February 24/03 10:54 am - Geelong Women's Tour: Stage 2

Posted by Editoress on 02/24/03
 

Geelong Women's Tour - Australia
Courtesy Gennie, Cycling Australia

Hemsley Claims Stage - Gollan Still Lads

Newcastle cyclist Margaret Hemsley, 31, (Nurnberger Versicherung) claimed victory in today's 84 kilometre second stage of the Geelong Bellarine Tour, crossing the line in a time of 2hr44min34sec, five seconds clear of Queensland's Sara Carrigan, 22, (Power Plate BIK) with Victorian Katie MacTier (VIS) third across the line.

Hemsley launched her attack in the final kilometre using her team mate, reigning German road champion, Judith ARNDT, 26, as a springboard.

"Judith launched a great attack and just as she was caught I went away and managed to escape," explained Hemsley who was the 2002 Australian road champion, a title she won despite being off the bike for four months in 2001 with a broken hip suffered in a race fall in Europe. At the Commonwealth Games in Manchester she was leading the road race when she crashed on the wet road and broke her collar bone. But today she made no mistakes and worked her team tactics to perfection to secure the win.

Stage Two was a fairly sedate affair compared with last night's frantic 30 kilometre criterium but that was partly due to the hot, windy conditions. Temperatures headed into the mid thirties and gusting winds made it tough going on much of the course.

"Last night's stage was really hard and I think it was a big shock for a lot of the girls," said Hemsley. "Everyone seemed to be thinking Å’Ooh! we've had a super, super hard start and we can't race like that (in today's conditions) or we won't make it'."

The field stayed pretty much intact for three of the four laps of the 21 kilometre circuit which started in Drysdale, south of Geelong, and headed across the picturesque Bellarine Peninsula through olive groves and vineyards, before turning back towards Corio Bay and Drysdale.

But at the end of each of the first three laps Carrigan's team mates set her up for the intermediate sprints. The 2002 BMC Software Australian Women's Road Cyclist of the Year didn't disappoint claiming all three sprints to secure the lead in the red sprint jersey classification on a count-back with Canberra's
Alison Wright, 22, (Road Racer Guerciotto). Her sprinting also gave her nine seconds of bonuses which, along with her six second bonus for placing
second on the stage, moved her into second place overall behind reigning Australia road champion, Olivia Gollan, 29, (Australian Institute of Sport).

"My team mates did an awesome job in the last lap," said Gollan. "We knew there'd be a lot of attacks going so the plan was to keep a steady tempo and
prevent anything dangerous breaks getting away which might threaten my lead."

"It was also nice to sit in for a little bit and get some recovery from last night," said Gollan who spent 22 of last night's 30 laps alone at the front of the race
before wining the stage and the race lead. Today her team mates were responsible for making sure she was protected and her race lead secure.

Gollan's lead over Carrigan is 51 seconds with Wright a further two seconds back in third place. Hemsley too has improved her position moving
from 12th overnight to fourth, 59 seconds behind Gollan.

In the Under 23 classification it's still 2003 Australian Criterium Champion, Elizabeth Williams, 19, (VIS) leading the young riders in sixth place overall.

Tomorrow the field contests the final day of the three day tour covering 115 kilometres. They set off from Lara, north of Geelong at 10.30am, and head out
to Bacchus Marsh before looping back to Lara.

Stage 2 - Drysdale Road Circuit 84km

1. Margaret Hemsley (Aus) Nurnberger 2:44:33
2. Sara Carrigan (Aus) Powerplate-BIK at 0:05
3. Katie Mactier (Aus) VIS s.t.
4. Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Road Racer 0:06
5. Olivia Gollan (Aus) AIS
6. Elizabeth Williams (Aus) VIS
7. Mari Holden (USA) T Mobile all s.t.
8. Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) FRF-NSW 0:09
9. Judith Arndt (Ger) Nurnberger
10. Kym Shirley (Aus) Road Racer

13. Kimberley Bruckner (USA) T Mobile
20. Mary Grigson (Aus) ACTAS-Cyclecooma.com.au
23. Mirjam Melchers (Ned) World Team
27. Kim Anderson (USA) T Mobile all s.t.
29. Meredith Miller (USA) Team Grace 0:13
44. Kristen Armstrong (USA) T Mobile 4:24
54. Stacey Peters (USA) T Mobile 9:07
59. Petra Rossner (Ger) Nurnberger s.t.

GC

1. Olivia Gollan (Aus) AIS 3:33:49
2. Sara Carrigan (Aus) Powerplate-BIK at 0:50
3. Margaret Hemsley (Aus) Nurnberger 0:53
4. Alison Wright (Aus) Road Racer 0:56
5. Katie Mactier (Aus) VIS 1:01
6. Elizabeth Williams (Aus) VIS 1:03
7. Hayley Rutherford (Aus) Road Racer s.t.
8. Mirjam Melchers (Ned) World Team 1:08
9. Kym Shirley (Aus) Road Racer 1:09
10. Melisa Holt (NZL) New Zealand National Team

12. Kim Anderson (USA) T Mobile all s.t.
13. Mari Holden (USA) T Mobile 1:11
16. Kimberley Bruckner (USA) T Mobile 1:14
17. Mary Grigson (Aus) ACTAS-Cyclecooma.com.au s.t.
20. Meredith Miller (USA) Team Grace 1:18
22. Judith Arndt (Ger) Nurnberger 2:26
42. Kristen Armstrong (USA) T Mobile 6:41
51. Stacey Peters (USA) T Mobile 11:24
54. Petra Rossner (Ger) Nurnberger 11:50