John Woodman Memorial
The John Woodman Memorial, otherwise known as the Wagga to Albury, is an annual bicycle handicap race that runs between the New South Wales cities of Wagga Wagga and Albury. The event was first run in the 1930s, leaving the Wagga Railway Station and travelling via Tarcutta and Holbrook to finish outside the Globe Hotel in Albury. In 1948 the race was changed to run via the Olympic Way and finish in Dean St. It ran this way until its conclusion in 1963. In 1987 the event was revived and has run every year since. The event is organised by the Albury Wodonga Cycling Club (AWCC) and for 2013, the race will be held on 28 July.
| Race details | |
|---|---|
| Date | August |
| Region | New South Wales, Australia |
| Nickname(s) | Wagga to Albury |
| Discipline | Road |
| Competition | State Open |
| Type | Road Handicap |
| Organiser | Albury Wodonga Cycling Club |
| History | |
| First edition | 1987 |
| Editions | 25 |
| First winner | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Bernard O'Dea (AUS) |
| Most wins | Aaron Robertson (AUS) 2 wins |
| Most recent | Rhys Pollock (AUS) (2012) |
John Woodman
The race is named in honour of John Woodman, a talented Albury rider who turned professional in 1976, and 1986 join the Sydney base Gitane team. Winning a number of NSW & Victorian titles in his career, addition to riding in six Sun Tours. John was killed on 1 October 1986 whilst training for the upcoming Sun Tour.
Major results
- 1977
- 1st & Fastest – Lavington Open
- 4th – Cootamundra Annual
- 2nd – NSW Professional Road Title
- 1978
- 1st – NSW Professional Road Title
- 8th – Melbourne to Warrnambool
- 1979
- 1st – Tour of the North East
- 2nd – NSW Professional Road Title
- 1st – Open Road Title
- 1st & Fastest – Bathurst to Penrith
- 1980
- 2nd – Tour of the North East
- Fastest Time – Griffith 100km Open
- Fastest Time – Wangaratta '90'
- 1981
- 1st & Fastest – Sid Demmery Memorial Wagga
- 2nd – NSW Professional Road Title
- 1983
- 2 stage wins in the Sun Tour
- 1986
- 3rd – NSW Professional Road Title
- 3rd – Midlands Tour
The Race history
The first Wagga to Albury was held in the 1930s. Leaving the Wagga Wagga railway station, the race travel east to Tarcutta, before travelling south through Holbrook to Albury, finish outside the Globe Hotel in Dean Street. In 1948 the race change to a shorter route via the Olympic Way to Albury. The last of the original races was held in 1963. Albury rider Jack Sommer won the fastest time.
The race was revived by then the Lavington Sports Club Cycling Club. The first of the modern additions of race was held on 4 June 1986, with 96 entries rolling out from the car park of Tolland Hotel. The first addition of the race was title Wagga to Albury Cycle Classic. It was rename the John Woodman Memorial Cycle Classic a year later. Today its official name John Woodman Memorial Wagga Wagga to Albury Cycle Classic, is generally just known as Wagga to Albury.
Today it remains of one of the few city to city handicap races on the open calendar.
In 2010 the Albury Wodonga Cycling Club made the decision to stopping running the race due to the financial costs and other factors. The decision was later reversed.
The Course
Traditionally the race has started in front of the Tolland Hotel, Bourke Street, Wagga Wagga. In more recent times race has started from Jubilee Park on Holbrook Road due to traffic management issues. In 2010 the race started from Lloyd Road due to a clash with the Wagga Wagga Marathon, shortening the race by three kilometres.
The race travels through Mangoplah, Cookardina, Morven, Culcairn, Walla Walla, Jindera, before cresting the Jindera Gap and descending down to finish in front of the Lavington Hall, Urana Road Lavington.
Total Length: 135 km
In early years, the race finished in Albury's main street, Dean Street, in front of the Globe Hotel.
Past winners
| Year | Cyclist | Club/Location |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Rhys Pollock | Albury Wodonga CC |
| 2011 | Declan Gregory | Albury Wodonga CC |
| 2010 | Trent Stevenson | Shepparton CC |
| 2009 | William Lind | Canberra CC |
| 2008 | Michael Matthews | Tuggeranong Vikings CC |
| 2007 | Tim Decker | Bendigo & District CC |
| 2006 | Michael Tolhurst | Canberra CC |
| 2005 | Andrew Duggan | Sydney CC |
| 2004 | Karl McKenzies | Tasmania |
| 2003 | Richard Moffat | Wagga Wagga CC |
| 2002 | Rob Young | Lavington Sports CC |
| 2001 | Leigh Egan | Shepparton CC |
| 2000 | Brad Scott | Shepparton CC |
| 1999 | Ray Jarratt | Cobram CC |
| 1998 | Tim Palmer | Canberra CC |
| 1997 | Aaron Robertson | Wagga Wagga CC |
| 1996 | Aaron Robertson | Wagga Wagga CC |
| 1995 | Brendon Cooper | Cootamundra CC |
| 1994 | Jay Sweet | Adelaide CC |
| 1993 | Dean Woods | Wangaratta CC |
| 1992 | Peter Collins | Melbourne |
| 1991 | Scott Steward | |
| 1990 | Paul Evans | Bendigo CC |
| 1989 | Dean McDonald | Wangaratta CC |
| 1988 | John Holgate | Yarrawonga CC |
| 1987 | Bernard O'Dea | Bendigo CC |
Fastest Time
| Year | Cyclist | Time | Club/Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Rhys Pollock | 3:04:41 | Albury Wodonga CC |
| 2011 | Leigh Egan | 3:07:07 | Shepparton CC |
| 2010 | Trent Stevenson | 2:54:46 | Shepparton CC |
| 2009 | Rhys Pollock | 2:53:58 | Albury Wodonga CC |
| 2008 | Michael Matthews | 3:16:40 | Tuggeranong Vikings CC |
| 2007 | Timothy Decker | 3:10:39 | Canberra CC |
| 2006 | Michael Matthews | 3:14:17 | Canberra CC |
| 2005 | Stephen Fitzpatrick | 3:07:02 | Sydney |
| 2004 | Karl Menzies | 3:01:55 | Tasmania |
| 2003 | Richard Moffat | Held at Chiltern – 99 km | Wagga Wagga CC |
| 2002 | Tim Decker | 3:08:12 | Bendigo & District CC |
| 2001 | Leigh Egan | 3:02:08 | Shepparton CC |
| 2000 | Leigh Egan | 3:03:12 | Shepparton CC |
| 1999 | Danny Hennessy | 3:03:12 | Canberra CC |
| 1998 | Peter Milostic | 3:09:00 | Penrith Panthers CC |
| 1997 | Jamie Drew | 3:00:43 | VIS |
| 1996 | Tim Bennett | 2:57:19 | Bendigo & District CC |
| 1995 | Brett Aitken | 2:52:34 | Adelaide |
| 1994 | Jay Sweet | 2:42:12 Race Record | Adelaide |
| 1993 | Dean Woods | 2:59:54 | Wangaratta CC |
| 1991 | Peter Clayton | 3:01:28 | Sydney |
| 1990 | Scott Steward | 3:01:28 | Melbourne |
| 1989 | Dean McDonald | 3:01:19 | Wangaratta CC |
| 1988 | Rick McCaig | 3:00:24 | Bendigo & District CC |
| 1987 | Geoff Stevenson | 3:04:21 | Shepparton CC |
| 1963 | Jack Sommer | ||
First Female
| Year | Cyclist | Club/Location |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Lisa Barry | Albury Wodonga CC |
| 2011 | Trudi Beck | Albury Wodonga CC |
| 2010 | Kelly Linden | Wagga Wagga CC |
| 2009 | No female finishers. | |
| 2008 | Vicki Whitelaw | Canberra CC |
| 2007 | Deborah Fagg | Albury Wodonga CC |
First Local (AWCC)
| Year | Male | Place | Female | Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Rhys Pollock | 1st | Lisa Barry | – |
| 2011 | Declan Gregory | 1st | Trudi Beck | – |
| 2010 | Brendan Washington | – | NA | – |
| 2009 | Brian Harris | 4th | NA | – |
| 2008 | Daniel McIntyre | 5th | NA | |
| 2007 | Greg Featonby | 2nd | Deborah Fagg | |
| 2005 | Ken Payne | 3rd | Deborah Fagg | 5th |
| 2001 | Trent Perry | 3rd | ||