Kirsten Wild wins Cadel Evans Australia day criterium

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Race Melbourne officials had to review finish line photos to declare Kirsten Wild (Cylance) the winner of Race Melbourne, the Australia Day circuit race in Melbourne's Albert Park. The Dutchwomen hit the finish line alongside Australian Chloe Hosking (Alé Cipollini). Neither celebrated. They too needed the photo finish to know who had won.

"I felt like my wheel was maybe first, but it was really, really close," Wild said in a post-race video interview. "She was coming with a bit more speed from the back. It was really dangerous. I think if it was one metre more, she would have won."

The Albert Park Formula 1 circuit played host to the Towards Zero Race Melbourne on Thursday. The fast 5.2-kilometre lap is so flat that race organisers didn’t even bother including a course profile in the technical guide. The women's peloton completed 12, for 63.6-kilometres in total.

Attacks began on the second lap with Specialized Women sending riders up the road. The peloton was quick to respond, and no splits materialised.

UnitedHealthcare were amongst the main aggressors in the laps that followed, repeatedly putting pressure on the peloton on the backside of the course. Holden Women's Cycling, Hagens Berman-Supermint and Drops also got in on the attacking action. Their collective efforts were negated by teams intent on a field sprint.

The race was altogether when the women's peloton received the bell. Wild and her teammates were grouped together in the back of the field as they powered across the line for the start of the final loop around the circuit.

"With two kilometres to go, we went to the front," Wild explained. "It was Dani [King], Marta Taglioferro and me. When we went to the front, we decided to go full gas out of the last corner to try to pass everybody"

Tagliferro sprinted through the final corner with Wild on her wheel. Canyon//SRAM lined up its train outside and to the left of the Alé Cipollini pair.

"I tried to pass on the left side, and it was all or nothing," said Wild. "Then I saw Chloe coming from the right, and all I could think was push the wheel first to the finish line."

Her wheel reached the line first by millimetres. A bike length back, Lisa Brennauer (Canyon//SRAM) rounded out the podium.

Wild's win in Albert Park is the third victory of her Australian summer campaign. She also won two sprint stages of the Santo Women’s Tour, where she finished third overall.

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