Star & Garter – Tasman conquers Benchmark 2008
Nelson-based cycling team Star & Garter – Tasman ambushed the teams of the 2008 Benchmark Homes Tour on Saturday to ride away with the bulk of the series’ trophies on offer. Superbly led by former Olympians Chris Nicholson and Robin Reid, and guided by Team Manager Malcolm Saunders and his staff, the visitors started the final round of eight as fourth-placed team and went on to win the round and secure the Evans Cup as winner of the series’ Teams classification.
Not only did Star & Garter – Tasman upset the more fancied teams to be crowned Champion Team, it also took back to Nelson (Richmond to be exact) the trophies for Individual, Masters, and Women’s classifications leaving only the Under 23 title to be claimed by the day’s winner Shane Archbold (Kelford – Reiker Cycling Team).
A field of just over 100 took the start for the 4th Noret Grand Prix at Oxford with 138km ahead of it. In the absence of five regulars to the series, including series leader Gordon McCauley (Benchmark Homes Cycling Team), Nicholson was the only rider within reach of overhauling the Commonwealth Games medallist for the series’ individual title. The math was easy for the forty-something rider who has competed for New Zealand at both summer and winter Olympics; finish inside the top three to take home the final white leader jersey and prestigious Bruce & Amy Dawe Cup.
Nicholson’s task was going to be no easy assignment considering the calibre of riders on the start line that included double Olympic-medallist Hayden Roulston (Trek) and his team-mate Paul Odlin (2007 series winner), and Track World Champion Hayden Godfrey (Subway – Avanti Cycling Team). And whilst Nicholson had the pressure of securing a top three placing on the day and helping his team to win the Team classification, he also had his Masters classification lead to protect from closest challenger Craig Lawn (Scott – Penny Farthing Cycles). This classification must surely have been Nicholson’s main objective at the beginning of the series that began in February, however he was now in a position to take the overall title courtesy of consistent performances throughout the competition.
Twenty-five kilometres after the start, Godfrey went about setting up a move that hopefully would have placed his Subway – Avanti outfit in a position to win the team title. Shortly after soloing off the front of the largely intact peloton, Godfrey was joined by Junior Track World Championship medallist Jason Christie. The pair were soon joined by their team-mate James Williamson, Leon Hextall (Benchmark Homes Cycling Team), Jack Bauer (Star & Garter – Tasman), and Alex McGregor (Trek) who would soon returned to the main field.
At Rangiora the lead was 45 seconds which grew to a maximum of one minute 40 seconds at kilometre 60. Observers would normally have expected the breakaway with such firepower to have extended its lead and be a potential race-winning move, however the final-round stakes were too high to allow such a move succeed. The teams of Nicholson and Archbold went about putting into place what had been learnt during the course of the competition by effectively driving the strung out peloton for almost two hours until the quintet was caught at the foot of Summerhill (103km). The Subway – Avanti move was therefore nullified.
On the climb itself, Roulston tested himself and impressively lined out the field to almost single file before several riders tried to go off the front nearing the summit, namely Williamson and Archbold.
Further attacks continued along German Road on the approach to the 5.5km finishing circuit to be completed three times on the outskirts of Oxford. The scenario was repeated continuously once on the circuit, with notable efforts by Roulston, Odlin, and Reid.
In what appeared to be shaping up to be the first bunch gallop in four years and thirty rounds of the series’ format, a group of five slipped clear on the rise to the finish line. Exiting the final bend and sprinting neck-and-neck on opposite sides of the road were Round Three winner Odlin verse Archbold, the winner of Rounds Five and Six. The younger got the better of last year’s series winner just, before an elated Nicholson soared across the line to take third place and secure the overall series win. Tom Findlay (Subway – Avanti Cycling Team) and Reid crossed the line next just holding off the main field led in by Sam Horgan from the tireless Williamson.
Jeannie Kuhajek (Star & Garter – Tasman) capped off a fine return to competition during the second-half of the series by finishing first woman ahead of Lauren Ellis (Jazz Apple). Kuhajek had broken her collar-bone in a Round Two crash.
The day’s team prize went to Star & Garter – Tasman who finished with three of its riders inside the top ten which ultimately set itself up to sneak past the teams of Benchmark Homes, Kelford – Reiker, and Subway – Avanti to win the series’ sought-after Team classification.
The points earned from Archbold’s third win in three starts fell just short of securing him a place on the final podium that went to Nicholson, McCauley, and Odlin. However Archbold’s impressive fourth place overall secured him the Paul Jesson Challenge Trophy awarded to the leading Under 23 rider. Horgan and Findlay filled the remaining podium spots.
Nicholson was eventually a clear winner from Lawn for the Masters title to claim the Tony Laplanch Cup, whilst last year’s recipient and 2005 series winner Brian Fowler (Kelford – Reiker Cycling Team) finished third.
Nicholson’s team-mate Karen Fulton claimed the team’s fourth trophy by winning the Women’s classification and its Joanne Kiesanowski Bowl. Second and third place-getters respectively Nimesha Smith (Bikeright) and Kuhajek can only wonder what might have been had they not succumbed to crash injuries that robbed them of any further chance of seriously challenging Fulton to the competition’s end. In any event, Fulton’s consistent performances deservedly earned her the top female title.
The eight rounds of the 2008 Benchmark Homes Tour raced between February and October not only provided exciting racing throughout, but also a number of impressive performances along the way. Only four riders were able to stand on the top step of the podium as having won a round of this year’s series, namely Marc Ryan in Round One (Kelford – Reiker Cycling Team); McCauley in Rounds Two, Four, and Seven; Odlin in Round Three; and finally the three rounds won by Archbold.
On behalf of the Papanui Cycling Club, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those riders, team staff, sponsors, and officials who supported the 2008 Benchmark Homes Tour. Bring on the 5th edition in 2009 where again we will find the season’s most consistent road cyclist to add their name alongside Fowler (2005), Reid (2006), Odlin (2007), and Nicholson (2008) on the Bruce & Amy Dawe Cup.
Greg Hume
Series Manager
Papanui Cycling Club
021 599921
Results (Provisional);
1. Shane Archbold (Kelford - Reiker Cycling Team/U23) 138km in 3hrs 16mins 32secs
2. Paul Odlin (Trek) same time
3. Chris Nicholson (Star & Garter – Tasman/Master) st
4. Tom Findlay (Subway - Avanti Cycling Team/U23) st
5. Robin Reid (Star & Garter - Tasman) st
6. Sam Horgan (Benchmark Homes Cycling Team/U23) st
7. James Williamson (Subway - Avanti Cycling Team/U23) st
8. Hayden Roulston (Trek) st
9. Craig Lawn (Scott - Penny Farthing/Master) st
10. George Bennett (Star & Garter – Tasman/U23) st
First Women;
1. Jeannie Kuhejak (Star & Garter - Tasman)
2. Lauren Ellis (Jazz Apple)
3. Laura Thompson (Benchmark Homes Cycling Team)
First Team;
1. Star & Garter - Tasman
Series Results (Provisional); (Bruce & Amy Dawe Cup)
1. Chris Nicholson (Star & Garter - Tasman/Master) 90 Points
2. Gordon McCauley (Benchmark Homes Cycling Team) 89pts
3. Paul Odlin (Trek) 85pts
4. Shane Archbold (Kelford - Reiker Cycling Team/U23) 75pts
5. Craig Lawn (Scott – Penny Farthing Cycles/Master) 67pts
6. Sam Horgan (Benchmark Homes Cycling Team/U23) 61pts
7. Jeremy Yates (Subway – Avanti Cycling Team) 60pts
8. Tom Findlay (Subway – Avanti Cycling Team/U23) 55pts
9. James Williamson (Subway – Avanti Cycling Team/U23) 40pts
10. Robin Reid (Star & Garter – Tasman) 38pts
Under 23 Classification; (Paul Jesson Challenge Trophy)
1. Shane Archbold (Kelford - Reiker Cycling Team)
Masters Classification; (Tony Laplanch Cup)
1. Chris Nicholson (Star & Garter - Tasman)
Women's Classification; (Joanne Kiesanowski Bowl)
1. Karen Fulton (Star & Garter - Tasman) 41 Points
2. Nimesha Smith (Bikeright) 35pts
3. Jeannie Kuhajek (Star & Garter - Tasman) 33pts
4. Katri Laike (Kelford - Reiker Cycling Team) 25pts
5. Sara MacDonald (Cycling Otago) 13pts
Teams Classification; (Evans Cup - Champion Team)
1. Star & Garter - Tasman 89 Points
2. Kelford - Reiker - Cycling Team 86pts
3. Subway - Avanti Cycling Team 84pts
