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Geelong Women's Tour - 2.2
Australia, February 27-March 1, 2007
Main Page Results Overall standings Stage Details Previous Stage
Stage 4 - March 1: Barwon Heads road race, 80km
World Cup Champion wins Geelong Women's Tour
Nicole Cooke becomes first non-Australian to claim coveted title
By John Michael Flynn in Barwon Heads, Victoria
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Twenty-three year-old Welsh cyclist Nicole Cooke (Raleigh Lifeforce Creation) made history today, becoming the first non-Australian to win the UCI women's season-opening Geelong Women's Tour as the race reached a dramatic climax at Barwon Heads on the Victorian coast.
It was a smashing effort from the Brit, who, despite being under siege on a number of fronts, showed pure class to stave off a series of determined attacks from the magenta train of T-Mobile, not to mention fighting for every available second in the intermediate sprints.
Such was the attacking nature of today's race that Cooke's overall victory in the general classification was stamped with the label 'premium quality'.
"Today the T-Mobile team threw down the gauntlet and opened up the racing," Cooke told Cyclingnews post-stage. "With my team-mates we were able to ride within our capabilities and we were able to seal off the stage with an overall win. We're absolutely delighted."
In the final analysis, it was consistency over three days of racing which made the difference for the Raleigh Life-Force cyclist. Cooke might not have won a stage, but her tenacity in fighting from start to finish, with a string of podium results and bonus seconds from intermediate sprints, tallied up.
"I think it required effort on all three days of racing," Cooke said, reflecting on her season-opening Tour victory. "I had a good time trial performance, picked up some bonuses and got on the podium in the crit which got me into the jersey."
"And I was able to control the racing yesterday, with some good work by my team," she added.
Pic makes it a threepeat
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American Tina Pic (Colavita/Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light) also continued her love affair with Australia's sea-change capital, making it a three-peat of stage victories at Barwon Heads.
The veteran sprinter powered home in the bunch kick, ahead of Rochelle Gilmore (Menikini Gysko) and Jenny Macpherson (Australian National Team). But, for a time, there were much greater spoils on offer for the Colavita girls, with general classification contender Dotsie Bausch making up valuable points in the intermediate sprints, before being caught behind a crash.
"Dotsie was going really well and going for the sprints and then we lost her in one of those crashes," the stage winner explained. "I felt bummed, I was so bummed, but the cool thing is I have this pink bike this year and for every win we're donating 1000 dollars to breast cancer research!"
How the race unfolded
Characteristic windy coastal conditions greeted the women's peloton for the start of the 76 kilometre Geelong Tour finale, the race consisting of five laps around the postcard coastal holiday escape of Barwon Heads.
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Heading into the final stage Nicole Cooke led the race by a slender margin of seven seconds from the German National Team's Larissa Kleinmann, with American Dotsie Bausch one second further in arrears.
Bausch was the first of the outright contenders to play her hand, finishing second in the first intermediate sprint, behind Laura Van Gilder (Cheerwine) at the end of lap one.
The winner of Tuesday's time trial, Bausch went one better in the second intermediate sprint, but Cooke was paying close attention to the mathematics and finished third, to protect her slim points margin.
On lap three, the magenta train of T-Mobile split the race apart. Its intentions clear, to hurt as many riders as possible and hopefully propel one or more of their own up the road in a winning breakaway.
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Remarkably, it was the winner of the two previous stages, sprinter Ina Teutenberg, who did much of the sacrificing for the T-Mobile cause, pulling huge turns on the front.
T-Mobile newcomer Alexis Rhodes, who 'accidentally' finished up winning the best under 23 rider's jersey, explained the rationale.
"Today we were trying to go for the overall and we got on the front and did a bit of a teams time trial and managed to shell most of the bunch," Rhodes said. "The girls were awesome but we couldn't shake Nicole [Cooke], she's a class rider."
The combination of a frantic race pace and the strong cross winds on course led, inevitably, to a massive pileup of riders.
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It was a crash which would ultimately effect the general classification. Dotsie Bausch, who was challenging strongly, was caught behind the mishap.
"Yeah, there was a split from the crashing," a disappointed Bausch said. "We were going for time bonuses, we were going for the purple jersey, we were three seconds away from the jersey and there was just a big bad crash on the third lap.
"I almost caught back on and in 100 metres there was another huge crash, and then Tina made it and I think 30 girls were up the road."
The group included the woman in the purple race leader's jersey, Nicole Cooke, who still had plenty to do defending the race lead.
At the third intermediate sprint, German contender Larissa Kleinmann kicked ahead and scored the maximum time bonus, but Cooke comfortably finished second and minimized the damage.
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"There was a lot to keep track of and I don't know how we did it, I'm really struggling to remember the race," Cooke said after one of the most thrilling stages in the short history of the Geelong Women's Tour. "Everything happened, between sprints, lead-outs, crashes, windy echelons, chasing, closing gaps, attacks, counters, the finish somewhere in there, I don't know it was a very busy day."
Cooke's day at the office became even busier when T-Mobile played another of its aces late in the race. But this time around the attack from three-time Geelong Tour Champion Oenone Wood brought no result.
The Raleigh Lifeforce Creation team worked to the death defending Cooke's lead. The Brit eventually crossing the finish line with the leading group for the hardest earned of Geelong Tour victories.
"This is awesome, we've started the season, our first UCI race and we've won it," Cooke said.
Cooke finished the race as the winner of both the general classification and the points classification.
T-Mobile still team to watch at World Cup
As promising as her form appears to be, the World Cup Champion is cautious ahead of Saturday's Geelong World Cup. T-Mobile was most impressive today, despite going home without a result.
"I think the whole T-Mobile team, we've seen that they're really in form this week," Cooke noted. "With the sprinters we've seen Gilmore on the podium every day, so I think she's going to be a rider to watch and I'm sure there are other riders that you just can't count out like Ljungskog or Beutler.
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"They've perhaps been testing waters a little bit this week but not showing their cards," she added.
Another second placing today has 2005 Geelong World Cup winner Rochelle Gilmore feeling more confident, provided she can get her timing right when the moment arrives.
"I probably came off the wheel a little bit late, I feel like I've got the power but I just hesitate," Gilmore said. "I'm disappointed with my mentality."
A consummate professional, Gilmore is banking on a change of attitude and tactics between now and then, to bring the ultimate result.
"It's a big race on Saturday and it's not worth gambling with," Gilmore said. "If I get the wheel I'll be looking at the line a lot earlier."
Gilmore will be one of many riders studying the course tomorrow ahead of Saturday's World Cup race which rolls out of the Geelong waterfront at 10.30a.m.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by John Veage
- The Australian National Team get their morning pep talk.
- The start of the final stage.
- The peloton rolls along during the uneventful first lap of the Barwon heads circuit.
- The scenic beachfront setting, except with cross winds.
- The T-Mobile team got mobilized and dragged everyone along behind.
- A crash helped split the leading bunch...
- ... but the T-Mobile train kept rolling on.
- Sprint challenge between Larissa Kleinmann (German National Team) and Nicole Cooke (Raleigh Lifeforce Creation)
- The gate was left open for the leading bunch.
- Oenone Wood (T-Mobile) made a gallant break on the last lap.
- Tina Pic (Colavita/Sutter Home) beats Rochelle Gilmore (Menikini Gysko) to the finish line.
- Nicole Cooke (Raleigh Lifeforce Creation) celebrates her first win of the year.
- Councilor Peter McMullin on the podium with the final stage top three (l-r): Rochelle Gilmore (Menikini Gysko), Tina Pic (Colavita/Sutter Home) and Jenny MacPherson (Australian National Team).
- The final stage top three plus jersey winners (l-r): Tina Pic, Rochelle Gilmore, Nicole Cooke, Alexis Rhodes and Jenny MacPherson.
- The winning team: Raleigh Lifeforce Creation.
- Best young rider Alexis Rhodes and overall winner Nicole Cooke.
Images by John Flynn/Cyclingnews.com
- Nicole Cooke with every reason to smile at the start of today's final stage.
- Dotsie Bausch prepares for a sprint showdown at Barwon Heads.
- Larissa Kleinmann ready to fight for valuable seconds on GC.
- Ina Teutenberg limbers up.
- The peloton rolls out of Barwon Heads.
- Barwon Heads as the peloton rolls through the sand dune country.
- Building speed for the second intermediate sprint.
- Larissa Kleinmann wins the second intermediate sprint as Nicole Cooke gets among the points.
- Lorian Graham leads the chasing bunch after the crash.
- Dotsie Bausch going for broke hoping to bridge across to the leaders.
- T-Mobile fans becoming more prolific by the day here in Australia.
- Nicole Cooke makes sure of it by winning the fourth intermediate sprint.
- Tina Pic gets the stage win as Nicole Cooke celebrates overall victory.
Results
1 Tina Pic (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light 1.59.47 2 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Menikini Gysko 3 Jenny Macpherson (Aus) Australian National Team 4 Nicole Cooke (GBr) Raleigh Lifeforce Creation 5 Katherine Bates (Aus) T-Mobile Women 6 Charlotte Becker (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 7 Melissa Holt (NZl) BikeNZ New Zealand National Team 8 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 9 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Team Flexpoint 10 Janildes Fernandes (Bra) Brazilian National Team 11 Larissa Kleinmann (Ger) German National Team 12 Joanne Kiesanowski (NZl) Raleigh Lifeforce Creation 13 Catherine Hare (GBr) Biggin & Scott 14 Leigh Hobson (Can) Cheerwine 15 Judith Arndt (Ger) T-Mobile Women 16 Lorian Graham (Aus) Queensland Academy of Sport 17 Michelle Hyland (NZl) BikeNZ New Zealand National Team 18 Betina Hold (Can) Cheerwine 19 Emma Rickards (Aus) Raleigh Lifeforce Creation 20 Vicki Whitelaw (Aus) Landlink Cycling Team 21 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 22 Jennifer Fay (Irl) Biggin & Scott 23 Loes Gunnewijk (Ned) Team Flexpoint 24 Toni Bradshaw (NZl) BikeNZ New Zealand National Team 25 Gina Waibl (NZl) Team Kiwi 26 Sarah Düster (Ger) Raleigh Lifeforce Creation 27 Miho Oki (Jpn) Menikini Gysko 28 Linda Villumsen (Den) T-Mobile Women 29 Alexis Rhodes (Aus) T-Mobile Women 30 Olivia Gollan (Aus) Menikini Gysko 31 Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (Ger) T-Mobile Women 32 Eva Lutz (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 33 Oenone Wood (Aus) T-Mobile Women 34 Dotsie Bausch (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light 0.45 35 Karin Aune (Swe) Menikini Gysko 36 Laura Van Gilder (USA) Cheerwine 37 Kate Nichols (Aus) Australian National Team 38 Courtney Le Lay (Aus) Queensland Academy of Sport 39 Theresa Cliff-Ryan (USA) Landlink Cycling Team 40 Natalie Bates (Aus) NSW Institute of Sport 41 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Queensland Academy of Sport 42 Jocelyn Loane (Aus) Australian National Team 43 Patricia Palmer (Aus) MB Coaching 44 Nikki Egyed (Aus) Australian National Team 45 Andrea Graus (Aut) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 46 Sarah Ulmer (NZl) BikeNZ New Zealand National Team 47 Madeleine Sandig (Ger) Team Flexpoint 48 Loes Markerink (Ned) Team Flexpoint 49 Angela Brodtka (Ger) German National Team 50 Tanja Slater (GBr) Great Britain National Team 1.00 51 Amanda Spratt (Aus) Australian National Team 52 Janine Ridsdale (Aus) Team South Coast - raceconcept.net 1.11 53 Maryam Rogers (GBr) Great Britain National Team 2.26 54 Annelies Basten (NZl) Team Kiwi 55 Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) NSW Institute of Sport 7.12 56 Liz Hayman (Aus) Team South Coast - raceconcept.net 57 Peta Mullens (Aus) NSW Institute of Sport 58 Brei Gudsell (NZl) Team Kiwi 59 Alison Powers (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light 60 Amber Jenkins (Aus) Landlink Cycling Team 61 Sheree Richmond (Aus) MB Coaching 62 Toireasa Gallagher (Aus) NSW Institute of Sport 63 Sophie Ruderman (GBr) Biggin & Scott 64 Niki Fisher (Aus) Team South Coast - raceconcept.net 65 Louise Kerr (Aus) Queensland Academy of Sport 66 Deborah Fagg (Aus) Landlink Cycling Team 67 Rachel O'connell (Aus) Cheerwine 68 Camila Rodrigues (Bra) Brazilian National Team 69 Sarah Murdoch (NZl) Team Kiwi 70 Nina Köhn (Ger) German National Team 71 Sheba Farrin (USA) MB Coaching 72 Hannah Banks (Aus) Queensland Academy of Sport 73 Gail Johnston (Aus) Team South Coast - raceconcept.net 74 Brooke Ourada (USA) Cheerwine 75 Virgina Henning (Ger) German National Team 76 Emma Lovelock (Aus) Team South Coast - raceconcept.net 77 Liz Young (Aus) MB Coaching 9.04 78 Rebecca Jones (GBr) MB Coaching 16.27 DNF Priska Doppmann (Swi) Raleigh Lifeforce Creation DNF Sereina Trachsel (Swi) Raleigh Lifeforce Creation DNF Regina Schleicher (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung DNF Dorte Rasmussen (Den) Menikini Gysko DNF Alex Wrubleski (Can) Colavita/Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light DNF Candice Sullivan (Aus) Australian National Team DNF Clemilda Fernandes (Bra) Brazilian National Team DNF Uenia Fernandes (Bra) Brazilian National Team DNF Naomi Williams (Aus) NSW Institute of Sport DNF Skye-Lee Armstrong (Aus) NSW Institute of Sport DNF Carla Ryan (Aus) Queensland Academy of Sport DNF Kerri-Anne Torckler (NZl) Team Kiwi DNF Jemma O'brien (Aus) Team South Coast - raceconcept.net DNF Annette Beutler (Swi) Team Flexpoint DNF Rushlee Buchanan (NZl) BikeNZ New Zealand National Team Intermediate sprint 1 - 15.2km 1 Laura Van Gilder (USA) Cheerwine 6 pts 2 Dotsie Bausch (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light 4 3 Angela Brodtka (Ger) German National Team 2 Intermediate sprint 2 - 30.4km 1 Dotsie Bausch (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light 6 pts 2 Annette Beutler (Swi) Team Flexpoint 4 3 Nicole Cooke (GBr) Raleigh Lifeforce Creation 2 Intermediate sprint 3 - 45.6km 1 Larissa Kleinmann (Ger) German National Team 6 pts 2 Nicole Cooke (GBr) Raleigh Lifeforce Creation 4 3 Janildes Fernandes (Bra) Brazilian National Team 2 Intermediate sprint 4 - 60.8 km 1 Nicole Cooke (GBr) Raleigh Lifeforce Creation 6 pts 2 Nikki Egyed (Aus) Australian National Team 4 3 Miho Oki (Jpn) Menikini Gysko 2 Final sprint 1 Tina Pic (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light 8 pts 2 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Menikini Gysko 6 3 Jenny Macpherson (Aus) Australian National Team 4 Final General classification 1 Nicole Cooke (GBr) Raleigh Lifeforce Creation 6.15.46 2 Larissa Kleinmann (Ger) German National Team 0.10 3 Judith Arndt (Ger) T-Mobile Women 0.23 4 Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (Ger) T-Mobile Women 0.26 5 Oenone Wood (Aus) T-Mobile Women 0.28 6 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Team Flexpoint 0.40 7 Tina Pic (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light 0.46 8 Vicki Whitelaw (Aus) Landlink Cycling Team 0.47 9 Dotsie Bausch (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light 0.54 10 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 0.56 11 Loes Gunnewijk (Ned) Team Flexpoint 12 Alexis Rhodes (Aus) T-Mobile Women 1.05 13 Sarah Düster (Ger) Raleigh Lifeforce Creation 1.07 14 Eva Lutz (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 1.13 15 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 16 Katherine Bates (Aus) T-Mobile Women 17 Laura Van Gilder (USA) Cheerwine 18 Leigh Hobson (Can) Cheerwine 1.16 19 Olivia Gollan (Aus) Menikini Gysko 1.18 20 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Menikini Gysko 1.24 21 Toni Bradshaw (NZl) BikeNZ New Zealand National Team 1.25 22 Joanne Kiesanowski (NZl) Raleigh Lifeforce Creation 1.27 23 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Queensland Academy of Sport 1.28 24 Michelle Hyland (NZl) BikeNZ New Zealand National Team 1.29 25 Kate Nichols (Aus) Australian National Team 26 Melissa Holt (NZl) BikeNZ New Zealand National Team 1.36 27 Nikki Egyed (Aus) Australian National Team 1.37 28 Natalie Bates (Aus) NSW Institute of Sport 1.39 29 Betina Hold (Can) Cheerwine 1.47 30 Emma Rickards (Aus) Raleigh Lifeforce Creation 1.50 31 Andrea Graus (Aut) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 2.00 32 Karin Aune (Swe) Menikini Gysko 2.04 33 Madeleine Sandig (Ger) Team Flexpoint 2.08 34 Linda Villumsen (Den) T-Mobile Women 35 Catherine Hare (GBr) Biggin & Scott 36 Gina Waibl (NZl) Team Kiwi 2.10 37 Tanja Slater (GBr) Great Britain National Team 2.11 38 Angela Brodtka (Ger) German National Team 4.16 39 Lorian Graham (Aus) Queensland Academy of Sport 5.21 40 Charlotte Becker (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 5.55 41 Janine Ridsdale (Aus) Team South Coast - raceconcept.net 5.58 42 Jenny Macpherson (Aus) Australian National Team 6.07 43 Patricia Palmer (Aus) MB Coaching 6.37 44 Janildes Fernandes (Bra) Brazilian National Team 6.39 45 Jocelyn Loane (Aus) Australian National Team 7.05 46 Annelies Basten (NZl) Team Kiwi 7.46 47 Sarah Ulmer (NZl) BikeNZ New Zealand National Team 7.52 48 Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) NSW Institute of Sport 8.14 49 Amanda Spratt (Aus) Australian National Team 8.16 50 Brooke Ourada (USA) Cheerwine 8.48 51 Miho Oki (Jpn) Menikini Gysko 9.28 52 Alison Powers (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light 9.34 53 Toireasa Gallagher (Aus) NSW Institute of Sport 11.50 54 Niki Fisher (Aus) Team South Coast - raceconcept.net 11.57 55 Hannah Banks (Aus) Queensland Academy of Sport 12.02 56 Peta Mullens (Aus) NSW Institute of Sport 12.38 57 Liz Hayman (Aus) Team South Coast - raceconcept.net 12.46 58 Sarah Murdoch (NZl) Team Kiwi 12.56 59 Jennifer Fay (Irl) Biggin & Scott 13.05 60 Brei Gudsell (NZl) Team Kiwi 13.15 61 Theresa Cliff-Ryan (USA) Landlink Cycling Team 14.23 62 Sophie Ruderman (GBr) Biggin & Scott 14.28 63 Amber Jenkins (Aus) Landlink Cycling Team 14.51 64 Deborah Fagg (Aus) Landlink Cycling Team 65 Rachel O'connell (Aus) Cheerwine 15.02 66 Loes Markerink (Ned) Team Flexpoint 16.15 67 Virgina Henning (Ger) German National Team 18.19 68 Louise Kerr (Aus) Queensland Academy of Sport 19.41 69 Nina Köhn (Ger) German National Team 23.09 70 Gail Johnston (Aus) Team South Coast - raceconcept.net 23.37 71 Liz Young (Aus) MB Coaching 24.05 72 Sheba Farrin (USA) MB Coaching 24.26 73 Emma Lovelock (Aus) Team South Coast - raceconcept.net 25.32 74 Sheree Richmond (Aus) MB Coaching 32.13 75 Courtney Le Lay (Aus) Queensland Academy of Sport 32.47 76 Maryam Rogers (GBr) Great Britain National Team 36.11 77 Camila Rodrigues (Bra) Brazilian National Team 40.29 78 Rebecca Jones (GBr) MB Coaching 51.11 Points classification 1 Nicole Cooke (GBr) Raleigh Lifeforce Creation 26 pts 2 Tina Pic (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light 18 3 Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (Ger) T-Mobile Women 16 4 Oenone Wood (Aus) T-Mobile Women 16 5 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Menikini Gysko 16 6 Dotsie Bausch (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light 10 7 Nikki Egyed (Aus) Australian National Team 10 8 Larissa Kleinmann (Ger) German National Team 6 9 Laura Van Gilder (USA) Cheerwine 6 10 Jenny Macpherson (Aus) Australian National Team 4 11 Clemilda Fernandes (Bra) Brazilian National Team 4 11 Annette Beutler (Swi) Team Flexpoint 4 13 Olivia Gollan (Aus) Menikini Gysko 2 14 Melissa Holt (NZl) BikeNZ New Zealand National Team 2 15 Angela Brodtka (Ger) German National Team 2 16 Janildes Fernandes (Bra) Brazilian National Team 2 17 Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) NSW Institute of Sport 2 18 Miho Oki (Jpn) Menikini Gysko 2 19 Alex Wrubleski (Can) Colavita/Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light 2 Young rider classification 1 Alexis Rhodes (Aus) T-Mobile Women 6.16.51 2 Michelle Hyland (NZl) BikeNZ New Zealand National Team 0.23 3 Kate Nichols (Aus) Australian National Team 0.24 4 Linda Villumsen (Den) T-Mobile Women 1.03 5 Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) NSW Institute of Sport 7.09 6 Amanda Spratt (Aus) Australian National Team 7.10 7 Hannah Banks (Aus) Queensland Academy of Sport 10.57 8 Peta Mullens (Aus) NSW Institute of Sport 11.33 9 Loes Markerink (Ned) Team Flexpoint 15.10 10 Virgina Henning (Ger) German National Team 17.14 11 Louise Kerr (Aus) Queensland Academy of Sport 18.35 12 Nina Köhn (Ger) German National Team 22.03 13 Emma Lovelock (Aus) Team South Coast - raceconcept.net 24.26 14 Courtney Le Lay (Aus) Queensland Academy of Sport 31.42
