Stage 7 - March 7: Tumbarumba - Tumut, 69.1 km

Melchers finds her legs

Mirjam Melchers wins
Photo: © Jeff Jones/CN

Dutch champion, Mirjam Melchers has won the penultimate stage of the Tour de Snowy, her first win of the 2001 season. In an uphill sprint into Tumut, Melchers beat Australian Elizabeth Tadich (Jayco) and Rochelle Gilmore (NSWIS), with the rest of the bunch finishing in the same time. Saturn-Timex rider, Kim Bruckner held onto her leader's jersey, with one stage left.

Although it finished in a bunch sprint, there was plenty of aggression during the 69 kilometre run from Tumbarumba to Tumut. GAS, Acca Due O and Alfa Lum were particularly active, all starting to find their legs after several days of hard racing. Race leader Kim Bruckner only had to watch one rider, and that was Zinaida Stahurskia. The tall Belorussian was easy to spot in her rainbow coloured helmet and TdS mountains jersey, but she was going nowhere today.

Kim Bruckner had no problems
Photo: © Tom Balks/CN

Neither was anyone else, as all attacks were safely covered by the time the peloton reached the outskirts of Tumut. Although everyone was watching sprint queen, Anna Millward, the triple stage winner was not in the hunt for a win today. Instead it was the red, white and blue jersey of Mirjam Melchers (Acca Due O) that crossed the line first, followed by Liz Tadich (Jayco-VIS) and Rochelle Gilmore (NSWIS).

Melchers was of course happy with her first win, although she has ridden quite consistently throughout the tour. "On the map it looks easy," she said. "Only a little bit hilly at the beginning. Everybody had in their mind to get away because we had a hard couple of days, especially for the climbers."

"Today was maybe a day for everyone. We had to chase a lot of groups, but we were already thinking of the sprint and it worked out. We thought about making a train but everyone was in front, but the last 250 metres was uphill and we didn't know that."

"You always know if it's a bunch sprint you should be aware of Anna. I think that if we start together, she might be a little bit faster at the moment. So if I want to win, I must start in front. It was uphill, and that's not bad for me," finished Melchers, who now has some confidence for the upcoming World Cup.

Results

1 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Acca Due O-H.P.          1.46.16 (39.02 km/h)
2 Elizabeth Tadich (Aus) Jayco VIS
3 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team
4 Sara Felloni (Ita) Alfa Lum R.S.M.
5 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Acca Due O-H.P.
6 Bridget Evans (Aus) Bicisport
7 Vera Hohlfeld (Ger) Acca Due O-H.P.
8 Melissa Holt (NZl) New Zealand
9 Hayley Rutherford (Aus) AIS
10 Zinaida Stahurskaia (Blr) GAS Sport
11 Rosalind Reekie-May (NZl) New Zealand
12 Anna Millward (Aus) Saturn
13 Miho Oki (Jap) Japan Cycling Federation
14 Annie Gariepy (Can) Autotrader.com
15 Margaret Hemsley (Aus) AIS
16 Vera Carrara (Ita) Carpe Diem-Itera
17 Susy Pryde (NZl) Autotrader.com
18 Lara Ruthven (USA) Carpe Diem-Itera
19 Mari Holden (USA) Alfa Lum R.S.M.
20 Giovanna Troldi (Ita) Acca Due O-H.P.
21 Tatiana Stiajkina (Ukr) Alfa Lum R.S.M.
22 Kimberly Bruckner (USA) Saturn
23 Sarah Ulmer (NZl) Autotrader.com
24 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Carpe Diem-Itera
25 Katie Mactier (Aus) Jayco VIS
26 Kim Smith (USA) Autotrader.com
27 Kim Shirley (Aus) AIS
28 Alison Wright (Aus) AIS
29 Jennifer Manefield (Aus) Bicisport
30 Rebecca Locke (Aus) Australian Regional
31 Kerry Hellmuth (USA) Carpe Diem-Itera
32 Karen Sumpton (Aus) AIS
33 Jessica Amy (Aus) Jayco VIS
34 Jeanette Schwarz (Aus) Australian Regional
35 Erin Philp (Aus) Australian Regional
36 Anke Erlank (RSA) Saturn
37 Fany Lecourtois (Fra) Alfa Lum R.S.M.
38 Naomi Williams (Aus) Jayco VIS
39 Luisana Pegoraro (Ita) Carpe Diem-Itera
40 Kirsty Robb (NZl) New Zealand
41 Sara Carrigan (Aus) AIS
42 Vanessa Cheatley (NZl) New Zealand
43 Olivia Gollan (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team
44 Roberta Bonanomi (Ita) GAS Sport
45 Natalie Bates (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team
46 Natasha Harrigan (Aus) Bicisport
47 Emma Carney (Aus) Jayco VIS
48 Kate Bates (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team
49 Emma James (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team
50 Silvia Parietti (Ita) GAS Sport                   0.25
51 Gabriella Pregnolato (Ita) GAS Sport              0.36
52 Pam Shuster (USA) Autotrader.com                 10.26
53 Nora Moeke (NZl) New Zealand
54 Rebecca Cleveland (Aus) Team-Bizar.com
55 Alex Harrison (Aus) Team-Bizar.com
56 Louisa Hamilton-White (Aus) City Cycles Melbourne
57 Simone Poulos (Aus) Bicisport
58 Helen Kelly (Aus) Jayco VIS
59 Julie Hooper (Aus) City Cycles Melbourne         12.10
60 Kanako Nishi (Jap) Japan Cycling Federation
61 Sue McCarthy (Aus) City Cycles Melbourne         18.21
62 Victoria Kirkby (Aus) Team-Bizar.com             20.14
63 Mary Rogers (Aus) City Cycles Melbourne          21.54
64 Rebecca McConnell (Aus) Team-Bizar.com 
 
General classification after stage 7
 
1 Kimberly Bruckner (USA) Saturn                 12.26.29
2 Zinaida Stahurskaia (Blr) GAS Sport                1.30
3 Margaret Hemsley (Aus) AIS                         2.20
4 Anna Millward (Aus) Saturn                         2.56
5 Kim Shirley (Aus) AIS                              5.53
6 Fany Lecourtois (Fra) Alfa Lum R.S.M.              6.25
7 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Acca Due O-H.P.              6.32
8 Kim Smith (USA) Autotrader.com                     8.22
9 Anke Erlank (RSA) Saturn                           8.27
10 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Acca Due O-H.P.             8.41
11 Rosalind Reekie-May (NZl) New Zealand             9.00
12 Mari Holden (USA) Alfa Lum R.S.M.                 9.38
13 Sara Carrigan (Aus) AIS                          10.39
14 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Carpe Diem-Itera             10.59
15 Hayley Rutherford (Aus) AIS
16 Karen Sumpton (Aus) AIS
17 Melissa Holt (NZl) New Zealand
18 Susy Pryde (NZl) Autotrader.com                  12.44
19 Emma Carney (Aus) Jayco VIS                      12.57
20 Sarah Ulmer (NZl) Autotrader.com                 13.44
21 Lara Ruthven (USA) Carpe Diem-Itera              13.45
22 Natasha Harrigan (Aus) Bicisport                 15.29
23 Olivia Gollan (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team              18.28
24 Katie Mactier (Aus) Jayco VIS                    18.42
25 Kirsty Robb (NZl) New Zealand                    18.51
26 Tatiana Stiajkina (Ukr) Alfa Lum R.S.M.          20.46
27 Roberta Bonanomi (Ita) GAS Sport                 22.30
28 Giovanna Troldi (Ita) Acca Due O-H.P.            22.45
29 Bridget Evans (Aus) Bicisport                    23.13
30 Erin Philp (Aus) Australian Regional             24.04
31 Vera Hohlfeld (Ger) Acca Due O-H.P.              24.15
32 Vanessa Cheatley (NZl) New Zealand               24.56
33 Pam Shuster (USA) Autotrader.com                 25.51
34 Natalie Bates (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team              28.07
35 Elizabeth Tadich (Aus) Jayco VIS                 28.10
36 Jennifer Manefield (Aus) Bicisport               29.25
37 Sara Felloni (Ita) Alfa Lum R.S.M.               30.02
38 Alison Wright (Aus) AIS                          30.35
39 Miho Oki (Jap) Japan Cycling Federation          34.34
40 Emma James (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team                 38.18
41 Kerry Hellmuth (USA) Carpe Diem-Itera            38.49
42 Naomi Williams (Aus) Jayco VIS                   38.57
43 Jeanette Schwarz (Aus) Australian Regional       42.44
44 Luisana Pegoraro (Ita) Carpe Diem-Itera          44.44
45 Kate Bates (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team                 45.27
46 Vera Carrara (Ita) Carpe Diem-Itera              45.49
47 Silvia Parietti (Ita) GAS Sport                  46.25
48 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team           52.05
49 Julie Hooper (Aus) City Cycles Melbourne         54.32
50 Annie Gariepy (Can) Autotrader.com               56.24
51 Jessica Amy (Aus) Jayco VIS                    1.01.15
52 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team         1.02.55
53 Gabriella Pregnolato (Ita) GAS Sport           1.10.31
54 Louisa Hamilton-White (Aus) City Cycles Melb.  1.16.35
55 Rebecca Cleveland (Aus) Team-Bizar.com         1.17.58
56 Helen Kelly (Aus) Jayco VIS                    1.19.33
57 Alex Harrison (Aus) Team-Bizar.com             1.22.54
58 Jennifer Manefield (Aus) Bicisport             1.33.50
59 Nora Moeke (NZl) New Zealand                   1.41.48
60 Kanako Nishi (Jap) Japan Cycling Federation    1.57.12
61 Victoria Kirkby (Aus) Team-Bizar.com           2.01.18
62 Sue McCarthy (Aus) City Cycles Melbourne       2.05.26
63 Mary Rogers (Aus) City Cycles Melbourne        2.16.23
64 Rebecca McConnell (Aus) Team-Bizar.com         2.33.21
 
Points classifcation
 
1 Anna Millward (Aus) Saturn                           21 pts
2 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team               11
3 Zinaida Stahurskaia (Blr) GAS Sport                   9
4 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Acca Due O-H.P.                 8
5 Anke Erlank (RSA) Saturn                              5
6 Kimberly Bruckner (USA) Saturn                        5
7 Sara Carrigan (Aus) AIS                               4
8 Sarah Ulmer (NZl) Autotrader.com                      3
9 Margaret Hemsley (Aus) AIS                            3
10 Alison Wright (Aus) AIS                              3
11 Elizabeth Tadich (Aus) Jayco VIS                     3
12 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Acca Due O-H.P.                2
13 Mari Holden (USA) Alfa Lum R.S.M.                    2
14 Kim Shirley (Aus) AIS                                2
15 Naomi Williams (Aus) Jayco VIS                       2
16 Kate Bates (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team                     2
17 Giovanna Troldi (Ita) Acca Due O-H.P.                1
18 Sara Felloni (Ita) Alfa Lum R.S.M.                   1
19 Fany Lecourtois (Fra) Alfa Lum R.S.M.                1 

Mountains classification
 
1 Zinaida Stahurskaia (Blr) GAS Sport           30 pts
2 Kim Shirley (Aus) AIS                         16
3 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Acca Due O-H.P.         11
4 Margaret Hemsley (Aus) AIS                    11
5 Kimberly Bruckner (USA) Saturn                10
6 Anna Millward (Aus) Saturn                    10
7 Anke Erlank (RSA) Saturn                       7
8 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Acca Due O-H.P.          6
9 Fany Lecourtois (Fra) Alfa Lum R.S.M.          4
10 Mari Holden (USA) Alfa Lum R.S.M.             2
11 Emma Carney (Aus) Jayco VIS                   1

The Tour de Snowy Internet site is brought to you by www.cyclingnews.com.

Home

Stages & Results

Overall Map

Starting List

Photos

Contacts

Archives

2000
1999
1998

Stage 7 - March 7: Tumbarumba - Tumut, 69.1 km

Melchers finds her legs

Results

Home

Stages & Results

Overall Map

Starting List

Photos

Contacts

Archives

2000 1999 1998

Stage 7 - March 7: Tumbarumba - Tumut, 69.1 km

Melchers finds her legs

Results

2000
1999
1998