Gilmore takes final stage

Rochelle Gilmore (HP Pinarello) won the final stage in the Honda Hybrid Women's Tour, in a tough final sprint to the line, ahead of Kirsty Broun (MB Cycles) and Davina Summers (Cycle City/Felt).

The high speed criterium around the Melbourne city streets was exactly what Gilmore had wanted for the final stage, to cement her own and her team's position as the leading women in the tour. Gilmore herself has won two stages, Vicki Whitelaw secured the overall and Lauren Kitchen the U19 competition.

Gilmore was very happy as the team celebrated their win "That last stage was unbelievable, we had our work cut out," said Gilmore. "We were going for three things, the leader's jersey, the young rider's and the stage. We only had three riders and MB Cycles more. They were fighting for the Sprint jersey and the stage two with Amber Halliday so we are pretty pleased we came off with our objectives."

Team work was key for the team today. "If Amber [Halliday] moved we had to cover it for Vicki, if Kirsty Broun moved Vicki had to cover it for me," said Gilmore.

The pace was on right from the whistle. With 73 riders still remaining in the tour, the tight corners of the T-shaped course meant that bike handling and positioning would be key in the final stage.

The 2.2km circuit tested the riders immediately with an attack on the back of the course, led by Jessie Maclean (Cycle City/Felt). This attack string the bunch out for 500m and already the less experienced riders had to fight to stay in touch. With speeds reaching 65km/h the top riders needed to ensure they were well placed at the front to keep in touch.

With only five minutes of racing completed, Chloe McConville (SASI/QAS/NTID) attacked. She held the field at 100m for a full lap before Vicki Whitelaw took control of the chase and closed the gap.

Whitelaw could not have been happier with her own and the team's performance, gaining overall in the tour. "We did not plan to win all of the jerseys, but to come away with two is really great."

As McConville was caught by Whitelaw, another attack was immediately launched by Zoe Appel (SASI/QAS/NTID). She put her head down and gave it her all, gaining a maximum 14-second advantage before team MB Cycles took control of the chase just ahead of the first intermediate sprint.

MB Cycles' pace as they set up Kirsty Broun for the sprint was brutal and splintered the bunch down to 43 riders. At the sprint Broun was the clear winner ahead of Kitchen and Whitelaw. "I came into this event with not too much expectation, MB Cycles asked us to try to take the overall in the end we could not get Amber into the lead but we secured the sprinters jersey so we are very pleased."

After 40 minutes of racing, the leading bunch had reduced to 38 being controlled at the front by MB Cycles and HP Pinarello as they approached the second of the intermediate sprints. Again it was Broun, who crossed the line first, ahead of Nicole Whiteburn (Prime Estate Buyers Agents) and Whitelaw. The leaders were covering the course in 3:33 by the time the three laps to go sign was shown.

After 46 minutes of racing everything rested on position and final place in the sprint to determine the overall leader in the tour. Amber Halliday (MB Cycles) had started the final stage just four seconds down on Whitelaw. With important extra seconds gained by Whitelaw in the sprints, Halliday needed to finish second on the stage to take the overall from Whitelaw.

As the sprint opened up 500m out, it was Gilmore who got the better of Broun. Halliday missed out on any extra seconds, finishing fifth.

"I am learning fast about race tactics, I tried to position myself for the first sprint," said Halliday. "Bearing in mind I am not a sprinter. I was on Rochelle [Gilmore's] wheel and she looked back and saw me there and blocked me. I am learning every day. They tell me cycling is a game of chess on wheels. "

Halliday was pleased with how the tour had gone. "I am pretty happy with second to someone like Vicki Whitelaw."

Amber Halliday wanted to make sure the sponsors knew how much the riders appreciated them. "In rowing things are pretty balanced and I was surprised when I started cycling how unequal things are. It is companies like Honda coming on board that really help."

Lauren Kitchen, at only 18 years of age, showed she is a talent of the future. She worked hard all tour to protect the Honda Hybrid lead jersey and deserved to win the overall in the U19 competition. Kitchen was very happy as she crossed the line. "It was a really great final stage. It is always good to have a tough criterium circuit where it is just flat out the whole way. It makes sure the toughest girls are there at the finish. It was a real race of strength and tactics."

Mark Higgins, Honda Australia PR manager, was pleased with the way the tour has gone for them. "We have been totally blown away by the Tour, the riders and the conditions they have ridden in and the professionalism of the organisation. It has been an outstanding event for Honda. To have all of these people in Lygon St today, I have never seen so many people here. There has to be 25 thousand people here today.

"It just shows you positive people are towards cycling, what a great sport it is and mode of transport. That is what Honda is all about. We are very, very pleased with our first involvement in the sport and I am sure you will see a lot more of Honda involved in women's cycling in the future."

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Results
1Rochelle Gilmore (HP Pinarello)0:56:14
2Kirsty Broun (MB Cycles)Row 1 - Cell 2
3Davina Summers (Cycle City/Felt)Row 2 - Cell 2
4Jessie Maclean (Cycle City/Felt)Row 3 - Cell 2
5Amber Halliday (MB Cycles)Row 4 - Cell 2
6Loren Rowney (MB Cycles)Row 5 - Cell 2
7Carly Light (NTID)Row 6 - Cell 2
8Chloe Mcconville (RACE)Row 7 - Cell 2
9Laura Luxford (NTID)Row 8 - Cell 2
10Lauren Kitchen (HP Pinarello)Row 9 - Cell 2
11Liz Young (MB Cycles)Row 10 - Cell 2
12Zoe Appel (SASI/QAS/NTID)Row 11 - Cell 2
13Vicki Whitelaw (HP Pinarello)Row 12 - Cell 2
14Simone Grounds (Bundaburg Sugar)Row 13 - Cell 2
15Emma Lawson (Cycle Power)Row 14 - Cell 2
16Nicole Whitburn (Prime Estate Buyers Agent)Row 15 - Cell 2
17Rebecca Locke (Prime Estate Buyers Agent)Row 16 - Cell 2
18Louise Kerr (SASI/QAS/NTID)Row 17 - Cell 2
19Carlee Taylor (SASI/QAS/NTID)Row 18 - Cell 2
20Rebecca Halliday (Velo Girls)Row 19 - Cell 2
21Jasmin Hurikino (Bundaburg Sugar)Row 20 - Cell 2
22Lisa Jacobs (SASI/QAS/NTID)Row 21 - Cell 2
23Ginger Kidd (Prime Estate Buyers Agent)Row 22 - Cell 2
24Rebecca Domange (RACE)Row 23 - Cell 2
25Joanne Hogan (Prime Estate Buyers Agent)Row 24 - Cell 2
26Alexandra Carle (NTID)Row 25 - Cell 2
27Angela Mcclure (SASI/QAS/NTID)Row 26 - Cell 2
28Bronwyn Ryan (NTID)Row 27 - Cell 2
29Sarah Roy (NTID)Row 28 - Cell 2
30Rebecca Werner (SASI/QAS/NTID)Row 29 - Cell 2
31Felicity Wilson (RACE)0:00:15
32Irene Digenis (Prime Estate Buyers Agent)0:00:18
33Maryam Rogers (St Kilda CC Team A)0:00:28
34Rosy Mccall (RACE)0:00:36
35Nikolina Orlic (Cycle City/Felt)0:00:56
36Helen Lawson (Velo Girls)0:01:03
37Sarah Riley (Carnegie Caulfield CC)0:01:58
38Sally Robbins (Bundaburg Sugar)Row 37 - Cell 2
39Leticia Custance (SASI/QAS/NTID)Row 38 - Cell 2
40Angeline Papajcsik (Bundaburg Sugar)Row 39 - Cell 2
41Chloe Mcintosh (Cycle City/Felt)Row 40 - Cell 2
42Zoe Watters (MB Cycles)Row 41 - Cell 2
43Carma Watson (Prime Estate Buyers Agent)Row 42 - Cell 2
44Rachel Rayner (Velo Girls)Row 43 - Cell 2
45Cristine Foster (St Kilda CC Team A)Row 44 - Cell 2
46Victoria Luxton (Carnegie Caulfield CC)Row 45 - Cell 2
47Erin Mcdonald (St Kilda CC Team A)Row 46 - Cell 2
48Brielle Carlton (Bundaburg Sugar)0:02:06
49Stacey Hocking (RACE)0:05:11
50Malina Bernecker (Cycle Power)Row 49 - Cell 2
51Beth Canny (Prime Estate Buyers Agent)Row 50 - Cell 2
52Belinda Mason (Tour Challengers)Row 51 - Cell 2
53Hannah Vine (Tour Challengers)Row 52 - Cell 2
54Lisa Coutts (St Kilda CC Team A)Row 53 - Cell 2
55Bridget Mohr (Bundaburg Sugar)0:08:16
56Chloe Heggert (Cycle City/Felt)Row 55 - Cell 2
57Justyna Lubkowski (St Kilda CC Team B)Row 56 - Cell 2
58Melissa Nichols (Carnegie Caulfield CC)Row 57 - Cell 2
59Kristin Henriksson (St Kilda CC Team B)Row 58 - Cell 2
60Sally Robertson (St Kilda CC Team A)Row 59 - Cell 2
61Elizabeth Georgeson (St Kilda CC Team B)Row 60 - Cell 2
62Danielle Nyikos (RACE)Row 61 - Cell 2
63Radele Berriman (Carnegie Caulfield CC)Row 62 - Cell 2
64Samantha Wood (Cycle City/Felt)Row 63 - Cell 2
65Nicole Rogers (St Kilda CC Team B)0:11:21
66Shauna Tupper (St Kilda CC Team A)Row 65 - Cell 2
67Anna Kauffmann (Velo Girls)Row 66 - Cell 2
68Natasha Langedyk (RACE)Row 67 - Cell 2
69Kelly Linden (Tour Challengers)Row 68 - Cell 2
DNFAmy Bradley (Cycle Power)Row 69 - Cell 2
DNFRebecca Barwick (NTID)Row 70 - Cell 2
DNFKelly Bartlett (Tour Challengers)Row 71 - Cell 2
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Sprint 1 - 20 min.
1Kirsty Broun (MB Cycles)6pts
2Lauren Kitchen (HP Pinarello)4Row 1 - Cell 3
3Vicki Whitelaw (HP Pinarello)2Row 2 - Cell 3
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Sprint 2 - 40 min.
1Kirsty Broun (MB Cycles)6pts
2Nicole Whitburn (Prime Estate Buyers Agent)4Row 1 - Cell 3
3Vicki Whitelaw (HP Pinarello)2Row 2 - Cell 3
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Sprint 3 - Finish
1Rochelle Gilmore (HP Pinarello)10pts
2Kirsty Broun (MB Cycles)8Row 1 - Cell 3
3Davina Summers (Cycle City/Felt)6Row 2 - Cell 3
4Jessie Maclean (Cycle City/Felt)4Row 3 - Cell 3
5Amber Halliday (MB Cycles)2Row 4 - Cell 3
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Under 19
1Lauren Kitchen (HP Pinarello)0:56:14
2Jasmin Hurikino (Bundaburg Sugar)Row 1 - Cell 2
3Alexandra Carle (NTID)Row 2 - Cell 2
4Angela Mcclure (SASI/QAS/NTID)Row 3 - Cell 2
5Leticia Custance (SASI/QAS/NTID)0:01:58
6Stacey Hocking (RACE)0:05:11
7Beth Canny (Prime Estate Buyers Agent)Row 6 - Cell 2
8Belinda Mason (Tour Challengers)Row 7 - Cell 2
9Bridget Mohr (Bundaburg Sugar)0:08:16
10Natasha Langedyk (RACE)0:11:21
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Teams
1MB Cycles2:48:42
2HP PinarelloRow 1 - Cell 2
3NTIDRow 2 - Cell 2
4SASI/QAS/NTIDRow 3 - Cell 2
5Prime Estate Buyers AgentRow 4 - Cell 2
6RACE0:00:15
7Cycle City/Felt0:00:56
8Bundaburg Sugar0:01:58
9Velo Girls0:03:01
10St Kilda CC Team A0:04:24
11Carnegie Caulfield CC0:12:12
12Tour Challengers0:21:43
13St Kilda CC Team B0:24:48
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Final general classification
1Vicki Whitelaw (HP Pinarello)2:39:37
2Amber Halliday (MB Cycles)0:00:06
3Carly Light (NTID)0:00:13
4Bronwyn Ryan (NTID)0:00:42
5Louise Kerr (SASI/QAS/NTID)0:00:50
6Liz Young (MB Cycles)0:00:56
7Nicole Whitburn (Prime Estate Buyers Agent)Row 6 - Cell 2
8Simone Grounds (Bundaburg Sugar)0:00:58
9Ginger Kidd (Prime Estate Buyers Agent)0:00:59
10Carlee Taylor (SASI/QAS/NTID)0:01:01
11Lisa Jacobs (SASI/QAS/NTID)Row 10 - Cell 2
12Chloe Mcconville (RACE)Row 11 - Cell 2
13Emma Lawson (Cycle Power)0:01:04
14Rebecca Halliday (Velo Girls)0:01:05
15Jessie Maclean (Cycle City/Felt)0:01:08
16Kirsty Broun (MB Cycles)0:01:09
17Loren Rowney (MB Cycles)0:01:13
18Zoe Appel (SASI/QAS/NTID)0:01:16
19Rebecca Domange (RACE)0:01:17
20Lauren Kitchen (HP Pinarello)0:01:18
21Joanne Hogan (Prime Estate Buyers Agent)0:01:20
22Laura Luxford (NTID)0:01:24
23Alexandra Carle (NTID)0:01:26
24Felicity Wilson (RACE)0:01:35
25Rochelle Gilmore (HP Pinarello)0:01:41
26Irene Digenis (Prime Estate Buyers Agent)0:01:43
27Sarah Roy (NTID)0:01:45
28Jasmin Hurikino (Bundaburg Sugar)0:01:51
29Angela Mcclure (SASI/QAS/NTID)0:01:56
30Rebecca Werner (SASI/QAS/NTID)Row 29 - Cell 2
31Davina Summers (Cycle City/Felt)0:02:18
32Rebecca Locke (Prime Estate Buyers Agent)0:02:25
33Nikolina Orlic (Cycle City/Felt)0:02:38
34Rosy Mccall (RACE)0:02:39
35Sally Robbins (Bundaburg Sugar)0:03:11
36Leticia Custance (SASI/QAS/NTID)0:03:20
37Helen Lawson (Velo Girls)0:03:22
38Maryam Rogers (St Kilda CC Team A)0:03:28
39Zoe Watters (MB Cycles)0:03:36
40Carma Watson (Prime Estate Buyers Agent)0:04:01
41Sarah Riley (Carnegie Caulfield CC)0:04:24
42Erin Mcdonald (St Kilda CC Team A)0:04:38
43Cristine Foster (St Kilda CC Team A)0:04:49
44Beth Canny (Prime Estate Buyers Agent)0:07:40
45Rachel Rayner (Velo Girls)0:10:04
46Angeline Papajcsik (Bundaburg Sugar)0:10:34
47Samantha Wood (Cycle City/Felt)0:10:41
48Brielle Carlton (Bundaburg Sugar)0:11:02
49Chloe Mcintosh (Cycle City/Felt)0:11:30
50Victoria Luxton (Carnegie Caulfield CC)0:11:37
51Anna Kauffmann (Velo Girls)0:13:07
52Belinda Mason (Tour Challengers)0:13:43
53Malina Bernecker (Cycle Power)0:14:13
54Hannah Vine (Tour Challengers)0:14:35
55Lisa Coutts (St Kilda CC Team A)0:17:41
56Stacey Hocking (RACE)0:20:40
57Bridget Mohr (Bundaburg Sugar)0:23:51
58Justyna Lubkowski (St Kilda CC Team B)0:24:13
59Danielle Nyikos (RACE)0:24:24
60Chloe Heggert (Cycle City/Felt)0:24:25
61Elizabeth Georgeson (St Kilda CC Team B)0:24:31
62Sally Robertson (St Kilda CC Team A)0:24:47
63Radele Berriman (Carnegie Caulfield CC)0:26:01
64Kristin Henriksson (St Kilda CC Team B)0:26:23
65Melissa Nichols (Carnegie Caulfield CC)0:26:36
66Natasha Langedyk (RACE)0:26:48
67Shauna Tupper (St Kilda CC Team A)0:27:19
68Kelly Linden (Tour Challengers)0:27:28
69Nicole Rogers (St Kilda CC Team B)0:27:43
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Teams classification
1MB Cycles8:01:09
2NTID0:00:07
3SASI/QAS/NTID0:00:38
4Prime Estate Buyers Agent0:01:06
5HP Pinarello0:01:13
6RACE0:01:42
7Bundaburg Sugar0:03:48
8Cycle City/Felt0:03:56
9Velo Girls0:05:25
10St Kilda CC Team A0:10:15
11Carnegie Caulfield CC0:39:48
12Tour Challengers0:39:53
13St Kilda CC Team B1:11:08

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