Worrack warms up with pre-worlds win

Germany’s Trixi Worrack has warmed up nicely for the UCI World Road Championships in Geelong this week with victory at the Herald Sun Classic in Buninyong, Ballarat. Worrack out-sprinted Belgium’s Liesilot Decroix and South African Carla Swart to take the race held over the Australian National Time-Trial Championship course.

“It was a pretty hard course because of the wind and it was pretty hilly,” Worrack said. “It was really good training [for worlds], although we still have a little jet-lag.”

Speaking of flying Swart suffered some interference from a magpie out on the course. “Trixi and I and the other riders in the break, kind of got attacked by the magpies,” explained Swart. “I don’t know if that’s normal, but apparently it happens to be so.

“You come to Australia to see kangaroos but all I have seen is magpies,” she added. “They kind of remind me of squirrels or possums in America, they are always on the road.”

Worrack broke clear from the peloton on the first lap of the 90 kilometre circuit race with Decroix and opened up a gap of almost one minute before two riders bridged across. Swart and Katheryn Curi-Mattis (USA National Team) joined Worrack and Decroix on the second lap and together the quartet worked at making the race their own.

They eased the margin out to around four minutes before the peloton reacted with a little over two laps to go. The main field was reduced to around 35 riders as the pace increased nearing the finish.

Three riders then managed to kick clear of the peloton and attempted to get across to the leading trio. Judith Arndt, a teammate of Worrack, Great Britain’s Sharyn Laws, who won a silver medal in the road race at the 2008 Australian Road Championships, and Grace Verbeke (Belgium) set out after the leaders.

At the bell lap the gap between the leading four and the chasing three was 48 seconds. In near perfect conditions and with a good crowd gathering down in Buninyong for the finish, the leaders climbed up the Midland Highway holding on to their lead.

It was always going to be difficult to bridge a gap of near a minute, especially when half of the final 16 kilometres is downhill. Worrack comfortably won the sprint to the line with a five second gap back to the chasing three and a further three minutes to the peloton.

The Herald Sun Classic is a good hit-out for riders competing in the world championships. The race acclimatises riders after a few days in the country and can also help with motivation.

Motivation wasn’t required for Worrack however, and although she is unsure on how her she will perform in Geelong, she believes the race is wide open. “Anyone can win,” she said. “But i hope it is someone from Germany.”

Full results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Trixi Worrack (Germany)2:26:50
2Liesilot Decroix (Belgium)Row 1 - Cell 2
3Carla Swart (South Africa)Row 2 - Cell 2
4Katheryn Curi-Mattis (United States Of America)Row 3 - Cell 2
5Judith Arndt (Germany)0:00:06
6Sharon Laws (Great Britain)Row 5 - Cell 2
7Grace Verbeke (Belgium)Row 6 - Cell 2
9Olena Andruk (Ukraine)0:03:09
10Emilia Fahlin (Sweden)Row 8 - Cell 2
11Joanne Hogan (Australia)Row 9 - Cell 2
12Rasa Leleivyté (Lithuania)Row 10 - Cell 2
13Cath Cheatley (New Zealand)Row 11 - Cell 2
14Ina-Yoko Teutebberg (Germany)Row 12 - Cell 2
15Catherine Williams (Great Britain)Row 13 - Cell 2
16Cherise Taylor (South Africa)Row 14 - Cell 2
17Nina Ovcharenko (Ukraine)Row 15 - Cell 2
18Christine Majerus (Luxembourg)Row 16 - Cell 2
19Vicki Whitelaw (Australia)Row 17 - Cell 2
20Marissa Van Der Merwe (South Africa)Row 18 - Cell 2
21Frøydis Meen Waersted (Norway)Row 19 - Cell 2
22Rachel Neylan (Australia)Row 20 - Cell 2
23Edwige Pitel (France)Row 21 - Cell 2
24Theresa Cliff-Ryan (United States Of America)Row 22 - Cell 2
25Anriette Schoeman (South Africa)Row 23 - Cell 2
26Christel Ferrier Bruneau (France)Row 24 - Cell 2
27Loren Rowney (Australia)Row 25 - Cell 2
28Sophie Creux (France)Row 26 - Cell 2
29Robin De Groot (South Africa)Row 27 - Cell 2
30Denise Ramsden (Canada)Row 28 - Cell 2
31Karol-Ann Canuel (Canada)Row 29 - Cell 2
32Toni Bradshaw (New Zealand)Row 30 - Cell 2
33Courtney Lowe (New Zealand)Row 31 - Cell 2
34Hanna Solovey (Ukraine)Row 32 - Cell 2
35Svetlana Galyuk (Ukraine)Row 33 - Cell 2
36Zoe Waters (Australia)Row 34 - Cell 2
37Sofie De Vuyst (Belgium)Row 35 - Cell 2
38Edita Pucinskaite (Lithuania)Row 36 - Cell 2
39Emma Crum (New Zealand)Row 37 - Cell 2
40Joelle Numainville (Canada)Row 38 - Cell 2
41Ludivine Henrion (Belgium)Row 39 - Cell 2
42Inga Cilvinaite (Lithuania)Row 40 - Cell 2
43Liesbet De Vocht (Belgium)Row 41 - Cell 2
44Marie Lindberg (Sweden)Row 42 - Cell 2
45Nicole Cooke (Great Britain)Row 43 - Cell 2
46Erinne Willock (Canada)Row 44 - Cell 2
47Sara Mustonen (Sweden)Row 45 - Cell 2
48Luise Keller (Germany)Row 46 - Cell 2
49Carmen Small (United States Of America)Row 47 - Cell 2
50Laura Luxford (Australia)0:04:05
51Lise Nøstvold (Norway)Row 49 - Cell 2
52Lesya Kalitovska (Ukraine)Row 50 - Cell 2
53Nathalie Lamborelle (Luxembourg)Row 51 - Cell 2
54Nikolina Orlic (Australia)0:04:44
55Amanda Spratt (Australia)0:04:46
56Amanda Miller (United States Of America)Row 54 - Cell 2
57Emilie Moberg (Norway)0:04:58
58Chloe Mcconville (Australia)Row 56 - Cell 2
59Emma Lawson (Australia)0:05:24
60Katažina Sosna (Lithuania)Row 58 - Cell 2
61Bridie O'donnell (Australia)0:05:39
62Maja Marukic (Croatia)Row 60 - Cell 2
63Nicole Whitburn (Australia)Row 61 - Cell 2
64Angela Mcclure (Australia)0:05:45
65Simone Grounds (Australia)0:05:57
DNFCharlotte Becker (Germany)Row 64 - Cell 2
DNFSarah Düster (Germany)Row 65 - Cell 2
DNFRochelle Gilmore (Australia)Row 66 - Cell 2
DNFChloe Hosking (Australia)Row 67 - Cell 2
DNFRuth Corset (Australia)Row 68 - Cell 2
DNFCarla Ryan (Australia)Row 69 - Cell 2
DNFEdita Janeliunaite (Lithuania)Row 70 - Cell 2
DNFRebecca Domange (Australia)Row 71 - Cell 2
DNFVictoria Luxton (Australia)Row 72 - Cell 2
DNFSarah Riley (Australia)Row 73 - Cell 2
DNFFelicity Wilson (Australia)Row 74 - Cell 2
DNFChloe Mcintosh (Australia)Row 75 - Cell 2
DNFNatalie Langer (Australia)Row 76 - Cell 2
DNFKendelle Hodges (Australia)Row 77 - Cell 2
DNFMarites Bitbit (Australia)Row 78 - Cell 2
DNFDinah Chan (Singapore)Row 79 - Cell 2
DNFSerene Lee (Singapore)Row 80 - Cell 2
DNFLizyoung (Australia)Row 81 - Cell 2
DNFShanice Nitis (Australia)Row 82 - Cell 2
DNFColleen Ang (Singapore)Row 83 - Cell 2
DNSClaudia Häusler (Germany)Row 84 - Cell 2
DNSHanka Kupfernagel (Germany)Row 85 - Cell 2
DNSLuisa Tamanini (Italy)Row 86 - Cell 2
DNSNoemi Cantele (Italy)Row 87 - Cell 2
DNSGiorgia Bronzini (Italy)Row 88 - Cell 2
DNSTatiann Guderzo (Italy)Row 89 - Cell 2
DNSMonia Baccaille (Italy)Row 90 - Cell 2
DNSElena Berlato (Italy)Row 91 - Cell 2
DNSValentina Carretta (Italy)Row 92 - Cell 2
DNSEleonora Paruzzo (Italy)Row 93 - Cell 2
DNSValentina Scandolara (Italy)Row 94 - Cell 2
DNSRossella Callovi (Italy)Row 95 - Cell 2
DNSMarta Bastianelli (Italy)Row 96 - Cell 2
DNSMara Abbott (United States Of America)Row 97 - Cell 2
DNSKristin Mcgrath (United States Of America)Row 98 - Cell 2
DNSSinead Miller (United States Of America)Row 99 - Cell 2
DNSAmber Neben (United States Of America)Row 100 - Cell 2
DNSEmma Johansson (Sweden)Row 101 - Cell 2
DNSTiffany Cromwell (Australia)Row 102 - Cell 2
DNSModesta Vžesniauskaite (Lithuania)Row 103 - Cell 2
DNSLinda Villumsen (New Zealand)Row 104 - Cell 2
DNSTara Whitten (Canada)Row 105 - Cell 2
DNSAnne Samplonius (Canada)Row 106 - Cell 2
DNSJeannie Longo (France)Row 107 - Cell 2
DNSNaomi Williams (Australia)Row 108 - Cell 2
DNSIrene Digenis (Australia)Row 109 - Cell 2
DNSLisa Jacobs (Australia)Row 110 - Cell 2

 

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