By Marianne Werz O'Brien
Stage 3: Barwon Heads, 77.5 km
Petra Rossner (GER - Team Nurnberger) stole the stage today, taking advantage
of the fight between Katie Mactier and Oenone Wood for the GC. This marks the
first non-Australian win in the short history of the Tour of Geelong! The
Australian women continue to dominate this race overall, with Rochelle Gillmore
and Oenone Wood filling out the stage win podium, and with Aussies holding the
top 5 spots of the GC.
Oenone Wood rode aggressively throughout the day, attacking hard to claim the
maximum of three bonus points in the first two sprints, and two bonus points in
the third. “I knew Katie would be trying to get the bonus seconds because every
time I rode to the front she would move up as well,” said Wood.
Petra Rossner, the 37 year old 24 times German Champion, was not concerned.
“The intermediate sprints had nothing to do with us (Team Nurnberger) as we have
no chance for the overall race win,” explained Rossner. “So my team did a
fabulous job to protect me all day and set me up for the finish.” She admits
that she had expected the Australians to win all four stages, because the
climate in Australia allows racing to start in early January.
This is Rossner's first race since injuring her hip in a crash last fall. She
told the Herald Sun News, "The girls worked really well together today.
They looked after me as a sprinter. I felt like a queen," she said.
"They dragged me to the finish line and kept me out of the wind all day, and
I had to win. The pressure was up because they were working so well.
"That made me a bit nervous because if you haven't raced for a long time you
don't know where you're at. The only thing I knew exactly was that my team did a
perfect job."
Dual Australian Road Champion Oenone Wood marched up the GC to the very top
step today, and has taken the leaders blue jersey from Katie Mactier. Third
place overall and the Best Young Rider (U23) leader is Katherine Bates, 21, (NSWIS).
T-Mobile’s Dede Barry and Kristin Armstrong retain 9th and 10th place. In the
GC, seven of the top ten placers are still Australian.
Oenone Wood is unquestionable the hottest rider in the race. Not only is she
the reigning dual Australian Road Champion, she has also won the Jayco Bay
Cycling Classic and the Advertiser Women’s Criterium Series this year. “I would
have liked to have gained a few more seconds on today’s finish but it will have
to do for now,” said Wood. Will sprint Queen Oenone Wood hold onto her slim 7
second lead over Katie Mactier, and 10 second lead over young gun Katherine
Bates?
Next up:
Stage 4, the Lara Road Race, a 115 km stage and the final leg of the tour.
The 115km stage features a short but brutal climb up Mt Wallace at the 59km mark
which will test the legs of all riders.
Geelong Tour Result
Stage 3 – 77.5km Barwon Heads
-
Petra ROSSNER (GER – Team Nurnberger) 2hr03min57sec
-
Rochelle GILMORE (AUS – Team SATS) st
-
Oenone WOOD (AUS – Aus Institute of Sport) st
-
Tanja HENNES (GER – World Team) st
-
Nicole FREEDMAN (ISR – World Team) st
-
Frances NEWSTEAD (GBR) st
-
Bridgett EVANS (AUS – Freedom Machine) st
-
Sara SYMINGTON (GBR – Team SATS) st
-
Katie MACTIER (AUS –Jayco) st
-
Miho OKI (JPN) st
General Classification after Stage 3
-
Oenone WOOD (AUS – AIS) 3hr09min24sec
-
Katie MACTIER (AUS – Jayco) @ 07sec
-
Katherine BATES (AUS) @ 10 sec
-
Louise YAXLEY (AUS – JAYCO) @ 17sec
-
Sara CARRIGAN (AUS – Qld Academy of Sport) @29
-
Sarah ULMER (NZL) @30 sec
-
Kathryn WATT (AUS – Freedom Machine) @ 30 sec
-
Margaret HEMSLEY (AUS – Team Nurnberger) @ 34 sec
-
Deirdre BARRY (USA – T Mobile) @ 34 sec
-
Kristin ARMSTRONG (USA – T Mobile) @ 35 sec
Points Classification after Stage 3
-
Oenone WOOD – 8pts
-
Katherine BATES – 5pts
-
Katie MACTIER – 4 pts
Thanks to Cycling Australia, Herald Sun News.
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