RIYADH, 30 January 2004 — In some of the worst weather conditions ever experienced by the Saudi Hollandi Bank-Riyadh Wheelers, 28 riders still faced the timekeeper for the Saudi Hollandi Bank 40km Road Race. With low visibility and the roads awash with rain water, the spirits of the riders were not dampened, with attack after attack starting from the very first lap.
Early animators were the Filipino trio of George Morete, Jaime Sunga and Redeen Platil who kept the pace high enough to discourage any lone attacks from the strongest rider in the field, Abdulaziz Al Shahrani, who this week was without the support of his national teammates.
As the race distance took its toll, Shahrani eventually decided it was his turn to up the pace, trying again and again to rid himself of the rapidly dwindling bunch. With only two of the eight laps left to cover and after a constant barrage of aggressive riding, he was finally able to put daylight between himself and the chasers, who by this time had split into several small groups.
The first consisted of Herbert Rom, Morete and Sunga, closely pursued by Rob Patrick and Redeen Platil, who in turn were only seconds in front of Rob Ervin and Steve Decato.
The race then became a pursuit match to catch the young Saudi, but it was a hopeless task however, and another fine victory was chalked up to Abdulaziz. Confusion over the lap count resulted in a rare sprint defeat for Rom, as Sunga and Morete showed no sympathy in his miscalculation and out paced him to the line. Patrick was just able to hold off a resurgent Platil but doing so suffered a rare defeat in the Veteran category to Morete.
The conditions did not suit the usually strong Decato, which allowed his colleague and training partner Ervin to out-pace him to the line, just ahead of a large bunch containing the popular Saudi veteran, Abdallah Al Sarhani. Edwin Seneres took that sprint, with Cat B winner L. Pentlebury in close attendance.
The Senior category resulted in one of the best finishes seen for a while with canny Leo Fischer just getting the verdict by a tires width from Jim Bridge.
Results: 1st A. Al Shahrani; 2nd J.Sunga; 3rd G.Morete; 4th H. Rom; 5th R. Patrick; 6th R. Platil; 7th R. Ervin; 8th S. Decato; 9th E. Seneres; 10th R. Delos Reyes; 11th R. Murillo.
