Jacobs makes her move in the mountains

The queen stage of the Honda Hybrid Women's Tour proved to be the one in which the VIS Women's Road Team delivered their Lisa Jacobs onto the top spot of the podium to claim stage 4 of the tour over the Russian Natalia Boyarskaya and Miranda Griffiths from the Xosize Team.

It had been predicted all week, and the VIS Women's Road Team delivered in what proved to be a critical stage of the tour.

The penultimate stage gave the climbers the chance to shine, a long flat ride along Dromana beach before the tough 3km ascent to Arthurs Seat and the finish at the top, a 40.5km stage.

Rebecca Wiasak from the Suzuki/Trek team started the day in the red leader's jersey but for the fourth consecutive stage there was a new leader with Jacobs also securing the Queen of the Mountain category.

58 riders rolled out of Sorrento in the morning under "neutral" race conditions, and the first attack came from Nicole Whitburn just 3km into the race and by the 5km race the peloton stretched over 100m and hit speeds of 60kph.

The pace the Russian and Team SiS - NSW girls were setting at the head of the field was too much with riders already falling off the back.

Megan Bagworth and Grace Sulzberger then took up the charge at the front to put further pressure on the group.

Just 5km from for the first sprint, Nexgen moved to the front but the group slowed to 38kph on an undulating section. The Russian and Team SiS - NSW teams moved through to again push the pace on the climb and split the field in two.

This left 26 riders in the front group with tour leader Rebecca Wiasak able to rejoin the leaders after earlier being dropped.

At the approach to the first intermediate sprint at the 23.7km mark the familiar colours of the Bundaberg Sugar rider Loren Rowney made her move to take line honours from Jessica Mundy with the Russian rider Victoria Kondel.

Boubnenkova immediately attacked after the sprint and the VIS were quick to respond and were driving hard, clocked at 80kpm on the downhill run.

Heading into the final stage and tough 3km ascent up Arthurs Seat, the field splintered with just four riders gaining a small break -Boubnenkova, Jacobs, Griffith and Sinead Noonan. Boyarskaya attached herself to this group just 2km from the finish.

Over the final kilometre, the mountain bike experience helped Jacobs get the better of Boyarskaya with Griffiths recording her best result of the tour so far for third.

The VIS Women's Road Team had targeted this stage of the tour, knowing they had the best climber in Jacobs, and went into today's stage with a specific plan of placing her at the front of the peloton on the climb.

"That was always the aim, it was a real team effort today we had a strategy of getting me to the bottom of the climb in the front.

"My team, Chloe McConville, Kendelle Hodges, Katherine O'Shea did everything they could to deliver me here, they did a fantastic job and that's why I'm standing here," said Jacobs.

Rowney retained the green and also picked up the under 23 jersey, while the Russian National Team leads the teams category heading into the final stage, a criterium in Lygon Street, Carlton.

The general classification looks set to come down to a battle between the VIS and Bundaberg Sugar with just four seconds separating the two. Bundaberg head into tomorrow's stage as favourite with Rowney wearing the green sprint jersey.

"It will be aggressive riding all day tomorrow.We need to secure the sprint points on offer and make sure we're at the front at the finish," said Rowney.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Lisa Jacobs (VIS Womens Road Team)1:07:53
2Natalia Boyarskaya (Russian National Team)0:00:05
3Miranda Griffiths (Xosize)0:00:08
4Venera Absaliyamova (Russian National Team)0:00:11
5Loren Rowney (Bundaberg Sugar)0:00:13
6Allison Rice (Suzuki/Trek)0:00:21
7Svetlana Boubnenkova (Russian National Team)0:00:24
8Gracie Elvin (Team Blue)0:00:25
9Grace Sulzberger (Pure Tasmania & Deloitte)0:00:30
10Sue Forsyth (Team SiS - NSW)0:00:38
11Sinead Noonan (Team SASI)0:00:48
12Trudy Van Der Straaten (Team SiS - NSW)0:01:01
13Rebecca Werner (Team SASI)Row 12 - Cell 2
14Jess Mundy (Team SASI)Row 13 - Cell 2
15Zoe Watters (Bundaberg Sugar)0:01:08
16Cassandra Dodd (Nexgen)0:01:10
17Victoria Kondel (Russian National Team)0:01:18
18India Faehndrich (Team SiS - NSW)0:01:24
19Stephanie Ives (Xosize)0:01:26
20Amy Bradley (Bundaberg Sugar)0:01:46
21Taylah Jennings (Pure Tasmania & Deloitte)0:01:56
22Evgenya Romanyuta (Russian National Team)Row 21 - Cell 2
23Chloe Mcconville (VIS Womens Road Team)0:01:59
24Kendelle Hodges (VIS Womens Road Team)0:02:30
25Rebecca Wiasak (Suzuki/Trek)0:03:12
26Lucy Coldwell (Xosize)0:03:14
27Melina Bernecker (Team Red)0:03:33
28Emma Lawson (Pure Tasmania & Deloitte)Row 27 - Cell 2
29Sarah Cox (Pure Tasmania & Deloitte)Row 28 - Cell 2
30Philippa Read (St Kilda Cycling Club)0:03:41
31Hayley Giddens (Team Red)0:04:15
32Narelle Hards (Team SiS - NSW)0:04:24
33Katherine Baker (Bundaberg Sugar)0:04:48
34Bridget Officer (Xosize)0:04:54
35Ailie Mcdonald (Suzuki/Trek)0:05:02
36Ingrid Trotter (Team Blue)0:05:09
37Sarah Riley (TDT Bikeforce RACE Team)0:05:15
38Justyna Lubkowski (St Kilda Cycling Club)0:05:33
39Heidi Buntrock (St Kilda Cycling Club)Row 38 - Cell 2
40Kayla Salopek (Team SiS - NSW)0:05:58
41Liz Georgouras (Team SASI)Row 40 - Cell 2
42Georgia Baker (Pure Tasmania & Deloitte)0:06:30
43Carly Williams (Team Red)0:06:37
44Patricia Palmer (Bundaberg Sugar)0:06:45
45Kate Finegan (TDT Bikeforce RACE Team)0:06:52
46Nicole Whitburn (Team Red)0:09:07
47Lauretta Hanson (Team Blue)0:10:23
48Katherine O'shea (VIS Womens Road Team)0:10:39
49Alice Wallett (Team Blue)0:11:04
50Megan Bagworth (Suzuki/Trek)0:11:55
51Delphine Astier (TDT Bikeforce RACE Team)0:11:57
52Stacey Hocking (TDT Bikeforce RACE Team)0:13:04
53Marlena Klaic (St Kilda Cycling Club)0:13:54
54Laura Meadley (Suzuki/Trek)0:14:17
55Alison Raaymakers (St Kilda Cycling Club)0:14:50
56Rebecca Stevenson (Nexgen)0:16:25
57Chloe Mcintosh (Team Blue)0:21:24
58Nicole Mcnamara (TDT Bikeforce RACE Team)0:26:47
DNSClaire Trembath (Nexgen)Row 58 - Cell 2
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Sprint 1 - Bright Lane, 23.7km
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Loren Rowney (Bundaberg Sugar)6pts
2Jess Mundy (Team SASI)4Row 1 - Cell 3
3Victoria Kondel (Russian National Team)2Row 2 - Cell 3
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General classification after stage 4
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Lisa Jacobs (VIS Womens Road Team)3:38:22
2Loren Rowney (Bundaberg Sugar)0:00:04
3Allison Rice (Suzuki/Trek)0:00:12
4Venera Absaliyamova (Russian National Team)0:00:36
5Svetlana Boubnenkova (Russian National Team)0:00:41
6Grace Sulzberger (Pure Tasmania & Deloitte)0:00:53
7Miranda Griffiths (Xosize)0:01:00
8Sinead Noonan (Team SASI)0:01:02
9Sue Forsyth (Team SiS - NSW)0:01:06
10Jess Mundy (Team SASI)0:01:13
11Rebecca Werner (Team SASI)0:01:15
12Natalia Boyarskaya (Russian National Team)0:01:18
13Gracie Elvin (Team Blue)0:01:46
14Trudy Van Der Straaten (Team SiS - NSW)0:01:48
15Chloe Mcconville (VIS Womens Road Team)0:02:02
16Amy Bradley (Bundaberg Sugar)0:02:03
17India Faehndrich (Team SiS - NSW)0:02:17
18Kendelle Hodges (VIS Womens Road Team)0:02:40
19Rebecca Wiasak (Suzuki/Trek)0:03:03
20Emma Lawson (Pure Tasmania & Deloitte)0:03:53
21Zoe Watters (Bundaberg Sugar)0:04:35
22Taylah Jennings (Pure Tasmania & Deloitte)0:05:30
23Stephanie Ives (Xosize)0:05:32
24Melina Bernecker (Team Red)0:05:36
25Bridget Officer (Xosize)0:05:49
26Victoria Kondel (Russian National Team)0:06:07
27Evgenya Romanyuta (Russian National Team)0:06:28
28Ingrid Trotter (Team Blue)0:06:36
29Georgia Baker (Pure Tasmania & Deloitte)0:07:00
30Lucy Coldwell (Xosize)0:07:20
31Sarah Cox (Pure Tasmania & Deloitte)0:07:22
32Katherine Baker (Bundaberg Sugar)0:08:00
33Ailie Mcdonald (Suzuki/Trek)0:08:03
34Philippa Read (St Kilda Cycling Club)0:08:50
35Narelle Hards (Team SiS - NSW)0:09:13
36Cassandra Dodd (Nexgen)0:09:16
37Hayley Giddens (Team Red)0:09:28
38Kate Finegan (TDT Bikeforce RACE Team)0:09:40
39Patricia Palmer (Bundaberg Sugar)0:09:45
40Kayla Salopek (Team SiS - NSW)0:09:48
41Liz Georgouras (Team SASI)0:10:37
42Heidi Buntrock (St Kilda Cycling Club)0:10:42
43Justyna Lubkowski (St Kilda Cycling Club)Row 42 - Cell 2
44Sarah Riley (TDT Bikeforce RACE Team)0:11:15
45Nicole Whitburn (Team Red)0:11:43
46Carly Williams (Team Red)0:11:50
47Katherine O'shea (VIS Womens Road Team)0:14:54
48Lauretta Hanson (Team Blue)Row 47 - Cell 2
49Laura Meadley (Suzuki/Trek)0:17:26
50Delphine Astier (TDT Bikeforce RACE Team)0:17:57
51Megan Bagworth (Suzuki/Trek)0:18:07
52Alice Wallett (Team Blue)0:19:47
53Rebecca Stevenson (Nexgen)0:22:46
54Alison Raaymakers (St Kilda Cycling Club)0:23:34
55Marlena Klaic (St Kilda Cycling Club)0:23:44
56Stacey Hocking (TDT Bikeforce RACE Team)0:24:33
57Chloe Mcintosh (Team Blue)0:30:07
58Nicole Mcnamara (TDT Bikeforce RACE Team)0:39:51
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Sprint classification
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Loren Rowney (Bundaberg Sugar)42pts
2Sue Forsyth (Team SiS - NSW)24Row 1 - Cell 3
3Chloe Mcconville (VIS Womens Road Team)12Row 2 - Cell 3
4Lisa Jacobs (VIS Womens Road Team)10Row 3 - Cell 3
5Natalia Boyarskaya (Russian National Team)8Row 4 - Cell 3
6Nicole Whitburn (Team Red)6Row 5 - Cell 3
7Emma Lawson (Pure Tasmania & Deloitte)6Row 6 - Cell 3
8Miranda Griffiths (Xosize)6Row 7 - Cell 3
9Evgenya Romanyuta (Russian National Team)4Row 8 - Cell 3
10Svetlana Boubnenkova (Russian National Team)4Row 9 - Cell 3
11Jess Mundy (Team SASI)4Row 10 - Cell 3
12Kate Finegan (TDT Bikeforce RACE Team)4Row 11 - Cell 3
13Bridget Officer (Xosize)4Row 12 - Cell 3
14Venera Absaliyamova (Russian National Team)4Row 13 - Cell 3
15Sinead Noonan (Team SASI)4Row 14 - Cell 3
16Rebecca Wiasak (Suzuki/Trek)4Row 15 - Cell 3
17Grace Sulzberger (Pure Tasmania & Deloitte)2Row 16 - Cell 3
18Victoria Kondel (Russian National Team)2Row 17 - Cell 3
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Mountains classification
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Lisa Jacobs (VIS Womens Road Team)24pts
2Natalia Boyarskaya (Russian National Team)16Row 1 - Cell 3
3Miranda Griffiths (Xosize)8Row 2 - Cell 3
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Under 23 classification
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Loren Rowney (Bundaberg Sugar)3:38:26
2Allison Rice (Suzuki/Trek)0:00:08
3Grace Sulzberger (Pure Tasmania & Deloitte)0:00:49
4Sinead Noonan (Team SASI)0:00:58
5Jess Mundy (Team SASI)0:01:09
6Rebecca Werner (Team SASI)0:01:11
7Gracie Elvin (Team Blue)0:01:42
8Kendelle Hodges (VIS Womens Road Team)0:02:36
9Emma Lawson (Pure Tasmania & Deloitte)0:03:49
10Taylah Jennings (Pure Tasmania & Deloitte)0:05:26
11Georgia Baker (Pure Tasmania & Deloitte)0:06:56
12Ailie Mcdonald (Suzuki/Trek)0:07:59
13Cassandra Dodd (Nexgen)0:09:12
14Hayley Giddens (Team Red)0:09:24
15Kayla Salopek (Team SiS - NSW)0:09:44
16Lauretta Hanson (Team Blue)0:14:50
17Alice Wallett (Team Blue)0:19:43
18Rebecca Stevenson (Nexgen)0:22:42
19Stacey Hocking (TDT Bikeforce RACE Team)0:24:29
20Chloe Mcintosh (Team Blue)0:30:03
21Claire Trembath (Nexgen)Row 20 - Cell 2
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Teams classification
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Russian National Team10:16:17
2Team SASI0:00:59
3Bundaberg Sugar0:01:19
4Team SiS - NSW0:01:51
5VIS Womens Road Team0:02:34
6Pure Tasmania & Deloitte0:04:24
7Suzuki/Trek0:06:27
8Xosize0:06:49
9Team Red0:17:33
10Team Blue0:18:29
11St Kilda Cycling Club0:24:11
12TDT Bikeforce RACE Team0:31:09

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