Club Races
Kean Leaves Field
in his Wake
Laharum, Sunday
17th May 2009
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Frank
Kean |
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Threatening
weather appeared to discourage veteran cyclists on
Sunday, and a small contingent of only nine riders
tackled the 65km Laharum circuit.
The early
morning drizzle gave way to a fine morning, but a
stiff south-westerly breeze ensured the outward legs
would be a true test of strength.
Drew Heard
set off with Alan Barnett, Peter Mayo and Les Power
with a 5 minute 30 seconds
advantage over the scratch bunch, but this group
appeared to struggle on the flat stretch towards
Wonwondah and were in sight of the scratch bunch
shortly after turning south on the Henty Highway.
With
Frank Kean pulling strong turns and driving fellow
riders Danny Monaghan, Gerard O’Brien,
Leon Gibson and Dean Hayward, the scratch bunch reeled
in the limit markers just before the Brimpaen turn
off.
As the
riders approached Woodstock Fields , Kean launched
an attack that caught out several riders, and he
managed to split the field, in company with Monaghan
and Heard.
The race
then settled down to a chase by the second group
to get back on terms, but despite desperate riding
from Gibson, O’Brien
and Barnett, Kean’s
strength enabled his group to maintain their advantage,
and he went on to take out the race ahead of Monaghan
and Heard, with O’Brien heading the chase bunch
on the line.
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