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Article on Dean Windsor setting off for Europe. - Press

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Article on Bathursts Mark Renshaw preparing for the Tour. - Press

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Mark’s Renshaw get ready for the Tour de France - Website

 

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Blair Windsor signs with Budget Forklifts -  Website

 

Tour de Hokkaido, UCI-2.2. Japan, 11-16th September, 2008

Drapac Porsche has again made there mark in Japan, with Peter McDonald winning the fifth stage of the Tour de Hokkaido. McDonald was part of a three man break that fought out the stage, with the Drapac Porsche rider to quick in the dash to the line for Nippo rider Kazuyuki Manabe and local Kazuki Aoyanagi at the end of the 180km

 

Tour de L’Avenir 10.09.08  

Drapac Porsche’s Mitchell Docker is showing plenty of form in his lead up to the 2008 U23 World Championships in Varese, Italy, with some excellent results in the 10 day Tour d'Avenir in France. The impressive Melbourne cyclist finished a great 2nd in the 212.5km fifth stage of the Tour de L’Avenir behind Beligum rider Jan Bakelants, this came after his top ten result in stage 2, and has since backed up with another top ten finish in stage 8.

 

Ballarat Australian Grand Prix – 17.08.08

Drapac Porsche's Pip Grinter, and Savings and Loans rider David Pell have fought out the 2008 Australian Grand Prix Road Race in Ballarat.  The Drapac Porsche Team had 3 riders in the winning break ( Mark O'Brien, Daniel Braunsteins and Grinter) with Pell and Grinter’s winning move coming after counter attacking a solo break by Daniel Braunsteins in the final couple of laps of the race.

Victory came down to a 2 man sprint after the 153km battle on the Bunninong Hills, with Pell too quick in the dash to the line with Ginter continuing his excellent form finishing second. Third in the event going to Leigh Howard. Other winners at Ballarat where Chris Jongewaard in the Time Trial and Leigh Howard in the Crit.

 

2008 Sparkassen Giro, Bochum, 175km. 03.08.2008

After a big week of celebrations and lead up events the Germany’s Sparkassen Giro cycling promotion climax’s on the Sunday with the UCI 1.1 categorized elite men race.

 

With the event being the last race on 2008 Drapac Porsche European Calendar the Australians where looking for a strong presences in the quality field, planning to be involved in all the days attacks.

Team Officials very happy when the “boys in red” made all the early moves, and then had Daniel Braunsteins in the breakaway that established a big lead in the middle stages of the 175km event. The young Drapac Porsche rider continuing to impress scoring good points in both the Sprint and KOM competitions behind jersey winners Linus Gerdemann (KOM) and Richard Faltus (Sprint).

 

However the big teams got serious with Milram looking to get legend Erik Zarbel up for the finish. A dangerous 12 man break jumping clear in the closing stages that included a very vigilant Mitchell Docker from Drapac Porsche, and Milram’s Christian Knees who’s presence in the leading bunch seen the charging Zarbel bunch relax slightly.

 

Things however not going exactly to plan for the Milram squad when Sparkasse’s Eric Baumann defeated Knees in the dash to the line, with Team Columbia’s Marcel Sieberg third. Docker capping a successful European Tour for Drapac Porsche in 11th place, while Dean Windsor finished strongly in the Zarbel Bunch for 20th, Gene Bate also in the chasing 14second group in 34th position. Obrien and McDonald putting in plenty of work and still finishing within a minute of the winner.

 

2008 Sparkassen - Ergebnis Derny Cup, Bochum. 53.1km, 02.08.2008

 

The Sparkassen Giro is more than a cycle race, with a week of cycling promotions and events in Bochum. One of the most popular event is the Ergebnis Derny Cup on the Saturday (02.08.2008), where a selected field of cyclists have a 53.1km motor paced event on a circuit in the city.

The big crowd all getting what they came to see, when german Legend Erik Zabel (Team Milram) defeated local team star Sebastian Frey (Team Sparkasse) and this years Tour Down Under winner André Greipel ( Team Columbia).

Drapac Porsche riders Miles Olman and Dean Windsor finishing in 9th & 23rd, with the boys excited to catch up with former team mate Darren Lapthorne (Team Sparkasse) who finished the motor paced event in 26th.

 

RESULTS - 2008 Sparkassen - Ergebnis Derny Cup, Bochum. 2.08.2008

1st Erik Zabel (Team Milram),

2nd Sebastian Frey (Team Sparkasse)

3rd André Greipel ( Team Columbia)

9th Miles Olman (Drapac Porsche)

23rd Dean Windsor (Drapac Porsche)

 

2008 Ninove Kermesse

Davitamon rider Jerome Baugnies has won the 2008 Grand Prix Beeckman-De Caluwe at Ninove, Belgium after he jumped away in the final stages of the 169km event to win by 3 second from a bunch that included Australian rider Mitchell Docker, (finishing 13th) and pre post favourite Geert Omloop (11th). Dutchman Reinier Honig won the bunch sprint for second from Topsport rider Pieter Ghyllebert. The Australian Drapac Porsche team again prominate all day with Docker in the large 23 rider group that eventually fought out the placings, with Peter McDonald the next Aussie in 27th 2minutes 19sec down.

 

RESULTS - 2008 Ninove Kermesse 169km

1. Jerome Baugnies (Davitamon-Jong Vlaanderen) 3h53m25s
2. Reinier Honig (Ned) @ 0:03;
3. Pieter Ghyllebert;

13. Micthel Docker (Drapac Porsche)

 

Dentergem – Drapac Porsche in all the moves:

21.07.08

Drapac Porsche director Agostino Giramondo has stressed the importance of his team to be involved in all the moves in their latest start in Belgium. The Drapac Porsche Riders responding by having a representatives in all the major breaks in the 160km 2008 Grote Prijs Lanssens at Dentergem (21.07.08). In the end it was the Topsport Vlaandern team that took control of the 17 man lead bunch that contained Drapac Porsche’s Pete McDonald, putting Kenny De Ketele away to steal victory 10seconds clear of a bunch sprint that was taken out by Silence-Lotto wiz-kid Greg Van Avermaet from Vytautas Kaupas (Mitsubishi-Jartazi), Aussie Pete McDonald finishing 14th in the Dentergem event.

 

Results: Grote Prijs Lanssens – Devaere, DENTERGEM, Belgium (21.07.08)

1. Kenny De Ketele Topsport Vlaandern) 3hr 41m10s
2. Greg Van Avermaet (Silence-Lotto) 10s
3. Vytautas Kaupas (Mitsubishi-Jartazi)
4. Jonas Van Genechten, 5. James Van Landschoot 6. Nico Sijmens 7. Steve Schets 8. Stijn Minne 9. Steven Caethoven 10. Nick Nuyens 11. Steven De Neef 12. Jan Kuyckx 13. Niko Eeckhout 14. Peter McDonald, 15. Bjorn Leukemans

 

Final big week of Racing:

17.07.08

Drapac Porsche will go into their final block of racing next week starting with the Dentergem Kermesse on the 21st July followed by the Ninove, the Westrozebeke and finishing with one of the major events on the tour the Sparkassen Giro at Bocham, Germany.

 

The Dentergem Kermesse is held in the West-Vlaanderen area. The 2007 Dentergem was won by Silence Lotto rider Gorik Gardeyn who was coming off a stage win in the Tour of Belgium a couple of weeks earlier. The Beliguim rider who then went on to finish an excellent 4th in the 2007 Sparkassen Giro is well known to the Drapac Prosche team after some strong performances in this year Tour of Qatar, where he recorded a couple of top ten finishes. The 2008 version will be tough 160km event with plenty of ProTour riders on hand due to the conclusion of the Tour of Austria and the winding up of brief mid season layoff for many of the pro that didn’t participant in the tour de France.

 

The Ninove national series race will be battled out on a 169km Course, in the Oost-Vlaanderen area in Belgium. Mitsubishi-Jartazi-Protech rider Geert Omloop rider will start one of the early event favourites after his solid win in 2007, and his good recent performance in last weeks Boekhoute Kermesse.

The GP Raf Jonckheere - Westrozebeke is a 175kilometres National series event in the West-Vlaanderen of Belgium. One of the rising stars of ProTour, Greg Van Avermaet, won the event in 2007. The silence lotto rider was in excellent form at the time having also won the  Rund um die Hainleite a few days later and in doing so becoming the first Belgium victor in the events 100year history.

The Sparkassen Giro, Bocham. Germany - This UCI 1.1event is certainly one of the most important events of the 2008 Drapac Porsche European Tour. The Sparkassen Giro Bocham will celebrating it's ten year anniversary in 2008, with more than 300,000 spectators expected to line the streets to watch the prestigious international UCI 1.1 Category event in Bochum, Germany.

Racing includes a Derney event on the Saturday (2.08.08), which will feature two or three of the Drapac Porsche riders, with the main event a 175km road race contested on the Sunday (3.08.08), consisting of 12 laps of a 14,6 km long course through downtown Bochum.

Last year German legend Jens Voigt was favoured to win after taking out the 2006 event, however Landbouwkredit rider Andy Cappelle caused a surprise when he defeated promising young Gerolsteiner rider Tom Stamsnijder (former Dutch junior Champion) and Multi German National ITT Champion Bert Grabsch. Voigt finish back in 107th position with Drapac Porsche riders Stu Shaw, Darren Lapthorne and Casey Munro. The Aussies lead home by Robbie McEwen (21st) and Drapac Porsches Mitchell Docker in 28th, with Rob McLachlan finishing 44th, after the Australian where active early with both Lapthorne and McLachlan featuring in the early sprint primes.......     See Preview/Results

 

GP De Drie Zustersteden UCI 1.2 Willebroek, Belgium.

07.07.08

A maximum of 6 riders a team and almost 200 starters would make it difficult for any early break to stick in the 2008 GP De Drie Zustersteden, with groups continuing to break clear during the 187km but unable to get organised as the desperate chasers would continually bring the field together.

The full 6 man Australian Drapac Porsche team (Bates, Docker, Irwin, McDonald, Williams and Windsor) had been active and making sure they where represented in all dangerous moves, and when a 4 man breakaway bunch did establish itself toward the end of the race, it was no surprise that the Aussies team had Peter McDonald in the move.

However the race went up another notch on the 4 finishing laps in Willebroek, and the leaders where brought back and a 16man counter attack settled down to fight it out. 23 year old Belgium Nicky Cocquyt who finished on the dais in last years Willebroek event beating Drapac Porsche’s well credentialed sprinter Mitchell Docker in the dash to the line. Winner of the Ereprijs Victor De Bruyne, Dutchman Wouter Mol (P3Transfer) taking third in front of Bart De Roeck and another former Willebroek placegetter Bjorn Coomans, with Jochen Engelen and Australian Dean Windsor in 6th place in the UCI 1.2 event.         .............see results

 

2008 Criterium Sint-Niklaas:

05.07.08

Drapac Porsche team added another event to its Belgium Calendar on the weekend, taking part in Criterium Sint-Niklaas. The local event has an impressive history and was won by top class Belgium rider Stijn Devolder in 2007. While the 2008 edition of the race was the first appearance of the new champion of Belgium Jurgen Roelandts, while the appearance of living legend Tom Steel in the twilight of his Career, and the controversial Bjorn Leukemans returning after a drug suspension guaranteeing plenty of media interest in the 100km circuit event at Sint Niklaas.

 

The boys in red where quite active in the event, however in the end the European Professionals took control with the ProTour teams getting 3 riders off the front to fight out the major placings, Silence Lotto’s brilliant young sprinter Greg Van Avermaet winning in 2hr 13min from Tom Steels and Cofidis’s Nick Nuyens; with QuickStep’s

Wouter Weylandt recovering from his heavy fall in last week’s national championships to lead a 5 man chase group home. With less than 30seconds back to Bjorn Leukeman’s larger chase group that included the Drapac Porsche riders with Daniel Braunsteins and Dean Windsor both in the top 30. Braunsteins continuing to show his development into a fine road rider after crossing from the mountain bike discipline finishing 18th only 2 spots behind Leukemans with Windsor continuing his good form in 26th position.

 

RESULTS - Criterium Sint-Niklaas, 98 km Belgium

1. Greg Van Avermaet - 2hr13:00
2. Tom Steels
3. Nick Nuyens
4. Wouter Weylandt 0:06, 5. Kristof Goddaert; 6. Jurgen Roelandts; 7. Geert Omloop; 8. Kevin Seeldraeyers; 9. Preben Van Hecke 0:31; 10. Staf Scheirlinckx; 11. Tyler Farrar; 12. Kenny Lisabeth; 13. Steven Caethoven; 14. Sven Renders; 15. Jarno Van Mingeroet; 16. Bjorn Leukemans; 17. Thomas Ongena; 18. Daniel Braunsteins (Aus); 19. Tony Heirbaut; 20. Jan Kuyckx; 21. Willem De Greyt; 22. Steven Nevens; 23. Robby Meul; 24. Mattias Nys; 25. Stijn Steels; 26. Dean Windsor (Aus); 27. Maarten Neyens;28. Iljo Keisse; 29. Francis De Greef; 30. Benny De Schrooder

 

De Drie Zustersteden Willebroek, Belgium UCI 1.2, (6.7.08)

01.06.08

 

A fall in the closing stages of the Belgium National Championships on the weekend has opened up this Sunday’s UCI 1.2 event at Willebroek, Belgium.

Top  Landbouwkrediet/Tonissteiner performer Bert De Waele who won last years De Drie Zustersteden at Willebroek and was to carry the number 1 in Sunday’s event (06.07.08), crashed heavily at the Nationals when Tom Boonen and teammate Wouter Weylandt came together in the sprint finish. Still uncomfirmed weather De Waele is to start at Willebroek, but the reports are not good for the Belgium rider who finished top ten at last years nationals, as he has a suspected broken collarbone.

Without De Waele, Landbouwkrediet initial race line up still boosts Lede podium finishers Benjamin Gourgue and Kevin Neyrinck (also 5th at the Halle-Ingooigem), with recent Belsele-Puivelde winner Fred Amrison a likely replacement for De Waele.   

After making the front groups at their first 3 start in Europe, including Stuart Shaw’s podium finish in the Halle-Ingooigem, Australian team Drapac Porsche goes with to the De Drie Zustersteden as a major contender. While the German Team Kuota looks strong with 08 GP Mettmann winner Stefan Ganser who performed well in the recent Bayern Rundfahrt, and 2008 Runde von Uedem winner Tim Klessa in their proposed 6 man starting lineup.

With close to 200 starters the race looks quite open, and will be difficult to control with so many team in the event. Other starters include the USA National team, Ireland’s Sean Kelly Academy team with Benny De Schrooder and the first appearance of the newly crowned Swedish National Champion Jonas Ljungblad leading the P3 Transfer/Batavus continental team.

 

Great Day For Drapac Porsche at Halle-Ingooigem 1.1

26.06.08

 

After having an excellence presence in there first two European starts, Drapac Porsche Development Program have taken there first Belgium Podium finish in the prestigious 61st  Halle-Ingooigem. Elder statesman of the team Stuart Shaw finishing 3rd behind QuickSteps Gert Steegmans and Olympic Gold Medalist Luke Roberts of the Kuota Senges team.

 

The 2008 version of the Halle-Ingooigem featured a superstar lineup from the QuickStep Team including Boonen, Devolder, and was raced in typical Belgium fashion with the pressure on from start to finish. Top class beligum professional  Gert Steegmans (QuickStep) attacking the 6 person breakaway bunch twice in the final stages to take his sixth win of the season, Aussies Luke Roberts and National Road Series winner Stuart Staw (Drapac Porsche Development Program)very impressive taking second and third in front of Benny De Schrooder.

 

Sint-Elooispriis Results– Ruddervoorde, Belgium

25.06.08

 

With riders preparing for next weeks National Championships and out to impress their team management before the Tour de France a strong field contested this years Sint-Elooispriis in Ruddervoorde Belgium.

As expected after a hectic start a strong group of 17 riders which included last years winner Sébastien Rosseler of QuickStep and third placegetter Olivier Kaisen of Silence – Lotto broke clear. Besides riders from Pro Tour teams QuickStep, Silence – Lotto, Cofidis and FDJ, there was also a health mix of riders from the leading European Continential teams and Dean Windsor form the Australian Drapac Prosche Development team. A chase group of 20 riders set out after the dangerous lead group leaving the peloton out of contention.

In the closing stages Sébastien Rosseler made his intentions clear that he didn’t what a sprint finish and the 26 year old went on the attack along with a number of the others in the leading pack including the Australian Dean Windsor. At the finsh it was a solo  Rosseler making it back to back victories 8 seconds clear of FDJ rider Gianni Meersman and Mitsubishi’s Geert Omloop. With the happy winner stating that he hoped the effort impressed his team officials enough to give him another Tour de France start with QuickStep.

Fourth placegetter Sven Vanthourenhout (Sunweb) was in everything, Mitsubishi having a good day with Vytautas Kaupas in 5th infront of Robert Retschke (Mapei), top class trackie Matthe Pronk (Collstrop), Rik Verbrugghe (Cofidis), Fabien Bacquet (Skil – Shimano) and Joeri Calleeuw (Bouwkantoor).

While Maint Berkenbosch, (Jo Piels), Bart Dockx (Silence – Lotto), Jurgen Vandewalle (Topsport), Australian Dean Windsor (Drapac-Porsche Development Program) and 2007 podium finisher Olivier Kaisen (Silence – Lotto) rounding out the top 15 placegetters.

 

Lede event starts a big week for Drapac Riders:

24.06.08

 

After finishing the GP Frans melckenbeeck at Lede (22.06.08), the Drapac Porsche team will feel the eyes of the world press when they participant in the lead up events to the Belgium Nationals. Both the Sint-Elooisprijs and the Halle-Ingooigem will have excellent fields, with a number of the world best professionals using the events for final training before the Belgium National Road Championships on 29th June 08.

With Tom Boonen (QuickStep) again on the starting list for the Halle-Ingooigem UCI 1.1 event (25.06.09), the race will be alive with media activity. Boonen who was second at the Belgium Nationals in 2007, and third in 2006, will be keen to pull-on the Belgium Champions jersey in 2008, and would appreciate some good news to take the media focus off recent events.

Olivier Kaisen top 10 in last years Nationals and Leif Hoste 4th in 2006 are currently in the Silence – Lotto team for the Sint-Elooisprijs, while 2006 Belgium champ Niko Eeckhout (Topsport Vlaanderen) is on the start lists for both the Sint-Elooisprijs and the Halle-Ingooigem. Other recent Belgium Championship performers in the Halle event include Nuyens (Cofidis) 4th last year, and Bert De Waele (Landbouwkrediet) also well up in top 10 in 2007.

Having recent experience against these high profile teams in events such as Tour of Qatar will allow Drapac Porsche to be better prepared mentally to tackle the Belgium events, as well as the more obvious advantage of knowing the riders. The Australians well aware of new European talent such as Silence – Lotto’s Greg Van Avermaet going into this weeks important Belgium events.     See Previews -

 

Shaw makes the break at Lede.

22.06.08

 

The Lede National Category event (GP Frans Melckenbeeck) is the traditional start for the Drapac Porsche European tour, it’s is the first opportunity for the team get their timing right and adapt to the tough European style of racing.

 

With this in mind, it was important to be active right from the start and get in the early attacks which usually are where the Lede 168km circuit race is won and lost. With the circuit a tough mix of corners, hills and the dreaded Belgium Pave, the Drapac Porsche boys tried to have a man in red in all the moves. Strangely it took more than 70km before an attack stuck, with Stu Shaw showing his good recent form to make the move for Drapac Porsche.

Shaw’s leading group of around 20 riders worked well to ride away and battle out the placings. 24 year old Belgium rider Bart Vanheule who earlier this year showed his aggressive riding style in the finial stage of the Tour of Qatar, took the win for the Topsport Vlaanderen team defeating Kevin Neirynck (Landbouwkrediet), after the pair got clear in the final stages. Ben Jourgue also of Landbouwkrediet won the sprint for 3rd which included Drapac Porsche’s Stu Shaw, the Canberra rider putting in a very solid performance to finish 14th in the 170 strong field, only 18seconds behind the winner....  See Results

 

Drapac Porsche fly out for Belgium.

17.06.08

The Drapac Porsche Cycling team fly's out for Belgium on the 17.06.08 for it annual European cycling tour. With UCI level events planned for Belgium, Spain and Germany, the trip looks another great opportunity for the young Australian Team.

 

The team will have a busy start to the trip, with 3 quality races plan in the first week of the tour, For race previews CLICK Here...

Web Site Editors 15:34

 

Musica Fantastique at the CSU Ponton Theatre

08.06.08

Dr Christopher Klopper and Charles Sturt University presented the Musica Fantastique at the Ponton Theatre on the 5th June 2008. Final year Bachelor of Education student Dean Windsor was master of ceremonies, introducing a program that featured multi talented singers and musicians from the Universities final year Primary Music Elective Student under the care of Dr Klopper.

                                          See photo gallery of the night…. Click here

 

Drapac Porsche continues success in NSW.

8.06.08

Drapac Porsche have continued their winning form in the NSW Handicaps with 2007 national Series winner Stu Shaw taking the fastest time in the 2008 McDonalds Classic on the weekend (7/6/08) in Wagga. The event was run on a excellent 116km course, with Shaw finished 3rd outright behind recently selected National Junior Representative Luke Davison and Vis Sprinter Peter Johnstone with Blair Windsor and Luis Trueba rounding out the top 5.

Shaw's fastest time honours in the McDonald Classic comes hot on the heels of the Drapac Porsche’s success in the recent Coota Haycarters handicap where Shaw again took fastest time honours from team mate Dean Windsor, and then the Cootamundra to Coolac Handicap where Dean Windsor secured Fastest Time for the boys in red.

 

See photo gallery of the event…. Click here