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Cronulla International Grand Prix - NE
Sydney, NSW, Australia, December 16, 2007
2006 results Results Elite Men
Bates sprints to success
By Greg Johnson in Cronulla, New South Wales
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Katherine Bates (High Road/T-Mobile) held off star Australian sprinter Rochelle Gilmore (NSWIS Meniki) right down to the finish line, to claim victory at the second Cronulla International Grand Prix. The 25 year-old jumped early on the final straight, pulling out a margin that Gilmore couldn't claim back, causing the sprinter to sit up in the final metres and settle for second place.
"Rochelle is just so quick, I have a lot of respect for her, and I thought the only way to beat her is to jump early," said Bates. "I surprised myself a little bit, but I'm very happy."
The victory was Bates' biggest on the road in 2007, having dedicated much of her season to track racing in the build-up to next year's Beijing Olympic Games. Bates claimed gold in the points race at the World Track Championships in Spain earlier this year and trains under Garry Sutton, who won the coach of the year award at Friday's Cycling Australia awards in Adelaide, South Australia.
"I have to admit I didn't expect much out of myself today but I'm getting better and better as the season is going along, so I'm stoked with it," added Bates.
How it unfolded
After being flagged away the women's peloton quickly settled into a rhythm, with Bates, Sky Lee Armstrong and Sara Carrigan (Lotto-Belisol) taking turns at the front. The day's first break came when Amanda Spratt (FRF NSWIS) broke away with Kate Finegan (Hunter District) for the better part of a lap, before being caught by the peloton at the start finish lap.
As riders rounded the paperclip first turn and accelerated down the back straight, the peloton quickly fell apart as Lauren Kitchen (Port Macquarie) fell near the head of the bunch. While the majority of the riders safely avoided the stranded rider and her bike, four riders - including Natalie Bates (NSWIS AA Drink), Trudy van der Staaten (Northern Sydney) and Jemma O'Brien (Eurobodalla) - were left with nowhere to go, resulting in a violent pileup.
As Kitchen was helped from the course and the carnage cleared by officials, Carrigan broke away with Leonie Burford (Illawara), with the latter soon attacking the former to draw out a 10 metre lead. Burford was allowed down the road for a lap before Finegan took chase, forcing the peloton to catch up with the pair.
Despite being taken down in the earlier accident, by lap 13 Natalie Bates (NSWIS AA Drink) was leading the peloton from Armstrong, who consistently drove the peloton throughout the race while working for team-mate Gilmore.
As the laps dwindled away all eyes were on Gilmore as she jostled for position near the front of the field with Natalie Bates, who finished third in last year's race. But as everyone waited for Gilmore to hit it on the final straight, Katherine Bates had already gone and managed to hold her margin through to the finish line.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Brad Hooker/www.cyclingimagesonline.com
- Some of Australia's best women line up for the start of the 2007 Cronulla Criterium.
- Skye Lee Armstrong (Parramatta) leads the bunch through the u-turn on the first lap.
- Kaarle McCulloch (St George) found the going tough today, but still finished.
- Sara Carrigan (QLD) pushed the local Sydney riders all race.
- Kate Nicholls (St George) leading Tiffany Cromwell (Norwood) through the 1st corner u-turn.
- Amanda Spratt (Penrith) was amongst the action all race.
- Kate Bates (T-Mobile) looked relaxed during the race.
- Down they come, a touch of wheels left four women on the deck & riders swerving onto the wrong side.
- Lauren Kitchen (Port Macquarie) was an unfortunate causality of the fall & was unable to restart.
- Leonie Aisbett (Illawarra) trying her luck on a solo breakaway. Unfortunately she couldn't old the pack off.
- Kate Finegan (Hunter District) was another local rider mixing it with the best & holding her own, watch out for this rider in the future.
- Here's Miss Cool again, Kate Bates just sitting there concentrating on her opponents.
- Yep still there.
- And the winner is, you guessed it Kate Bates, she was too strong in the down hill sprint.
- Then it was straight to the media frenzy and local a Channel 9 live interview.
Results
Women, 18 laps 1 Katherine Bates (Aus) T-Mobile 2 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) NSWIS Meniki 3 Renee Fortunata (Aus) Sutherland
