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Geelong Women's Tour - 2.2
Australia, February 22-24, 2005
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Stage 1 - Tuesday, February 22: Time Trial Portarlington, 8km
Watt relegated leaving Natalie Bates victor
By Mikkeli Godfree
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Natalie Bates (Ton van Bemmelen) has won the opening stage of the Geelong International Women’s Tour after provisional winner Barcelona Olympic Champion Kathy Watt (Alex Melbourne University Sport) was relegated to last place for riding a non-regulation bicycle. In contrast to last year’s opening time trial where Natalie’s sister, Kate Bates was initially given the time trial win only to have it overturned thanks to a timing glitch, fortune fell in the hands of the Bates family this time around.
With Watt relegated to 87th place, youngster Alexis Rhodes (AIS) moved up to second spot in the stage whilst Alexis’ teammate Amy Gillet (formerly Amy Safe) moved up into third.
The controversy regarding Watt’s bike was a talking point throughout the day as, after the time trial Stage 1, 9 teams lodged a protest disputing the victory on the grounds that Watt’s bike didn’t meet UCI specifications.
As prescribed by the rules in this tour, only standard road bikes are allowed to be ridden in the time trial. The protest was lodged on the grounds that Watt’s handlebars were positioned too low and she therefore gained an aerodynamic advantage. The rules stipulate that the bottom of the handlebars are not to overlap the front wheel and it was for breach of this rule that Watt was stripped of her win.
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Not only was Watt relegated to last place in the time trial, but she was fined 50 Swiss Francs for urinating in public and was given an official warning for being late to the Stage 1 presentation.
As it happened
After grey skies cleared, it was a perfect, warm day for racing down on the Portarlington. With an uncharacteristic but favourable easterly breeze giving the women a headwind out and tailwind home, the scene was set for a great showdown between a heap of top international riders.
Both riders and organisers were ready to exorcise the demons of last year’s opening time trial timing error which initially gave Kate Bates the win. As if that wasn’t enough for Bates, her first road tour in Europe dealt her exactly the same hand as she was awarded a stage win only to have it taken off her at dinner, “I reckon I’d have to be the only cyclist in the world with far more podium shots than jerseys!”
When it came time to race, the wind had picked up but was steady throughout the morning. New Zealander, Melissa Holt (New Zealand National Team) was the early leader before she was knocked out of the hot-seat by Judith Arndt, making her first appearance in the rainbow colours as current World Road Race Champion. The chalk on Arndt’s time hardly settled by the time Natalie Bates brought home a storming time of 11:35 for the 8km.
With Oenone Wood, Kate Bates Mirjam Melchers, Katie Mactier and Kathy Watt to come, Natalie could hardly rest easy. However, favourites came and favourites went until Watt flew around the course in a blistering time of 11:31 a full 4 seconds quicker than Nat Bates' time. All eyes were turned eastward down the finish straight for the arrival of Mactier but she couldn't get onto the podium, posting a 11:40 and putting her in 5th.
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However, as we know, Watt’s result didn’t stand and although denied her top spot on the podium, Natalie Bates took out an impressive time trial victory signifying she is on top form at the moment. An belatedly ecstatic Natalie Bates commented after the decision, “I’m very happy. I wasn’t sure what my legs would be like - last time I raced was Road National’s and I’ve only been training with Kate so it’s hard to know how good the legs are. It’s always great to get on the podium.”
Also showing her quality, 20-year-old Alexis Rhodes took second spot only 0.6 of a second behind Natalie and in so doing took the U23 leader’s jersey. Alexis was extremely happy with her ride saying afterward, “I didn’t think I had it in me, I usually go well in time trials but not that well. I’ll try to defend the [U23] jersey but Kate Brown is a good sprinter so we’ll try to get her up there for some stage finishes.”
The relegation
Regarding the relegation, Watt said before the decision, “It’s crazy, we have to race a time trial and we can’t even use time trial bikes!” Other riders didn’t quite agree. Kate Bates said, “There are rules there which are not there to be broken and I think it is a bit disrespectful to the rest of the field to break them. Having said that, I'm stoked for Nat this morning, it was a really good ride for her and a sign of things to come.”
Conversely, before the decision was handed down, Watt’s partner and coach Carey Hall was philosophical about the protest saying, “they say that the handlebars are too low for a rider who is about the shortest here… tall riders can have their bars as low as they want so I don’t know. Regardless of the outcome, I think it was pretty impressive for a 40-year-old to go out there and beat everyone and I think everyone knows she is he fastest over 8km. If they think it was because her handlebars were too low then whatever… I’m happy, she rode very fast.
Watt is now 2min 35s down as the race heads to Barwon Heads for Stage 3.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by John Veage
- Watch out for the mushroom!
- Eventual winner Natalie Bates.
- Judith Arndt looking good in white as the current Road Race World Champ.
- Kathy Watt on the bike that resulted in her relegation to last place.
- Katie Mactier coming back from pneumonia rode well to come 6th.
- Olivia Gollan screams for air at the finish.
- Kathy Watt accepting the yellow jersey but the smile wouldn't last all day.
- Alexis Rhodes takes the U23 Leader’s Jersey after a great ride to second place.
Images by Mark Gunter/Cyclingnews.com
- Cyclingnews reporter Mikkeli Godfree doin it for the team
- Judith Arndt (Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung) during her time trial
Images by Mikkeli Godfree
- Judith Arndt seconds away from her first race in the rainbow kit as Road World Champion.
- Judith Arndt putting the power down.
- ’03 World Road Champion Susanne Ljungskog sports some unique pedal
- Kate Bates awaits the starter’s orders.
- Kathy Watt explodes out of the gate.
- Katie Mactier rips up the course.
- Santia Tri Kusuma from Indonesian awaits her start
- Natalie Bates accepts flowers for 2nd in the time trial, hours before being given the win after Kathy Watt’s relegation to last place.
Results
1 Natalie Bates (Aus) Ton Van Bemmelen AA Drink 11.35.38 2 Alexis Rhodes (Aus) Australian National Team 0.00.62 3 Amy Gillett (Aus) Australian National Team 0.03.53 4 Katherine Bates (Aus) Ton Van Bemmelen AA Drink 0.04.09 5 Judith Arndt (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung 0.04.58 6 Katie Mactier (Aus) Jayco VIS 0.04.64 7 Melissa Holt (NZl) New Zealand National Team 0.08.18 8 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Ton Van Bemmelen AA Drink 0.09.01 9 Mirjam Melchers-Van Poppel (Ned) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint 0.10.30 10 Oenone Wood (Aus) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung 0.11.09 11 Louise Yaxley (Aus) Australian National Team 0.13.42 12 Lynn Gaggioli (USA) Lloyd Morgan Recruitment 0.16.92 13 Tina Mayolo Pic (USA) Lloyd Morgan Recruitment 0.20.27 14 Kelly Hulser (USA) Western Global 0.21.54 15 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint 0.23.32 16 Jenny Macpherson (Aus) Jayco VIS 0.25.62 17 Michelle Hyland (NZl) New Zealand National Team 0.26.49 18 Linda Melanie Serup (Den) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint 0.27.27 19 Madeleine Sandig (Ger) German National Team 0.29.89 20 Meredith Miller (USA) Lloyd Morgan Recruitment 0.30.18 21 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung 0.31.08 22 Hannah Banks (Aus) QAS 0.33.19 23 Miho Oki (Jpn) Japanese National Team 0.33.73 24 Tamara Boyd (NZl) Bike New Zealand 0.33.92 25 Claire Baxter (Aus) Inexa/Melbourne University Sport 0.35.95 26 Johanna Buick (NZl) New Zealand National Team 0.35.98 27 Emma James (Aus) NSWIS 0.37.62 28 Susie Wood (NZl) New Zealand National Team 29 Nadene Boyle (NZl) Bike New Zealand 0.38.28 30 Joanne Kiesanowski (NZl) SC Nobili Rubinetterie - Menikini Cogeas 0.39.01 31 Helen Kelly (Aus) Jayco VIS 0.39.61 32 Kate Nichols (Aus) NSWIS 0.39.70 33 Amanda Spratt (Aus) Australian National Team 0.40.38 34 Olivia Gollan (Aus) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung 0.40.58 35 Miyoko Karami (Jpn) Japanese National Team 0.40.99 36 Silvia Valsecchi (Ita) SC Nobili Rubinetterie - Menikini Cogeas 0.43.46 37 Nicole Freedman (Isr) Western Global 0.44.15 38 Melissa Pilla (NZl) Bike New Zealand 0.44.62 39 Anke Wichmann (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung 0.47.35 40 Emma Rickards (Aus) Jayco VIS 0.47.43 41 Belinda Goss (Aus) Jayco VIS 0.48.28 42 Candice Sullivan (Aus) QAS 0.48.70 43 Verena Joos (Ger) German National Team 0.49.44 44 Akemi Morimoto (Jpn) Japanese National Team 0.50.24 45 Daniela Fusar Poli (Ita) SC Nobili Rubinetterie - Menikini Cogeas 0.50.61 46 Jessica Maclean (Aus) QAS 0.51.62 47 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Ton Van Bemmelen AA Drink 0.53.02 48 Sarah Duster (Ger) German National Team 0.54.38 49 Laura Bortolozzi (Aus) Peloton Sports / Turramurra Cyclery 0.54.65 50 Sally Cowman (Aus) QAS 0.54.77 51 Katie Brown (Aus) Australian National Team 0.55.15 52 Apryl Eppinger (Aus) Jayco VIS 0.56.12 53 Michelle Kiesanowski (NZl) New Zealand National Team 0.58.33 54 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) NSWIS 0.59.88 55 Toni Bradshaw (NZl) New Zealand National Team 1.00.00 56 Caroline Jackson (GBr) Western Global 1.02.23 57 Caitlin Fraser (Aus) Inexa/Melbourne University Sport 1.03.00 58 Robyn Wong (NZl) Bike New Zealand 1.03.74 59 Joanna Von Berky (Aus) QAS 1.04.13 60 Tanja Hennes-Smidt (Ger) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint 1.08.15 61 Claudia Hecht (Ger) German National Team 1.08.45 62 Kerry Cohen (Aus) Western Global 1.10.64 63 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) SC Nobili Rubinetterie - Menikini Cogeas 1.11.44 64 Kate Charge (Aus) Peloton Sports / Turramurra Cyclery 1.12.96 65 Rachel O'connell (Aus) Peloton Sports / Turramurra Cyclery 1.15.44 66 Madeleine Lindberg (Swe) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung 67 Kristy Bortolin (Aus) Lloyd Morgan Recruitment 1.15.81 68 Christine Riakos (Aus) NSWIS 1.16.14 69 Carly Hibberd (Aus) QAS 1.16.15 70 Emma Colson (Aus) Western Global 1.19.21 71 Kerryn Charman (Aus) Inexa/Melbourne University Sport 1.22.10 72 Amy Mosen (NZl) Bike New Zealand 1.23.93 73 Vickie Burr (NZl) Bike New Zealand 1.26.92 74 Uyun Muzizah (Ina) Indonesian National Team 1.28.50 75 Briget Evans (Aus) Lloyd Morgan Recruitment 1.30.29 76 Vonika Kriesa Rosita (Ina) Indonesian National Team 1.34.69 77 Jemma O'brien (Aus) Peloton Sports / Turramurra Cyclery 1.40.34 78 Emma Lovelock (Aus) Peloton Sports / Turramurra Cyclery 1.41.07 79 Santia Tri Kusuma (Ina) Indonesian National Team 1.41.93 80 Bianca Knopfle (Ger) German National Team 1.42.81 81 Anna Miyazaki (Jpn) Japanese National Team 1.48.03 82 Tanya Moss (Aus) Peloton Sports / Turramurra Cyclery 1.48.35 83 Germma Goyne (Aus) Lloyd Morgan Recruitment 1.56.88 84 Dahlina Rosyida (Ina) Indonesian National Team 1.58.03 85 Sri Suyamti (Ina) Indonesian National Team 2.30.47 86 Kathryn Watt (Aus) Inexa/Melbourne University Sport General classification after stage 1 1 Natalie Bates (Aus) Ton Van Bemmelen AA Drink 11.35 2 Alexis Rhodes (Aus) Australian National Team 0.01 3 Amy Gillett (Aus) Australian National Team 0.04 4 Katherine Bates (Aus) Ton Van Bemmelen AA Drink 5 Judith Arndt (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung 0.05 6 Katie Mactier (Aus) Jayco VIS 7 Melissa Holt (NZl) New Zealand National Team 0.08 8 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Ton Van Bemmelen AA Drink 0.09 9 Mirjam Melchers-Van Poppel (Ned) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint 0.10 10 Oenone Wood (Aus) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung 0.11 11 Louise Yaxley (Aus) Australian National Team 0.13 12 Lynn Gaggioli (USA) Lloyd Morgan Recruitment 0.17 13 Tina Mayolo Pic (USA) Lloyd Morgan Recruitment 0.20 14 Kelly Hulser (USA) Western Global 0.22 15 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint 0.23 16 Jenny Macpherson (Aus) Jayco VIS 0.26 17 Michelle Hyland (NZl) New Zealand National Team 18 Linda Melanie Serup (Den) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint 0.27 19 Madeleine Sandig (Ger) German National Team 0.30 20 Meredith Miller (USA) Lloyd Morgan Recruitment 21 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung 0.31 22 Hannah Banks (Aus) QAS 0.33 23 Miho Oki (Jpn) Japanese National Team 0.34 24 Tamara Boyd (NZl) Bike New Zealand 25 Claire Baxter (Aus) Inexa/Melbourne University Sport 0.36 26 Johanna Buick (NZl) New Zealand National Team 27 Emma James (Aus) NSWIS 0.38 28 Susie Wood (NZl) New Zealand National Team 29 Nadene Boyle (NZl) Bike New Zealand 30 Joanne Kiesanowski (NZl) SC Nobili Rubinetterie - Menikini Cogeas 0.39 31 Helen Kelly (Aus) Jayco VIS 0.40 32 Kate Nichols (Aus) NSWIS 33 Amanda Spratt (Aus) Australian National Team 34 Olivia Gollan (Aus) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung 0.41 35 Miyoko Karami (Jpn) Japanese National Team 36 Silvia Valsecchi (Ita) SC Nobili Rubinetterie - Menikini Cogeas 0.43 37 Nicole Freedman (Isr) Western Global 0.44 38 Melissa Pilla (NZl) Bike New Zealand 0.45 39 Anke Wichmann (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung 0.47 40 Emma Rickards (Aus) Jayco VIS 41 Belinda Goss (Aus) Jayco VIS 0.48 42 Candice Sullivan (Aus) QAS 0.49 43 Verena Joos (Ger) German National Team 44 Akemi Morimoto (Jpn) Japanese National Team 0.50 45 Daniela Fusar Poli (Ita) SC Nobili Rubinetterie - Menikini Cogeas 0.51 46 Jessica Maclean (Aus) QAS 0.52 47 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Ton Van Bemmelen AA Drink 0.53 48 Sarah Duster (Ger) German National Team 0.54 49 Laura Bortolozzi (Aus) Peloton Sports / Turramurra Cyclery 0.55 50 Sally Cowman (Aus) QAS 51 Katie Brown (Aus) Australian National Team 52 Apryl Eppinger (Aus) Jayco VIS 0.56 53 Michelle Kiesanowski (NZl) New Zealand National Team 0.58 54 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) NSWIS 1.00 55 Toni Bradshaw (NZl) New Zealand National Team 56 Caroline Jackson (GBr) Western Global 1.02 57 Caitlin Fraser (Aus) Inexa/Melbourne University Sport 1.03 58 Robyn Wong (NZl) Bike New Zealand 1.04 59 Joanna Von Berky (Aus) QAS 60 Tanja Hennes-Smidt (Ger) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint 1.08 61 Claudia Hecht (Ger) German National Team 62 Kerry Cohen (Aus) Western Global 1.11 63 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) SC Nobili Rubinetterie - Menikini Cogeas 64 Kate Charge (Aus) Peloton Sports / Turramurra Cyclery 1.13 65 Rachel O'connell (Aus) Peloton Sports / Turramurra Cyclery 1.15 66 Madeleine Lindberg (Swe) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung 67 Kristy Bortolin (Aus) Lloyd Morgan Recruitment 1.16 68 Christine Riakos (Aus) NSWIS 69 Carly Hibberd (Aus) QAS 70 Emma Colson (Aus) Western Global 1.19 71 Kerryn Charman (Aus) Inexa/Melbourne University Sport 1.22 72 Amy Mosen (NZl) Bike New Zealand 1.24 73 Vickie Burr (NZl) Bike New Zealand 1.27 74 Uyun Muzizah (Ina) Indonesian National Team 1.28 75 Briget Evans (Aus) Lloyd Morgan Recruitment 1.30 76 Vonika Kriesa Rosita (Ina) Indonesian National Team 1.35 77 Jemma O'brien (Aus) Peloton Sports / Turramurra Cyclery 1.40 78 Emma Lovelock (Aus) Peloton Sports / Turramurra Cyclery 1.41 79 Santia Tri Kusuma (Ina) Indonesian National Team 1.42 80 Bianca Knopfle (Ger) German National Team 1.43 81 Anna Miyazaki (Jpn) Japanese National Team 1.48 82 Tanya Moss (Aus) Peloton Sports / Turramurra Cyclery 83 Germma Goyne (Aus) Lloyd Morgan Recruitment 1.57 84 Dahlina Rosyida (Ina) Indonesian National Team 1.58 85 Sri Suyamti (Ina) Indonesian National Team 2.30 86 Kathryn Watt (Aus) Inexa/Melbourne University Sport
