Skilled Geelong Bay Classic - NEAustralia, January 2-6, 2002 |
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Day 5 - January 6: Crown Casino Complex. Start 9.30am, finish 12.30pm
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Third time lucky for Gilmore
by Karen Forman in Melbourne
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A win in the 2002 Skilled Geelong Bay Classic was just what the doctor ordered for Sydney cyclist Rochelle Gilmore and her family.
With ninth place on the final day of the event in Melbourne today confirming Gilmore's overall series win, she and her parents had something to smile about for the first time in a fortnight after losing one of their homes in the devastating Christmas bushfires.
"They left at midnight to come down to see me ride and it was good for the family to have some good news, with the win at Port Arlington yesterday and then taking the series, today," she said.
"It has been stressful being down here and knowing the fires were still circulating up there, but I kept my mind focussed on what I had to do and it paid off in the end."
Admittedly, her task was far simpler than on previous days.
Gilmore, who joins the new US cartoon network sponsored pro team Powercuff this year, had 42 points amassed going into today's event at Crown Casino, Melbourne - a lofty eight ahead of closest rival Hayley Rutherford - which meant she only needed to keep Rutherford out of the top placings to retain the yellow leader's jersey.
She did this by attaching herself firmly to Rutherford's rear wheel from the start and not letting her out of her sight.
Meanwhile, fellow NSW cyclist Olivia Gollan earned the bouquets for taking first place in the race in a sprint to the line and another NSW rider Katherine Bates took the sprint ace prize for the series.
Not that it was easy for any of them. It was a fast, tough race in hot (37 degrees) weather conditions. And it included some of Australia's best cycling talent.
Gollan shot off the front at the starter's gun with Katie Mactier (Victoria), Sara Carrigan (Queensland), Gilmore, Lorian Graham (Queensland) and Katrina Purcell (Victoria), swapping turns.
First to attack was Carrigan, who got a couple of lengths ahead of the pack before being swallowed up by a six-woman breakaway which included Kerry Cohen (Tasmania), Gollan, Graham, Mactier, Emma James (NSW) and Naomi Williams (Tas).
They were joined by Oenone Wood (ACT) and Kim Palmer (ACT) and formed a working bunch which took half a lap out of the main bunch, led by series workhorse Kristy Scrymgeour (NSW) and including prime movers Gilmore and Rutherford.
Time for the first intermediate sprint and Gollan was ideally placed to take it from Carrigan and James who ran equal second.
Carrigan's second spot rather than a win meant she would not gain enough points to challenge Bates' sprint ace lead.
With Graham pumping it out on the front, the breakaway gained so much ground that it appeared it would swamp the chasing bunch.
Just 20 metres separated the two groups at one stage.
With Bates not having to concern herself with pushing too hard, her sprint jersey safe, the second intermediate sprint went to Emma James ahead of Katie Mactier and Lorian Graham.
Back in the chasing bunch, Gilmore maintained her focus on Rutherford's wheel, then Carrigan, racing strongly, managed to bridge the gap.
After that, it came down to a sprint for ninth and 10th and Gilmore, known for her unassailable sprint, picked up the points she needed to keep Rutherford out, easily.
With the lapped field then pulling out, the field was clear for Gollan to go for it with Carrigan for line honours.
In the end it was Gollan ahead of Carrigan and Mactier. Carrigan was equal third with Wright in the series pointscore with 25, followed by Gollan on 21.
Gilmore now heads to the Australian road nationals and is aiming at the pointscore and road race in the Commonwealth Games and World Championships.
"I don't think the national will suit me," she said. "I have only been on the road one year so I am unsure how I will climb compared to the other girls."
Photography
- Women's winner of the green jersey - Katherine Bates taking it easy at the start
- Off and running - in the Women's race
- The yellow and green jersey's on - Rochelle Gilmore and Katherine Bates
Results
Elite Women 1 Olivia Gollan 2 Sara Carrigan 3 Katie Mactier 4 Lorian Graham 5 Naomi WIlliams 6 Oenone Wood 7 Kim Palmer 8 Emma James 9 Rochelle Gilmore 10 Alison Wright Sprint 1 1 Olivia Gollan 2 Sara Carrigan 2 Emma James Sprint 2 1 Emma James 2 Katie Mactier 3 Lorian Graham Overall Sprint Ace 1 Katherine Bates 2 Sara Carrigan Overall Final Series Pointscore 1 Rochelle Gilmore 44 2 Hayley Rutherford 34 3 Sara Carrigan 25 3 Alison Wright 25 5 Olivia Gollan 21 6 J Kiesanowski 19 7 Katie Mactier 17 8 Kristy Scrymgeour 15