Results
1999 Stage 6 winner: Anna Wilson
RESULTS
Stage 4 - March 6: Khancoban - Cabramurra, 110.8 kms
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The "Queen stage" of the Tour de Snowy was met with considerable nervousness by many riders in the race, after starting with three comparatively short stages. The reason for this was simple: starting from a height of less than 400 meters at Khancoban, the race went up to 1000 meters by kilometer 86, with a long drag of 10 kilometers culminating in a category 2 sprint at 55 km. Following a steep descent, the riders had to climb another 900 meters in 15 kilometers for a mountain finish. Definitely a stage where good all-round mountain skills would count.
The stage at least started in slightly cooler conditions, but the sun was out in force which would take its toll on many during the stage. An early attack by Jayco-VIS rider, Liz Tadich who won the stage last year set things going, and she was joined by Timex's Odessa Gunn (Can) and Marielle van Scheppingen (Pays Bas). The trio were on a suicide mission, but the aim was to make the other teams, Saturn and Canada chase in order to drain their reserves for the climbs to come.
The break was doomed fairly quickly however, as Tadich punctured at km 28, van Scheppingen went back to the bunch, and Gunn carried on. Tadich came back to Gunn before the first climb started at 42 kilometers, but the two were joined by a larger group of 14, who had escaped the bunch. The chasing group was being driven by Canada's Geneviève Jeanson, who was looking to make a big impression over her favoured mountainous terrain.
After a partial regrouping, the lead 14 split to pieces halfway up the first climb when an attack by Jeanson went. No-one chased immediately - a dangerous gamble, and it was Timex's Tracey Gaudry who made the first attempt to follow. She left the remnants of the group, determined to catch Jeanson, who won the first QOM and had a slender lead of 40 seconds for quite some time.
Gaudry was followed by a group containing race leader Anna Wilson (Aus, Saturn) and her teammate Dede Demet (USA), Mari Holden (USA, Timex), Kim Shirley (Aus, AIS) and Rosalind Reekie-May (NZ). These five were rapidly losing time though, and Gaudry was forced to try and close the gap herself.
On the descent at kilometer 86, Jeanson had 1:36 on Gaudry, and nearly 5 minutes on the five. However, Gaudry made up some time down the twisting roads, clocking 80 km/h at some points. At the bottom though, the gap was still almost a minute, and there was another first category climb to come. On the final ascent to Cabramurra, Jeanson continued her rhythmic approach, putting a little more time into last year's overall winner, Tracey Gaudry. She had over two minutes over the top of the QOM, but this came down to 1:39 by the finish, as an exhausted Jeanson crossed the line in to win.
After Gaudry finished, next in was Kim Shirley from the AIS who rode extremely well in the heat to finish ahead of Holden, Wilson and Demet. However, they were all nearly 8 minutes down on the winner, who was still recovering lying on the road near the finish.
After she had cooled down a little, the Canadian dual-world champion was happy to talk: "I had planned this, I knew the race was today," she said. "I like to climb, and I like the heat."
"It was hard, and Tracey was really good, and I had maybe 30 seconds for a long time. I'm not really good on the downhills, and Tracey took 40 seconds in five kilometers. After that, I just maintained a time trial pace up the final climb to win. My heart rate was in the 180's all the way, and I was dying - dreaming to the end," said a relieved Jeanson, who added that the climbs were some of the toughest she had faced, having not done much racing in Europe.
With Gaudry still breathing down her neck, Jeanson will have to fight hard: "Yes, but I'm not going to let that jersey go."
She is only 18, and is aiming for the Olympics this year, a course that may not suit her as much as today. She has not had a great deal of senior competition, although she did win the Killington road race in the USA last year. She has a lot of work to do for the Olympics and will come up against a very seasoned field, however she will undoubtably be a strong contender.
Tracey Gaudry was still looking composed at the end, and knows full well that the race isn't over, despite today being the toughest stage. "Had there been a couple of others to chase, it would have been ok, but no-one reacted in time so I was forced to go. It was one of the hardest races I've done, especially at this time of year when I'm not at peak level," she said.
"I'll be able to call on teammates and hopefully some friends in the bunch to try and win the race," said Gaudry who was working out the game plan for the next few stages whilst sipping a recovery drink. The race is certainly not over, as Jeanson has just a 1:34 lead on Gaudry and was clearly in worse shape by the end of the stage. The experience of Gaudry, combined with the strength of her team may prove enough in the next 3-4 stages, but it will be a matter of clawing back the lead unless the Canadian cracks.
Tomorrow is 83.6 kilometers from Adaminaby to Jindabyne with just a sprint and a category 3 climb along the way. Look for some aggressive riding by the Timex team, who will attack the Canadians all the way.
1 Geneviève Jeanson (Can) Canada 3.56.15 (28.14 km/h) 2 Tracey Gaudry (Aus) Timex 1.39 3 Kym Shirley (Aus) AIS-ACTAS 6.05 4 Mari Holden (USA) Timex 7.02 5 Anna Wilson (Aus) Saturn 8.11 6 Dede Demet (USA) Saturn 7 Rosalind Reekie-May (NZl) New Zealand 9.09 8 Jacinta Coleman (NZl) New Zealand 9.52 9 Juanita Feldhahn (Aus) AIS-ACTAS 10.55 10 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Pays Bas-Holland 12.17 11 Susy Pryde (NZl) Saturn 14.30 12 Chantal Beltman (Ned) Pays Bas-Holland 15.29 13 Sandy Espeseth (Can) Canada 14 Kim Smith (USA) Timex 15.45 15 Julie Hooper (Aus) Southern Regional Team 17.36 16 Nadia Frischknecht (Aus) Sydney Water 18.36 17 Marcia Eicher Vouets (Swi) Master Team/Carpe Diem 18 Alison Wright (Aus) AIS-ACTAS 19 Anna Bayliss (Aus) Southern Regional Team 20 Karen Kurreck (USA) Canada 21 Priska Doppman (Swi) Master Team/Carpe Diem 22 Sara Carrigan (Aus) AIS-ACTAS 20.22 23 Margaret Hemsley (Aus) Bicisport-NSWIS 24 Sanna Lehtimaki (Fin) Timex 21.34 25 Erin Carter (Can) Canada 22.50 26 Sarah Ulmer (NZl) New Zealand 23.40 27 Karen Sumpton (Aus) Southern Regional Team 24.22 28 Erin Veenstra-Mirabella (USA) Timex 24.28 29 Emma James (Aus) Sydney Water 25.26 30 Marielle Van Scheppingen (Ned) Pays Bas-Holland 25.41 31 Katie Mactier (Aus) Jayco-VIS 25.46 32 Annalisa Farrell (NZl) New Zealand 25.51 33 Katia Longhin (Ita) Master Team/Carpe Diem 27.16 34 Benita Douglas (NZl) Team 2001 27.35 35 Jodie Vaassen (Aus) Velobelles 27.42 36 Ghita Beltman (Ned) Pays Bas-Holland 28.22 37 Arenda Grimberg (Ned) Pays Bas-Holland 28.57 38 Hayley Rutherford (Aus) AIS-ACTAS 27.03 39 Mika Ogishima (Jpn) Northern Regional Team 31.34 40 Annabelle Vowels (Aus) Velobelles 41 Elizabeth Tadich (Aus) Jayco-VIS 42 Anne Samplonius (Can) Canada 43 Vanessa Cheatley (NZl) New Zealand 44 Kerry Ellen Hellmuth (USA) Master Team/Carpe Diem 45 Ayumi Ootsuka (Jpn) Japan 32.25 46 Kirsty Robb (NZl) Team 2001 32.31 47 Akemi Morimoto (Jpn) Japan 32.35 48 Natalie Bates (Aus) Bicisport-NSWIS 34.20 49 Fiona Scarff (Aus) Velobelles 50 Geraldine Denham (Aus) Jayco-VIS 34.55 51 Belinda Probert (Aus) Bicisport-NSWIS 34.59 52 Odessa Gunn (Can) Timex 36.05 53 Angela Hillenga (Ned) Pays Bas-Holland 54 Bianca Netzler (Sam) Northern Regional Team 36.28 55 Sophie Freshwater (Aus) Saturn 36.38 56 Rebecca Cleveland (Aus) Southern Regional Team 36.46 57 Natalie Beetson (NZl) Team 2001 36.50 58 Dellys Franke (Aus) Jayco-VIS 37.53 59 Susan Hefler (USA) Canada 37.54 60 Jessica Amy (Aus) Jayco-VIS 38.51 61 Lucy Vignes (Aus) Sydney Water 39.16 62 Kanako Nishi (Jpn) Northern Regional Team 40.08 63 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Master Team/Carpe Diem 40.22 64 Honi Geysen (Aus) Southern Regional Team 40.49 65 Tracey Bowyer (Aus) Velobelles 41.27 66 Miho Oki (Jpn) Japan 41.43 67 Naomi Williams (Aus) Jayco-VIS 42.50 68 Mirella Van Melis (Ned) Pays Bas-Holland 45.37 69 Kristy Scrymgeour (Aus) AIS-ACTAS 48.53 70 Alexandra Ka Wah Yeung (HKg) Bicisport-NSWIS 52.43 71 Fanny Lavierrie (NZl) Team 2001 72 Bridget Evans (Aus) Master Team/Carpe Diem 1.02.32 73 Kaori Iida (Jpn) Japan 1.21.47 (outside limit) 74 Fjelda Lee (Aus) Bicisport-NSWIS DNF 75 Simone Jacobs (Aus) Sydney Water DNF 76 Karen Dekryger (Ned) Team 2001 DNF Mountains: Cat 2 - 55.4 km 1 Geneviève Jeanson (Can) Canada 6 pts 2 Tracey Gaudry (Aus) Timex 4 3 Mari Holden (USA) Timex 3 4 Juanita Feldhahn (Aus) AIS-ACTAS 2 5 Kym Shirley (Aus) AIS-ACTAS 1 Cat 1 - 105.4 km 1 Geneviève Jeanson (Can) Canada 10 pts 2 Tracey Gaudry (Aus) Timex 8 3 Kym Shirley (Aus) AIS-ACTAS 6 4 Mari Holden (USA) Timex 4 5 Dede Demet (USA) Saturn 2 Stage points: 1 Geneviève Jeanson (Can) Canada 5 pts 2 Tracey Gaudry (Aus) Timex 3 3 Kym Shirley (Aus) AIS-ACTAS 2 4 Mari Holden (USA) Timex 1 General classification: 1 Geneviève Jeanson (Can) Canada 6.03.51 2 Tracey Gaudry (Aus) Timex 1.34 3 Kym Shirley (Aus) AIS-ACTAS 7.05 4 Mari Holden (USA) Timex 7.14 5 Anna Wilson (Aus) Saturn 8.04 6 Dede Demet (USA) Saturn 9.22 7 Rosalind Reekie-May (NZl) New Zealand 10.52 8 Jacinta Coleman (NZl) New Zealand 11.02 9 Juanita Feldhahn (Aus) AIS-ACTAS 11.22 10 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Pays Bas-Holland 13.07 11 Susy Pryde (NZl) Saturn 15.39 12 Sandy Espeseth (Can) Canada 16.38 13 Chantal Beltman (Ned) Pays Bas-Holland 16.42 14 Alison Wright (Aus) AIS-ACTAS 19.17 15 Marcia Eicher Vouets (Swi) Master Team/Carpe Diem 20.42 16 Anna Bayliss (Aus) Southern Regional Team 20.52 17 Sara Carrigan (Aus) AIS-ACTAS 21.02 18 Margaret Hemsley (Aus) Bicisport-NSWIS 21.11 19 Julie Hooper (Aus) Southern Regional Team 21.23 20 Priska Doppman (Swi) Master Team/Carpe Diem 21.38 21 Kim Smith (USA) Timex 21.56 22 Karen Kurreck (USA) Canada 23.22 23 Nadia Frischknecht (Aus) Sydney Water 23.44 24 Erin Carter (Can) Canada 23.46 25 Sarah Ulmer (NZl) New Zealand 25.28 26 Erin Veenstra-Mirabella (USA) Timex 26.10 27 Emma James (Aus) Sydney Water 26.22 28 Karen Sumpton (Aus) Southern Regional Team 27.11 29 Marielle Van Scheppingen (Ned) Pays Bas-Holland 27.23 30 Sanna Lehtimaki (Fin) Timex 27.28 31 Katie Mactier (Aus) Jayco-VIS 28.36 32 Katia Longhin (Ita) Master Team/Carpe Diem 28.59 33 Benita Douglas (NZl) Team 2001 29.25 34 Ghita Beltman (Ned) Pays Bas-Holland 29.43 35 Mika Ogishima (Jpn) Northern Regional Team 30.04 36 Jodie Vaassen (Aus) Velobelles 30.12 37 Arenda Grimberg (Ned) Pays Bas-Holland 30.46 38 Annalisa Farrell (NZl) New Zealand 31.17 39 Hayley Rutherford (Aus) AIS-ACTAS 32.55 40 Elizabeth Tadich (Aus) Jayco-VIS 33.07 41 Vanessa Cheatley (NZl) New Zealand 33.53 42 Kirsty Robb (NZl) Team 2001 33.59 43 Anne Samplonius (Can) Canada 34.06 44 Annabelle Vowels (Aus) Velobelles 34.10 45 Kerry Ellen Hellmuth (USA) Master Team/Carpe Diem 34.54 46 Ayumi Ootsuka (Jpn) Japan 35.32 47 Akemi Morimoto (Jpn) Japan 35.32 48 Natalie Bates (Aus) Bicisport-NSWIS 35.36 49 Geraldine Denham (Aus) Jayco-VIS 36.34 50 Belinda Probert (Aus) Bicisport-NSWIS 37.05 51 Fiona Scarff (Aus) Velobelles 37.16 52 Odessa Gunn (Can) Timex 37.28 53 Angela Hillenga (Ned) Pays Bas-Holland 38.47 54 Dellys Franke (Aus) Jayco-VIS 40.35 55 Sophie Freshwater (Aus) Saturn 40.41 56 Lucy Vignes (Aus) Sydney Water 40.58 57 Bianca Netzler (Sam) Northern Regional Team 41.08 58 Jessica Amy (Aus) Jayco-VIS 41.09 59 Honi Geysen (Aus) Southern Regional Team 42.53 60 Rebecca Cleveland (Aus) Southern Regional Team 45.41 61 Susan Hefler (USA) Canada 46.20 62 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Master Team/Carpe Diem 47.12 63 Mirella Van Melis (Ned) Pays Bas-Holland 47.42 64 Tracey Bowyer (Aus) Velobelles 48.38 65 Naomi Williams (Aus) Jayco-VIS 48.50 66 Kristy Scrymgeour (Aus) AIS-ACTAS 49.13 67 Miho Oki (Jpn) Japan 52.53 68 Natalie Beetson (NZl) Team 2001 56.48 69 Kanako Nishi (Jpn) Northern Regional Team 57.35 70 Fanny Lavierrie (NZl) Team 2001 1.02.24 71 Bridget Evans (Aus) Master Team/Carpe Diem 1.13.33 72 Alexandra Ka Wah Yeung (HKg) Bicisport-NSWIS 1.40.24 Queen of the mountains classification: 1 Geneviève Jeanson (Can) Canada 20 pts 2 Tracey Gaudry (Aus) Timex 18 3 Mari Holden (USA) Timex 8 4 Kym Shirley (Aus) AIS-ACTAS 7 5 Anna Wilson (Aus) Saturn 3 6 Dede Demet (USA) Saturn 2 7 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Pays Bas-Holland 2 8 Juanita Feldhahn (Aus) AIS-ACTAS 2 Points classification: 1 Anna Wilson (Aus) Saturn 8 pts 2 Mari Holden (USA) Timex 5 3 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Pays Bas-Holland 5 4 Geneviève Jeanson (Can) Canada 5 5 Tracey Gaudry (Aus) Timex 3 6 Sarah Ulmer (NZl) New Zealand 3 7 Kym Shirley (Aus) AIS-ACTAS 2 8 Sara Carrigan (Aus) AIS-ACTAS 1 9 Alison Wright (Aus) AIS-ACTAS 1