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GREAT BRITAIN ENDURANCE TEAM IN WINNING MOOD AT AUSSIE SUN TOUR CHRIS NEWTON IS 3RD ON STAGE 10 What the chasers perhaps didn't expect was for the leaders to stay away to the end but although they were not overall contenders, none of them were to be taken lightly, especially Chris who was World Points champion in 2002. Stay away they did,and while a crash took out one the UK's overall contenders, Jeremy Hunt, Chris and his companions took the podium placings with Chris finishing 3rd.
1. Dominique Perras 1.17.02 3. Chris Newton 0.10 16. Kristian House 1.13 18. Paul Manning 1.25 19. Stephen Cummings 25. Jamie Burrow 1.43 27. Jeremy Hunt 1.48 43. Kieran Page 2.38 46. Bryan Steel 3.03 STAGE 8 GOES TO GB'S PAUL MANNING Paul's win was all the more remarkable because in the three up finish, he beat two riders form the same team to take the win on the longest stage of the race. Racing over 100 miles, a group of four took an early lead but later in the stage, Manning, a former winner of the Milk RAS stage race in Ireland, crossed to the leaders with another group of 11 riders. These 15 then dominated the stage and although the chasers got close, they never managed to bring the leaders back. In the closing miles, the 15 split and three riders got a small gap which they held to the line with Manning winning the third consective stage for the GB riders in the race. Quoted on the races official website (Herald Sun), Manning said "I've been struggling a lot in the crosswinds over the past few days. It's not something I enjoy. I prefer it to have a few hills, so today was good for me". Asked about his sprinting ability, Paul replied "Maybe in a small group, but it's really not my forte. That's why I attacked on the little run-in, just to give myself a little better chance". After the race, the rider who won the British Cycling Pursuit Championship this year and prior to that was 4th in the Worlds in the same event and 2nd in the Team Pursuit, will take a break before returning to the UK to prepare for the Athens Olympics. STAGE RESULT 1. Paul Manning 4:00:13 9. Jeremy Hunt @:03 10. Jamie Burrow 27. Kieran Page @1:28 41. Stephen Cummings 46. Kristian House 53. Chris Newton 55. Bryan Steel OVERALL 1. Jamie Drew (Aust) 18:45:28 8. Kristian House 1:01 26. Stephen Cummings 3:22 38. Kieran Page 11:13 51. Paul Manniing 24:33 55. Chris Newton 27:42 56. Bryan Steel 27:45 63. Jamie Burrow 39:34 Criterium Championship Classification 1. Brett Aitken 2. Kieran Page PAGE WINS STAGE 6 IN AUSSIE SUN TOUR
National Under 23 Champion, Kieran Page has won his first pro race in the UCI 2.3 ranked Australian stage race, the Sun Tour. Along with the rest of the Great Britain endurance squad riding for a local sponsor in the race, Page was the winner of the short opening stage on day 6 of the stage race which finishes on the 26th (Sunday). Making the win even sweeter was behind Page were two more Brits giving the UK a 1-2-3! Former Elite national champion twice over Jeremy Hunt in 2nd with Paul Manning (4th in the World Pursuit championship this year)in 3rd. The morning stage held in a place called Port Fairy, also saw the British riders up there in the mid races sprints with Paul Manning and Keiran Page winning two each along with Hunt winning one. They were part of a small group which managed to stay away for most of the race, only splitting towards the finish as the pressure from the British riders took its toll on their rivals, leaving Manning, Hunt and Page to sprint it out. It was some sprint as well with Hunt crossing the line first, squeezing his UK rival up Keiran Page up against the barriers. Hunt though is apparently not a favourite with the race judges and was declassed to 2nd for his tactics giving Page the victory. Talking to reporter for the race sponsor, the Herald Sun newspaper, Keiran said "It's a shame for 'Jez' (Hunt), but these things happen. Maybe I picked an iffy side to go through. I'm sure Jez will win another stage to make up for it." Hunt though as expected was not a happy boy after being relegated even if it was to a fellow Brit. "I would like to see the video. I reckon I kept a straight line," he told the Sun Herald. "The wind's coming from that side (on the right), so I'm not going to let him through." RESULTS STAGE 6 1. Kieran Page 39.15 2. Jeremy Hunt 3. Paul Manning 0.02 27. Kristian House 1.02 29. Stephen Cummings 44. Bryan Steel 57. Chris Newton 64. Jamie Burrow 1.17 MID RACE SPRINTS Paul Manning won two Jeremy Hunt won one Kieran Page won two HOUSE MAKES IT TWO STAGES IN ONE DAY FOR GB (stage 7)
Racing in Oz for the first time, GB's House was clearly pleased his win after enduring battering side and headwinds in the 98.7km from Port Fairy where which riders averaged more than 50km/h. Kristain was part of a small breakaway group that got away in the last 3 miles, making his winning move as the riders went under the red kite with a kilometre to go. The Aussie McLachlan had a good go at preventing him from getting the second win that day but Kristian just kept the power coming to win comfortably by a bike length. The win though was a suprise for Kristain who at one stage in the race was stranded in the second group on the road as the large field split in the crosswinds. But showing the expereince that racing with Great Britain has brought him, Kristian was able to cross the front group and use that as a spring board to form a smaller group towards the end. Manager John Herety speaking shortly after the race said he was very pleased with the way the team worked together. Chris Newton for example worked himself into the ground in the strong crosswinds for Steve Cummings who was third on the stage. He went on to say he was also very pleased for the team to have at last got some victories under their belt after the long journey out there. The Endurance Team are in Australia to put the finishing touches to their season so they go into the winter period in the best possible condition with a healthy block of endurance work under their belts after a summer of track racing with World cups, World Championships and Olympic Trials. After the race, Newton and Bryan Steel will return home as will Paul Manning with the rest staying out their to train in Perth before starting their season early with the Aussie Christmas track carnivals and then the early season criteriums. RESULTS STAGE 7 1. Kristian House 2:15:14 2. Robert McLachlan st 3. Stephen Cummings @ 5 secs 6. Jeremy Hunt st 23. Kieran Page @ 10 secs 56. Bryan Steel 5min 6 secs 58. Jamie Burrow 69. Chris Newton 74. Paul Manning OVERALL 1. Jamie Drew (Australia) 6. Kristian House 1:01 14. Jeremy Hunt 1:49 22. Stephen Cummings 3:22 38. Kieran Page 11:13 55. Paul Manniing 26:21 58. Chris Newton 27:42 59. Bryan Steel 27:45 66. Jamie Burrow 41:01 RACE WEBSITE: http://heraldsun.news.com.au/tour2003/
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