Report

Race 17: 40 Km Road Race25 Mile Time Trial

LtoR Race winner Rodd Taylor shares a joke with his

trainer and 2009 Champion, James Cusden

Taylor Smashes Hour Barrier in Novartis Consumer Health-RW 40km TT

The final race of a long Novartis Consumer Health-Riyadh Wheelers

season came to an end at the weekend when 39 riders contesting a 40km

(25ml) time trial.  For those chasing valuable Championship points,

the race provided a chance to improve their standings and also improve

on their previous best times.  One of those who took full advantage

was winner Rodd Taylor, who has been training specifically for this

event, and by taking maximum points not only moved up in the overall

standings but also achieved the ultimate accolade by breaking the hour

barrier for the first time.  This was a milestone for Taylor who now

joins an elite list of riders who have achieved this mark.  In second

place, Gaetan Contrino now in preparation for the triathlon season,

also recorded a 40kph+ ride, ahead of former winner Kelvin Bowers and

Dhahran visitor Eddie Atkinson.  Conditions were considered to be

good, with most of the field posting personal best times, notables

being Reiner and Freda Gocian, Scott Waight, Alex Carinan, Tom Walton

and Herbert Rom-now astride a magnificent TT-specific machine for the

first time.  The race also marked to departure of former Cat B

champion Nancy Desanghere, who after being one of the dominating

forces of ladies cycling and triathlon over the years, has moved on to

new challenges in her native Canada.

Missing from the results was Rob Patrick, who had travelled to Dubai

at the invitation of former member Dave Forshaw, to compete in the

biggest unofficial mass participation bike event in the Middle East,

the ‘Wolfies Bike Shop 130km’.  “The ride attracts over 150 cyclists

every weekend and is well organized with support vehicles and

marshals, it’s well worth bringing your bike for”, said Patrick on his

return.

RESULTS

1st R.Taylor 58m50s; 2nd G.Contrino 59m30s; 3rd K.Bowers 1h0m13s; 4th

E.Atkinson 1h1m13s; 5th A.Carinan 1h1m50s; 6th J.Cordial 1h3m6s; 7th

R.Gocian 1h3m40s; 8th G.Morete 1h3m44s; 9th A.Cabal 1h4m12s; 10th

G.Swinburn 1h4m46s; 11th T.Walton 1h5m45s; 12th H.Rom 1h6m0s; 13th

S.Waight 1h6m42s; 14th L.Cortsen 1h7m45s; 15th P.Green 1h7m54s; 16th

F.Gocian 1h9m32s; 17th O.Galang 1h9m37s; 18th F.Requillo 1h10m02s;

19th P.Foster 1h10m32s; 20th H.Kilpatrick 1h11m30s; 21st P.Waddell

1h11m49s; 22nd R.Bitong 1h12m34s; 23rd S.Cazottes 1h12m49s; 24th

J.Damance 1h13m22s; 25th M.Ammad 1h14m1s.

FINAL 08/09 CHAMPIONSHIP POSITIONS

OVERALL 1st James Cusden, 2nd J.Sunga; 3rd G.Contrino

CATEGORIES (outside of top 3) OPEN Redeen Platil; VETERAN Rodd Taylor;

MASTER Rob Patrick; SENIOR Peter Waddell; CAT B Fiona MacLeod