27th Olympic Games

Sydney, Australia, September 16-30, 2000

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Live Report

Road Day 1 - September 26: Women's road race, 119.4 km

Start time: 10.00 Aust ESST

The weather has started to clear, much to the relief of spectators and the riders alike. The crowd is slowly gathering, especially round the critical sections of the course near Bronte.

First lap:

The riders have negotiated the first climb on Bronte hill on the small chain ring, with the Dutch leading the Canadians and 36 Leontien Zijlaard (Ned), taking the lead.

At the corner of Bronte and MacPherson number 43 Svetlana Boubnenkova (Rus) was riding at the front.

Towards the end of the first lap, after a nervous start, the riders are still together.

There's been a fall in Centennial Park.

The first lap was completed at 40km an hour with a time of 26:41.

Second Lap:

There have been some moves at the front, but noone has pulled away as the riders pass the 100km to go mark.

The second time up the Bronte climb the Dutch and Australian women dominant at front of the bunch, but still no signs of any real agression.

The first real move of the race has come through the Waverly shopping centre when Chantal Beltman (Ned), right at the inside, attacked, two other riders have gone with her.

The bunch has settled down again as they complete their second lap. Mari Holden (USA), has regained the bunch after puncturing.

Karen Kurreck (USA) is going to pull out of the race, she was involved in the fall in Centennial park. Genevieve Jeanson (Can) and Suzy Pryde of New Zealand were also involved, but will stay in the race. Photo: Kurreck falls back

Near the end of the third lap they're still all together, with no further attacks.

Fourth Lap:

On the fourth lap the rain has become more persistent as they climb Bronte Hill for the fourth time. Nicole Feedman has lost contact with the bunch, as have Clara Hughes (Can) and Suzy Pryde. Mari Holden has changed her wheel for the third time.

Despite an impressive move by Joanne Somarriba Arrola of Spain, through Centennial Park where she built up a lead of almost 10 seconds, the bunch has come together again as they pass the finish straight to commence the fifth lap. The riders completed 68.4 k in 1:47 hours. The riders are travelling at 38.01kph. Photo: Fatso the Wombat makes an appearance.

Fifth Lap:

The rain and colder conditions are beginning to take their toll on the bunch as only 30 of the original 58 riders ascend the Bronte Hill for the fifth time.

Finally the race has come to life on the fifth lap.Lithuania and the Netherlands broke briefly from the pack, with Mirjam Melchers and Diana Ziliute (Ltu) attacking, but soon were caught by the pack. As they enter Centennial Park there are 25 riders left in the pack.

As the bunch complete their fifth lap wtih two remaining laps will prove the most critical - all the key teams: Australia, Germany, France, Holland, Lithuania, Great Britain, Russia and Spain have their full compliment of riders left in the race.

The Australians and Lithuanians are doing a lot of work at the front, and France is very dominant.

Ina Yoko Teutenberg has left the race.

Photo: Bonanomi fell off early and couldn't rejoin the field.

Sixth Lap:

Mirjam Melchers has broken away from the pack again on the Bronte hill, in the most lively attack of the race, building a reasonable lead as the riders come over the hill for the second last time. There is panic in the bunch as the remaining riders scramble into three chasing groups attempting to remain in contact with the leader.There are only 12 riders in the first chasing pack.

Melchers was caught, then Alessandra Cappellotto (Ita) had a go, then the Russian rider Zoulfia Zabirova also tried an escape, but the sprinters' teams are in attendance.

Final Lap:

As the riders went through the start/finish line for the final lap, the bunch was still together. As the bunch went into Centennial Park the Finnish rider Pia Sundstedt and Joane Somarriba (Spa) put in a good attack but it was narrowed by the Australians and Lithuanians, clearly aiming for a Wilson/Ziliute shoot-out at the finish. Wilson is keeping an eye on Leontien Van Moorsel as the bunch lets the two attackers dangle off the front by 20 metres.

The bunch was together on the final descent into Bronte Beach but Somarriba once again puts in attack which splits the bunch with Van Moorsel, Diana Ziliute and Anna Wilson all closely watching, but none of the attacks can create a major selection.

Then Hanka Kupfernagel puts in a major attack from the front and there is a split, but a group of 18 reforms in the lead with all contenders present. With five to go, there are single attacks but none are succeeding.

As the bunch heads into the final straight on Driver Avenue Anna Wilson is being pushed around and loses her position off Van Moorsel's wheel. On the front Mirjam Melchers is burying herself with the perfect lead-out for her team-mate Van Moorsel, who comes around the outside with 200 metres to go and puts the hammer down, so much so that no-one can come around her and Kupfernagel takes second and Ziliute third, with Wilson taking fourth.

After the finish, Australian rider Tracey Gaudry said the first half of the race had been too easy, which meant that a larger-than-expected number of riders could be there at the end. It appears that many in the bunch were not expecting such a large field at the end, and the race to be relatively conservative with no attacks really succeeding.

Results

1.  Leontien Zijlaard-Van Moorsel (Ned)     3.06.30 Gold Medal
2.  Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger)                         Silver Medal
3.  Diana Ziliute (Ltu)                             Bronze Medal
4.  Anna Wilson (Aus)
5.  Svetlana Boubnenkova (Rus)
6.  Magali Le Floc'h (Fra)
7.  Zoulfia Zabirova (Rus)
8.  Heidi Van De Vijver (Bel)
9.  Yvonne Schnorf (Swi)
10. Sara Symington (GBr)
11. Genevieve Jeanson (Can)
12. Mirjam Melchers (Ned)
13. Rasa Polikeviciute (Ltu)
14. Joane Somarriba Arrola (Spa)
15. Alessandra Cappellotto (Ita)
16. Nicole Braendli (Swi)
17. Tetyana Stiajkina (Ukr)
18. Jacinta Coleman (NZl)
19. Oksana Saprykina (Ukr)
20. Cindy Pieters (Bel)
21. Pia Sundstedt (Fin)
22. Lyne Bessette (Can)
23. Tracey Gaudry (Aus)
24. Yvonne Mcgregor (GBr)
25. Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu)                    .06
26. Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (Fra)
27. Ceris Gilfillan (GBr)
28. Juanita Feldhahn (Aus)
29. Monica Valen (Nor)                        1.31
30. Petra Rossner (Ger)                       2.46
31. Valeria Cappellotto (Ita)                 
32. Priska Doppmann (Swi)                     3.46
33. Valentyna Karpenko (Ukr)                  4.02
34. Fatima Blazquez Lozano (Spa)
35. Ingunn Bollerud (Nor)
36. Roz Reekie-May (NZl)                      4.03
37. Chantal Beltman (Ned)  
38. Solrun Flataas (Nor)                      4.33
39. Catherine Marsal (Fra)                    
40. Vanja Vonckx (Bel)                        6.09
41. Miho Oki (Jpn)                            
42. Olga Slioussareva (Rus)                   6.46
43. Clara Hughes (Can)                       10.18
44. Claudia Saintagne (Bra)                  17.48
45. Yi Chen Chiung (Tpe)                     21.29
46. Dania Perez (Cub)                        21.57
47. Nicole Freedman (USA)                    
48. Mercedes Cagigas Amed (Spa)              21.58
49. Janildes Silva (Bra)                     28.41
    Yoanka Gonzalez (Cub)                      DNF
    Ina Yoko Teutenberg (Ger)
    Deirdre Murphy (Irl)
    Roberta Bonanomi (Ita)
    Susy Pryde (NZl)
    Bianca Jane Netzler (Sam)
    Mari Holden (USA)
    Karen Kurreck (USA)