB) +6
88. 92 Aaron WATTS (CRT) +6
89. 86 Edward WHITE (GPM) +6
90. 215 Lauchlan STEWART +6
91. 102 Mitchell MULHERN (TSD) +6
92. 62 Travis MEYER (DPC) +6
93. 11 Joseph COOPER (ART) +6
94. 191 Justin GASSNER +6
95. 151 Todd SATCHELL (ANP) +6
96. 116 Glenn O’SHEA (SAS) +6
97. 113 Tom KAESLER (SAS) +6
98. 172 David KELLY (TRH) +6
99. 21 Cameron BAYLY (STR) +6
100. 112 Miles SCOTSON (SAS) +6
101. 164 Matt BOYS (CCW) +6
102. 26 Thomas DONALD (STR) +6
103. 115 Harry CARPENTER (SAS) +12
104. 44 Kane WALKER (SGR) +15
105. 207 Jacob LANGHAM +12
106. 145 David MCLEAN (SEI) +15
107. 45 Joel STRACHAN (SGR) +15
108. 184 Christopher LEE (BGL) +15
109. 22 Stuart SMITH (STR) +15
110. 41 Patrick SHAW (SGR) +17
111. 43 Mitchell COOPER (SGR) +17
112. 126 Angus MORTON (PVT) +19
113. 66 Darren LAPTHORNE (DPC) +20
114. 63 Lachlan NORRIS (DPC) +20
115. 61 Wesley SULZBERGER (DPC) +20
116. 71 Jayden COPP (WCV) +20
117. 75 Guy KALMA (WCV) +20
118. 15 Jack BECKINSALE (ART) +1:39
119. 235 Stephen FAIRLESS (Shepparton) +1:39
120. 17 Aaron DONNELLY (ART) +1:55
121. 38 Benjamin HILL (CHM) +2:58
122. 13 Mitchell LOVELOCK-FAY (ART) +2:58
123. 35 Sam CROME (CHM) +3:51
124. 247 Ian JOHNSTON (Rockhampton) +8:13
125. 163 Jay PHILLPOTTS (CCW) +9:46
126. 131 Daniel MOLYNEUX (SLB) +12:17
127. 155 Dylan LINDSEY (ANP) +17:52
128. 276 Ryan VECHT (St Kilda) +21:10
129. 196 Samuel HILL +21:10
130. 154 Michael MCGEE (ANP) +21:10
131. 218 Samuel RIX +21:10
132. 152 Allan SATCHELL (ANP) +21:12
133. 288 Gary MCLENNAN (Sunshine Coast) +26:30
134. 277 Steve DUGGAN (Brunswick) +26:30
135. 282 David BINGLEY (Launceston City) +26:30
136. 246 Christopher HARNEY (St Kilda) +26:30
137. 251 Chris SMITH (Southern Masters) +26:30
138. 175 Dean HEATHCOTE (TRH) +26:30
139. 281 Steven PAYNE (Preston) +26:30
140. 305 William MURRAY (Footscray) +26:30
141. 222 Ashley DAWSON +26:30
142. 236 Matthew SYDES (Northern Vets) +26:30
143. 312 Thomas MCDONOUGH (Coburg) +26:30
144. 237 Daniel HAMBLIN (ADF Cycling) +26:30
145. 275 Chris MASON (St Kilda) +26:30
146. 206 Andrew WARD +26:30
147. 252 David HILL (Alpine) +26:30
148. 271 Christopher JOUSTRA (Latrobe City) +26:30
149. 287 Colin AITKEN (Latrobe City) +26:30
150. 153 Mark SCOULLER (ANP) +26:30
151. 283 Glenn LANDERS (St Kilda) +26:30
152. 250 Andrew KAYE (Albury-Wodonga) +26:30
153. 238 Adam MULFORD (Carnegie Caulfield) +26:30
154. 186 Gordon KENNEWAY (BGL) +26:30
155. 303 Chris HELLMAN (St Kilda) +26:38
156. 243 Angus THOMSON (St Kilda) +26:38
157. 285 Tim MCGRATH (St Kilda) +26:45
158. 231 Michael WALSH (Launceston City) +26:48
159. 76 Dane FREY (WCV) +26:51
160. 245 Simon FROST (Carnegie Caulfield) +27:21
161. 31 Conor MURTAGH (CHM) +28:11
162. 306 Kip GABRIEL (Melbourne University) +49:50
163. 309 Justin LESKE (Bendigo & District) +49:52
164. 274 Richard HALE (Mildura-Coomealla) +49:52
165. 308 David FOSTER (Southern Masters) +50:01
166. 280 Lee LINDSAY (Southern Masters) +1h16:01
167. 248 David DE PEDRO (Dirt Riders) +1h16:01
168. 272 Kris GILL (Bendigo & District) +1h16:01
dnf 204 Mitchell DEDMAN
dnf 232 Mick MILLAR (Southern Masters)
dnf 233 Costa CHRONIS (St Kilda)
dnf 242 Patrick MCINTYRE (Italo Australian)
dnf 278 Justin VINCENT (Warrnambool *)
dnf 284 Gavin BUECHLER (Hamilton Pine River Wheelers)
dnf 301 Russell CHURCH (Carnegie Caulfield)
dnf 304 Scott WELLS (Carnegie Caulfield)
dnf 307 Mark MCLAREN (Hamilton)
dnf 310 Todd BAXTER (Camperdown)
dnf 311 Leigh STOTT (Dirt Riders)
dnf 313 Ash FLINT (Northern Vets)
dns 223 Connor HUGHES
dns 279 Craig PORTER (Carnegie Caulfield)
  • Average speed of the winner: 39.0 km/h
  • Number of starters: 197
  • Riders abandoning the race: 12

Race in Progress: B-GRADE

1. 253 Christopher FULLER (St Kilda) 7h00:27
2. 244 Julian PAYNTER (St Kilda) +0
3. 241 Benjamin JOHNSON (Footscray) +0
4. 234 Mason AUSTEN (Hawthorn) +0
5. 239 Darryn BENN (Blackburn) +0
6. 240 Darrin JONES (Port Fairy *) +0
7. 235 Stephen FAIRLESS (Shepparton) +1:33
8. 247 Ian JOHNSTON (Rockhampton) +8:07
9. 246 Christopher HARNEY (St Kilda) +26:24
10. 251 Chris SMITH (Southern Masters) +26:24
11. 236 Matthew SYDES (Northern Vets) +26:24
12. 237 Daniel HAMBLIN (ADF Cycling) +26:24
13. 250 Andrew KAYE (Albury-Wodonga) +26:24
14. 238 Adam MULFORD (Carnegie Caulfield) +26:24
15. 243 Angus THOMSON (St Kilda) +26:32
16. 231 Michael WALSH (Launceston City) +26:42
17. 245 Simon FROST (Carnegie Caulfield) +27:15
18. 248 David DE PEDRO (Dirt Riders) +1h15:55
dnf 232 Mick MILLAR (Southern Masters)
dnf 233 Costa CHRONIS (St Kilda)
dnf 242 Patrick MCINTYRE (Italo Australian)
  • Average speed of the winner: 39.0 km/h
  • Number of starters: 22
  • Riders abandoning the race: 3

Provisional Result: C-GRADE

1. 276 Ryan VECHT (St Kilda) 7h21:31
2. 288 Gary MCLENNAN (Sunshine Coast) +5:20
3. 277 Steve DUGGAN (Brunswick) +5:20
4. 282 David BINGLEY (Launceston City) +5:20
5. 281 Steven PAYNE (Preston) +5:20
6. 275 Chris MASON (St Kilda) +5:20
7. 271 Christopher JOUSTRA (Latrobe City) +5:20
8. 287 Colin AITKEN (Latrobe City) +5:20
9. 283 Glenn LANDERS (St Kilda) +5:20
10. 285 Tim MCGRATH (St Kilda) +5:35
11. 274 Richard HALE (Mildura-Coomealla) +28:42
12. 280 Lee LINDSAY (Southern Masters) +54:51
13. 272 Kris GILL (Bendigo & District) +54:51
dnf 278 Justin VINCENT (Warrnambool *)
dnf 284 Gavin BUECHLER (Hamilton Pine River Wheelers)
dns 279 Craig PORTER (Carnegie Caulfield)
  • Average speed of the winner: 37.2 km/h
  • Number of starters: 15
  • Riders abandoning the race: 2

Race in Progress: D-GRADE

1. 305 William MURRAY (Footscray) 7h26:51
2. 312 Thomas MCDONOUGH (Coburg) +0
3. 252 David HILL (Alpine) +0
4. 303 Chris HELLMAN (St Kilda) +8
5. 306 Kip GABRIEL (Melbourne University) +23:20
6. 309 Justin LESKE (Bendigo & District) +23:22
7. 308 David FOSTER (Southern Masters) +23:31
dnf 301 Russell CHURCH (Carnegie Caulfield)
dnf 304 Scott WELLS (Carnegie Caulfield)
dnf 307 Mark MCLAREN (Hamilton)
dnf 310 Todd BAXTER (Camperdown)
dnf 311 Leigh STOTT (Dirt Riders)
dnf 313 Ash FLINT (Northern Vets)
  • Average speed of the winner: 36.7 km/h
  • Number of starters: 15
  • Riders abandoning the race: 6

Warrnambool Riders

PROVISIONAL Final Result

Time/Gap
1. 240 Darrin JONES (Port Fairy *) 7h00:27
2. 182 Ricky SMEDTS (BGL) +0
3. 153 Mark SCOULLER (ANP) +26:24

Stage Awards

#1 Teesdale

1. 196 Samuel HILL 3
2. 41 Patrick SHAW (SGR) 2
3. 126 Angus MORTON (PVT) 1

#2 Cobden

1. 196 Samuel HILL 3
2. 116 Glenn O’SHEA (SAS) 2
3. 162 Tyson CHAMBERS (CCW) 1

Camperdown

1. 196 Samuel HILL 10
2. 22 Stuart SMITH (STR) 9
3. 41 Patrick SHAW (SGR) 8
4. 126 Angus MORTON (PVT) 7

Teams Classification

Standings

Time/Gap
1. BFL Team Budget Forklifts (1, 8, 3) 21h01:10
2. STR health.com.au-search2retain Cycling Team (24, 23, 25) +3
3. ART Avanti Racing Team (14, 12, 18) +5
4. SAS SASI Cycling Team (111, 114, 116) +5
5. AWS African Wildlife Safaris Cycling Team (51, 53, 58) +7
6. TSD Team Scody Downunder (106, 104, 101) +10
7. DPC Drapac Professional Cycling (65, 68, 64) +10
8. SEI Team Seight (142, 144, 143) +11
9. WCV Wormall Civil CCS (72, 74, 73) +11
10. BGL Bike Gallery – Lexus Blackburn (185, 183, 182) +11
11. GPM GPM Stulz (82, 84, 81) +11
12. CCW Croydon Cycleworks/Pick-a-Part (165, 162, 161) +11
13. PVT Pat’s Veg-Thereabouts Racing Team (122, 121, 123) +11
14. SLB Subaru Albion NRS Development Team (133, 134, 132) +11
15. CRT Cellarbrations Racing Team (94, 95, 91) +11
16. SGR Satalyst Giant Racing Team (42, 46, 44) +18
17. CHM CharterMason Giant Racing (36, 33, 38) +3:03
18. ANP Anchor Point South Coast Cycling Team (151, 155, 154) +39:01

NRS Teams Aggregate

Standings

1. ART Avanti Racing Team 216 pt
2. BFL Team Budget Forklifts 137
3. STR health.com.au-search2retain Cycling Team 120
4. CHM CharterMason Giant Racing 110
5. SGR Satalyst Giant Racing Team 87
6. AWS African Wildlife Safaris Cycling Team 74
7. DPC Drapac Professional Cycling 53
8. WCV Wormall Civil CCS 51
9. VIS Jayco/John West/VIS 20
10. GPM GPM Sultz 17
11. SAS SASI Cycling Team 17
12. DSR Data#3 Symantec Racing Team 16
13. TSD Team Scody Downunder 16
14. CRT Cellarbrations Racing Team 15
15. SND Subaru NSWIS Development Team 13
16. SUV SUVelo Racing 11
17. SWC Swiss Wellness Cycling Team 10
18. PVT Pat’s Veg-Thereabouts Racing Team 10
19. DCM Bianchi DCM Arbitrage 9
20. SKO St. George Merida 9
21. SLB Subaru Albion NRS Development Team 8
22. PGN Team Polygon Australia 8
23. SEI Team Seight 6
24. PIC Paradice Investment Cycling Team 5
25. ANP Anchor Point South Coast Cycling Team 4
26. CCW Croydon Cycleworks/Pick-a-Part 3
27. PNX Phoenix Cycling Collective 3
28. PST Peloton Sports/Turramurra Cyclery Racing 2
29. DHR DH Racing 2
30. TDA Team Direct Asia 1
31. RKG Racing Kangaroos 1
32. TRH Total Rush-Hyster 1
33. GDT GDT Racing 1
33. HCT Hall Cycle Training 1
33. MCJ Team NeilPryde-Mens Club in Japan 1
33. TSN Total Sports NeilPryde Team 1

NRS Aggregate

Standings

1. 11 Joseph COOPER (ART) 68 pt
2. 2 Timothy ROE (BFL) 65
3. 12 Brenton JONES (ART) 56
4. 3 Jesse KERRISON (BFL) 49
5. Patrick BEVIN (STR) 41
6. Raphael FREINSTEIN (CHM) 41
7. Jack HAIG (ART) 34
8. Ben DYBALL (ART) 33
9. 13 Mitchell LOVELOCK-FAY (ART) 26
10. 14 Mark O’BRIEN (ART) 24
11. 61 Wesley SULZBERGER (DPC) 23
12. Keagan GIRDLESTONE (CHM) 21
13. Brodie TALBOT (BFL) 18
14. 21 Cameron BAYLY (STR) 17
15. 18 Neil VAN DER PLOEG (ART) 17
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