Stage 1 - March 3: Cooma Criterium, 30 km

Millward sprints to victory in Cooma

By Jeff Jones

Millward and Holden
Photo: © Tom Balks/CN

Saturn's Anna Millward has scored a win in the first stage of the Tour de Snowy, a 30 kilometre criterium around Cooma's town centre. The number one Australian rider beat Rochelle Gilmore (NSWIS) and Alison Wright (AIS) to make it a 1-2-3 finish for the Australians, although the European teams were quite prominent in what was for many the first race of the season.

The race was quite fast as predicted, with many riders wanting to test their legs for the first time after flying over from a European winter. Of course the Australian teams had the advantage in that there have been ample opportunities to race during the summer here.

Although Millward was certainly the favourite to win, other sprinters such as Mirjam Melchers, Giovanna Troldi (Acca Due O) , Rochelle Gilmore (NSWIS) Alison Wright (AIS), Sarah Ulmer (Autotrader), Katie Mactier and Naomi Williams (Jayco) were keen to upstage her, and attempted to control the race. However, Millward's secret weapon was Kristy Scrymgeour, a recent addition to the Saturn team who was determined to prove her worth. When any attack went, Scrymgeour was in it. If she wasn't she chased it down. A surprisingly simple but effective brute force tactic that kept the bunch together.

Towards the end of the race, the Acca Due O-Hewlett Packard team attempted to take over, aiming to set things up for Melchers or Troldi. Sarah Ulmer was also prominent, as was Millward, who spent much of the race in 5th wheel.

On the final lap, Sara Carrigan of the Australian Institute of Sport team suddenly surged to the front for Alison Wright (who had been caught up behind one of several crashes but was back in the race). Millward quickly grabbed her wheel and led out from the last corner to win in front of Rochelle Gilmore with Wright taking third.

Crash!
Photo: © Tom Balks/CN

"I thought it would stay together, so I just followed wheels during the race," said a happy Millward afterwards. "It was really rough on that hairpin which caused a couple of crashes because it was so hard to hold your line. It added...er...a new dimension to the race."

"I really benefitted from the leadout that Sara Carrigan was providing for Alison Wright, so I jumped on her." she added. "Down the back straight, the Acca Due O rider went for the second last corner and I followed her."

As for the next stage from Cooma to Jindabyne (61 km): "People are still keen to keep everyone together heading into the bigger stages of the tour."

How do you feel about your chances this year, given that Genevieve Jeanson is not here? "Certainly there's a remote chance. There are some really good climbers here - some Italian teams renowned for their good climbers. It benefits the Australian riders because we've come out of the Australian summer, and the AIS team are certainly planning to do something."

Results

1 Anna Millward (Aus) Saturn                    43.29 (41.39 km/h)
2 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team
3 Alison Wright (Aus) AIS
4 Giovanna Troldi (Ita) Acca Due O-H.P.
5 Naomi Williams (Aus) Jayco VIS
6 Mari Holden (USA) Alfa Lum R.S.M.
7 Bridget Evans (Aus) Bicisport
8 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Acca Due O-H.P.
9 Sarah Ulmer (NZl) Autotrader.com
10 Sara Felloni (Ita) Alfa Lum R.S.M.
11 Vanessa Cheatley (NZl) New Zealand
12 Melissa Holt (NZl) New Zealand
13 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Acca Due O-H.P.
14 Sara Carrigan (Aus) AIS
15 Kristy Scrymgeour (Aus) Saturn
16 Margaret Hemsley (Aus) AIS
17 Katie Mactier (Aus) Jayco VIS
18 Hayley Rutherford (Aus) AIS
19 Miho Oki (Jap) Japan Cycling Federation
20 Annie Gariepy (Can) Autotrader.com
21 Elizabeth Tadich (Aus) Jayco VIS
22 Vera Hohlfeld (Ger) Acca Due O-H.P.
23 Pam Shuster (USA) Autotrader.com
24 Roberta Bonanomi (Ita) GAS Sport
25 Jeanette Schwarz (Aus) Australian Regional
26 Luisana Pegoraro (Ita) Carpe Diem-Itera
27 Anke Erlank (RSA) Saturn
28 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Carpe Diem-Itera
29 Kimberly Bruckner (USA) Saturn
30 Kim Smith (USA) Autotrader.com
31 Kim Shirley (Aus) AIS
32 Natasha Harrigan (Aus) Bicisport
33 Fany Lecourtois (Fra) Alfa Lum R.S.M.
34 Rosalind Reekie-May (NZl) New Zealand
35 Emma Rikards (Aus) Team-Bizar.com
36 Zinaida Stahurskaia (Blr) GAS Sport
37 Lara Ruthven (USA) Carpe Diem-Itera
38 Tatiana Stiajkina (Ukr) Alfa Lum R.S.M.
39 Natalie Bates (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team
40 Kate Bates (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team
41 Kerry Hellmuth (USA) Carpe Diem-Itera
42 Kirsty Robb (NZl) New Zealand
43 Nora Moeke (NZl) New Zealand
44 Sophie Freshwater (Aus) Australian Regional
45 Jessica Amy (Aus) Jayco VIS
46 Karen Sumpton (Aus) AIS
47 Vera Carrara (Ita) Carpe Diem-Itera
48 Alex Harrison (Aus) Team-Bizar.com
49 Rebecca Cleveland (Aus) Team-Bizar.com
50 Emma Carney (Aus) Jayco VIS
51 Silvia Parietti (Ita) GAS Sport
52 Jennifer Manefield (Aus) Bicisport
53 Olivia Gollan (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team
54 Sue McCarthy (Aus) City Cycles Melbourne
55 Simone Poulos (Aus) Bicisport
56 Susy Pryde (NZl) Autotrader.com
57 Gabriella Pregnolato (Ita) GAS Sport
58 Victoria Kirkby (Aus) Team-Bizar.com
59 Mary Grigson (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team
60 Erin Philp (Aus) Australian Regional
61 Rebecca Locke (Aus) Australian Regional
62 Kanako Nishi (Jap) Japan Cycling Federation
63 Emma James (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team
64 Ljudmila Corneo (Ita) Carpe Diem-Itera          0.33
65 Julie Hooper (Aus) City Cycles Melbourne        1.12
66 Helen Kelly (Aus) Jayco VIS
67 Louisa Hamilton-White (Aus) City Cycles Melb.   2.29
68 Mary Rogers (Aus) City Cycles Melbourne         3.04
69 Rebecca McConnell (Aus) Team-Bizar.com          3.08
70 Katie Knight (Aus) Team-Bizar.com               6.01
71 Mutsumi Fugino (Jap) Japan Cycling Federation   6.58
DNS Tania Shipton (Aus) Australian Regional
 
General classification after stage 1
 
1 Anna Millward (Aus) Saturn                      43.09
2 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team           0.05
3 Alison Wright (Aus) AIS                          0.10
4 Giovanna Troldi (Ita) Acca Due O-H.P.            0.15
5 Naomi Williams (Aus) Jayco VIS                   0.20
6 Mari Holden (USA) Alfa Lum R.S.M.
7 Bridget Evans (Aus) Bicisport
8 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Acca Due O-H.P.
9 Sarah Ulmer (NZl) Autotrader.com
10 Sara Felloni (Ita) Alfa Lum R.S.M.
11 Vanessa Cheatley (NZl) New Zealand
12 Melissa Holt (NZl) New Zealand
13 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Acca Due O-H.P.
14 Sara Carrigan (Aus) AIS
15 Kristy Scrymgeour (Aus) Saturn
16 Margaret Hemsley (Aus) AIS
17 Katie Mactier (Aus) Jayco VIS
18 Hayley Rutherford (Aus) AIS
19 Miho Oki (Jap) Japan Cycling Federation
20 Annie Gariepy (Can) Autotrader.com
21 Elizabeth Tadich (Aus) Jayco VIS
22 Vera Hohlfeld (Ger) Acca Due O-H.P.
23 Pam Shuster (USA) Autotrader.com
24 Roberta Bonanomi (Ita) GAS Sport
25 Jeanette Schwarz (Aus) Australian Regional
26 Luisana Pegoraro (Ita) Carpe Diem-Itera
27 Anke Erlank (RSA) Saturn
28 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Carpe Diem-Itera
29 Kimberly Bruckner (USA) Saturn
30 Kim Smith (USA) Autotrader.com
31 Kim Shirley (Aus) AIS
32 Natasha Harrigan (Aus) Bicisport
33 Fany Lecourtois (Fra) Alfa Lum R.S.M.
34 Rosalind Reekie-May (NZl) New Zealand
35 Emma Rikards (Aus) Team-Bizar.com
36 Zinaida Stahurskaia (Blr) GAS Sport
37 Lara Ruthven (USA) Carpe Diem-Itera
38 Tatiana Stiajkina (Ukr) Alfa Lum R.S.M.
39 Natalie Bates (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team
40 Kate Bates (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team
41 Kerry Hellmuth (USA) Carpe Diem-Itera
42 Kirsty Robb (NZl) New Zealand
43 Nora Moeke (NZl) New Zealand
44 Sophie Freshwater (Aus) Australian Regional
45 Jessica Amy (Aus) Jayco VIS
46 Karen Sumpton (Aus) AIS
47 Vera Carrara (Ita) Carpe Diem-Itera
48 Alex Harrison (Aus) Team-Bizar.com
49 Rebecca Cleveland (Aus) Team-Bizar.com
50 Emma Carney (Aus) Jayco VIS
51 Silvia Parietti (Ita) GAS Sport
52 Jennifer Manefield (Aus) Bicisport
53 Olivia Gollan (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team
54 Sue McCarthy (Aus) City Cycles Melbourne
55 Simone Poulos (Aus) Bicisport
56 Susy Pryde (NZl) Autotrader.com
57 Gabriella Pregnolato (Ita) GAS Sport
58 Victoria Kirkby (Aus) Team-Bizar.com
59 Mary Grigson (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team
60 Erin Philp (Aus) Australian Regional
61 Rebecca Locke (Aus) Australian Regional
62 Kanako Nishi (Jap) Japan Cycling Federation
63 Emma James (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team
64 Ljudmila Corneo (Ita) Carpe Diem-Itera          0.53
65 Julie Hooper (Aus) City Cycles Melbourne        1.32
66 Helen Kelly (Aus) Jayco VIS
67 Louisa Hamilton-White (Aus) City Cycles Melb.   2.49
68 Mary Rogers (Aus) City Cycles Melbourne         3.24
69 Rebecca McConnell (Aus) Team-Bizar.com          3.28
70 Katie Knight (Aus) Team-Bizar.com               6.21
71 Mutsumi Fugino (Jap) Japan Cycling Federation   7.18

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Stage 1 - March 3: Cooma Criterium, 30 km

Millward sprints to victory in Cooma

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Home

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Stage 1 - March 3: Cooma Criterium, 30 km

Millward sprints to victory in Cooma

Results

2000
1999
1998