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2003 Jayco Geelong Bay Series
Victoria, Australia, January 8-12, 2003
Race 1 - Wednesday, January 8: Rye
McEwen and Gilmore winners of last year's Classic open winning accounts
By Norman Fay
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Queenslander Robbie McEwen and NSW rider Rochelle Gilmore, winners of last year's event, opened with winning rides in this year's Jayco Geelong Bay Cycling Classic on day one at Rye on Wednesday, Jan 8.
Thursday they are at a tougher, hillier course on the other side of Port Phillip Bay at Portarlington, where they recognise that challenges will be at their heels.
"Portarlington is a tougher course, so I won't be surprised if the competition hots up," said McEwen, riding for the Crown Team, who out rode his 70 competitors yesterday with a sprint to the line, from Victorian Hilton Clarke and New Zealander Greg Henderson, both with the SBR-Colnago team. The second and third placings have put their combination at the head of the team's placings.
The Rye course provided a number of spills, which saw last year's Herald Sun Tour winner Baden Cooke taken to hospital with slight concussion, cuts and abrasions and a corked thigh. He expects to be in the saddle again today.
Rochelle Gilmore was excited to grab the lead on day one and praised support from other NSW riders
Rochelle stole the victory by a half a wheel from Katie Bates (NSW), while only another half a wheel placed Alison Wright (NSW), third.
NSWIS wins 1, 2
By Rochelle Gilmore
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Today was the first day of the Bay Crit Series, previously known as the Skilled Bay Criterium Series. This year's new major sponsor is Jayco, Skilled are still playing a smaller role with their sponsorship contribution!
It was the shortest course (700m) of the 5 day race today, very tight fast and technical! The head wind into the finish straight made it even tougher, not to mention the 70 strong field! All our races will be 45 mins.
It was important to start up the front today because on a course like today's it would have been extremely difficult to make your way from the back of the pack to the front while the pace was on- and the pace was on the whole race!
In our NSW Institute of Sport team meeting last night we once again decided we wanted to win both jerseys (Sprint and Leaders), and we wanted to grab them on the first day! I was designated to try for the leaders jersey and Kate Bates for the intermediate green sprint jersey. We have 5 other strong riders that we could rely on to make our job easier. Nat, Krissy, Jen, Liv and Emma.
As like last year, the NSW Institute of Sport team controlled the race! The aggressors were ACT's Margaret Hemsley and Alison Wright, QLD's Sara Carrigan and WA's Hayley Rutherford.
They continued to attack throughout the race, we were quick to cover everything! Kate bates won both intermediate sprints with no trouble at all.
With 5 laps remaining Olivia Gollan hit the front hard to start our lead out, Kate Bates was sitting comfortably on her wheel with me 3rd, Liv swung off with 2 laps to go, Kate lead a strong fast 2 last laps, no other riders could compete with our train- it was too fast!
I came off Kate's wheel with 150m to the line, only just passing her for the win, Kate came 2nd and Alison Wright 3rd.
A great start for the NSWIS team, 1st, 2nd, the Sprint and Leaders jersey!
Tomorrow will be held in Portarlington at 1:30pm
Photos
Images thanks to Rochelle Gilmore
- Rochelle Gilmore (NSWIS) getting her leaders jersey
- Kate Bates (NSWIS) in her sprint jersey
Images by Greg O'Connor
- Robbie McEwen checking over his new Lotto-Domo team bike
- Robbie walking the course
- McEwen crosses then line for first place
Images by Norman Fay
- Baden Cooke shortly before being taken to hospital
- Robbie McEwen signing for the fans
Results
Elite Men
1 Robbie McEwen (Qld) Crown 12 pts 2 Hilton Clarke (Vic) SBR-Colnago 10 3 Gregg Henderson (NZl) SBR-Colgano 8 4 Brett Aitken (SA) Drapac Properties-Beasley Cycles 7 5 Dave McKenzie (Vic) Flanders iteamNova.com 6 6 Mark Renshaw (NSW) FDJ-NSW 5 7 Kristian House (Gbr) Hundred Tree Hill Wines 4 8 Chris Sutton (NSW) FDJ-NSW 3 9 Peter Milostic (NSW) Fitzroy Cycles 2 10 Henk Vogels (WA) Bicycle Superstore-Victorian State Home 1 Sprints 1 Gregg Henderson (NZl) SBR-Colgano 9 pts 2 Jonathon Cantwell (Qld) Giant-CBD Cycles 2 3 Simon Gerrans (Vic) Jayco-VIS 2 4 Kristian House (Gbr) Hundred Tree Hill Wines 2 5 Rob Wilson (Vic) TAC-Victoria Police 1 6 Chris Carr (Vic) TAC-Victoria Police 1 7 Mark Renshaw (NSW) FDJ-NSW 1 Teams 1 SBR-Colgano 18 pts 2 Crown 12 3 FDJ-NSW 8 4 Drapac Properties - Beasley Cycles 7 5 Flanders iteamNova.com 6 6 Hundred Tree Hill Wines-GBR 4 7 Fitzroy Cycles 2 8 Bicycle Superstore-Victorian State Home Loans 2
Elite Women
1 Rochelle Gilmore (NSW) 12 pts 2 Katie Bates (NSW) 10 3 Alison Wright (ACT) 8 4 Belinda Goss (Tas) 7 5 Hayley Rutherford (NSW) 6 6 Katie McTier (Vic) 5 7 Elizabeth Williams (Vic) 4 8 Oenone Wood (ACT) 3 9 Helen Kelly (Vic) 2 10 Emma Rickards (Vic) 1 Sprints 1 Katie Bates (NSW) 6 pts 2 Narelle Peters (Vic) 2 3 Elizabeth Williams (Vic) 2 4 Olivia Gollan (NSW) 1 5 Oenone Wood (ACT) 1
B Grade Men
1 Alexander James (Vic) 12 pts 2 Shayne Kirby (Vic) 10 3 Scott Dixon (Vic) 8 4 Klayten Smith (NSW) 7 5 Sean Finning (Vic) 6 6 Eugene Moriarty (Vic) 5 7 Dean Johnstone (Vic) 4 8 Nathan Wise (Vic) 3 9 Paul Kenny (Vic) 2 10 Anthony Comino (Vic) 1
