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Jayco Bay Cycling Classic - NE
Geelong, Australia, January 2-6, 2008
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Stage 2 - January 2: Williamstown - Elite women
Rhodes rides to victory
By Malcolm Sawford in Williamstown
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Alexis Rhodes, a dual stage winner in 2007, kicked off the 2008 Classic with an emphatic win on the technical circuit around Williamstown's café district. Rhodes was pleased to start the Pitcher Partners defence of both the overall win and team's competition in the perfect way, admitting "after last year's success, we were all a bit nervous coming into this year, but we've come back with a good team, and we're quite happy now! Team unity is the key to out success."
She put the win down to two key factors. "Making sure I was up the front looking after myself, 'cause the key to Bay Crits is to be up the front. It's a lot harder down the back! And I was also making sure there was a Pitcher Partners representative in everything that went."
How it unfolded
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The women's race started fast, and the pace quickly had a number of the less experienced riders in difficulty. With the favourites keeping a close on each other, the first attack came from a relative unknown, Leonie Burford (NSWIS/Degani Café). Her attack spurred a quick reaction, but the lift in pace proved to be the perfect launching pad for Burford's team leader, Olivia Gollan, to jump away to claim the first of the two intermediate sprints ahead of Peta Mullens (Jayco VIS).
16 year-old Megan Dunn (CBD/NSWIS Development Team) attacked strongly a lap later and rode alone for the next seven minutes. Her effort probably should have lasted longer, but the diminutive youngster had her run checked trying to overtake a group of tailed off riders, allowing the main bunch to regain contact.
The most dangerous move soon followed, when Oenone Wood (Geelong Mazda) and Lauren Kitchen (NSWIS/Degani Café) countered. Rhodes (Pitcher Partners), who had never been far from the front chased across, followed a lap later by Olympic champion Sara Carrigan (Rapido Cycles). A big turn of pace a couple of laps later by Emma Rickards allowed team mate Mullens to jump across in time to contest the second sprint, which was taken out by Carrigan, but Mullen's second place gave her the lead in the sprinter's competition.
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With eleven minutes to race, and the bunch poised to make contact, Rhodes attacked again and quickly built up an impressive advantage. Within two laps, she was clear by the length of the finishing straight, and churning a big gear, built her lead to a maximum of twenty-five seconds. "I wasn't doing terribly much in the break because of the people I was with, Sara and Oenone, I didn't want to do too much because they're such class bike riders, but then the break nearly got caught so I went, and my team was so great controlling the bunch, and I stayed away. I was sort of concentrating on keeping my cadence nice and high, but that wasn't really happening – you probably saw I was only at about 85 cadence."
Rhodes powered to the win some twenty seconds clear, with the bunch led home by Belinda Goss (Volvo) three lengths ahead of the impressive debutante Dunn and defending champion Kate Bates (Pitcher Partners), after a late solo effort from Burford was overhauled on the final lap.
Goss suffered a frustrating 2007 campaign, forced to try to cover a multi-pronged Pitcher Partners attack almost single-handedly but has brought a much stronger team with her this year. "The Volvo girls did a great job for me today. I wasn't really feeling the best, but Katie [Jones] did a fantastic job to bring that break back, then Gina [Grain] and Kirsty [Broun] led me out in the final sprint.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by WomensCycling.net
- Recently crowned Australian criterium Champion, Kirsty Broun (Volvo) waits with her team for the start.
- Twice champion in the past, Oenone Wood (Geelong Mazda) on the start line.
- Jenny Macpherson (Rapido Cycles) is in form at the moment.
- Amanda Spratt (Pitcher Partners) returns to a strong team in support of defending Champion, Kate Bates.
- The women approach the first corner.
- Gina Grain (Volvo) is Canadian Road Race Champion.
- Peta Mullens (Jayco VIS) took the sprint jersey.
- Amanda Spratt (Pitcher Partners) accelerates away from a corner.
- Sara Carrigan (Rapido Cycles).
- A determined look for Oenone Wood (Geelong Mazda).
- Belinda Goss (Volvo) is looking to improve on her 2007 second-place overall.
- Belinda Goss (Volvo) coasts over the line for second place.
- The elite women's podium with presentations made by Cadel Evans.
- Helen Kelly (Jayco VIS).
- The women wait to go in Williamstown.
- Rosie McCall (Geelong Mazda) hits the deck.
- Clare Valhopeoulos (NSWIS/Degani Café) looked strong early on.
- Defending Champion, Kate Bates (Pitcher Partners).
- Emma Rickards (Jayco VIS) concentrates in the bunch.
- Sara Carrigan follows a wheel out of a corner.
- The Tour Down Under is using bike trailers to publicise its inaugural Pro Tour status in 2008.
- The women pass under the start finish banner in pursuit of Alexis Rhodes (Pitcher Partners).
- Rhodes (Pitcher Partners) churns a high gear during her breakaway.
- During the closing laps, Rhodes (Pitcher Partners) had only the TV motorbike for company.
- The bunch chase down the leader.
- Rhodes (Pitcher Partners) at full speed with a lap to go.
- Time for a long salute from the breakaway winner.
Results
1 Alexis Rhodes (Pitcher Partners) 12 pts 2 Belinda Goss (Volvo) 10 3 Megan Dunn (CBD/NSWIS) 8 4 Kate Bates (Pitcher Partners) 7 5 Jenny Macpherson (Rapido Cycles) 6 6 Teressa Cliff Ryan (Geelong Mazda) 5 7 Peta Mullins (Jayco VIS) 4 8 Gina Grain (Volvo) 3 9 Olivia Gollan (NSWIS Degani Café) 2 10 Oenone Wood (Geelong Mazda) 1 Sprints 1 Peta Mullins (Jayco VIS) 4 pts 2 Olivia Gollan (NSWIS/Degani Café) 3 3 Sara Carrigan (Rapido Cycles) 3 General classification after stage 1 1 Alexis Rhodes (Pitcher Partners) 12 pts 2 Belinda Goss (Volvo) 10 3 Megan Dunn (CBD/NSWIS) 8 4 Kate Bates (Pitcher Partners) 7 5 Jenny Macpherson (Rapido Cycles) 6 6 Teressa Cliff Ryan (Geelong Mazda) 5 7 Peta Mullins (Jayco VIS) 4 8 Gina Grain (Volvo) 3 9 Olivia Gollan (NSWIS Degani Café) 2 10 Oenone Wood (Geelong Mazda) 1
