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SANDERS CREATES HISTORY WITH AUSTRAL WIN
16 December 2009
Nineteen year old Ben Sanders has written his name into the history books, joining his father Dave as a winner of the Urban Austral Wheelrace - Australia's oldest and most prestigious track cycling race.
Sanders started the final as $3 second favourite to take the title and riding off 80m was in front at the bell and was able to hold off the challenge from defending champion Shane Perkins who finished out of the placings. Darren Rodgers (130m) finished second ahead of Jaron Gardiner (125m) in third.
In what was billed as one of the strongest Austral fields in history - if not ever - the heats and subsequent repecharges witnessed a number of the fancied riders eliminated, including American Olympian Giddeon Massie, world points race champion Cameron Meyer, dual Olympic gold medallist Graeme Brown and under-23 time trial world champion Jack Bobridge.
However, the race will be remembered for the emotional embrace of father and son, the first such duo to win the Austral in the 112 editions of the event.
Dave Sanders, now a father figure of Australian cycling in his role as head coach of the Victorian Institute of Sport cycling program, and a key mentor to superstars like world champion Cadel Evans and grand tours stage winner Simon Gerrans, won this race of 50m in 1978.
His son Ben, himself a world junior championships silver medallist and Victorian Institute of Sport scholarship holder, now has his name on a trophy the family regard as more important than any other on the domestic cycling scene.
"It's bigger than the national champs, or any other race in Australia. For old school cycling people this is huge," Sanders Snr said fighting back tears after the win.
"This is bigger than the national championships, or anything else, this is history, a lifetime experience."
For Sanders Jnr, the weight of expectations after three years of attempts was obvious.
"You couldn't get much happier than me right now. This race is just the biggest thing," Ben Sanders said when asked if the family surname was a burden he responded by admitting it had weighed him down the past few years.
"It has for the last two or three years I've ridden this, and I haven't even made the final. When they said I was the (second) favourite just before it I thought, 'oh, the omen's back', because every time my name was mentioned for it I couldn't perform. But everything came together on the day."
In other events:
* The Shape Group points race was taken out by Jack Bobridge, from Graeme Brown with Cameron Meyer, taking third place.
* The Clipsal women's keirin was won by Olympic gold medallist Anna Meares, from Kaarle McCulloch and Annette Edmonson in third place.
* The Brennan IT sprint final witnessed Malaysian Josiah Ng, the Melbourne Cup on Wheels winner from earlier in the year, who ousted Victorian Jason Niblett to take the crown as Revolution 5 sprint champ.
* In the Urban St Kilda motorpace final, NSW rider Scott Law held of West Australian Michael Freiberg with Peter Loft (TAS) in third.
* The SRAM madison battle between Australia and New Zealand featured a crack line-up, with the Aussie quartet of rolled-gold riders including Brown, Meyer, O'Shea and Bobridge unable to hold out the New Zealand team of Track World Cup winner Tom Scully, Shane Archbold, Hayden Godfrey and Myron Simpson.
* Meares climbed over Cyclones teammate McCulloch to take out the 2XU women's sprint final.
* Cameron Meyer was too strong in the Quickform Homes points score elimination.
* Rising star Maddison Hammond ensured he avoided a serious ribbing at training by dominating the event, dashing clear of Anna Meares. In fact the boys finished 1-2-3 with Jaron Gardiner eclipsing Aaron Cooper for the minor placings. Meares finished fourth.
* The Brennan IT men's keirin final featured a trademark Azizal Awang wheelie across the line had he stormed past teammate Josiah Ng and Scott Sunderland.
* In the Teschner Future Stars events, Jack Cummins won the points race, Evan Hull the boys and Imogen Jelbart the girls double kilo dash, Jelbart backed up to win the girls scratch race.
* The third edition of the McIver Contractors Junior Austral was won by Emerson Harwood ahead of Liam White and Brae Mapson.
The final event of the year for the track stars is Friday's Australian madison championships, featuring defending champion Glenn O'Shea who will ride with world points race champion Cameron Meyer, along with Graeme Brown and under-23 time trial world champion Jack Bobridge.
Australian Madison Champions
When: Friday 18 December 2009, 7pm
Where: Darebin International Sports Centre, Thornbury Arena, Melbourne
Tickets: At the door
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