CYCLING
By SAM DEBENHAM
WHILE Dean Windsor will head to the prestigious Jayco Bay Cycling Classic aiming at his third-straight sprinter's green jersey, younger brother Blair will be out to make his own mark in his second attempt in the elite men's category.
Earlier this year the 20-year-old rode as part of the Mazda team alongside his brother but this time around he will be doing his best for his regular Budget Forklifts team, with Cameron Jennings the man he expects to be their best chance of securing some glory.
Dean Windsor will ride this year for the Urban team alongside Olympic champion Graham Brown.
Of his own ambitions, Blair Windsor is hoping for a top-10 or 15 finish on at least one of the four stages through the streets of Geelong.
"I've ridden the event for the last three years, the most recent of which was in the elite category," Windsor said.
"I always go down there with no real expectations just because of the quality of riders involved, it's pretty special to have that level of riders competing with one another here in Australia. I'm still learning to be honest and it is just a great experience for me to be able to ride alongside guys like Robbie McEwen and Stuart O'Grady.
"Being realistic I would just love to jag a top-10 or 15 finish on one of the stages ? but just to be starting with these guys is an achievement to me."
Windsor says that he is happy to once more be racing the criterium event with his sibling, but given that they are on different teams this time around there will be no favours shown once the race starts.
"I think it is pretty special that I get to race against my brother. Dean and I train together all the time, he is probably my best friend simply because of the amount of time we spend training together," Blair Windsor said.
"He is amazing at these kinds of races ? last year I raced alongside him and helped him a lot, this year it will be a bit different."
Blair Windsor's team is packed with young riders, and he says Jennings will be their man most likely to pick up some high finishes while the remainder of the team use the criteriums as a learning tool.
The frenetic nature of the races lends itself to a high percentage of accidents given the tight circuits and sprinter-heavy fields, something which Windsor says adds exponentially to the atmosphere of the event.
"You're going 60 or 70 kilometres per hour around a street block ? it gets a big crowd because the chances of crashes are so high, the 'yobbos' love to come and have a look," he said with a laugh.
"Dean and I don't mind laying it on the line in races like that. It's funny though, half the time you are just thinking about the race itself and what you are going to do next, and then you look next to you and see Robbie McEwen ? all of a sudden you start thinking "gee I don't want to knock him off in case it ends his career."
"Half of the enjoyment is knowing there is a chance of a crash."
The 21st Jayco Bay Cycling Classic starts this Saturday and will conclude on Tuesday.