One of Australian cycling's unsung heroes will be looking to become the third Clarke on the illustrious honour role of the Stan Siejka Launceston Classic on Sunday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
After Victorian Hilton Clarke won early editions of the popular annual criterium in 2002 and 2008 and Will Clarke became one of the home-state winners in 2009, Simon Clarke is seeking to add the race to his impressive list of victories including stage wins in all three Grand Tours.
With Will also finishing third in 2010 and fellow Tasmanian Nathan Clarke equalling that achievement in 2007, the surname has become almost as integral to the race as Siejka.
As this year's men's and women's races also form the opening leg of Cycling Australia's National Criterium Series, two strong fields have assembled hoping to join the likes of Matt Goss (2004, '07 and' 10), Robbie McEwen (2003) and Caleb Ewan (2013) as champions.
Many riders competing in this week's Tour of Tasmania will be sticking around to compete including reigning champ Cam Ivory.
Tasmania's World Tour veteran Nathan Earle returns, hoping to improve on his second place in 2015, while reigning national criterium champion Brenton Jones is among the most suited to the format.
Another big crowd is expected to line the 1.1-kilometre circuit around City Park for the Launceston Cycling Festival.
The elite women's race returns with a field headlined by 19-year-old national road race champion Sarah Gigante.
A 5km elite running race features an invitation-only field of 13 including Launceston's world championship marathon representative Josh Harris fresh from riding the Tour of Tasmania.
The handicaps will be: Summer Dingemanse, Averyl Quinn (00:00 mins); Sam Talbot (1:00); Marc Hardy (1:15); Ethan Stretton (1:45); Matt Zegveld (2:00); Jono Butler, Abbas Ali, Brian Lyons (2:30); Ali Foot (2:45); Josh Harris (3:00); Jordan Tyler (3:15); Dave Thomas (3:30).
SCHEDULE
12pm: Masters Criterium
1pm: Secondo Criterium
2.05pm: 5km Running Challenge
3.10pm: Women's Elite Criterium
4.30pm: Stan Siejka Launceston Cycling Classic
5.35pm: Presentations
FIELDS
Men's (55 mins + 2 laps)
1 Cameron IVORY (Gpm Stulz)
2 Brenton JONES (Delko-Marseille Provence)
3 Nathan EARLE (Israel Cycling Academy)
4 Simon CLARKE (Education First)
5 James WHELAN (Education First)
6 Rylee FIELD (Gpm Stulz)
7 Tom GREEN (Gpm Stulz)
8 Aaron WATTS (Gpm Stulz)
9 Edward WHITE (Gpm Stulz)
10 Benjamin SPENCELEY (Gpm Stulz)
11 Jarrad DRIZNERS (InForm TM)
12 Nathan ELLIOTT (InForm TM)
13 Raph FREIENSTEIN (InForm TM)
14 Rudy PORTER (InForm TM)
15 Carter TURNBULL (InForm TM)
16 David WILLIAMS (InForm TM)
17 Scott BOWDEN (BridgeLane)
18 Chris HARPER (BridgeLane)
19 Jason LEA (BridgeLane)
20 Tyler LINDORFF (BridgeLane)
21 Ayden TOOVEY (BridgeLane)
22 Tristan WARD (BridgeLane)
23 Nick WHITE (BridgeLane)
24 Seb BARRETT (Pro Racing Sunshine Coast)
25 Alistair DONOHOE (Pro Racing Sunshine Coast)
26 Zack GILMORE (Pro Racing Sunshine Coast)
27 Taj JONES (Pro Racing Sunshine Coast)
28 Ashley MACKAY (Pro Racing Sunshine Coast)
29 Alastair MACKELLAR (Pro Racing Sunshine Coast)
30 Stu SHAW (Pro Racing Sunshine Coast)
31 Oliver MARTIN (Drapac Holistic Development)
32 Jensen PLOWRIGHT (Drapac Holistic Development)
33 Ryan THOMAS (Drapac Holistic Development)
34 Zach JOHNSON (Drapac Holistic Development)
35 Matthew BYRNE (TIS Racing)
36 Daniel DI DOMENICO (TIS Racing)
37 Josh DUFFY (TIS Racing)
38 Iven BENNETT (Butterfields-Appselec)
39 David RANDALL (Butterfields-Appselec)
40 Tristan SAUNDERS (Butterfields-Appselec)
41 Jacob LANGHAM (Velofit)
42 Oli STENNING (Velofit)
43 Xavier COOPER (Velofit)
44 Kaine CANNAN (Velofit)
45 Josh WILSON (Velofit)
46 Jordan DAWSON (Veris Racing)
47 Brendon GREEN (Veris Racing)
48 Brett STAPLETON (Veris Racing)
49 Juan-Pierre VAN DER MERWE (Veris Racing)
50 Byron WOODS (Veris Racing)
51 Angus LYONS (Oliver's Real Food)
52 Will HODGES (Oliver's Real Food)
53 Campbell JONES (Oliver's Real Food)
54 Finton CONWAY (Oliver's Real Food)
55 Luke ATKINSON (City of Burnie CC)
56 Adam HARTLEY (City of Burnie CC)
57 Jack AITKEN (Coburg CC)
58 Ben BRADLEY (Hobart Wheelers)
59 Alex LACK (Launceston City CC)
60 James MORIARTY (Balmoral CC)
61 Jack SCHOUTEN (Launceston City CC)
Women's (45 mins + 2 laps)
1 Sarah GIGANTE (Roxsolt Attaquer)
2 Justine BARROW (Roxsolt Attaquer)
3 Emma CHILTON (Roxsolt Attaquer)
4 Peta MULLENS (Roxsolt Attaquer)
5 Ella BLOOR (Specialized)
6 Jaime GUNNING (Specialized)
7 Taryn HEATHER (Specialized)
8 Ashlee JONES (Specialized)
9 Kate PERRY (Specialized)
10 Matilda RAYNOLDS (Specialized)
11 Anna BOOTH (Sydney Uni-Staminade)
12 Gina RICARDO (Sydney Uni-Staminade)
13 Georgia WHITEHOUSE (Sydney Uni-Staminade)
14 Jennifer DARMODY (Sydney Uni Velo)
15 Nicole FRAIN (TIS Racing)
16 Amalia LANGHAM (TIS Racing)
17 Anya LOUW (TIS Racing)
18 Catelyn TURNER (TIS Racing)
19 Alana FORSTER (Gusto StepFWD)
20 Kendelle HODGES (Gusto StepFWD)
21 Veronica LEBEDEV (Gusto StepFWD)
22 Pia SMITH (Gusto StepFWD)
23 Elizabeth STANNARD (Gusto StepFWD)
24 Marty TOBIN (Gusto StepFWD)
25 Kirsty DEACON (Veris)
26 Tahlia DOLE (Veris)
27 Sofia ERHARD (Veris)
28 Kathryn WOOLSTON (Veris)
29 Ella FALZARANO (Manly Warringah CC)
Rob Shaw
Heralding the impact of Tasmanian sport without saying "punching above its weight" is not as easy as it sounds.
Heralding the impact of Tasmanian sport without saying "punching above its weight" is not as easy as it sounds.
