Brunswick Road Club Championships 2023

Under overcast skies with a light south easterly breeze, a small, but illustrious field gathered at Balliang Hall on Saturday 26th August to contest the 2023 Brunswick Road Club Championships.  A few of us had competed earlier in the Northern Combine Individual Time Trial earlier in the day and were backing up for our second event.  You can have your time trial medals; the real contest was to get your name on the Brunswick Cycling Club's honour board.

 

The juniors were best represented with 7 riders, U11 Aziz Kirmizi, U13 Ethan Arnott, U15s, Omer Kirmizi: Riley Boyd: Lachlan Trentin: George Mulhern: Elliott Birney, arising from his sick bed and making a last-minute dash to Balliang to compete.

 

The spread of ages from U11 to Masters 7 (60-64) displayed the passion and the depth of the club.  The open age riders featured Brunswick power couple Bella and Che, fresh from their month in France following the Tour de France Femme: Andrew Gannon, also fresh from Europe following his daughter Ruby on the women's pro tour, kitting up for his first race in 12 months.  Veterans Shane Grieg and Michael Kanizay rounded out the field.  Bill Birney tagged along as chaperone in his Knights of Suburbia kit, to ensure that no one was ever alone.

 

Despite urgings from some in the senior peloton for the 94km Hell of the West course, Chief Commissaire, Mr Pink declared the U11 and U13's to ride the 12km small loop and the U15s and seniors to complete an additional 25km, Granite Rd loop.   In keeping with tradition, all riders in the club championships start together and let Aziz and Ethan lead the event out.  Despite them both being assured of their respective age group titles, they provided a great contest for each other with numerous attacks being made to test each other out.  The sight of little legs spinning so fast was mesmerising.  Meanwhile in the bunch, the U15s delighted in talking to the sheep, while the seniors plotted their pathway to the club honour board.  True to character, Aziz and Ethan, fought it out to the line, with each of them picking up their age group titles.

 

The peloton made its way down the Bacchus Marsh-Balliang Rd, Kanizay launched an attack to test the legs of his fellow competitors.  Any challenge was quickly shutdown by Omer and Riley.  Staughton Vale road provided more challenges from Omer and Kanizay, with neither being able to get away individually or together. So the peloton rolled onto Granite Road Hill, where the fireworks began, with Kanizay leading the charge before quickly being passed by Omer.  The two of them managed to get a small lead, before being picked up by Riley and Che on the descent.  Knowing the flat track capabilities of the riders behind, the four riders rolled turns and increased their lead, only backing off slightly before arriving at the gravel. Kanizay offered Che a game of rock, paper, scissors to decide who should win, but Che was having none of it.  Kanizay, the self-appointed road captain, forewarned everyone about the loose gravel on the lefthander onto the gravel.  Despite all warnings, Che responded like he eats gravel for breakfast and took the inside line and put the power down to gain a handy gap.  Meanwhile Omer, Riley and Kanizay were struggling to find a good line in the gravel.  The crest of the road with its fine gravel was like quicksand and there were moments of uncertainty that could have been the undoing of a good day out.  Fortunately everyone stayed upright.  Kanizay took control and took off in pursuit of Che, with Riley and Omer on his wheel.  By the end of the 3km gravel stretch, Che was firmly within reach.  The group came back together, and the "cat and mouse" games began.   Omer and Kanizay tried to stretch the legs of their competitors to breaking point but failed each time.  So it all came down to sprint.  Kanizay rounded the final corner and went early, hoping his endurance would get the better of his competitors.  Che followed and landed the knockout blow with a superb sprint, while Kanizay battled it out with Omer 2nd across the line and Riley 4th.   

 

When asked how the race was won, Che Dungey, 33yr old said he "basically sat on the wheels all day and Michael's wheel and did a few hard turns.  I hit him hard on the gravel where he said to take it easy on the corner into the gravel and I dive bombed him."  From there Che took off like he was born on the gravel, quickly opening an 80m gap, only to be reeled as the gravel met the bitumen.  Che then "stuck with the kids and put it all into the sprint".

Bella, 33, claimed the key to her success "was being the only woman competing in the category".  She said "I got a lot of encouragement from Michael to stay in the wheels of the men and the U15s for as long as possible.  I got dropped on the Granite Road Hill.  Never give up is my personal motto.  Mr Pink told me the U15s were on my tail, so I got the dog in me, and dive bombed the descent and that became my race, staying away from the juniors."

 

Second place in the U15 boys, Riley Boyd, 14 said "It was a good race.  The gravel was very sketchy and I almost stacked.  When asked if he had any tactics to break away from Omer, the answer was a firm 'no, I was just trying to stay on".  

 

Andrew Gannon said it was his first race in 12 months was very enjoyable. Not enough top end power for the hills and that he needed another 20 seconds of VO2 max to be competitive.

 

Shane Grieg reported "It was a lovely first 12km with the juniors and I was really enjoying the day.  Then a couple of the U15s decided to light things up.  It was like we were on the track with attacks coming every two laps, so I started falling apart at the seams.  I lost a few people going up the hill and managed to catch up with Andrew Gannon before the gravel, as we watched the leading group roll away.  It was a lovely day and a terrific ride".  When pushed for more information about line honours, Shane said he "dropped a watt bomb of 4, possibly 500 watts, while Andrew pulled up to have a chat with Mr Pink on the line".  

In summary, it doesn't matter whether you are 10 or over 60 or came first or fifth.  What matters is that a bunch of riders from the Brunswick Cycling Club, one of the best cycling clubs in the world (Mitch Docker's words, not mine) came together to honour the traditions of the club and give their best on quiet country roads, an hour's drive from home.  The event was dutifully supported by Mr Pink and family members, without whom, the race could not be held.  

Results

Juniors

U11 Aziz Kirmizi

U13 Ethan Arnott

U15

Omer Kirmizi

Riley Boyd

Lachlan Trentin

George Mulhern

Elliott Birney


Seniors

Elite

Che Dungey

Women’s M123

Bella

Mens M456

Michael Kanizay

Shane Grieg

Mens M7

Andrew Gannon