5th Tour de Snowy - 2.9.1

Photography by Tom Balks

Mirjam Melchers (Netherlands) - warms up at the start
Cooma schoolchildren - wave the various countries' flags at the start
A crash early in the race - The police bike just managed to avoid it.
Mary Lou Webb (Northern Regional Team) - on the ground after an early crash.
Melissa Holt (New Zealand) - climbs out of the roadside ditch after a mishap
Melissa Holt (New Zealand) - goes on the attack
Mirjam Melchers - in cruise mode in the early part of the race
The peloton - glides through grass fields
Olivia Gollan (AIS) - was the day's main protagonist, away solo for nearly 60 km
The peloton - climbs up from Lake Jindabyne
Petra Rossner - escorted by her Saturn teammates
Petra Rossner - shows the strain of the day's racing
Kimberly Bruckner (Saturn) - rode strongly in her US national champion's jersey
The Saturn team - working all for Rossner
Rochelle Gilmore (NSWIS) - had an excellent day
Rochelle Gilmore - in a steady rhythm
Five Saturn riders - near the front at Ivo's Farm
Amy Safe (Aus National Team) - tackles the Ivo's Farm climb just in front of the peloton
Rochelle Gilmore - follows Petra Rossner to the line.
Petra Rossner (Saturn) - triumphs in the first round of the World Cup
Petra Rossner - embraces her teammate Anna Millward after her win
Petra Rossner - salutes in victory with her teammates afterwards
Rochelle Gilmore - Tongue out after a good effort
Podium (L to R): Rochelle Gilmore (NSWIS, 2nd), Petra Rossner (Saturn, 1st), Mirjam Melchers (Netherlands, 3rd)

The Japanese team - line up at the start in Khancoban
The peloton - ride through the valley during the early part of the stage
Naomi Williams (AIS) - was one of the early attackers
Bridget Evans (Cycle Cooma) - signals for more water
Swiss rider Priska Doppmann (International) - was in good form today
The leading breakaway - on the first climb, with the next group in the distance
Over the top for the first mountain sprint - Priska Doppmann and Mirjam Melchers fight it out.
Margaret Hemsley - in the Australian Champion's jersey grits her teeth
Judith Arndt (Saturn) - rode an excellent supporters race today
Defending champion Kimberly Bruckner (Saturn) - shows the strain of her efforts
Mirjam Melchers (Netherlands) - looking extremely strong as she leads Bruckner
Children - from Tumbarumba's All Saints School cheer the riders home
Mirjam Melchers (Netherlands) - raises her arm in triumph as she wins the stage
"Yes!"
Mirjam Melchers - celebrates with teammate Arenda Grimberg after winning
Oneone Wood (Cycle Cooma) - was injured in the sprint
Bridget Evans (Cycle Cooma) - rode a good race for 10th
Tumbarumba's Mayor - presents the place getters with their prizes, which were symbols of the local area

Swedish champion Madeleine Lindberg (International) - in a relaxed mood at the start.
Madeleine Lindberg (Internatonal) was the unfortunate victim of a crash
Mirjam Melchers (Netherlands) gets a push-start after a problem
Vanessa Crawford (Australian National Team) makes sure the rubber side is down
Vanessa Crawford - during her ultimately fruitless chase of the peloton
Alison Wright (AIS) - leads the breakaway in the early stages, with the peloton in hot pursuit.
Alison Wright (AIS) working hard in the lead break
Melissa Holt (New Zealand) rides in the decisive break
Jessica Phillips (Saturn) - towing the breakaway, as she did for most of the day
The peloton - not in a great hurry
Ayumu Otsuka (Japan 1) benefitted from the breakawy to take fourth
Judith Arndt (Saturn) - eighth on GC
Alison Wright (AIS) crosses the line ahead of Melissa Holt (New Zealand) and Arenda Grimberg (Netherlands)

A new rider - enters the peloton as the race starts in Tumut
Sara Carrigan (AIS) - was the first to attack today
The peloton - cross the first mountain climb, with Petra Rossner (Saturn) leading the way
Emma James (NSWIS) - puts her head down during her early pursuit of Sara Carrigan
Emma James - leads Sara Carrigan (AIS) during their escape
Sara Carrigan and Emma James - ride past Blowering Dam
Emma James - riding across the dam wall to victory
Emma James - on the line
Susanne Ljungskog (Vlaanderen) - crosses for second place in front of GC leader Mirjam Melchers
Emma James - interviewed after the stage
Cathy Marsal (Saturn) - chose the quickest way to cool off after the race - in Talbingo dam

Bernard Devoy - mechanic for Priska Doppman's International team
Judith Arndt (Saturn) - powers away from the peloton
Judith Arndt - rode the time trial of her life to stay away
Liz Tadich (AIS) - rode a tactical race for the stage win
Judith Arndt - looks around to see where the peloton is, as Liz Tadich hangs on
Arndt and Tadich - with 20 kilometres to go, with the peloton in the distance
Mirjam Melchers - leads two Vlaanderen riders in pursuit of the breakaway
Mirjam Melchers and Susanne Ljungskog - had to work to protect their GC places
Mari Holden (USA-Cannondale) and Susanne Ljungskog (Vlaanderen) - working hard in the peloton
Mari Holden - riding hard
Mari Holden and Hayley Rutherford - tried to cross the gap on their own
Liz Tadich (AIS) - wins the fourth stage in Cooma
Judith Arndt - crosses the line behind Tadich
The bunch - was led home by Rochelle Gilmore (NSWIS) and Petra Rossner (Saturn)
A philosophical Judith Arndt - knew she couldn't expect any help from Tadich

Race director Phill Bates - prepares the course for the final stage
The Cooma crowd - enjoying the evening's action
The field - lines up for the final stage of the Tour de Snowy
An emotional Rochelle Gilmore (NSWIS-Trek) - lines up for the start
The peloton - round the first corner, cheered on by a crowd of Cooma locals
Melissa Holt (New Zealand) - won all three sprint primes early in the race
Best Australian rider Margaret Hemsley - rounds a corner during the criterium
Best U23 rider Hayley Rutherford - rides with Kim Bruckner (Saturn), Hanka Kupfernagel (Nurnberger/Vlaanderen) and Mirjam Melchers (Netherlands)
Lorian Graham (Cooma Cycles) - was one of the best performed local riders
Judith Arndt (Saturn) - rides during the final stage
The Saturn train - Kristy Scrymgeour, Cathy Marsal and Judith Arndt
Mirjam Melchers (Netherlands) - working hard in the bunch with Rochelle Gilmore on her wheel
The Saturn ring - around Mirjam Melchers during the final stage in Cooma
Susanne Ljungskog (3rd overall) - rides in the pack
Rochelle Gilmore - wins the stage, Judith Arndt finishes second and wins the tour
Rochelle Gilmore (NSWIS) - gives a triumphant salute as she wins the final stage
Team Saturn (L to R) - Jessica Phillips, Kimberly Bruckner, Petra Rossner, Judith Arndt, Kristy Scrymgeour, and Cathy Marsal

More photos by Jeff Jones

The kids - from All Saints in Khancoban get ready to cheer for the start of stage 1
Kim Bruckner and Margaret Hemsley - after the first mountain sprint on stage 1
The stage 2 sprint into Tumut - Alison Wright gets it from Melissa Holt
The view - from the top of Talbingo dam wall (stage 3)
Talbingo dam (stage 3 finish) - supplies much of the power for the region
Emma James (NSWIS) - crosses to win stage 3, with the chasers close behind her coming across the dam wall
Kimberly Bruckner (Saturn) - rounds the second corner during the final stage
The peloton - race past the Cooma Hotel, cheered on by the locals
The Saturn team - hug each other after Judith Arndt's remarkable victory