The Licorice Gallery - The 1987 Boags Tour of Tasmania

The 1987 Boags Tour of Tasmania

Written by The Licorice Gallery
Monday, 23 June 2008
The 1987 Tour of Tasmania began with a twilight criterium around the streets of Launceston’s CBD. There were the usual problems organisers faced with holding bike races among any retail precinct. The criterium was held when city workers were preparing to close their doors and start their cars for the journey home. Public transport – the local MTT buses – was busy filling seats and ushering tired commuters out of the city. One of them pulled out in front of the oncoming riders on a corner and the field was forced to take evasive action. Parked cars on the course route were a distraction for the speeding peloton and the fading light was making life difficult for everyone. Officials had estimated the race to take about forty minutes to complete if the weather was on their side. However it wasn’t and the race was called off after only fifteen minutes and around fourteen laps completed. 1986 National Madison Champion Mark Fulcher from Sydney won the shortened race and was relieved to see the finish-line. “It was fast and hectic” he said after the race. “I was in the middle bunch and it was getting dark and I didn’t know how long there was to go”. When I heard the bell i was eight off the lead and had to wind my way through about 40 cyclists on the last lap to get to the front”, he said. “It was scary having to weave through them all”. A field of 72 riders left Launceston heading north-west for Latrobe on the 96 kilometre first stage. There had been twelve retirements from the opening nights prologue already, before hitting the country roads on day one. The day’s second stage from Latrobe to Ulverstone over ninety kilometres was won by Victorian Scott Stewart who pulled on the Tour leader’s yellow jersey after the opening day. “It was pretty tough starting in the cold and rain, but after I got my legs warmed up it was alright” he said at the finish to stage two in Ulverstone. Tour top ten after day one: S.Stewart (Vic) 4hr; 38.44min B.St.George (NSW) @ 39.49 A.Roberston (NSW) @ 40.47 S.Griffiths (NSW) @ 41.08 G.Goudie (Vic) @ 41.18 D.Lawson (Qld) @ 41.37 G.Smith (NZ) @ 41.51 T.Banford (NZ) @ 41.52 G.Clifton (NSW) @ 41.54 P.Gleeson (Qld) @ 42.00 G.Rice (Tas) @ 42.12 W.Dellar (Vic) @ 42.12 On day two another duel-stage day for the riders with a 139 kilometre trip from Wynyard to Exeter considered the toughest of the Tour. In the afternoon the peloton made their way from Exeter to Georgetown, some 80 kilometres away where Sydney’s Greg Clifton won the stage to complete the daily double and squeeze into the leader’s jersey by 55 seconds from Stewart. Tour top ten after day two: G.Clifton (NSW) @ 9hrs 42min 32sec. S.Stewart (Vic) @ 9:43.27 B.St.George (NSW) @ 9:43.34 W.Dellar (Vic) @ 9:44.13 D.Lunn (Vic) @ 9:44.18 R.McCorkell (Vic) @ 9:44.31 A.Robinson (NSW) @9:45.20 B.Grundy (Vic) @ 9:45.31 G.Rice (Tas) @ 9:46.05 D.Turkington (NSW) @ 9:46.10 On day three, three stages confronted the field. Tour leader Greg Clifton punctured twice on the morning’s tough 72 kilometre stage from Launceston to Scottsdale and dropped back in the field. South Australian ‘B’ Grade rider Tus Sianus won the fifth stage with previous Tour leader Scott Stewart winning the short forty-eight kilometre stage six from Scottsdale to Winnaleah. The final stage of the day from Winnaleah to St.Helens may have only been fifty-five kilometres but it was as tough as it comes on Tasmanian roads. Peter Turkington won the KOM points over Weld Hill and Weldborough Pass during a daring solo breakaway at Winnaleah. However Victorian D.Lunn broke clear approaching the outskirts of St.Helens and held the field at bay to take the stage. Barney St.George would find himself the new Tour leader after three days and seven stages. Tour’s top ten after day three days: B.St.George (NSW)14:31.02 W.Dellar (Vic) 14:31.36 G.Clifton (NSW) 14;32.19 S.Steward (Vic) 14:32.49 M.Elliott (NSW) 14:34.59 A.Robinson (NSW) 14:35.04 D.Lunn (Vic) 14:35.25 D.Anderson (Qld) 14:35.28 T.Banford (NZ) 14:36.24 G.Rice (Tas) 14:36.36. Some respite for the peloton on day four with just the one stage to complete; A 160 kilometre trip from St.Helens to Oatlands in Tasmania’s midlands. New South Welshman Peter Turkington who had gone solo on a hilly stage the day before, was the first over the line into Oatlands from G.Cox of New Zealand and R.Kelson of Western Australia. Tour top ten after day four: B.St.George (NSW) 18:52.31 W.Dellar (Vic) 18:53.15 D. Anderson (Qld) 18:53.40 G.Clifton (NSW) 18:53.58 D.Lunn (Vic) 18:54.12 T.Banford (NZ) 18:54.26 B.Hayes (WA) 18:54.55 R.Kelson (WA) 18:55.26 D .Perry (NSW) 18:55.32 A.Robinson (NSW) 18:55.33 Day five and stage nine was an out-and-back course starting in Hobart’s CBD and heading south to Huonville before returning to finish at Hobart’s Wrest Point Casino. Victorian Darren Goudie outlasted the pack to win the stage; Breaking away from the peloton at Cygnet on the inward leg back to the finish. It was his first major tour and a real eye-opener to the tough sport of road racing. “Definitely the toughest race I have ever ridden in”, he said after his win. Tour’s top ten after Day 5 and 9 stages: B.St.George (NSW) 25:35.32 W. Dellar (Vic) 22:36.16 D. Anderson (Qld) 22:36.41 G. Clifton (NSW) 22:36.59 T. Banford (NZ) 22:37.24 B. Hayes (WA) 22:37.53 D. Lunn (Vic) 22:38.03 D. Perry (NSW) 22:38.13 R. Kelson (WA) 22:38.22 A. Robinson (NSW) 22:38.34 The final day of the Tour saw a duel stage for the riders with the morning’s penultimate stage a 70 kilometre trip from Hobart’s Mall to the small township of Bagdad. The final stage was over 84 kilometres along the Midland Highwayfrom Campbell Town to the Tour’s finish in Launceston. Although the final stage was relatively flat, strong winds would make the trip difficult for riders. The morning’s stage to Bagdad was won by New Zealand rider G.Cox from M.Dove of Victoria and D.Perry from New South Wales. In the final stage Victorian Richard McCorkell was able to break away at Longford around 20 kilometres from the finish. It was McCorkell’s fourth final stage victory in six visits to the Tour so he knew the downhill finish into the Brickfields in Launceston well. “It has been one of the hardest tours I have done” , he said, “Because the pace has been so fast with attacks going on all the time”. The Tour leader Barney St.George controlled the final day to eventually win the race at his first attempt. “I wanted to ride this after I read about it in an Australian cycling magazine when I was in Europe”, he said after his victory.”It has been very tough though”. St.George had started the day 44 seconds ahead of his nearest rival and 1982 winner Wayne Dellar. Earlier in the year, St.George won a tour in the Maldives and spent some time with the Malvic team in Switzerland. Tour final top ten: B.St.George (NSW) 26:49.18 W. Dellar (Vic) 26:50.38 G. Clifton (NSW) 26:51.11 D. Anderson (Qld) 26:51.24 T. Banford (NZ) 26:51.46 D. Perry (NSW) 26:52.12 B. Hayes (WA) 26:52.15 D. Lunn (Vic) 26:52.25 R. Kelson (WA) 26:52.44 M. Elliott (NSW) 26:52.48 King of the Mountains: T. Banford – 63; M. Elliott – 46; D.Perry – 46; P. Turkington – 38. Sprint ACE – A.May (Vic) 66; S.Griffiths (NSW) retired – 51; S.Steward (Vic) retired, D.Goudie (NSW) 32; M.Elliott (NSW) 31. First ‘B’ Grade rider – M.Dove (Vic) 26:54.58 First Tasmanian rider – G.Rice 26:55.35 (B) 35 riders finished the Tour. A Grade wore yellow caps B grade wore red caps. Total prizemoney $20,000. Winner of GC received $1,500 plus sash plus trophy. 2^nd received $1,000 plus trophy 3^rd received $500 plus trophy Prizemoney paid down to 15^th place - $50. B Grade winner received $300 plus jumper 2^nd received $200 3^rd received $100. Paid down to 8^th place $50. K-Mart Newsagency Sprinting Ace received $200 plus sprint ace jumper. Boags King of the Mountains winner received $150 plus KOM jumper. The 1987 Boags Tour of Tasmania – September 8 – 13. Words: Shane Goss/The Licorice Gallery
Last Updated ( Saturday, 05 July 2008 )

< Prev		Next >

[ Back ]