Skilled Geelong Bay Classic - NEAustralia, January 2-6, 2002 |
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Day 4 - January 5: Port Arlington. Start 12.30pm, finish 3.30pm
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Report
Gilmore just too good
By Karen Forman In Portarlington
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"You can't get around Rochelle Gilmore in a sprint," newly crowned Australian criterium champion Hayley Rutherford told the crowd before the start of today's fourth day of the 2002 Skilled Geelong Bay Classic. "But I will be doing my best"
She couldn't, and she did.
The Perth rider, who had won the day three race (which doubled as the Australian championship event) at Geelong the previous day, tried her utmost to repeat her sizzling performance, but finished second behind the sprint queen in an all-out thrash to the line.
Not that Gilmore, who went into the event with a six point lead over Rutherford, had been all that optimistic herself before the start.
"This course has three hills all within one kilometre and half of it is uphill," she said.
"It must be one of the best races women can do in Australia. It is tough."
Certainly, it sorted the field out pretty smartly, with more than half of riders trailing or out before it was two-thirds finished.
One rider refusing to let it beat her was day one's Kristy Scrymgeour, who began the series strongly by winning both sprints and the first event at Rye on Wednesday. She retained the sprint ace jersey with an eighth place on Thursday at Barwon Heads, but dropped to second behind Katherine Bates after failing to place at Geelong on Friday.
It wasn't for want of trying. When the field rolled off the start, she was already at the front. And every time there was a breakaway, Scrymgeour was somewhere in the scrimmage, making her presence felt.
First breakaway was attempted by Emma James, with Naomi Williams chasing strongly and Gilmore making sure she was in the vicinity as well.
The pace was hot and fifteen minutes in, nine riders - victims of the early charge were already off the back.
Sara Carrigan and Gilmore broke away and established 50 metres on the bunch, but it was time for the first intermediate sprint and the field re-bunched.
Sprint ace leader Bates added to her tally with a win ahead of Sara Carrigan and James. This will serve her well in the final round at Crown Casino Melbourne on Saturday.
The effort of the sprint left another couple of suffering riders panting off the back, including Scrymgeour, but she wasn't planning on staying there.
In the blink of an eye, she was not only back on the bunch - but leading it.
Olivia Gollan made the most of a tiring Scrymgeour to attack, aided by Liz Tadich. By this time the field was down two thirds.
The ride for the second intermediate sprint was led out by Gollan with Bates perfectly placed in second wheel.
It was Bates in the end, well clear of Carrigan in second and Williams in third.
With the pace slowing after the sprint, it was the perfect time for Williams to lead a five-woman breakaway, which included both Gilmore and Rutherford.
What would happen? The tension in the crowd mounted. Would Rutherford attempt a solo breakaway to foil Gilmore's sprint?
With the gap back to the bunch widening, the race was going to come down to the breakaway riders - Gilmore, Rutherford, Wright, Gollan and Williams.
At the bell, Williams and Gilmore pulled ahead of the others and the sprint to the line was desperate.
But, as Rutherford had so correctly predicted, the race went to Gilmore, now with 42 points and still holding onto the yellow leader's jersey.
However, tomorrow is another day. And Rutherford, with 34 points, could still take the series. There are, after all, 12 points to be gained if she can win the round at Crown Casino . . .
Photography
- Kristy Scrymgeour - prior to the start of Day 4
- About to set-off - in the women's race
- Rochelle Gilmore - looking very relaxed
- At the mid-point - and the pack begins to spread.
Results
1 Rochelle Gilmore 2 Hayley Rutherford 3 Naomi Williams 4 Olivia Gollan 5 Alison Wright 6 Emma Rickards 7 Ondene Wood 8 Joanne Kiesanowski 9 Katie McTier 10 Sara Carrigan Sprint 1 1 Katherine Bates 2 Sara Carrigan 3 Emma James Sprint 2 1 Katherine Bates 2 Sara Carrigan 3 Naomi Williams Sprint ace after day 4 1 Katherine Bates (15) 2 Sara Carrigan (9) 3 Kristy Scrymgeour (6) 3 Naomi Williams (6) 5 Emma Rickards (4) 6 Alison Wright (3) 7 Liz Tadick (2) 8 Joanne Kiesanowski (1) 8 Rochelle Gilmore (1) 8 Emma James (1) Pointscore after day 4 1 Rochelle Gilmore (42) 2 Hayley Rutherford (34) 3 Alison Wright (24) 4 Joanne Kiesanowski (19) 5 Sara Carrigan (15) 5 Kristy Scrymgeour (15) 7 Emma Rickards (14) 8 Naomi Williams (13) 9 Olivia Gollan (9) 10 Katie McTier (9) 11 Tania Duff (8) 11 Millar (8) 13 Lorian Graham (7) 13 Katherine Bates (7) 15 Sue Thomas (5) 16 Ondene Wood (4) 17 Liz Tadich (3) 17 Kerry Cohen (3) 18 Kerry Cohen (2) 19 Dellys Franke (1)