Bridie O'Donnell claims opening stage of Mersey Valley Tour

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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.

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