Stage 2 - March 5: Tumbarumba - Tumut, 69 km. Start 9:30am, finish 11:16pm

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Wright way to do it

By Jeff Jones in Tumut

Alison Wright Photo ©: Tom Balks

Australian Institute of Sport rider Alison Wright took victory in the first of today's two Tour de Snowy stages. The 22 year old outsprinted a group of eight riders into Tumut, with Melissa Holt (New Zealand) close on her heels, and Arenda Grimberg (Netherlands) in third. The break escaped after just 4 kilometres, and managed to finish nearly one and a half minutes clear of the peloton which contained race leader Mirjam Melchers, who held onto the leader's jersey.

The other main beneficiary in the group was Saturn's Catherine Marsal, who moved herself up to 6th overall, just 31 seconds behind Melchers. She was given considerable help by her teammate Jessica Phillips, who towed the breakaway for most of the day.

"When you know that's your job it makes it a lot easier," Phillips told Cyclingnews afterwards. "I was just listening to what was going on in my earpiece, as I'm very new to bike racing."

Lindberg down Photo ©: Tom Balks

Today's stage got off to an inauspicious start as approximately 15 riders went down in the first 500 metres, including race leader Melchers. The most seriously injured was Swedish champion Madeleine Lindberg (International), who suffered lacerations to her face and legs, later requiring stitches. She abandoned the race while the others, including Melchers, chased back onto the peloton.

The only other casualty was Australian National Team rider Vanessa Crawford, who was disqualified after the stage for holding onto a vehicle during her chase.

The racing was aggressive from the outset, and a break of seven went clear after only four kilometres. It contained AIS riders Alison Wright and Liz Tadich, along with Melissa Holt (New Zealand), Ayumu Otsuka (Japan 1), Katrina Berger (Cannondale USA) and Jessica Phillips (Saturn). Their lead hovered at 35 seconds or so but never looked dangerous.

That was until Cathy Marsal (Saturn) bridged across to the group at 20 kilometres. She was the best placed on GC at 8th, only 2 minutes behind, and immediately picked up the pace with the help of Phillips. The rest of the group simply sat behind the wheels of the Saturn girls, and the gap grew to a dangerous 2 minutes.

Phillips works Photo ©: Tom Balks

Melchers didn't panic, relying on Elsbeth Vink to keep the speed up in the peloton. She was helped by the USA Cannondale team, who were trying to protect Kimberly Anderson's top 10 GC place, despite having a rider in the break. The lead of the break was reduced to 1'30, where it stayed for the rest of the stage.

As the riders approached the finish in Tumut, both Liz Tadich and Alison Wright took turns in attacking the tired Saturn duo. In the end it was Alison Wright who came around Melissa Holt to win the stage, followed by Grimberg, Otsuka and Marsal.

Saturn now have three riders within 36 seconds of Melchers, but it will take their combined efforts in this afternoon's stage to Talbingo to try and dislodge the Dutchwoman. Melchers is climbing too strongly to lose much time on the steep ascent to the dam wall that marks the end of the stage.

"Jessica just did awesome work and we just worked together to try to keep a gap to make the Dutch work behind," commented Marsal. "Now I think Mirjam will have a hard time this afternoon to control the three of us, and I think we are going to try until the death to take the leaders' jersey."

Photography

• 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)
• The sprint into Tumut - Alison Wright gets it from Melissa Holt

Results

1 Alison Wright (Aus) AIS                         1.48.20 (37.92 km/h)
2 Melissa Holt (NZl) New Zealand
3 Arenda Grimberg (Ned) The Netherlands
4 Ayumu Otsuka (Jpn) Japan 1
5 Catherine Marsal (Fra) Saturn
6 Liz Tadich (Aus) AIS                               0.07
7 Katrina Berger (USA) Cannondale USA                0.11
8 Jessica Phillips (USA) Saturn                      0.15
9 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team             1.29
10 Miho Oki (Jpn) Japan 1
11 Briget Evans (Aus) Cycle Cooma
12 Debby Mansveld (Ned) Vlaanderen
13 Mari Holden (USA) Cannondale USA
14 Naomi Williams (Aus) AIS
15 Judith Arndt (Ger) Saturn
16 Oenone Wood (Aus) Cycle Cooma
17 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) The Netherlands
18 Priska Doppmann (Swi) International
19 Hayley Rutherford (Aus) AIS
20 Emma Rickards (Aus) Australian National Team
21 Helen Kelly (Aus) Australian National Team
22 Lorain Graham (Aus) Cycle Cooma
23 Claire Baxter (Aus) Southern Regional Team
24 Heidi Van De Vijver (Bel) Vlaanderen
25 Tamamo Nakamura (Jpn) Japan 1
26 Olivia Gollan (Aus) AIS
27 Margaret Hemsley (Aus) Australian National Team
28 Susie Wood (NZl) New Zealand
29 Rosalind Reekie-May (NZl) New Zealand
30 Johanna Buick (NZl) International
31 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Vlaanderen
32 Sara Carrigan (Aus) AIS
33 Kimberly Bruckner (USA) Saturn
34 Julie Hooper (GBr) International
35 Amy Safe (Aus) Australian National Team
36 Kirstie Robb (NZl) New Zealand
37 Hiroko Shimada (Jpn) Japan 2
38 Nicky Solomon (NZl) New Zealand
39 Natalie Bates (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team
40 Emma James (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team
41 Harue Kimura (Jpn) Japan 1
42 Emily Williams (Aus) Cycle Cooma
43 Nicola Bedwell (GBr) International
44 Dorothy Cowden (USA) Cannondale USA
45 Jennifer Manefield (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team
46 Vanessa Cheatley (NZl) Vlaanderen
47 Toni Bradshaw (NZl) New Zealand
48 Kym Shirley (Aus) Australian National Team
49 Alison Urquhart (Aus) Northern Regional Team
50 Anna Jones-Perrin (Aus) Northern Regional Team
51 Risa Sakaida (Jpn) Japan 2
52 Liz Hickey (Aus) Cycle Cooma
53 Kimberly Anderson (USA) Cannondale USA
54 Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) Vlaanderen
55 Raeleigh Tennant (Aus) Cycle Cooma
56 Vanessa Crawford (Aus) Australian National Team
57 Kristy Scrymgeour (Aus) Saturn
58 Elsbeth Vink (Ned) The Netherlands                1.54
59 Petra Rossner (Ger) Saturn
60 Katie Knight (Aus) Southern Regional Team        20.00
61 Kanako Nishi (Jpn) Japan 2
62 Mary Lou Webb (Aus) Northern Regional Team
63 Rebecca McConnell (Aus) Southern Regional Tea    23.03
64 Esther van der Helm (Ned) The Netherlands
65 Josephine Groenveld (Ned) The Netherlands
DNF Miyoko Karami (Jpn) Japan 2
DNF Madeleine Lindberg (Swe) International
DNS Helen Lee (Aus) Northern Regional Team
DNS Rebecca Cleveland (Aus) Southern Regional Team
 
Number of starters: 67
Classified: 65
Outside time limit: 0

General classification after stage 2
 
1 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) The Netherlands           4.11.40
2 Priska Doppmann (Swi) International                0.09
3 Margaret Hemsley (Aus) Australian National Team    0.20
4 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Vlaanderen                 0.28
5 Kimberly Bruckner (USA) Saturn                     0.29
6 Catherine Marsal (Fra) Saturn                      0.31
7 Rosalind Reekie-May (NZl) New Zealand              0.34
8 Judith Arndt (Ger) Saturn                          0.36
9 Olivia Gollan (Aus) AIS                            2.00
10 Hayley Rutherford (Aus) AIS
11 Naomi Williams (Aus) AIS
12 Kym Shirley (Aus) Australian National Team
13 Kimberly Anderson (USA) Cannondale USA
14 Emma James (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team
15 Miho Oki (Jpn) Japan 1
16 Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) Vlaanderen
17 Kirstie Robb (NZl) New Zealand
18 Susie Wood (NZl) New Zealand
19 Nicky Solomon (NZl) New Zealand
20 Oenone Wood (Aus) Cycle Cooma
21 Briget Evans (Aus) Cycle Cooma
22 Emily Williams (Aus) Cycle Cooma                  2.24
23 Alison Wright (Aus) AIS                           4.20
24 Melissa Holt (NZl) New Zealand                    4.25
25 Arenda Grimberg (Ned) The Netherlands             4.30
26 Liz Tadich (Aus) AIS                              4.47
27 Jessica Phillips (USA) Saturn                     4.55
28 Dorothy Cowden (USA) Cannondale USA               5.29
29 Nicola Bedwell (GBr) International                5.29
30 Jennifer Manefield (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team          6.09
31 Heidi Van De Vijver (Bel) Vlaanderen
32 Johanna Buick (NZl) International
33 Claire Baxter (Aus) Southern Regional Team
34 Ayumu Otsuka (Jpn) Japan 1                        8.24
35 Katrina Berger (USA) Cannondale USA               8.40
36 Helen Kelly (Aus) Australian National Team        9.58
37 Emma Rickards (Aus) Australian National Team
38 Amy Safe (Aus) Australian National Team
39 Mari Holden (USA) Cannondale USA
40 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team
41 Toni Bradshaw (NZl) New Zealand
42 Lorain Graham (Aus) Cycle Cooma
43 Hiroko Shimada (Jpn) Japan 2                     12.30
44 Tamamo Nakamura (Jpn) Japan 1                    13.33
45 Julie Hooper (GBr) International                 15.00
46 Alison Urquhart (Aus) Northern Regional Team     15.38
47 Anna Jones-Perrin (Aus) Northern Regional Team   17.11
48 Sara Carrigan (Aus) AIS                          21.18
49 Vanessa Crawford (Aus) Australian National Team
50 Natalie Bates (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team
51 Debby Mansveld (Ned) Vlaanderen
53 Petra Rossner (Ger) Saturn                       21.43
54 Elsbeth Vink (Ned) The Netherlands
56 Harue Kimura (Jpn) Japan 1                       26.19
57 Raeleigh Tennant (Aus) Cycle Cooma               28.11
58 Liz Hickey (Aus) Cycle Cooma
59 Miyoko Karami (Jpn) Japan 2                      31.20
60 Risa Sakaida (Jpn) Japan 2                       44.31
61 Madeleine Lindberg (Swe) International           46.29
62 Mary Lou Webb (Aus) Northern Regional Team       48.47
63 Kanako Nishi (Jpn) Japan 2                       49.04
64 Esther van der Helm (Ned) The Netherlands        52.21
65 Katie Knight (Aus) Southern Regional Team        58.44
66 Josephine Groenveld (Ned) The Netherlands      1.00.33
 
Mountain classification
 
1 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) The Netherlands                16 pts
2 Priska Doppmann (Swi) International                  12
3 Kimberly Bruckner (USA) Saturn                        7
4 Margaret Hemsley (Aus) Australian National Tea        6
6 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Vlaanderen                    3
7 Rosalind Reekie-May (NZl) New Zealand                 2
 
Points classification
 
1 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) The Netherlands                 5 pts
2 Alison Wright (Aus) AIS                               5
3 Priska Doppmann (Swi) International                   3
4 Melissa Holt (NZl) New Zealand                        3
5 Margaret Hemsley (Aus) Australian National Tea        2
6 Arenda Grimberg (Ned) The Netherlands                 2
7 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Vlaanderen                    1
8 Ayumu Otsuka (Jpn) Japan 1                            1

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