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Geelong Women's Tour - 2.2
Australia, February 22-24, 2005
Main Page Results Stage Details Previous Stage Next Stage
Stage 3 - Wednesday, February 23: Road Circuit Barwon Heads, 77.4km
Mayolo-Pic takes the stage as Wood holds onto her lead
By Mikkeli Godfree
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38 year-old Tina Mayolo-Pic (Lloyd Morgan Recruitment) executed a text-book sprint to win by a clean set of wheels on Thirteenth Beach down in Barwon Heads over Rochelle Gilmore (NSWIS) and Oenone Wood (Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung).
Mayolo-Pic, the three-time American criterium champion, was full of praise for her team who controlled the race for the last 5km to deliver their sprinter to the line. "I had a great lead-out from my teammates. They did a great job…it was awesome - really fast and fun."
Meanwhile, the tour leader, Oenone Wood, controlled the race very well in the intermediate sprints, increasing her overall lead to 6 seconds over Kate Bates. "Kate put the pressure on early so I really had to work hard." Stretched as she was, Wood placed in all but one of the intermediate sprints and the final sprint to take eleven bonus seconds from the stage, setting her up perfectly to take a second consecutive tour victory.
How it unfolded
It was groundhog day on the second day of the Geelong Women's Tour as grey skies loomed above the start line in Barwon Heads. The 77.4km circuit race, won last year by now-retired Petra Rossner would surely once again play host to some great sprinting with its long, meandering finish straight. Before the start, tour leader Oenone Wood commented that, "It will be a bit easier today than last year because I don't have to race against Petra! It is great having her on the other end of the radio as my director though."
With Wood precariously placed at the top of the general classification, one second ahead of Kate Bates and three seconds ahead of Nat Bates, the sisters were looking hungry to upset the Nurnberger apple-cart. However, with World Champion Judith Arndt sitting 9 seconds down in fourth place, team Nurnberger were hardly short of firepower at the top of the GC table.
As if by magic, in a perfect duplicate of the previous day, the race started and the sun shone on the beautiful seaside town of Barwon Heads. There was no time to poke around the Sea Change set though as Kathy Watt put a cat amongst the pigeons by attacking straight out of the blocks and riding through the sleepy race convoy.
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With little to speak of as far as elevation or wind, the race was expected to stay together. However, the sprints would be hotly contested as these are definitely where the Geelong Women's Tour is won and lost.
The first sprint didn't disappoint with Kate Bates charging down on the finish line and holding off the race leader Wood, with New Zealander Melissa Holt in third. With time bonuses of 3 and 2 seconds going to Bates and Wood respectively, this left the two hanging equal provisionally on GC.
Determined not to be outdone Wood, with the help of 'human motorbike' Judith Arndt, took the second sprint by edging out Holt and Santia Tri Kusuma. Kate Bates was just out of the placings so Wood's lead on the road went back out to 3 seconds whilst Holt's consistency in the sprints brought her up to 6th on GC.
At the third and penultimate intermediate sprint, Kate Bates sent a clear message to Wood as the two continued to trade big blows in the boxing ring that is the Barwon Heads circuit. Bates had the speed to turn off the burners 15metres from the line to roll over for the maximum bonus as Wood came from absolutely nowhere to overhaul Michelle Hyland. With Oenone taking best of the rest behind Bates, she managed to hold onto the overall lead by a slender two seconds.
A crash with just over a lap to go disrupted the smooth operation of the Nurnberger and Ton van Bemmelen teams. This left the door open for Tri Kusuma (Indonesian International) to take the win over Kate Nichols (NSWIS) and Tina Mayolo-Pic (Lloyd Morgan Recruitment) as Wood and Bates went head-to-head across the other side of the road - just missing out on time bonuses in 4th and 5th spots.
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…And the scene was set for a final showdown. In the last third of the final 15km lap, the Lloyd Morgan team assembled themselves on the front. As they swung around the last bend, 15-wide, it was Lloyd Morgan's Tina Mayolo-Pic charging toward the line front and centre who came up with the goods. Rochelle Gilmore (NSWIS) put together a good sprint to finish second, whilst Wood managed to snare another 4 seconds bonus by finishing third.
The ever jovial American Mayolo-Pic was relieved with the win and said "I wanted the stage win and the intermediate sprints were great practice runs for the final. Even though [Wood and Bates] had been contesting the sprints, you never know how much those girls have at the end." The three-time American Criterium Champion made amends for not shining in her speciality the day before commenting jokingly, "I was thinking yesterday: hey I'm supposed to be good at this!"
Tour leader, Wood, put in a great showing in the final and fifth sprint for the day by taking third and retaining her overall lead. "I had been working all day and I think Kate [Bates] tired me out so I had no answer to [Tina Mayolo-Pic] in the final sprint." About the final stage beginning in Lara tomorrow, Wood said "We've got a great team and I think we can come through with the goods."
While ending up 51st at bunch time in the final sprint, Kate Bates was similarly optimistic about her tour hopes, "I felt like I was sprinting well at selected moments. My track legs leg me do it a couple but not five. I think tomorrow is going to be the big day and I'll try to recover well. I'll have a go - I would rather come 50th after having had a go and tried for a jersey than not tried at all."
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In the under 23 category, with Alexis Rhodes out with an upset stomach, New Zealander Michelle Hyland assumed the overall lead in this competition, a slim twelve and fifteen seconds ahead of Kate Nichols (NSWIS) and Amanda Spratt (AIS).
By virtue of her consistent sprinting, Wood also holds her lead the sprint competition by three points over Kate Bates but this competition is likely to be the last thing on her mind tomorrow as she battles it out with Bates for the overall title.
Tomorrow the race heads to Lara for a 113km circuit race where the tour will be decided. With the two intermediate sprints and the universally dreaded Mt Wallace at the mid-point of the race sparks are bound to fly.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Mark Gunter/Cyclingnews.com
- The riders pass the coast
- Michelle Hyland (New Zealand) in the Aussie sunshine
- Sara Carrigan at the front of the bunch
- Johanna Buick (New Zealand) on a lone breakaway
- Oenone Wood heads towards an intermediate sprint win
- The place getters sprint for the line with Mayolo-Pic to the fore
Images by John Veage
- This is where it's at
- Racing along the coast in the Geelong Women's Tour
- The peloton is in there somewhere
- Oenone Wood in the thick of things
- Tilting at windmills?
- The peloton rolls along
- Oenone Wood (centre) passes Kate Bates to take out an intermediate sprint during stage 3
- Tina Mayolo-Pic (centre) gives it everything to hold off Rochelle Gilmore (L) and Oenone Wood (R) for the stage win
- The podium Rochelle Gilmore (2nd), Tina Mayolo (1st) and Oenone Wood (3rd)
Images by Mikelli Godfree
- Oenone Wood gets wired for sound.
- Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung director and previous stage winner at Barwon Heads, Petra Rossner, advises tour leader Wood.
- Natalie Bates getting ready to go in to battle for her sister.
- Kate Bates talks with tour leader, Oenone Wood.
- Bates, Wood and Kelly relaxing before the start.
- Olivia Gollan and Natalie Bates await the start of Stage 3.
- Kate Bates turns off the burners as she takes the third sprint and looks back to check on Wood.
- Tina Mayolo-Pic happy with the win.
Results
1 Tina Mayolo Pic (USA) Lloyd Morgan Recruitment 2.02.00 2 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) NSWIS 3 Oenone Wood (Aus) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung 4 Jenny Macpherson (Aus) Jayco VIS 5 Tanja Hennes-Smidt (Ger) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint 6 Verena Joos (Ger) German National Team 7 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Ton Van Bemmelen AA Drink 8 Briget Evans (Aus) Lloyd Morgan Recruitment 9 Joanne Kiesanowski (NZl) SC Nobili Rubinetterie - Menikini Cogeas 10 Melissa Holt (NZl) New Zealand National Team 11 Carly Hibberd (Aus) QAS 12 Michelle Hyland (NZl) New Zealand National Team 13 Nicole Freedman (Isr) Western Global 14 Belinda Goss (Aus) Jayco VIS 15 Amy Gillett (Aus) Australian National Team 16 Meredith Miller (USA) Lloyd Morgan Recruitment 17 Tamara Boyd (NZl) Bike New Zealand 18 Katie Brown (Aus) Australian National Team 19 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Ton Van Bemmelen AA Drink 20 Miho Oki (Jpn) Japanese National Team 21 Amanda Spratt (Aus) Australian National Team 22 Claire Baxter (Aus) Inexa/Melbourne University Sport 23 Christine Riakos (Aus) NSWIS 24 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint 25 Michelle Kiesanowski (NZl) New Zealand National Team 26 Linda Melanie Serup (Den) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint 27 Daniela Fusar Poli (Ita) SC Nobili Rubinetterie - Menikini Cogeas 28 Kristy Bortolin (Aus) Lloyd Morgan Recruitment 29 Hannah Banks (Aus) QAS 30 Sarah Duster (Ger) German National Team 31 Kelly Hulser (USA) Western Global 32 Emma James (Aus) NSWIS 33 Emma Rickards (Aus) Jayco VIS 34 Kerryn Charman (Aus) Inexa/Melbourne University Sport 35 Amy Mosen (NZl) Bike New Zealand 36 Kerry Cohen (Aus) Western Global 37 Kate Nichols (Aus) NSWIS 38 Mirjam Melchers-Van Poppel (Ned) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint 39 Emma Colson (Aus) Western Global 40 Jemma O'brien (Aus) Peloton Sports / Turramurra Cyclery 41 Susie Wood (NZl) New Zealand National Team 42 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) SC Nobili Rubinetterie - Menikini Cogeas 43 Robyn Wong (NZl) Bike New Zealand 44 Laura Bortolozzi (Aus) Peloton Sports / Turramurra Cyclery 45 Toni Bradshaw (NZl) New Zealand National Team 46 Apryl Eppinger (Aus) Jayco VIS 47 Lynn Gaggioli (USA) Lloyd Morgan Recruitment 48 Helen Kelly (Aus) Jayco VIS 49 Santia Tri Kusuma (Ina) Indonesian National Team 50 Jessica Maclean (Aus) QAS 51 Katherine Bates (Aus) Ton Van Bemmelen AA Drink 52 Johanna Buick (NZl) New Zealand National Team 53 Rachel O'connell (Aus) Peloton Sports / Turramurra Cyclery 54 Nadene Boyle (NZl) Bike New Zealand 55 Madeleine Sandig (Ger) German National Team 56 Natalie Bates (Aus) Ton Van Bemmelen AA Drink 57 Kathryn Watt (Aus) Inexa/Melbourne University Sport 58 Judith Arndt (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung 59 Miyoko Karami (Jpn) Japanese National Team 60 Joanna Von Berky (Aus) QAS 61 Vickie Burr (NZl) Bike New Zealand 62 Caroline Jackson (GBr) Western Global 63 Bianca Knopfle (Ger) German National Team 64 Anke Wichmann (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung 65 Emma Lovelock (Aus) Peloton Sports / Turramurra Cyclery 66 Claudia Hecht (Ger) German National Team 67 Germma Goyne (Aus) Lloyd Morgan Recruitment 68 Louise Yaxley (Aus) Australian National Team 69 Caitlin Fraser (Aus) Inexa/Melbourne University Sport 70 Melissa Pilla (NZl) Bike New Zealand 71 Silvia Valsecchi (Ita) SC Nobili Rubinetterie - Menikini Cogeas 72 Kate Charge (Aus) Peloton Sports / Turramurra Cyclery 73 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung 74 Madeleine Lindberg (Swe) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung 75 Sally Cowman (Aus) QAS 0.18 76 Olivia Gollan (Aus) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung 1.24 77 Akemi Morimoto (Jpn) Japanese National Team 1.40 78 Tanya Moss (Aus) Peloton Sports / Turramurra Cyclery 79 Anna Miyazaki (Jpn) Japanese National Team 5.37 DNS Alexis Rhodes (Aus) Australian National Team DNS Katie Mactier (Aus) Jayco VIS General classification after stage 3 1 Oenone Wood (Aus) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung 3.12.48 2 Katherine Bates (Aus) Ton Van Bemmelen AA Drink 0.06 3 Natalie Bates (Aus) Ton Van Bemmelen AA Drink 0.14 4 Amy Gillett (Aus) Australian National Team 0.19 5 Judith Arndt (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung 0.20 6 Melissa Holt (NZl) New Zealand National Team 0.21 7 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Ton Van Bemmelen AA Drink 0.25 8 Tina Mayolo Pic (USA) Lloyd Morgan Recruitment 9 Mirjam Melchers-Van Poppel (Ned) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint 0.26 10 Lynn Gaggioli (USA) Lloyd Morgan Recruitment 0.33 11 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint 0.39 12 Michelle Hyland (NZl) New Zealand National Team 0.41 13 Jenny Macpherson (Aus) Jayco VIS 0.42 14 Joanne Kiesanowski (NZl) SC Nobili Rubinetterie - Menikini Cogeas 0.49 15 Miho Oki (Jpn) Japanese National Team 0.50 16 Emma James (Aus) NSWIS 0.54 17 Susie Wood (NZl) New Zealand National Team 18 Kate Nichols (Aus) NSWIS 19 Helen Kelly (Aus) Jayco VIS 0.56 20 Amanda Spratt (Aus) Australian National Team 21 Linda Melanie Serup (Den) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint 1.00 22 Emma Rickards (Aus) Jayco VIS 1.03 23 Madeleine Sandig (Ger) German National Team 1.04 24 Belinda Goss (Aus) Jayco VIS 25 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Ton Van Bemmelen AA Drink 1.09 26 Meredith Miller (USA) Lloyd Morgan Recruitment 1.10 27 Katie Brown (Aus) Australian National Team 1.11 28 Michelle Kiesanowski (NZl) New Zealand National Team 1.14 29 Toni Bradshaw (NZl) New Zealand National Team 1.16 30 Robyn Wong (NZl) Bike New Zealand 1.20 31 Tanja Hennes-Smidt (Ger) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint 1.24 32 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) SC Nobili Rubinetterie - Menikini Cogeas 1.27 33 Christine Riakos (Aus) NSWIS 1.32 34 Emma Colson (Aus) Western Global 1.35 35 Briget Evans (Aus) Lloyd Morgan Recruitment 1.46 36 Sarah Duster (Ger) German National Team 1.48 37 Kerry Cohen (Aus) Western Global 2.08 38 Tamara Boyd (NZl) Bike New Zealand 2.24 39 Claire Baxter (Aus) Inexa/Melbourne University Sport 2.27 40 Louise Yaxley (Aus) Australian National Team 2.29 41 Kelly Hulser (USA) Western Global 2.31 42 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) NSWIS 2.39 43 Nadene Boyle (NZl) Bike New Zealand 2.44 44 Kathryn Watt (Aus) Inexa/Melbourne University Sport 2.46 45 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung 2.47 46 Hannah Banks (Aus) QAS 2.49 47 Silvia Valsecchi (Ita) SC Nobili Rubinetterie - Menikini Cogeas 48 Johanna Buick (NZl) New Zealand National Team 2.52 49 Miyoko Karami (Jpn) Japanese National Team 2.55 50 Sally Cowman (Aus) QAS 2.58 51 Nicole Freedman (Isr) Western Global 3.00 52 Anke Wichmann (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung 3.03 53 Verena Joos (Ger) German National Team 3.05 54 Daniela Fusar Poli (Ita) SC Nobili Rubinetterie - Menikini Cogeas 3.07 55 Jessica Maclean (Aus) QAS 3.08 56 Caitlin Fraser (Aus) Inexa/Melbourne University Sport 3.16 57 Caroline Jackson (GBr) Western Global 3.18 58 Kate Charge (Aus) Peloton Sports / Turramurra Cyclery 3.29 59 Rachel O'connell (Aus) Peloton Sports / Turramurra Cyclery 3.31 60 Kristy Bortolin (Aus) Lloyd Morgan Recruitment 3.32 61 Carly Hibberd (Aus) QAS 62 Kerryn Charman (Aus) Inexa/Melbourne University Sport 3.38 63 Amy Mosen (NZl) Bike New Zealand 3.40 64 Vickie Burr (NZl) Bike New Zealand 3.43 65 Santia Tri Kusuma (Ina) Indonesian National Team 3.54 66 Jemma O'brien (Aus) Peloton Sports / Turramurra Cyclery 3.56 67 Emma Lovelock (Aus) Peloton Sports / Turramurra Cyclery 3.57 68 Bianca Knopfle (Ger) German National Team 3.59 69 Olivia Gollan (Aus) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung 4.20 70 Akemi Morimoto (Jpn) Japanese National Team 4.36 71 Apryl Eppinger (Aus) Jayco VIS 5.12 72 Joanna Von Berky (Aus) QAS 5.20 73 Claudia Hecht (Ger) German National Team 5.24 74 Madeleine Lindberg (Swe) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung 5.31 75 Melissa Pilla (NZl) Bike New Zealand 7.01 76 Laura Bortolozzi (Aus) Peloton Sports / Turramurra Cyclery 7.11 77 Germma Goyne (Aus) Lloyd Morgan Recruitment 8.13 78 Tanya Moss (Aus) Peloton Sports / Turramurra Cyclery 9.44 79 Anna Miyazaki (Jpn) Japanese National Team 11.41 Sprint classification 1 Oenone Wood (Aus) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung 13 pts 2 Katherine Bates (Aus) Ton Van Bemmelen AA Drink 10 3 Santia Tri Kusuma (Ina) Indonesian National Team 4 4 Melissa Holt (NZl) New Zealand National Team 3 5 Kate Nichols (Aus) NSWIS 2 6 Natalie Bates (Aus) Ton Van Bemmelen AA Drink 2 7 Michelle Hyland (NZl) New Zealand National Team 1 7 Tina Mayolo Pic (USA) Lloyd Morgan Recruitment 1 Under 23 classification 1 Michelle Hyland (NZl) New Zealand National Team 3.13.30 2 Kate Nichols (Aus) NSWIS 0.12 3 Amanda Spratt (Aus) Australian National Team 0.15 4 Linda Melanie Serup (Den) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint 0.19 5 Madeleine Sandig (Ger) German National Team 0.22 6 Belinda Goss (Aus) Jayco VIS 0.23 7 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Ton Van Bemmelen AA Drink 0.28 8 Katie Brown (Aus) Australian National Team 0.30 9 Hannah Banks (Aus) QAS 2.08 10 Sally Cowman (Aus) QAS 2.16 11 Daniela Fusar Poli (Ita) SC Nobili Rubinetterie - Menikini Cogeas 2.25 12 Jessica Maclean (Aus) QAS 2.26 13 Carly Hibberd (Aus) QAS 2.51 14 Amy Mosen (NZl) Bike New Zealand 2.58 15 Emma Lovelock (Aus) Peloton Sports / Turramurra Cyclery 3.16 16 Bianca Knopfle (Ger) German National Team 3.17 17 Apryl Eppinger (Aus) Jayco VIS 4.31 18 Joanna Von Berky (Aus) QAS 4.39 19 Claudia Hecht (Ger) German National Team 4.43 20 Anna Miyazaki (Jpn) Japanese National Team 11.00
