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The Emma James Diary 2004
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Welcome to one of Cyclingnews' up-and-coming female talents, Australian Emma James. Emma has spent the past two years with the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) team based in Italy, and in 2004, she has graduated to a full professional contract, firstly with Team S.A.T.S. and now with Bik Gios. She's a gutsy rider who's decided that she'd rather be testing the waters of professional cycling than testing the salinity of the Sydney's waterways as an environmental scientist - which used to be her previous occupation before Emma decided to take the plunge.
Geelong Tour Stages 1-3
Australia, February 22-25, 2004
Solid start
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Stage 1 - February 22: Port Arlington time trial, 8km
Along the coast road at Port Arlington, our time trial took us four kilometers out to a turn around point and then back to the start finish at the familiar park where one of the Bay Series criteriums is held.
It was a windy afternoon, a nice tailwind to escort us out there from Geelong, but on the course, it was a crosswind in both directions, which seemed to vary with every twist and turn and fade as the afternoon progressed. The fairly flat road had little pinches that a strong rider could power over and gain speed quickly just beyond it. Towards the end, those little rises sapped my legs and my gear selection showed my fear that I had very little left to smash over them like I wanted to.
We were not permitted to use time trial bikes or aero bars and only standard wheels in order not to disadvantage the overseas teams, who could not bring expensive time trial bikes as well as all the other equipment halfway around the world for the week of the Geelong Tour and World Cup. I thought helmets had to be standard - but a few riders took the standard road wheel definition to its limit and opted for the full aero helmet! It was an interesting test - to a certain extent with everyone on a level playing field with equipment - but in the end there were not too many surprises.
Dede Demet-Barry started ahead of me, Judith Arndt behind. 11 minutes that seemed to go by pretty quickly. It needed to be a fair bit less than that to be competitive! The winning time was corrected after the presentation - after some weird mishap where the powerful little Japanese rider, Miho Oki was mistaken for Kate Bates, and Kate’s time was recorded as 15s faster than it should have been. This opened up a Pandora’s box, with everyone then questioning if their times were not the same as heart rate monitors or power meter recorders suggested!
In the end, Katie Mactier (Jayco) took the win in 10’21 (46 km/h), ahead of Kathy Watt (Free Mach). An impressive ride by the young Tasmanian rider Louise Yaxley for third, then Kate Bates (NSWIS) and Oenone Wood not too far back with 10’32. The time gaps grew from there. The Aussie riders definitely have the advantage with a month or two of racing in their legs! The Aussies took the first six places!
From the S.A.T.S team, Manon Jutras was our best-placed rider in 14th. With a criterium tomorrow evening and then two road stages, we still have plenty of opportunities. The team was beautifully supported by Adrian and Phil for all the mechanical and logistic issues, and we had the smartest looking team cars provided by Peck and Stokes, Geelong. Not a bad start to the tour.
Stage 2 - February 23: Eastern Beach Criterium, 35km
The normal Botanic Gardens circuit that was used last year and through the Bay Series was thought to be too dangerous, so a larger loop was selected that basically sent us one block further onto a narrow path and then down onto a wide road where the bunch swerved madly across from one side to another as attacks were launched. There didn’t seem to be any crashes, but there were plenty of near misses and squeals! The bunch was not at all settled - and a bit too much enthusiasm from some individuals.
This was the first chance for our six SATS team riders to race together. We were keen for a good positive start to the year of racing. We rode well, working with one another, and taking advantage of the position of our team-mates for attacks. Nothing seemed to get too far. A few moves attracted a 20 second advantage, but there was enough desire to keep it together. It was aggressive riding from about five or six teams, and the pace was fairly high almost all the time.
Rochelle was looking after herself and keeping well-hidden, not contesting the intermediate sprints, but always ready to go with the right moves. She was well placed all night, and seemed to be doing it easily. She was unlucky in the final sprint, pulling her foot, but still finishing third behind Oenone Wood (AIS) and Kate Bates (NSWIS). Not too bad a night for the SATS girls, and all of us looking to the next challenge.
Stage 3 - February 24: Barwon Heads Road Circuit, 80km
This stage was on a typically windy, gutter-ball bit of Victorian Coast. The winds from Bass Straight screamed up over the high sandy banks and onto the road, sending more than a few riders into the dirt as the fights for shelter behind the riders ahead intensified. There were time bonuses up for grabs in the first three laps, and with Katie Mactier’s lead at only four seconds, there was plenty of action. Oenone Wood (AIS) took the first two sprints and was second in the third sprint. These time bonuses plus third place in the final sprint means that she now has a seven second lead on Mactier (Jayco), and at least 30 seconds advantage to the majority of strong climbers. Oenone also leads the sprint classification. She is having an incredible season so far: untouchable and impressive.
There were moves through the race that kept it dynamic. Amber Neben (T-Mobile) stayed away for 10km and was rewarded with one of the three second time bonus sprints. It was a good show of strength, holding off the chasing field into a strong head wind for most of her time away. Our SATS team rode well and featured in plenty of the moves, even as we sensed the peloton would not let anything go today. Sara Carrigan (QAS) and Alison Wright (Nobili) were caught just a couple kilometers from the line after about 10km away, holding off the Nurnberger chase.
The strong Germans had played it well, with Petra Rossner rewarding her team with the stage win ahead of Rochelle (SATS) and Oenone (AIS). Rochelle told us she had a perfect run into the line, helped by her SATS team mate Meredith to ensure she held good position, and then defending her spot on Rossner’s wheel against all attempts to push her from it. She came into the sprint perfectly, but again her pedals and cleats could not handle her kick for the sprint. These pedals and cleats have now been recycled into office stationary and will not feature in further races.
Rochelle has opted for new pedals and cleats to ensure she has no more dramas from pulling her foot in the sprint. She should be well clipped in for tomorrow’s steep climb, which last year saw girls crashing as they weaved up the narrow gravel road and found their gears simply too big to handle the gradient. More stories for sure tomorrow with the steepest hill near Geelong guaranteed to break up the field.
