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GLENN O'Shea marked a victorious return to his hometown as he won Friday night's Andy's Earthmovers criterium at the Bendigo International Madison athletics-cycling carnival.
An action-packed 30-lap duel on Bendigo's streets ended with O'Shea catching German ace Leif Lampater inches from the line on Pall Mall near Hotel Shamrock.
A four-man breakaway of Jack Bobridge, Lampater, and Bendigo riders Sam Crome and Darren Lapthorne gained a decisive lead at just under 15 laps to go.
O'Shea's solo attack to catch them paid off as it then became a race between five to claim the 12th edition of the BIM criterium.
Lapthorne and Bobridge did plenty of attacking, but each was quickly snuffed out.
It was Lampater who led for a long way in the final sprint, but O'Shea caught him.
"It was a really tough race," said O'Shea.
“When four were riding away I knew I had to do something.
“When Jack Bobridge is in any move you have to be there.”
Lampater won the carnival criterium in 2009 and has stood on the podium the past two years.
“Glenno was a little bit faster at the end,” Lampater said.
The German team of Lampater and Christian Grassman won the madison in 2013 and will again be a leading contender.
“Sunday night (madison) is going to be a great battle.
“A lot of teams will be looking at us, as well as Glenn (O’Shea) and Jack (Bobridge).”
Bendigo’s Sam Crome warmed up for a tilt at consecutive madison titles with Dutch ace Roy Pieters by being third in the street race.
“I am rapt to be on the podium,” Crome said.
“The support here in Bendigo is fantastic,” he said of the hundreds who lined the circuit.
A national road champion and key rider for Drapac, Darren Lapthorne was fourth.
The aggressive Bobridge finished fifth.
The 30-lap showdown was along Pall Mall and took in a short section of Bridge Street before the turn at Park Road and sharp left to race along the creek side of Rosalind Park.
Riders then turned at View Street and the corner near Alexandra Fountain onto the finishing straight.
The night’s racing began with the RACV-sponsored women’s criterium.
After a four-lap tempo there were sprints every two laps.
Wangaratta’s Felicity Wardlaw and South Australia’s Alex Manly dominated the sprint duels.
As the race rolled on they were joined by Tasmania’s Macey Stewart and SA’s Dani McKinnirey in a breakaway.
There were some attacks in the peloton, but the leaders powered away.
Wardlaw won the sprint for victory from Stewart and Manly.
“There was wonderful team support,” Wardlaw said of the Bicyle Superstore squad of six in the race which drew 23 starters.
“The plan was to be aggressive and we worked so well in the break.
Wardlaw will race with Taryn Heather in Saturday night’s Innes Motors Honda women’s madison.
