Article as appeared in Geelong Advertiser Oct 18
Malcolm Cole (2:09:59 ave 32kph), with his brother on his shoulder, rode to a stirring win in the Bill Long Camperdown to Warrnambool Open Handicap (72 km) on Saturday – a shining light in an emotional week for him.
Mal unexpectedly lost his brother, Colin, on the previous Monday and was flying up to his family in Darwin on Saturday night, ahead of Colin’s funeral. Mal decide to race nonetheless.
“It was pretty emotional for me,” Cole said of the win. “I lost my brother this week … on Monday evening.
It was a fantastic day for Geelong with Jenny Denouden 2:10:06 placing second after attempting a solo breakaway at the Fletcher Jones hill with 2 kms to go. Mal dug deep, however, and was able to reel Denouden in to win by 7 seconds. The pair started in the limit bunch of 37 mins, along with two other riders, and at the 60 km mark, near Allansford, were able to burn the two off, riding determinedly knowing the mid markers were closing in. The pair got home 30 seconds ahead of the fast finishing 25 strong mid markers who also in the last 2 kms decided to ride tactically instead of concentrating on the catch ahead of them. Conditions were made for the out markers as the temperature was 18c with no wind, which is most unusual for the staging of this event.
Mal, in only his second attempt at this race, took up the sport 3 years ago in his 60’s, and Jenny, who in the last month recorded her maiden win with the club, were ecstatic with the results. Colac’s David Coventry was third and Northern’s Darren Roberts rode fastest time of 1:38:54, avg. 44 kph. Geelong riders, Nigel Pearson 5th (13 min), Kelvin Dyson 7th (11 min), Nick Oakley 8th (11 min) and Chris Fenech 9th (15 min), rounded out the top ten placings in sensational results for the club.
Geelong riders will be looking for more success in the coming month with the club hosting its 2017 Open on the 29th of October, and its 40th Anniversary race on the 5th November. See www.gscc.net.au for more details about these events.
also thanks to Warrnambool Standard