7th Trofeo d'Argento Silvano Borrione - 1.15

Italy, May 1, 2001

Australians bounce back to first and third

By James Victor, AIS Women's coach

Mactier gets presented
Photo: © James Victor

What a difference a crash makes! Only two days after a heavy fall, the A.I.S. Australian Women's Cycling team bounced back with a victory in northern Italy today, and third place also, to bring back the morale.

The A.I.S. Australian Women's team raced north of Milan today, just near the Alps, and winter has certainly not finished here. A chilly 10 degrees at the start, and then the rain decides to begin 30 minutes before the start.

The Italian teams were well represented with the World Champion Staiskaia her GAS team, former World Champion Diana Ziliute and her Acca Due O-Lorena team, 4 times GIRO winner and 3 times Women's Tour de France winner Fabiana Luperini and the Edil Savino team, with a total of 80 starters. The circuit of 7.5 km, was completed 14 times, and after two weeks in Italy, the most difficult course to date for the Australians.

Former world champion and Olympic bronze medallist Diana Ziliute (Acca Due O HP Lorena Camici) and current World champion Zinaida Staiskaia (GAS sport) were very active early, along with all of the Australians, particulary Katie Mactier (A.I.S. Australia), and most of the stronger Italian teams endeavouring to establish early breaks.

At seven laps, or 52 kms to go, Katie Mactier and Katia Longhin (Acca Due O HP Lorena Camici) set the winning break that opened to 1 min. 30 secs coming into the last 5 kms. At 3 kms to go the gap was still 1 min. 10 secs., and the Aussies had begun the lead-out for Gilmore for third place. With the recent podium results for Longhin, she was the favourite going into the finish, but Mactier raced a smart sprint from the front, holding Longhin off comfortably.

Hayley Rutherford and Sara Carrigan set-up Rochelle Gilmore perfectly into the technically fast finish to complete the podium, with the winning gap back to 11 secs.

A big turnaround from the disappointment two days ago, and looking forward for more to come. Apart from Kristy Scrymgeour's time trial win last year, this was our first win in Italy since Anna Millward's three stage wins and points jersey in the Giro in 1998.

Results

1 Katie Mactier (Aus) A.I.S. Australia
2 Katia Longhin (Ita) Acca Due O HP Lorena Camici
3 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) A.I.S. Australia          0.11
4 Regina Schleicher (Ger) Michela Fanini Record
5 Diana Ziliute (Lit) Acca Due O HP Lorena Camici