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Geelong Women's Tour - 2.9.2
Australia, February 23-25, 2003
Stage 1 - February 23: Eastern Beach Criterium, 30km
Olivia Gollan takes out first stage
By Karen Forman In Geelong
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Australia will lead the way in Monday's second stage of the inaugural Geelong Bellarine Tour following a no-holds-barred win by national road champion Olivia Gollan in the tough opening stage - a one hour criterium on a 1km course featuring hills and tight bends - in the Victorian city's Botanic Gardens tonight.
Gollan, the 29 year old Newcastle school teacher who only started cycling three years ago (as a triathlete, not a cyclist) broke away from the strong international field of 74 riders in the 11th lap, 20 minutes into the race, and managed to hold off the chasing bunch to establish a lead of up to 49 seconds. She was caught by a six-rider breakaway with five to go, but almost immediately jumped again, grabbed half a lap, then maintained the lead to be first across the line at the finish and earn the brilliant blue leader's jersey in a very speedy time of 49.12.
Along the way the Australian Institute of Sport team member won both sprints (collecting 10 points for each) and technically leads that classification as well, but had to relinquish the red sprint jersey to fellow Aussie and third placegetter Alison Wright (Road Racer-Guerciotto Cycling), as rules dictated Gollan couldn't wear both jerseys. Wright had been second behind Gollan in the first of the two time-bonus sprints at 10 laps and third in the second at 20 laps.
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It was very much a day for Australia, with the second placegetter being none other than Wright's team mate Hayley Rutherford, 22. In fourth was the best-performed international rider, world number two, 27 year old Mirjam Melchers from the Netherlands (World Team), who was second in the Tour De Snowy last year, the predecessor to the new Geelong tour.
None of the other internationals figured in the top placings. Even last year's World Cup winner, world number one Petra Rossner, 36 (Nürnberger Versicherung) and teammate, reigning German road champion Judith Arndt, 26 , who won last year's Tour de Snowy, couldn't hang on to a very fresh looking Gollan.
While speculation around the track was that the Euro riders probably found it difficult to acclimatise to the 30-degree heat, coming from a Euro winter - or perhaps were saving themselves for the two tough road races to come, Gollan was on fire. Whenever the foxes began to nip at her tail, she found the energy to bound away.
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"I didn't expect to stay at the front for 22 laps," an exhilarated but very tired Gollan said at the finish. "My plan was to go before the first sprint and see if I could get the time bonus, but I got away with 22 laps to go and stayed there. It's awesome! I'd say it will hit me tomorrow."
She said she was in a "bit of a rhythm" and although exhausted, figured if the chasing bunch attacked her again, her team mates could take over. But she managed to hang in.
"I came into tonight a little nervous because it was my first race in the green and gold jersey. It was a very tough circuit, but fun. The corners were tricky and there was the hill," she said.
"I think tomorrow will depend on how the group goes. I don't think there is much of a hill, but the day after there is a big one. I feel reasonably confident, but there are a lot of really good international riders. I think it depends on my recovery from today."
Gollan goes into Monday's 84km "Drysdale Circuit" second stage with a lead of 1.05, having collected a 10 second bonus for her win as well as the sprint bonuses. Wright is at 0.58, Rutherford 0.59, 19 year old VIS rider Elizabeth Williams 1.02 after placing third in the first sprint and second in the second sprint, and Melchers 1.05.
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Williams leads the U/23 category and will start Monday's stage in the fluorescent yellow jersey.
It is the first time this three-day tour has been held in Geelong and if today's event was anything to go by, it will go down as a big success. Not only was the racing excellent, but the location - on a circuit featuring a downhill cruise into a tight left hand bend through the Botanic Gardens, then a climb along Eastern Beach frontage, with views of Port Philip Bay, up to the start/finish line under the trees.
Commentator Stuart Doyle boasted that the event had attracted "the greatest field since the 2000 Olympics".
How it unfolded
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Fourteen teams of six riders - 40 of them Australian and others hailing from Germany, Sweden, the United States, Italy, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark and Finland - signed up to contest the tour, which was designed to give riders an international class, three-day event in the leadup to the first round of the World Cup, also being raced at Geelong, 60km west of Melbourne, next Sunday.
They were contesting three classifications - general, under 23 and sprint - and two of them - friends Kate Nichols (daughter of Olympic gold medallist Kevin Nichols) from Sydney and Jessie Maclean of Canberra are under 19s.
With two days of near drought-breaking rain falling in the two days prior, competitors were fortunate to score near perfect conditions - still, sunny and warm - for the race.
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Rossner was in good spirits before the start : "It is great to be back here," she said. "I had a wonderful time last year."
She said this was probably her 10th visit to Australia and her fourth to Geelong. "I have probably spent about three years of my life in Australia," she said.
Kevin Nichols, who won gold in the 1984 Olympics, was on hand to morally support and keep ready the spares of Kate, who has her sights set on Junior Worlds selection this year. An under 17 Australian champion who looks to be following her father's footsteps, the youngsters, supported by Clarence St Cyclery and riding in the FRF Couriers NSWIS team, hung onto the back of the field throughout the race - and was even once seen with Arndt on her wheel - to finish in the second bunch.
Despite her earlier optimism, Rossner did not appear to be travelling well and Danish rider Karina Louise Sorensen (Team Grace - SATS) was also dropped.
With Gollan playing cat and mouse at the front and the world's best suffering in her wake, Stuart Doyle wasn't wrong in describing the race as a "real see saw", but Gollan never really appeared in any danger, with few real tactics displayed in the chasing bunch. Rather, as the race went on and the field got tired, it was a case of recovering of the downhill, carefully negotiating the tight left hand bend, then trying to find the energy to attack on the uphill.
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Australian Rochelle Gilmore (FRF Couriers NSW IS), who won the motor pace event at the Leongatha track carnival the previous night, was active in the chasing group of 10 riders with eight laps to go, along with Australian pursuit champion Amy Safe, who was hanging on to second wheel and Rossner.
When Gollan got away from the second time, with five laps to go, it was Melchers who was leading the chase along with Margaret Hemsley (Nürnberger Versicherung) who had earlier told Doyle she would go to the Olympics "if I am good enough"; if not, her loyalty would be with her professional team. Mari Holden (T-Mobile), Oenone Wood (AIS Australia) Rutherford and Sara Carrigan (Power-Plate-BIK) were also up there.
Gollan had a 30-something second lead with three to go, being fiercely chased by Hemsley, Kym Shirley (Road Racer/Guerciotto Cycling), Holden and Wood, but by then there was no contest. Gollan crossed the line alone, a tad red in the face and more than ready for a break, while Rutherford, Wright and Melchers battled in out for the minor placings.
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Not a bad result for Gollan, having her first international race in the national championship colours she earned just two months ago.
"It's awesome," she repeated again on the podium.
* Stage two of the Geelong Bellarine Tour 03 starts at 11am Monday in Collins St, Drysdale. The event consists of four, 21km laps along the Portarlington-Queenscliff and Geelong-Portarlington roads.
Photography
Images by John Veage
- The pack rolls out for the start of stage 1 of the Geelong women's tour
- The peloton racing along the Eastern Beach seafront
- The peloton racing during stage 1
- German champion Judith Arndt (Nürnberger) on the front of the peloton during stage 1
- Priska Doppmann (R) and Petra Rossner (2nd R) working hard to catch the break during stage 1
- An Aussie fan watches the peloton race during the first stage of the Geelong women's tour
- Hayley Rutherford (Road Racer-Guerciotto) leads a pack of T Mobile riders during the first stage of the Geelong-Bellarine women's tour
- Australian champion Olivia Gollan (AIS) during her impressive race winning breakaway
- Olivia Gollan (AIS) salutes as she wins the first stage
- Hayley Rutherford (Road Racer-Guerciotto) wins the sprint for second in front of teammate Alison Wright
- The top three: Olivia Gollan (L, 1st), Hayley Rutherford (C, 2nd) and Alison Wright (R, 3rd)
- Race leader Olivia Gollan on the podium flanked by points jersey wearer Alison Wright (L) and U23 leader Elizabeth Williams (R)
Images by James Victor
- The bunch sprint for second place
- Olivia Gollan being interviewed
- Gollan soloing away for the win
- Overall Leader Olivia Gollan after stage one
- Riders line up awaiting the start
- Race leader Olivia Gollan with points jersey wearer Alison Wright (L) and U23 leader Elizabeth Williams (R)
- Olivia Gollan showing fine form
T-mobile pre-race training
Images by Kristin Armstrong
- Kim Andersen, Kim Bruckner and Kristin Armstrong take a break on their Great Ocean Road training ride
- Miriam Melchers, Kim Bruckner, Kim Andersen and Kristin Armstrong on the Great Ocean Road
Results
1 Olivia Gollan (Aus) A.I.S. 49.27 (36.40 km/h) 2 Hayley Rutherford (Aus) Road Racer 0.49 3 Alison Wright (Aus) Road Racer 4 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) World Team 5 Kim Anderson (USA) T Mobile 6 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Powerplate-BIK 7 Kym Shirley (Aus) Road Racer 8 Elizabeth Williams (Aus) V.I.S. 9 Miho Oki (Jpn) Japan 10 Oenone Wood (Aus) A.I.S. 0.52 11 Rosalind Reekie-May (NZl) New Zealand National Team 12 Margaret Hemsley (Aus) Nürnberger 13 Kimberley Bruckner (USA) T Mobile 0.54 14 Mary Grigson (Aus) ACTAS-Cyclecooma.com.au 15 Helen Kelly (Aus) V.I.S. 16 Meredith Miller (USA) Team Grace 17 Emma James (Aus) A.I.S. 18 Mari Holden (USA) T Mobile 19 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) FRF-NSW 20 Sally Cowman (Aus) Alchemy 2.04 21 Judith Arndt (Ger) Nürnberger 2.06 22 Stacey Peters (USA) T Mobile 23 Emily Williams (Aus) ACTAS-Cyclecooma.com.au 24 Suzie Wood (NZl) New Zealand National Team 25 Natalie Bates (Aus) A.I.S. 26 Amy Safe (Aus) A.I.S. 27 Katherine Bates (Aus) Powerplate-BIK 28 Kirsty Robb (NZl) Powerplate-BIK 29 Priska Doppmann (Swi) World Team 30 Miyoko Karami (Jpn) World Team 31 Zoe Southwell (Aus) Vic. Partner 32 Madeleine Lindberg (Swe) Nürnberger 33 Cristine Foster (Aus) Vic. Partner 34 Kristen Armstrong (USA) T Mobile 35 Alexis Rhodes (Aus) ACTAS-Cyclecooma.com.au 36 Kate Nichols (Aus) FRF-NSW 37 Katie Mactier (Aus) V.I.S. 2.16 38 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Road Racer 2.32 39 Nadene Boyle (NZl) Alchemy 40 Trine Hansen (Den) Team Grace 41 Christina Peick-Andersen (Den) Team Grace 42 Jessica Ridder (Aus) ACTAS-Cyclecooma.com.au 43 Tamamo Nakamura (Jpn) Japan 44 Annalisa Farrell (NZl) New Zealand National Team 45 Jessie Maclean (Aus) ACTAS-Cyclecooma.com.au 46 Penny Warring (NZl) New Zealand National Team 47 Wendy Walker (Aus) Alchemy 48 Ayumu Otsuka (Jpn) Japan 49 Belinda Goss (Aus) ACTAS-Cyclecooma.com.au 50 Lorian Graham (Aus) Alchemy 51 Katie Brown (Aus) FRF-NSW 52 Jodie Till (Aus) FRF-NSW 53 Hiroko Shimada (Jpn) Team Grace 54 Dellys Franke (Aus) V.I.S. 55 Petra Rossner (Ger) Nürnberger 56 Andrea Bosman (Ned) Powerplate-BIK 57 Sharon Van Essen (Ned) Powerplate-BIK 58 Jenny MacPherson (Aus) Vic. Partner 59 Christine Riakos (Aus) FRF-NSW 60 Melisa Holt (NZl) New Zealand National Team 61 Karina Louise Sorensen (Den) Team Grace 4.20 62 Rebecca McConnell (Aus) Alchemy 63 Cornelia Cyrus (Ger) Nürnberger 64 Alexandra Reinehr (Aus) Vic. Partner 65 Mayuko Konomi (Jpn) Japan 66 Sari Saarelainen (Fin) World Team 67 Emma Rickards (Aus) V.I.S. 68 Jennifer Manefield (Aus) A.I.S. 69 Kerryn Charman (Aus) Vic. Partner 70 Louise Yaxley (Aus) Alchemy 71 Natasha Harrigan (Aus) FRF-NSW 72 Robyn Wong (NZl) World Team 73 Barbara Cazzaniga (Ita) Road Racer 6.20 74 Narelle Petersen (Aus) V.I.S. 75 Vanessa Crawford (Aus) Vic. Partner 8.26 Sprints Sprint 1, 10 km 1 Olivia Gollan (Aus) A.I.S. 3 pts/secs 2 Alison Wright (Aus) Road Racer 2 3 Elizabeth Williams (Aus) V.I.S. 1 Sprint 2, 20 km 1 Olivia Gollan (Aus) A.I.S. 3 pts/secs 2 Elizabeth Williams (Aus) V.I.S. 2 3 Alison Wright (Aus) Road Racer 1 General classification after stage 1 1 Olivia Gollan (Aus) A.I.S. 49.11 2 Alison Wright (Aus) Road Racer 0.58 3 Hayley Rutherford (Aus) Road Racer 0.59 4 Elizabeth Williams (Aus) V.I.S. 1.02 5 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) World Team 1.05 6 Kim Anderson (USA) T Mobile 7 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Powerplate-BIK 8 Kym Shirley (Aus) Road Racer 9 Miho Oki (Jpn) Japan 10 Oenone Wood (Aus) A.I.S. 1.08 11 Rosalind Reekie-May (NZl) New Zealand National Team 12 Margaret Hemsley (Aus) Nürnberger 13 Kimberley Bruckner (USA) T Mobile 1.10 14 Mary Grigson (Aus) ACTAS-Cyclecooma.com.au 15 Helen Kelly (Aus) V.I.S. 16 Meredith Miller (USA) Team Grace 17 Emma James (Aus) A.I.S. 18 Mari Holden (USA) T Mobile 19 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) FRF-NSW 20 Sally Cowman (Aus) Alchemy 1.20 21 Judith Arndt (Ger) Nürnberger 1.22 22 Stacey Peters (USA) T Mobile 23 Emily Williams (Aus) ACTAS-Cyclecooma.com.au 24 Suzie Wood (NZl) New Zealand National Team 25 Natalie Bates (Aus) A.I.S. 26 Amy Safe (Aus) A.I.S. 27 Katherine Bates (Aus) Powerplate-BIK 28 Kirsty Robb (NZl) Powerplate-BIK 29 Priska Doppmann (Swi) World Team 30 Miyoko Karami (Jpn) World Team 31 Zoe Southwell (Aus) Vic. Partner 32 Madeleine Lindberg (Swe) Nürnberger 33 Cristine Foster (Aus) Vic. Partner 34 Kristen Armstrong (USA) T Mobile 35 Alexis Rhodes (Aus) ACTAS-Cyclecooma.com.au 36 Kate Nichols (Aus) FRF-NSW 37 Katie Mactier (Aus) V.I.S. 1.32 38 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Road Racer 2.48 39 Nadene Boyle (NZl) Alchemy 40 Trine Hansen (Den) Team Grace 41 Christina Peick-Andersen (Den) Team Grace 42 Jessica Ridder (Aus) ACTAS-Cyclecooma.com.au 43 Tamamo Nakamura (Jpn) Japan 44 Annalisa Farrell (NZl) New Zealand National Team 45 Jessie Maclean (Aus) ACTAS-Cyclecooma.com.au 46 Penny Warring (NZl) New Zealand National Team 47 Wendy Walker (Aus) Alchemy 48 Ayumu Otsuka (Jpn) Japan 49 Belinda Goss (Aus) ACTAS-Cyclecooma.com.au 50 Lorian Graham (Aus) Alchemy 51 Katie Brown (Aus) FRF-NSW 52 Jodie Till (Aus) FRF-NSW 53 Hiroko Shimada (Jpn) Team Grace 54 Dellys Franke (Aus) V.I.S. 55 Petra Rossner (Ger) Nürnberger 56 Andrea Bosman (Ned) Powerplate-BIK 57 Sharon Van Essen (Ned) Powerplate-BIK 58 Jenny MacPherson (Aus) Vic. Partner 59 Christine Riakos (Aus) FRF-NSW 60 Melisa Holt (NZl) New Zealand National Team 61 Karina Louise Sorensen (Den) Team Grace 4.36 62 Rebecca McConnell (Aus) Alchemy 63 Cornelia Cyrus (Ger) Nürnberger 64 Alexandra Reinehr (Aus) Vic. Partner 65 Mayuko Konomi (Jpn) Japan 66 Sari Saarelainen (Fin) World Team 67 Emma Rickards (Aus) V.I.S. 68 Jennifer Manefield (Aus) A.I.S. 69 Kerryn Charman (Aus) Vic. Partner 70 Louise Yaxley (Aus) Alchemy 71 Natasha Harrigan (Aus) FRF-NSW 72 Robyn Wong (NZl) World Team 73 Barbara Cazzaniga (Ita) Road Racer 6.36 74 Narelle Petersen (Aus) V.I.S. 75 Vanessa Crawford (Aus) Vic. Partner 8.42 Points classification 1 Olivia Gollan (Aus) A.I.S. 6 pts 2 Alison Wright (Aus) Road Racer 3 3 Elizabeth Williams (Aus) V.I.S. 3
