Richard Vitiello looked set for victory when he attacked in the final 800m lap of the Nowra Velo Club’s criterium race last Sunday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
He gave very little overtaking room as he swept into the next corner but Jarrod James took the challenge and barged through a narrow gap, sprinting away down the back straight.
Vitiello was chasing hard all the way but when James raced into the home straight with a two-length lead, he went away to the win and was over the line four lengths clear.
This was Jarrod’s second win on this circuit this year.
Vitiello was clearly second across the line with Troy Whittington third ahead of Steve Gendek, Jacinta Cliff (Illawarra CC), Scott James, Brooklyn Henry, Jason Spence, Shane Wood, Colin Hunt, Michael Berriman, Tim Devlin and Josh Henry.
This was the end of the division one race over 30 minutes plus two extra laps of the Albatross Aviation Tech park circuit.
A fast and attacking race unfolded with the young guns making it difficult throughout. Brooklyn Henry was on the move with constant attacks and backed up by Josh Henry, Scott James and Shane Wood.
Illawarra youngster Jacinta Cliff impressed with her constant attention near the front of the race and made it into a midrace breakaway until that move was shut down by Berriman.
Ben Wallis played out a similar move to win the division two race to take his first win with Nowra Velo this year.
Wallis made sure he was first through the final corner and charged up the straight to the line for his win.
Gary Bryce rode a conservative race and had speed for the finish but not enough to round up Wallis. Brad Oaten was third ahead of Michael Thompson, Bill Stahlhut, Ian Kielly, Taj Hooper, Adrian McMillan, Mark Klein and Scott Martin.
Amy Mottram was the division three winner. Mottram was wide through that final corner in the rush to the line and John Cullity took the lead and raced ahead for the line.
But Mottram wasn’t out of it and used her speed and power to overhaul Cullity’s lead and race past to win.
Freya Robinson-Mills displayed new found sprinting speed to round up the bunch and grab third position ahead of Nash Hay, Jose Pereira, Hubert Driehuis, Rod Pierce, Mark Robbins and Ashley Johns.
Out on the state scene Jade Colligan continued with forceful performances in the NCW Individual Time Trial championships and the Great Divide road race.
Colligan was still feeling the effects of a hard three-day race in Victoria the previous weekend but rode an attacking race in the 91-kilometre Great Divide for elite women to finish second to Dubbo rider Simone Grounds.
Emily Watts (Sydney Uni), Megan Scott (Giant CC) and India McLean (Manly Warringah CC) also featured in the race finish.
Jade also finished third in the time trial championship behind Simone Grounds and Ella Bloor (Sydney Uni).
A team of NVC riders are entered in the final round of the Southern Regions Interclub series to be held at Berrima next Saturday, September 15, starting at 2pm.
Nowra Velo returns to the Albatross Aviation Tech Park next Sunday for Round 10 of the 2018 Optus series which will be graded criterium races starting at 8.30am.