Home

Recently on Cyclingnews.com


Mont Ventoux
Photo ©: Sirotti

6th Geelong World Cup - CDM

Australia, February 24, 2008

Main Page    Results    Live report    ProTour standings

Mattis takes biggest victory to date

By Paul Verkuylen in Geelong

Katheryn Mattis takes the win!
Photo ©: John Veage
(Click for larger image)

Katheryn Curi Mattis of the Webcor Builders cycling team took the biggest win of her career, after outsprinting Emma Rickards (Cervelo - Lifeforce), her breakaway companion for five of the eight laps to race. The pair broke clear during the third lap after High Road brought back a 12-rider escape, which got away towards the end of the first lap. The duo slowly built their lead to 6'50", before ultimately holding off the fast moving peloton, led home by Ina-Yoko Teutenberg, by 1'08" at the finish.

"It's a great way to kick off the year, I am still speechless," Mattis said shortly after receiving the first leader's jersey in this year's world cup.

With High Road the team expected to set the pace for most of the race, the pair was never expected to hold off the peloton, but as they approached the final lap with over three minutes in hand it became obvious that High Road and the other sprinters' teams had left it too late.

Mattis was the first of the pair to attack in the final lap, testing her opponent's legs as they neared the top of the climb. But Rickards was still riding well and was easily able to jump on her wheel. From here the pair rode together to the finish, only starting to play a game of cat and mouse in the final kilometre, at one stage coming to a complete stand still. But with a two minute advantage for the pair, even this move was not enough for the peloton to shut the break down, and with 100 meters to go, Mattis opened up her sprint to take her first World Cup race.

"Coming into the roundabout with about a kilometre to go, I swung right and got her in front of me and then we were kind of doing a little bit of track standing," Mattis explained of the run to the line.

"I was certainly nervous about the charging peloton but I think we had about two minutes. I haven't been in a match sprint situation before so I just tried to be patient and I jumped with about 200m to go and just held her off.

"This is definitely my top win for me. In 2005 I won the National championship [USA] on the road which at the time was probably the best. I don't think of myself as a one day racer. I love stage racing but this is definitely the biggest win," she said.

The Peloton moves along the waterfront.
Photo ©: John Veage
(Click for larger image)

Perhaps the most important outcome of this victory is that Curi Mattis has now fulfilled the selection criteria for the US Olympic team - an important feat because the competition for the three spots available to the USA is strong this year.

Rickard crossed the line, slamming her fist on the handlebar, obviously thinking of what could have been, but after some time to reflect the Australian was gracious in her defeat.

"I am ecstatic that I am on the podium to come second in a World Cup is my best result ever, and definitely coming into the year that is ahead of us," she said.

"It is a great day for me and my team. I think I bashed the handlebars because I knew that I could win this race. When you are that close your perspective changes a bit. Afterwards when you think about it you have to say 'hey it's a world cup and in your home country and your on the podium and that is a great achievement."

Rickards was surprised by her breakaway companion's move on the final lap, expecting them to wait until the final sprint to settle the race after being away together for almost the entire race.

"After she attacked on the climb I just thought that I have to stick with her and wait to have a go at the finish.

"I was a bit surprised, I thought that we would go to the finish first and then we would start this. I wasn't sure how close the bunch was getting in the final lap, but when I heard it was still two minutes I was a bit more relaxed."

Emma Rickards receives a bottle
Photo ©: John Veage
(Click for larger image)

For Rickards, her move early in the race was more of a tactical move by her Cervelo Lifeforce team, than an attempt to win. "Our game plan was to not finish this race in a sprint. We don't have a sprinter here in our team, but we have six very strong riders."

But as the gap grew, so too did her confidence, "I thought we were in with a very good chance [when the gap was at its maximum of 6'50"]. When we went into the final lap and we still had three minutes, I was more confident that we could stay away," she said.

Shortly after the pair crossed the line, Teutenberg stormed across the line to take third place. The German sprinter was not so happy with how the race had unfolded, expecting other teams to help take control in the final few laps.

"It's a bit frustrating because there are a lot of other sprinters in there and yeah, we did win the last two stages but it's a different sprint and bike race. They said that they would help us and there was a little bit of help but not much," she said.

"We did everything that we could, the girls were falling off their bikes after the race, and they did everything that we could ask for. We probably just miscalculated, so next time we just have to start a bit earlier."

How it unfolded

A large field of ninety women took off at 10.30am in fine but chilly conditions. A slight wind was gradually picking up and would later make life difficult for a number of competitors as they began to feel the effects of the eight laps of the 14.8km circuit.

As the field approached the end of the first lap a move containing 12 rider's rode clear of the main peloton, and quickly built a lead of around 30 seconds. The move contained some of the fastest finishers in the field, such as Belinda Goss (VIS) and Suzanne De Goede (Equipe Nurmberger Versicherung).

Mattis and Rickards embrace each other
Photo ©: John Veage
(Click for larger image)

By the end of the second lap, the gap had grown to 55 seconds and High Road sensing the danger that the move represented to their fast finishers began closing the gap. The next time through the start finish, two new leaders appeared 45 seconds ahead of the peloton.

High Road had closed the gap in just one lap to the 12-rider break and almost instantly Emma Rikards (Cervelo - Lifeforce) attacked, with Katheryn Mattis (Webcor Builders) joining her shortly after.

From here, the two leaders built a lead of 45 seconds by the end of the third lap and looked set to continue to take time out of the main field. By the end of the fourth lap they had two minutes, and just two laps later they were more than four minutes ahead.

Working well together, the pair continued to take strong turns and with the main field seemingly not interested, they gained a maximum of 6.50 at the top of the climb in the sixth lap before the main field, led by High Road, which now had sprung into action.

From here, the pairs lead began to steadily drop as High Road began taking control of the race, but it was a case of too little too late as they underestimated the strength of the two so early in the season. With two laps remaining the gap was still hovering at around the six-minute mark and even after Alexis Rhodes, Judith Arndt and Chantal Beltman, with some help from the Nürnberger squad, took a further three minutes out of them in penultimate lap the pair still held an insurmountable three minute-lead as they crossed the line to receive the bell for the final lap.

Mattis was the first to take the initiative in the final lap, attacking Rickards on the final ascent of the climb, but the pair was too evenly matched, as only the final sprint to the line could separate them in the end.

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by John Veage

Results

1 Katheryn Mattis (USA) Webcor Builders Cycling Team             3.04.46
2 Emma Rickards (Aus) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team                
3 Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (Ger) Team High Road                               1.08
4 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Menikini Selle Italia                          
5 Regina Schleicher (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung                
6 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung                 
7 Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Australian National Team                       
8 Charlotte Becker (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung                 
9 Gina Grain (Can) Webcor Builders Cycling Team                         
10 Sarah Düster (Ger) Cervelo-Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team                
11 Miho Oki (Jpn) Menikini Selle Italia                                 
12 Peta Mullens (Aus) Australian National Team                          
13 Carly Hibberd (Aus) MB Cycles Womens Cycling Team                    
14 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Cervelo-Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team             
15 Vicki Whitelaw (Aus) Landlink ACTAS Cycling Team                     
16 Lang Meng (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling                                    
17 Carissa Wilkes (NZl) BikeNZ                                          
18 Carlee Taylor (Aus) QAS                                              
19 Tina Mayolo Pic (USA) Vrienden Van Het Platteland                    
20 Yong Li Liu (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling                                  
21 Leonie Burford (Aus) NSWIS - CBD - Degani                            
22 Lauren Franges (USA) US National Team                                
23 Catherine Cheatley (NZl) BikeNZ                                      
24 Lorian Graham (Aus) Vrienden Van Het Platteland                      
25 Jemma O'brien (Aus) NSWIS - CBD - Degani                             
26 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung               
27 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung                   
28 Katie Mactier (Aus) VIS                                              
29 Serena Sheridan (NZl) BikeNZ                                         
30 Alex Wrubleski (Can) Webcor Builders Cycling Team                    
31 Ruth Corset (Aus) QAS                                                
32 Fei Wang (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling                                     
33 Toni Bradshaw (NZl) BikeNZ                                           
34 Amanda Spratt (Aus) Australian National Team                         
35 Carla Ryan (Aus) Australian National Team                            
36 Emma Mackie (Aus) Lotto-Belisol Ladies Team                          
37 Kristin Armstrong Savola (USA) Cervelo-Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team    
38 Oenone Wood (Aus) Team High Road                                     
39 Alison Powers (USA) US National Team                                 
40 Erinne Willock (Can) Webcor Builders Cycling Team                    
41 Min Gao (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling                                      
42 Natalie Bates (Aus) Menikini Selle Italia                            
43 Christiane Soeder (Aut) Cervelo-Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team           
44 Christina Ruiter (USA) US National Team                              
45 Christine Thorburn (USA) Webcor Builders Cycling Team                
46 Belinda Goss (Aus) VIS                                           2.51
47 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Lotto-Belisol Ladies Team                        
48 Carmen Mcnellis (USA) US National Team                               
49 Helen Kelly (Aus) VIS                                                
50 Alex Rhodes (Aus) Team High Road Women                               
51 Jaccolien Wallaard (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland             5.34
52 Marina Duvnjak (NZl) BikeNZ                                          
53 Linda Villumsen Serup (Den) Team High Road                           
54 Chantal Beltman (Ned) Team High Road                             7.26
55 Kathryn Watt (Aus) Lotto-Belisol Ladies Team                     7.39
HD Deborah Fagg (Aus) MB Cycles Womens Cycling Team                     
HD Olivia Gollan (Aus) Menikini Selle Italia                            
DNS Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Menikini Selle Italia                       
DNF Judith Arndt (Ger) Team High Road                                   
DNF Eva Lutz (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung                       
DNF Marina Riomoli (Ita) Menikini Selle Italia                          
DNF Nikki Egyed (Aus) Vrienden Van Het Platteland                       
DNF Xiao Mei Huang (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling                              
DNF Li Chen (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling                                     
DNF Amy Dombroski (USA) Webcor Builders Cycling Team                    
DNF Kim Schoonbaert (Bel) Lotto-Belisol Ladies Team                     
DNF Jocelyn Loane (Aus) Australian National Team                        
DNF Bridie O'donnell (Aus) Australian National Team                     
DNF Katharine Carroll (USA) US National Team                            
DNF Brei Gudsell (NZl) BikeNZ                                           
DNF Lisa Friend (Aus) NSWIS - CBD - Degani                              
DNF Kate Finegan (Aus) NSWIS - CBD - Degani                             
DNF Sue Forsyth (Aus) NSWIS - CBD - Degani                              
DNF Louise Kerr (Aus) QAS                                               
DNF Tahlia Paskin (Aus) QAS                                             
DNF Rachel Neylan (Aus) QAS                                             
DNF Nicole Whitburn (Aus) VIS                                           
DNF Katherine O'shea (Aus) VIS                                          
DNF Jessica Berry (Aus) VIS                                             
DNF Jenny Macpherson (Aus) Landlink ACTAS Cycling Team                  
DNF Josephine Tomic (Aus) Landlink ACTAS Cycling Team                   
DNF Liz Young (Aus) MB Cycles Womens Cycling Team                       
DNF Hayley Wright (Aus) MB Cycles Womens Cycling Team                   
DNF Patricia Palmer (Aus) MB Cycles Womens Cycling Team                 
DNF Sheree Mckenzie (Aus) MB Cycles Womens Cycling Team                 
                

ProTour standings

Coming!