Mersey Valley Tour Results
WAIS cyclists have competed at the Mersey Valley Tour in the latest round of the National Road Series which was held in Tasmania last weekend, with Michael Storer producing an impressive campaign.
With the Mersey Valley leg of the NRS an U19 only event in the men’s category, Storer was able to show plenty of promise for the future of Australian road cycling, after capturing podium finishes in the first two stages, before finishing fourth in the final stage, to round out a highly consistent tour.
There were also high quality performances from Storer’s WAIS training partners Reece Tucknott, Sam Welsford, Darcy Pirotta and Alex Rendell in what was a hotly contested tour.
Stage one of the Mersey Valley Tour was a 16.8km time trial, which Michael Storer claimed by just under a second from Queensland’s Daniel Fitter. Storer clocked 21:51 for line honours, with Pirotta fifth, Welsford 11th, Rendell 19th and Tucknott just further behind in 24th.
The second stage was the longest of the three, with a 104.6km course testing the young field. Storer was again best of the Western Australian contingent, finishing second behind Victorian Lucas Hamilton with a 29 second drop after the Perth rider had been hauled in from a solo break in the final 3 kilometres. Pirotta again claimed fifth place, whilst Tucknott rounded out the top ten ahead of Welsford (13th) and Rendell (29th).
The final stage pitted the competing cyclists over an undulating 74.8km course, with Victoria’s Jordan Stannus taking the stage win. Storer crossed the line in the lead group, to record the same time as the stage winner, whilst Pirotta was in the chasing peloton 54″ behind. The remaining WAIS athletes came home in batches as the field had concertinaed under the fast race pace. Tucknott was 17th, Welsford 19th and Rendell 31st.
The next round of the National Road Series moves to Murwillumbah for the Battle of the Border from May 15-18.
Result, news and rankings for the NRS can be found at the competition website.