5th Tour de Snowy - 2.9.1Australia, March 4-6, 2002 |
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Stage 4 - March 6: Adaminaby - Cooma, 87.2 km. Start 10:30pm, finish 12:51pm
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Agony for Arndt
Only one second in it with one stage to go
By Jeff Jones in Cooma
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"It's not over until 6:15pm this evening!" were the words of Saturn's Catherine Marsal before the start of this morning's fourth stage from Adaminaby to Cooma. It was evident, that with three riders in the top eight on general classification, Saturn were going to make Mirjam Melchers really work for her blue leader's jersey.
The plan almost worked, as by the end of the stage Saturn's Judith Arndt had moved to within 1 second of Melchers, courtesy of an awesome 50 kilometre plus "solo" breakaway. For the duration of her effort, Arndt had the company of AIS rider Liz Tadich, who chose not to work until 10 km to go in order to protect one of her teammates on GC.
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Tadich won the stage from Arndt, who took a 15 second time bonus for second place, but it was not quite enough as the peloton led by Rochelle Gilmore (NSWIS) came in at 38 seconds behind. With only a short criterium to finish the Tour de Snowy this evening, Melchers should be able to hold her lead.
"It's not very difficult tonight," an exhausted Melchers told Cyclingnews after the stage. "I will stay at the front as much as possible and Arndt, I won't let her go for sure. I hope there's a lot of speed and that it's very difficult. Most of the time it would be a bunch sprint. You never know, maybe they [Saturn] want to make some shit."
They certainly did today as the attacks started from the gun. The peloton was strung out over the first part of the 87 kilometre stage which was steadily uphill. Arndt, Kimberly Bruckner and Cathy Marsal all took turns off the front, as well as Naomi Williams (AIS), Dorothy Cowden (USA-Cannondale) and others.
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"I had to close a lot of gaps because they were too dangerous," said Melchers, whose bright blue leader's jersey could be seen near the front for the first 40 kilometres.
In the end it was too much as the riders turned off to head towards Berridale for an undulating downhill leg into a crosswind. Judith Arndt attacked just before the corner, and only Liz Tadich could follow her. The peloton eased enough to allow the German to establish a small gap, and that was the way it remained for the next 20 kilometres.
Melchers' Dutch team were doing nearly all the chasing, but they could not close it down. When they ran out of gas at Berridale, the lead ballooned out to 1'45. Arndt only needed 54 seconds to catch Melchers on GC (not including stage bonuses) and she was showing no signs of easing off the throttle.
A reaction in the peloton was inevitable, and the hard working Melchers found assistance from Susanne Ljungskog (Vlaanderen) and Priska Doppmann (International). "We did everything we could," said Melchers. "Of course there are two other girls on the podium and that was lucky for me...Vlaanderen would like to stay on the podium with Ljungskog."
"The tempo was really high. There was nobody left - my teammates did all they could in the first 50 kilometres but after that they were broken."
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There was also some uncalled for help from USA-Cannondale's Mari Holden, who is here for training and spent a good deal of time towing the peloton. "They have Redlands in America next week. For them it was great preparation. I was really glad that they would do something for me."
Despite this, the impressive Arndt continued to hold her own in the lead, with no work being done by Liz Tadich until 10 kilometres to go. This ensured that they would stay away over the final hill into Cooma, and Tadich had few problems outsprinting Arndt for the stage win.
A philosophical Arndt shrugged her shoulders afterwards. "The last 10 kilometres we worked together. It's normal that she would win at the end. That's life. We still have one stage left."
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Tadich was clearly very happy with her win, at the same time praising Arndt. "I couldn't believe it - she was a motor alright! When she had the 30 second gap, she was setting such a good pace that I did think we would stay away. I was working for the team. It wasn't ideal for Judith to get away, so I just sat on her until the last 10 kilometres when I went for the stage."
There were no words exchanged between the two leaders, according to Tadich. "She understood totally. She knew what was going on."
If Melchers holds on, she will certainly enjoy a hard earned victory when the Tour de Snowy finishes with a 40 minute criterium this evening in Cooma. There's no doubt that she has deserved it, as she has been the strongest rider in the race this year.
Photography
Photography by Tom Balks
- 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
Results
1 Liz Tadich (Aus) AIS 2.12.02 (39.55 km/h) 2 Judith Arndt (Ger) Saturn 3 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team 0.38 4 Petra Rossner (Ger) Saturn 5 Naomi Williams (Aus) AIS 6 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Vlaanderen 7 Priska Doppmann (Swi) International 8 Briget Evans (Aus) Cycle Cooma 9 Rosalind Reekie-May (NZl) New Zealand 10 Hayley Rutherford (Aus) AIS 11 Alison Wright (Aus) AIS 12 Miho Oki (Jpn) Japan 1 13 Ayumu Otsuka (Jpn) Japan 1 14 Kimberly Bruckner (USA) Saturn 15 Melissa Holt (NZl) New Zealand 16 Catherine Marsal (Fra) Saturn 17 Maragret Hemsley (Aus) Australian National Team 18 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) The Netherlands 19 Emma James (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team 20 Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) Vlaanderen 21 Kym Shirley (Aus) Australian National Team 22 Olivia Gollan (Aus) AIS 23 Kirstie Robb (NZl) New Zealand 24 Susie Wood (NZl) New Zealand 25 Kristy Scrymgeour (Aus) Saturn 0.58 26 Jessica Phillips (USA) Saturn 27 Toni Bradshaw (NZl) New Zealand 1.02 28 Helen Kelly (Aus) Australian National Team 29 Kimberly Anderson (USA) Cannondale USA 30 Emily Williams (Aus) Cycle Cooma 31 Oenone Wood (Aus) Cycle Cooma 1.38 32 Claire Baxter (Aus) Southern Regional Team 33 Amy Safe (Aus) Australian National Team 34 Jennifer Manefield (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team 35 Natalie Bates (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team 1.46 36 Sara Carrigan (Aus) AIS 2.00 37 Nicky Solomon (NZl) New Zealand 2.06 38 Nicola Bedwell (GBr) International 39 Mari Holden (USA) Cannondale USA 40 Hiroko Shimada (Jpn) Japan 2 2.18 41 Katrina Berger (USA) Cannondale USA 2.52 42 Heidi Van De Vijver (Bel) Vlaanderen 3.40 43 Debby Mansveld (Ned) Vlaanderen 14.27 44 Arenda Grimberg (Ned) The Netherlands 45 Elsbeth Vink (Ned) The Netherlands 46 Vanessa Cheatley (NZl) Vlaanderen 47 Emma Rickards (Aus) Australian National Team 15.06 48 Johanna Buick (NZl) International 15.11 49 Julie Hooper (GBr) International 15.15 50 Tamamo Nakamura (Jpn) Japan 1 15.15 51 Lorain Graham (Aus) Cycle Cooma 15.20 52 Anna Jones-Perrin (Aus) Northern Regional Team 15.22 53 Dorothy Cowden (USA) Cannondale USA 15.31 54 Risa Sakaida (Jpn) Japan 2 16.05 55 Esther van der Helm (Ned) The Netherlands 56 Alison Urquhart (Aus) Northern Regional Team 57 Liz Hickey (Aus) Cycle Cooma 26.23 58 Mary Lou Webb (Aus) Northern Regional Team 59 Raeleigh Tennant (Aus) Cycle Cooma 60 Kanako Nishi (Jpn) Japan 2 34.48 61 Rebecca McConnell (Aus) Southern Regional Team 40.54 62 Josephine Groenveld (Ned) The Netherlands 42.05 DNF Harue Kimura (Jpn) Japan 1 DNF Katie Knight (Aus) Southern Regional Team Number of starters: 64 Classified: 59 Outside time limit: 3 General classification after stage 4 1 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) The Netherlands 7.53.39 (35.95 km/h) 2 Judith Arndt (Ger) Saturn 0.01 3 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Vlaanderen 0.25 4 Priska Doppmann (Swi) International 0.29 5 Kimberly Bruckner (USA) Saturn 0.38 6 Maragret Hemsley (Aus) Australian National Team 1.05 7 Emma James (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team 1.27 8 Catherine Marsal (Fra) Saturn 1.42 9 Rosalind Reekie-May (NZl) New Zealand 1.45 10 Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) Vlaanderen 2.21 11 Susie Wood (NZl) New Zealand 2.22 12 Miho Oki (Jpn) Japan 1 2.45 13 Hayley Rutherford (Aus) AIS 3.11 14 Kym Shirley (Aus) Australian National Team 3.11 15 Kirstie Robb (NZl) New Zealand 3.11 16 Olivia Gollan (Aus) AIS 3.24 17 Naomi Williams (Aus) AIS 3.24 18 Briget Evans (Aus) Cycle Cooma 3.24 19 Kimberly Anderson (USA) Cannondale USA 3.35 20 Emily Williams (Aus) Cycle Cooma 3.59 21 Oenone Wood (Aus) Cycle Cooma 4.11 22 Liz Tadich (Aus) AIS 5.00 23 Nicky Solomon (NZl) New Zealand 5.13 24 Mari Holden (USA) Cannondale USA 5.45 25 Alison Wright (Aus) AIS 6.39 26 Jessica Phillips (USA) Saturn 7.34 27 Nicola Bedwell (GBr) International 8.08 28 Claire Baxter (Aus) Southern Regional Team 8.20 29 Melissa Holt (NZl) New Zealand 8.50 30 Jennifer Manefield (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team 9.09 31 Ayumu Otsuka (Jpn) Japan 1 10.09 32 Heidi Van De Vijver (Bel) Vlaanderen 12.20 33 Katrina Berger (USA) Cannondale USA 12.42 34 Amy Safe (Aus) Australian National Team 12.54 35 Helen Kelly (Aus) Australian National Team 13.27 36 Toni Bradshaw (NZl) New Zealand 14.03 37 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team 14.13 38 Hiroko Shimada (Jpn) Japan 2 16.02 39 Dorothy Cowden (USA) Cannondale USA 22.10 40 Arenda Grimberg (Ned) The Netherlands 22.19 41 Johanna Buick (NZl) International 22.56 42 Natalie Bates (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team 25.00 43 Lorain Graham (Aus) Cycle Cooma 26.04 44 Petra Rossner (Ger) Saturn 26.28 45 Kristy Scrymgeour (Aus) Saturn 27.09 46 Emma Rickards (Aus) Australian National Team 27.18 47 Tamamo Nakamura (Jpn) Japan 1 30.02 48 Sara Carrigan (Aus) AIS 30.41 49 Julie Hooper (GBr) International 30.48 50 Alison Urquhart (Aus) Northern Regional Team 34.52 51 Anna Jones-Perrin (Aus) Northern Regional Team 35.00 52 Debby Mansveld (Ned) Vlaanderen 38.16 53 Vanessa Cheatley (NZl) Vlaanderen 39.32 54 Elsbeth Vink (Ned) The Netherlands 41.41 55 Liz Hickey (Aus) Cycle Cooma 57.40 56 Risa Sakaida (Jpn) Japan 2 1.03.07 57 Raeleigh Tennant (Aus) Cycle Cooma 1.11.08 58 Kanako Nishi (Jpn) Japan 2 1.26.01 59 Esther van der Helm (Ned) The Netherlands 1.27.14 60 Mary Lou Webb (Aus) Northern Regional Team 1.30.38 61 Rebecca McConnell (Aus) Southern Regional Team 2.06.32 62 Josephine Groenveld (Ned) The Netherlands 2.12.40 Mountains classification 1 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) The Netherlands 24 pts 2 Emma James (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team 14 3 Priska Doppmann (Swi) International 14 4 Kimberly Bruckner (USA) Saturn 11 6 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Vlaanderen 9 7 Maragret Hemsley (Aus) Australian National Team 6 8 Sara Carrigan (Aus) AIS 6 9 Petra Rossner (Ger) Saturn 3 10 Rosalind Reekie-May (NZl) New Zealand 2 11 Mari Holden (USA) Cannondale USA 2 12 Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) Vlaanderen 1 Points classification 1 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) The Netherlands 7 pts 2 Emma James (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team 5 3 Alison Wright (Aus) AIS 5 4 Liz Tadich (Aus) AIS 5 5 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Vlaanderen 4 6 Priska Doppmann (Swi) International 3 7 Melissa Holt (NZl) New Zealand 3 8 Judith Arndt (Ger) Saturn 3 9 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team 2 10 Maragret Hemsley (Aus) Australian National Team 2 11 Arenda Grimberg (Ned) The Netherlands 2 12 Ayumu Otsuka (Jpn) Japan 1 1 13 Petra Rossner (Ger) Saturn 1 14 Kimberly Bruckner (USA) Saturn 1