Grafton to Inverell Classic @ 7 May
No denying it - this is one monster of a race and its not just the distance of 228k. Seven climbs before Gibraltar Range and endless climbing after Glen Innes is a big ask. Its like the Liege B Liege Classic in Belgium with kangaroos for company (there are certainly more kangaroos than spectators).
BiciSport started 5 - Klayton Smith in Division 2 with Division 3 the home of Eric Dole (pictured above), Steve Holland, Randolph Baral & Craig Pager.
Entries for the G2I were dismal (and much less than 2021) and it would be less than honest to say the decline in event entries bodes well for the future. The G2I Classic urgently needs a “wow” factor to remain relevant and the future is far from certain.
Both Division 2 & 3 categories was like watching a grenade go off up the Gibraltar Range climb. Div 2 was reduced to just 16 riders in the lead group at Feed Zone 1 at Mt Mitchell and the peloton was simply non existent (they just disappeared, so where did they all go ?, but maybe they never started in the first place). Klayton Smith made the Div 2 cut and in the selective gang of 16. Klayton would get shelled just before Feed Zone 2 at Glen Innes and finished 16th @ 20min 56 seconds. A great effort by Klayton.
Division 3 saw the same grenade go off big time - by Feed Zone 1 the four BiciSport starters were the best part of 10 minutes behind the Div 3 breakaway of 10 riders and caught in no mans land between breakaway & Div 3 main peloton. It was carnage with riders littered all over the G2I countryside. Randolph Baral stopped at Feed Zone 1 and Steve Holland rode an excellent comeback race and stopped at Feed Zone 2. Welcome back Steve and see you in 2023. Eric Dole finished 19th @ 31min 49secs and Craig Pager 27th @ 55min 45secs. What a super tough day for all concerned.
A big thank you to the BiciSport support crew for making it all happen.
Grafton to Inverell Classic @ 7 May - Steve Holland @ Feed Zone # 1 at Mt Mitchell
Grafton to Inverell Classic @ 7 May - Feed Zone #1 and L to R in Craig Pager, Eric Dole & Randolph Baral
Grafton to Inverell Classic @ 7 May - Feed Zone # 2 at Glen Innes with Craig Pager & Steve Holland
RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK
14-15 May
Cootamundra Weekend
15 May
Eastern Creek Raceway (Waratah Masters) …. the last Eastern Creek race before the winter recess (racing resumes in September).
BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES
Tues 10 May
Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am for Akuna Bay, top of McCarrs Creek Rd climb at 8.40am, then direction Duffys Forest, then return Terrey Hills shops @ 9.15am then to St Ives for coffee
Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am
Wed 11 May
Belgian Waffle Ride @ Centennial Park @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am for Park laps
Thurs 12 May
Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am for Akuna Bay, top of McCarrs Creek Rd climb at 8.40am, then direction Duffys Forest, then return Terrey Hills shops @ 9.15am then to St Ives for coffee
Fri 13 May
De Niro’s Cafe Kingsford Anzac Pde @ 6.15am sharp for La Perouse
Sat 14 May
Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am
Molteni Pro Cycling Team (Italy) - 1956 to 1976
Best way to digest the Molteni story is pre Merckx, then after Merckx joined the team in 1971. This Molteni team snaphot is pre Merckx (1956-70).
Molteni manufactured salami based in Arcore near Milan. Early team management were the Molteni brothers & the company now trades as Salmilano. The ‘Molteni’ trade name folded due to tax issues at the time.
One of the greatest teams of all time, and this was just the pre Merckx version of the Molteni team from 1956 to 1970. The Molteni boys won numerous single day Classics across Europe & Gianni Motta won the 1966 Tour of Italy. Motta took a total of 48 victories, Marino Basso took 34 wins. The Molteni team won 11 stages at the Giro, plus a Tour de France stage win. Rudi Altig won the 1962 Tour of Spain and then won the 1966 World Pro Road Championships. Michelle Dancelli took both Milan San Remo & the Fleche Walloon Classic in Belgium. Franco Balmamion won the Tour of Italy twice. If you don’t own a Classic Molteni jersey then you probably should and don’t ask why.
Marino Basso (left) at the Milan Velodrome
Martin Van Den Bossche (Belgian - Molteni) attacks Eddy Merckx (3rd rider - Faemino) at the 1970 Tour of Italy. Martin had faithfully ridden for Merckx at team Faema in 1969, then switched to Molteni to find his own way, then Merckx joins Molteni in 1971 !!! and brings every classy Belgian with him (most Italians then hit the exit door). Martin would then move on further to join team Jolly Ceramica (another Italian team) soon afterwards.
Rudi Altig with the World Road Race Champion bands on his sleeves
Eddy Merckx (Faema) sticks it to Gianni Motta (Molteni) in the 1968 Tour of Italy
Gianni Motta won the 1966 Tour of Italy for Molteni
Gianni Motta at the Tour of Italy getting a wheel change from a Molteni team mate
Gianni Motta (right) at the 1965 Tour de France. World Champion Jan Jansen is far left with Felice Gimondi (Salvarani) in Yellow.
Michele Dancelli (Molteni) on the way to winning the 1970 Milan San Remo Classic. Dancelli was a class act and won numerous races in Italy.
Michelle Dancelli (Molteni) wins the 1970 Milan San Remo Classic
Rudi Altig (left) with Felice Gimondi at the Baracchi Trophy (two man time trial)
Rudi Altig at the Molteni team presentation in the World Road Champions jersey
Basso, Motta & Balmamion headed the Molteni team