Lawson Homes
2009 Tour of the Murray
Stage 1 - Echuca to Rochester 154.5km (Sunday, August 30)
Day one of the Tour saw the Lawson Homes team very excited and ready to get the 8 day race underway. We had spent the night before studying the stage one course in preparation for the longest stage of the tour. The stage started with a 4.5km neutral zone before the flag dropped and the race went to full gas. With a roaring tail wind for the first 25 kilometres the race soon broke to pieces as it turned to cross winds. The wind and direction changes caused destruction to the peloton, and the first 100 kilometres was covered in just over two hours. Will, Dave and Tom were in the first three echelons before they all rejoined with about 60km to go. Michael and Matt struggled in the conditions but persisted to finish in a large main group. Tom missed the front split with 30km and finished in the main field. Will had a great ride until about 20km to go when he was unhitched from the front group but held on to finish close behind the main field. Dave also had a great ride driving himself to the limit but began to fade in the closing kilometers. A gutsy effort by Dave who was still recovering from illness after the Tour of Gippsland. We finished Stage One with mixed feelings but after reflection we realized that we had learnt a lot which would help us for the rest of the tour.
Stage 2 - Echuca Criterium (Monday, August 31)
This was the first criterium of the tour and it was important to keep close to the front due to the short length of the course. With the average speed at around 45km on the 880m circuit there were few passing opportunities. Will positioned himself well from the start and rode in a great position for most of the race with the rest of the team back in the mix. Less than half way through Donut punched and with a very quick wheel change he was back in the race. With a couple of laps left the guys were in the front half, but on the last corner of the last lap some ambitious riders took out the front end of the field. Luckily our whole team missed the crash and made it safely across the line.
Stage 3 - Moama to Barham 112.9km (Monday, August 31)
Today’s road stage started just up the road from where we were staying so after resting after the morning’s criterium we were ready to face a tough afternoon. Once the race was underway the 120 man peloton fought for position at the front, but only about 20 were able to fit in the driving echelon. Not long into the race Dave was caught up in a nasty crash which included a couple of Fly V riders. Matt and Michael displayed great courage and teamwork to drive themselves hard in order to get Dave back in the main field. The ride by Matt and Michael was gutsy and they summed up what the team is all about: ‘teamwork’. With a few left and right turns in the closing kilometre the guys kept out of trouble as light rain began to fall. Tom finished in 10th, Will 20th and Dave was just behind with Michael and Matt coming in a few minutes after doing a power of work for the team.
Stage 4 - Swan Hill Criterium (Tuesday, September 1)
We arrived at the start of the days racing realizing that this crit was going to be harder than normal. The course was a long hotdog with large roundabouts at each end and false flat sections on both straights. Michael was at the front from the start and found an opportunity to jump across to a strong group of 10 or so riders. The break worked well and caused some concern for the Fly V team who were leading the tour. But with attacks coming from the break inside 10 laps remaining the field had all but three back. The three escapees stayed away and with riders pulling out in ones and twos the team rode well with Michael, Dave and Tom finishing in the top 25.
Stage 5 - Swan Hill to Lake Boga 65.7km (Tuesday, September 1)
Our tactics were to be at the front of the race and to go with the moves for the afternoon’s road stage. The team rode well at the front having a rider in each move. Tom went in a move to pick up some sprints before being caught as the race turned for the run home. The team really worked well as we surrounded each other at the front and kept each other out of trouble. We all finished in the front group and gained more valuable experience in teamwork as we assisted each other in the closing kilometers.
Stage 6 - Swan Hill to Manangatang 87.8km (Wednesday, September 2)
Cross winds and positioning were again the two factors that were to determine the 6th stage. With the sunshine out and the start in Swan Hill the same as the previous day the team was eager to get going. With an aggressive start due to the fact today was a double road stage, the chances of a select group going to the finish were high. Sprints primes were frequent in the first 40 kilometres of the stage before the road turned to dirt for 3km. This section of the stage set up the major splits in the peloton. Unfortunately Michael was caught up in a crash as riders became desperate to sit in the gutter. With the undulation of the middle section of the stage Tom was lucky enough to find himself in the front echelon of 18 riders that rode to the finish to decide the placings. Dave rode solidly to finish in the main chase group on the road and kept his position on GC. Michael managed to fight on to finish not far behind with another gutsy ride. Will and Donut weren’t having a great day but they both continued on to finish in the main group. Again we learnt a lot from this stage as it proved to be one that caused the most damage to the overall race.
Stage 7- Manangatang to Tooleybuc 46.0km (Wednesday, September 2)
After the morning’s road stage did its damage the riders had to gee themselves up for the short stage to Tooleybuc. The tail crosswinds didn’t give the riders the easy stage they had expected. Tom managed to get into the front group of around 30 riders with the stage completed in just under an hour. Dave and Michael finished in the main field with Will and Matt just behind. We finished the day well with narrow roads and strong winds again highlighting the importance of being at the front right from the start.
Stage 8- Robinvale Kermesse (Thursday, September 3)
On paper, today’s racing was the shortest of the tour, but with a Kermesse and a criterium, the racing was far from relaxed. The Kermesse got off with another fast start and the size of the circuit allowed the speed to stay fast. Before the first lap was completed a heavy crash involving 20 riders saw the race neutralized. Unfortunately Will was one of the riders who fell thanks to some desperados in the race. Will was the worst hurt rider and was taken to hospital with what turned out to be a slight separation of the AC joint and clavicle in the shoulder. The race was shortened after being neutral for 20 minutes, and the team kept out of trouble to finish in the front bunch.
Stage 9 - Euston Criterium (Thursday, September 3)
With Will taken to hospital, the team lost another teammate as the Michael’s knee injuries from the previous day’s crash forced him to withdraw from the remainder of the Tour. We were down to three riders so it was important to keep the team close. A small break went about half way through the stage, and with the dominant teams controlling the race the Lawson Homes team kept towards the front ready for the attacks later in the stage. Dave rode a great race moving towards the front in the last few laps to finish in the front end. Tom made a last ditch effort with 2 laps to go to reach the break but was caught with half a lap remaining and finished in the front group. Matt who had kept his head down for the whole tour hung in there too. He has been getting stronger each day.
Stage 10 - Ouyen Criterium (Friday, September 4)
The morning’s criterium got off to its typically aggressive start and with a tough course, wind and tired legs the field was blown apart in the early laps. The Lawson Homes Team rode well but the separations in the peloton saw our three remaining riders in different groups. Matt fought on well but the windy criterium races weren’t to his liking. Dave was in the second split and although he had form in the legs, had to be content in his group. Tom made it to the front with the aim to stay out of trouble and move up on GC position. Our three fought on well, and with tired riders in the race it was important to stay focused and look for opportunities in the remaining stages.
Stage 11 - Ouyen, Patchewollock, Ouyen 86.5km (Friday, September 4)
The out and back saw head cross winds hitting the riders in the out leg and the team kept close together and looked after each other. With a small break getting away in the cross winds, the team fought to hard stay in the front of the main field. The break that looked initially dangerous came back a couple kilometers before the turn. The strong teams of Fly V and Savings & Loans had riders in the GC positions but no-one in the breaks. At the turn point of the stage the team was in a good position at the front ready for any moves in the tail-cross wind on the run home. As the bunch was whittled down to about 50 riders all three Lawson Homes riders were at the front and out of trouble. The team put in a great ride and positioned themselves to move up the team classification.
Stage 12 - Merbein Criterium (Saturday, September 5)
The second last day of the tour and the team was ready to finish well. Stage 12 was raced on a circuit that was the fastest criterium of the tour, with an average speed close to 48kph. Matt found his legs after a great ride the day before and managed to work his way towards the front in the closing laps to help keep the team’s classification. Dave also had great ride finishing in fifteenth with Tom finishing not too far behind. The guys were motivated to finish off well and with more experience gained the team will be able to take on a stronger presence in the peloton.
Stage 13 - Merbein to Wentworth 81.3km (Saturday, September 5)
The race profile showed a lot of left and right turns and narrow roads, and the team was prepared for another dangerous and fast start. Tom got into a break of nine riders who escaped right from the start with the aim to sneak some more time on GC and pick up some sprint primes. The break gained an advantage of nearly a minute but by the 25km mark the break had been reduced. With a number of the riders being high on GC there was little leeway with a group of four riders counter-attacking not long after. The break was never caught and the peloton was sprinting for 5th place 30 seconds behind. The team managed to avoid a number of crashes in the final 3 kilometers and finished in the main field with Tom finishing sixth. Dave and Matt both rode a smart race, staying out of trouble and positioning at the front in the final kilometers.
Stage 14 - Mildura Kermesse (Sunday, September 6)
The final day of the tour had arrived and with tired legs there was a feeling of excitement as the three remaining team members knew they had made it through. But the job wasn’t over and with a technical 2 kilometre course with speed humps and false flat sections it was a very tough way to finish. 45 minutes before the start the wind began to pick up and cross winds along the straights were going to make racing extra tough. A breakaway group of a dozen or so riders worked well together and held a minute over the main field. Our boys sat tight and stayed close to the front as the race was going to blow apart in the closing laps. Fly V kept the break in sight for the majority of the race, and other teams were getting ready. With fewer than 10 laps to go more teams had riders in the chase as Dave moved to the front to help bring the break back. 5 laps to go and the break was caught and immediately the counter attacks started. The main moves came from Praties who sent a number of riders off the front. In the last few laps the attacks kept coming and splits began to form in the main field. The moves were coming from VIS, Jayco AIS and Praties and the pace was so fast that the field was in single file. On the closing lap the attacks were still going as riders held on. Dave who had done a power of work was in the front bunch and with Tom sitting in about 6th wheel the boys fought right to the end. At the last corner Tom made it to the back of the lead-out train and came home to finish 3rd with Dave not far behind in the top 20.
It was a great way to finish off the tour as they boys fought all the way with some good results to show for their efforts. The Lawson Homes Cycling Team is now looking forward to the Tour of Tassie and with the confidence and experience gained as a team in the Tour of the Murray, the boys will hoping for a good performance in their home state.