Bridie O'Donnell claims opening stage of Mersey Valley Tour

Former Oceania and Australian time trial champion Bridie O'Donnell has claimed her maiden Subaru National Road Series (NRS) stage win at the Mersey Valley Tour in Tasmania. The Victorian dominated the wet conditions in the opening 16.8km time trial stage of the three-day race with a time of 23:02:05, 28 seconds ahead of second placed Kendelle Hodges (VIS).

"It's my first NRS stage win, so I'm pumped. It makes the boat trip over, and the sea sickness and the rain all worth it," said O'Donnell, who celebrated her fortieth birthday just three days ago. "I am getting better at finding an early strong rhythm in the time trials, so I tried to do that and catch as many people as possible."

O'Donnell was the twenty-seventh of 43 riders to set out in the drizzling rain for the 16.8km individual time trial from Ulverstone to Penguin and back and her reconnaissance of the ocean-side course yesterday proved pivotal to claiming the win.

"I am glad I rode over the course yesterday, I used a lot of the nice undulating bumps to really just punch over and stay in the saddle and be as fast as I could," O'Donnell said. "I started earlier in the order, which meant I had to wait a little longer to see how the other riders would go, but in a way it helps you focus."

Stage two of the race is a 80.5km stage around Sheffield which culminates with hilltop finish on Bridle Track Rd.

"I now have about 28-32 seconds on three or four other girls, including Ruth Corset who is obviously looking at winning the Tour, and Tessa Fabry from the VIS who is a strong climber," O'Donnell said. "But to have a 30 second buffer, I feel good about tomorrow."

Tour favourite and 2012 NRS champion Ruth Corset (Holden Cycling) was third in the stage while current NRS standings leader Felicity Wardlaw overseas contesting the Gracia Orlova Tour in the Czech Republic with the Jayco-AIS team. Corset's podium appearance saw her take the overall series leader's jersey.

 

Results

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Stage 1 Result
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Bridie O'Donnell23:02:05
2Kendelle Hodges (Jayco/Apollo VIS Women's Road Team)0:00:28
3Ruth Corset (Holden Women's Cycling Team)0:00:31
4Tessa Fabry (Jayco/Apollo VIS Women's Road Team)Row 3 - Cell 2
5Macey Stewart0:00:47
6Emma Viotto (Suzuki Brumby's)0:01:08
7Anna- Leeza Hull0:01:10
8Alexandria Nicholls (Suzuki Brumby's)0:01:11
9Jenelle Crooks (Holden Women's Cycling Team)0:01:12
10Alexandra ManlyRow 9 - Cell 2
11Sophie Mackay (Specialized Securitor)0:01:14
12Rebecca Heath (Bicycle Superstore)0:01:26
13Shannon Malseed (Holden Women's Cycling Team)0:01:50
14Ruby Livingstone (Boss Racing Team)0:01:52
15Lauren Perry0:01:55
16Jessica Pratt0:02:01
17Kristy Glover (Bicycle Superstore)0:02:02
18Hollee Simons0:02:03
19Rachel Ward (Boss Racing Team)0:02:08
20Cassandra Dodd (Specialized Securitor)0:02:09
21Lisa Keeling (Bicycle Superstore)0:02:13
22Lizzie Williams (Specialized Securitor)0:02:16
23Justyna Lubkowski (BikeBug-NextGen Racing)0:02:28
24Elizabeth Doueal (BikeBug-NextGen Racing)0:02:29
25Laura Darlington (Suzuki Brumby's)0:02:40
26Bethany Dunne (Boss Racing Team)0:02:41
27Allison Rice (Suzuki Brumby's)0:02:48
28Josie Talbot (Specialized Securitor)0:02:49
29Joanne Tralaggan (Holden Women's Cycling Team)0:02:51
30Victoria Luxton-Bain (Bicycle Superstore)0:02:53
31Kathryn Woolston0:02:54
32Lisa Antill (Boss Racing Team)0:02:56
33Amy Cundy0:02:59
34Penny Brown (BikeBug-NextGen Racing)0:03:00
35Danielle Mckinnirey0:03:01
36Brittany Lindores (Bicycle Superstore)0:03:05
37Georgina Beech (BikeBug-NextGen Racing)0:03:10
38Belamie Flint0:03:20
39Prudence Rothwell (BikeBug-NextGen Racing)0:03:33
40Jemma Brown (Holden Women's Cycling Team)0:03:49
41Gina Ricardo (Boss Racing Team)0:03:57
42Shannon Sherwin0:04:14
43Kellie Schouten0:05:13
DNSImogen Vize (Specialized Securitor)Row 43 - Cell 2
DNSEmma BilstonRow 44 - Cell 2
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General Classification after Stage 1
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Bridie O'Donnell23:02:05
2Kendelle Hodges (Jayco/Apollo VIS Women's Road Team)0:00:28
3Ruth Corset (Holden Women's Cycling Team)0:00:31
4Tessa Fabry (Jayco/Apollo VIS Women's Road Team)Row 3 - Cell 2
5Macey Stewart0:00:47
6Emma Viotto (Suzuki Brumby's)0:01:08
7Anna- Leeza Hull0:01:10
8Alexandria Nicholls (Suzuki Brumby's)0:01:11
9Jenelle Crooks (Holden Women's Cycling Team)0:01:12
10Alexandra ManlyRow 9 - Cell 2
11Sophie Mackay (Specialized Securitor)0:01:14
12Rebecca Heath (Bicycle Superstore)0:01:26
13Shannon Malseed (Holden Women's Cycling Team)0:01:50
14Ruby Livingstone (Boss Racing Team)0:01:52
15Lauren Perry0:01:55
16Jessica Pratt0:02:01
17Kristy Glover (Bicycle Superstore)0:02:02
18Hollee Simons0:02:03
19Rachel Ward (Boss Racing Team)0:02:08
20Cassandra Dodd (Specialized Securitor)0:02:09
21Lisa Keeling (Bicycle Superstore)0:02:13
22Lizzie Williams (Specialized Securitor)0:02:16
23Justyna Lubkowski (BikeBug-NextGen Racing)0:02:28
24Elizabeth Doueal (BikeBug-NextGen Racing)0:02:29
25Laura Darlington (Suzuki Brumby's)0:02:40
26Bethany Dunne (Boss Racing Team)0:02:41
27Allison Rice (Suzuki Brumby's)0:02:48
28Josie Talbot (Specialized Securitor)0:02:49
29Joanne Tralaggan (Holden Women's Cycling Team)0:02:51
30Victoria Luxton-Bain (Bicycle Superstore)0:02:53
31Kathryn Woolston0:02:54
32Lisa Antill (Boss Racing Team)0:02:56
33Amy Cundy0:02:59
34Penny Brown (BikeBug-NextGen Racing)0:03:00
35Danielle Mckinnirey0:03:01
36Brittany Lindores (Bicycle Superstore)0:03:05
37Georgina Beech (BikeBug-NextGen Racing)0:03:10
38Belamie Flint0:03:20
39Prudence Rothwell (BikeBug-NextGen Racing)0:03:33
40Jemma Brown (Holden Women's Cycling Team)0:03:49
41Gina Ricardo (Boss Racing Team)0:03:57
42Shannon Sherwin0:04:14
43Kellie Schouten0:05:13
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Teams Stage Result
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Holden Women's Cycling Team1:12:39
2Suzuki Brumby's0:01:26
3Specialized Securitor0:02:06
4Bicycle Superstore0:02:08
5Boss Racing Team0:03:08
6BikeBug-NextGen Racing0:04:24

 

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