Gilmore takes final stage

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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."