Wise heads to wheel in grand prix

Teamwork will be the key to success for a group of Illawarra cyclists racing in the masters category at the NSW International Grand Prix in Wollongong and Cronulla this weekend.Team Butler HR consists of well-known Illawarra riders Danny Hennessy, Simon Kersten, Mark Jewell, Scott Butler, Craig Paull, Scott Harrison, Paul Oyston, Peter Kreilis and Sutherland’s Mark McGuinness.A host of world and national class masters riders 35 years and over including ex-Olympians such as Eddie Salas from Penrith Panthers will compete in the inaugural masters division to be held in the grand prix series.‘‘I’ve been putting together a team of Wollongong-based masters cyclists to take the series out with precision teamwork,’’ Hennessy said.‘‘The challenge is to bring together some very talented masters cyclists that are used to competing individually to hopefully knock off the Sydney contingent.’’ The highly competitive Hennessy, the 2009 world masters points race champion, has been racing in criteriums lately including a good result at Eastern Creek on November 15. Hennessy said local knowledge will play an important part against strong Sydney teams.‘‘I’ve done 15 state criteriums there (Flagstaff Hill) over the years then managed to do two of them in Commonwealth Bank Cycle Classics as well,’’ Hennessy said.‘‘A lot of the guys have been down there early in the morning. We’re hoping to do well over the two days.‘‘A lot of the masters in Sydney act as a team ... here is a good opportunity for all us to get together and act as a team and try and get a result.’’ In the Commonwealth Bank Cycle Classic criteriums at Flagstaff Hill, Hennessy raced against the likes of then world champion Jan Ullrich and fellow German powerhouse Thomas Liese.Racing this weekend signifies a return to competitive elite competition for Jewell, who crashed while training at the Unanderra Velodrome, breaking seven ribs just a couple of days before he was scheduled to leave for the World Masters Championships in England.Kersten, the eldest of the famous cycling brothers, is back to racing after many years off the bike. Team Butler HR is hoping to win plenty of prize money and donate it to Move 4 Mark, for seriously injured Wollongong triathlete Mark Scott.