Gilmore all but wraps up women’s title; men’s race still wide open

Defending Jayco Bay Classic champion Rochelle Gilmore all but wrapped up the women’s title after scoring her an impressive win, her second of the series, in the Geelong criterium tonight.

And in a fascinating men’s stage, Tasmania’s Sulzberger brothers produced classic team cycling tactics to overcome the threat from super sprinters Greg Henderson and Baden Cooke.  After alternate attacks softened the legs of their rivals it was Bernie Sulzberger who prevailed over Henderson in a photo finish.  Brother Wes took the third podium spot after Cooke suffered a mechanical failure with two laps remaining.

Despite the E3-Pure Tasmanian’s scoring their second win of the series, the race for the overall crown remains wide open with overnight leader Urban Hotels Michael Matthews outsprinting Matt Goss to retain the lead by a slender two points.  Goss sits in second with teammate Bernie Sulzberger and Sky’s Henderson all capable of taking the crown on the final stage in Williamstown tomorrow.

Honda too strong once again as Gilmore takes stranglehold on the Series title

World pursuit champion on the track Sarah Kent (NSW-AIS) led for the first three laps of the women’s race on a testing 600m hotdog circuit on the Geelong waterfront.

The pace was on from the beginning with the field lapping in 52 seconds, a pace similar to that produced by the men in the support race.

Defending champion and current series leader Rochelle Gilmore (Honda) was content to sit in the peloton, well protected by teammates including Peta Mullins and Melissa Hoskins.

Eleven minutes in and just ahead of the first intermediate sprint, former world champion Judith Arndt of Germany and Jayco-AIS rider Lauren Kitchen featured in a group of nine riders that escaped off the front,  Arndt showing no signs of tiredness despite riding from Melbourne to Geelong prior to the stage.

The gap built to 15 seconds at the first sprint, which was taken by Honda's Peta Mullins, and with the margin becoming dangerous Gilmore sent teammate and 2008 series champion Megan Dunn to the front of the chase to drag back the difference.  It took a few laps but the gap slowly came down and on the half hour mark the field was back together but with only 25 of the 44riders that started remaining.

Honda again dominated the second sprint with Mullins ahead of Tiffany Cromwell and Kitchen to give her the lead in the sprint classification. 

A number of unsuccessful attacks followed, but with five laps remaining the field was together with Honda in control at the front.

The finish was almost a formality with Rochelle Gilmore charging home in front ahead of Chloe Hosking (TDT-Race-BikeForce) and Mullins third.

The win gave Gilmore another 12 points and took her lead to the same figure, ahead of Mullins who is one point clear of 2009 winner Kirsty Broun (Virgin Blue).  A top ten finish tomorrow is all that Gilmore requires to secure the series win

.

“It’s just great feeling to sit back in the peloton and have a relaxed mind and know if it’s not going to be me who finishes the job off then one of the other girls will do it,” Gilmore said following her second win of the series after winning the opening stage on Sunday.

“If we don't have any bad luck tomorrow I can take the series. I like the course in Williamstown the finish really suits me, I like the corner so close to the finish. I feel strong and I don't have tired legs yet so I'm really looking forward to it.”

Gilmore praising the team spirit of the Honda outfit, which has so far one every stage and holds all the available jerseys – the overall lead, team and sprint.

The team chose to stay in a house together to build morale and the atmosphere has contributed to the outstanding performance according to the Commonwealth Games champion.

“These girls are really fresh, they're young and they just love racing and it’s great for me to be in an environment with young girls who love racing.”

Sulzberger brothers produce a knockout blow in men’s thriller.

The one hour torture test on the 600m circuit saw the field remain together for the first twenty minutes of the men’s event.

The first intermediate sprint caused some movement, with series leader and world under 23 champion Michael Matthews (Urban Hotels), teammate and Olympic gold medallist Graeme Brown, himself a former series winner, and grand tour stage winner Simon Gerrans (Team Sky) edging away to fight it out.  In a surprise, Gerrans prevailed over Brown and Matthews - a result that mirrors the end of stage standings in the green sprinters jersey.

With a third of the race behind them, a third of the 96 starters had already succumbed to the fierce pace.

23 minutes in and a break of four riders emerged. Sky's Greg Henderson, E3-Pure Tasmania brothersWes and Bernie Sulzberger and Lowe Farms Baden Cooke quickly gained a 12 second gap. 

A flustered peloton moved into action, with Geelong flyer Leigh Howard doing most of the work in an attempt to drag them back. By the second sprint the gap had grown to 17 seconds with Bernie Sulzberger crossing ahead of Cooke and brother Wes.

Garmin-Cervelo rider Tom Scully, who won on this circuit last year, took off in pursuit of the leading quartet in a lone attempt that was ambitious and ultimately unsuccessful.

The gap continued to grow to 30 seconds at the 45 minute mark ensuring the stage win was going to come from one of the four leaders.  With Henderson a stage winner at the Tour of Spain and Cooke a former sprint king at the Tour de France they were the obvious favourites however the two Sulzbergers had the numerical advantage.

The Sulzbergers began a classic one-two to work over their rivals, softening the legs of the two sprinters by taking turns to attack. 

With four laps to go Wes broke away strongly and with Bernie running defence the gap was a slender three seconds with two circuits to go.

With Cooke battling what looked to be a slow leak in the back tyre and then a chain malfunction on the second last lap it was left to Henderson to battle the brothers Sulzberger. 

In the finishing straight it was Bernie who hit the front and with Henderson making a gallant lunge they hit the line locked together.  Neither was certain who had won, and after a five minute deliberation to review the photo finish, the result went in favour of Sulzberger, handing the E3-Pure Tasmania team their second stage win of the series.

Wes Sulzberger finished third with Cooke able to hang on finish in fourth, courtesy of the big margin the four had built up.  The bunch sprint from the peloton 32 seconds behind was also telling, with series leader, Matthews just shading Matthew Goss, to ensure he has a two point margin over Goss, with Bernie Sulzberger a further two points back.  Even Henderson, who is seven points behind Matthews can win the series in Williamstown tomorrow.

“Henderson is a world class sprinter, the guy’s won a stage of the Vuelta, I obviously have a lot of respect for Hendy and we knew we had to attack and that’s what we did,” Bernie said after having the win confirmed.

“Wes was hurting a bit today so that was always the plan for him to go at the end. Greg had to do a lot of chasing and obviously that’s why we weakened him for the sprint so I just had to time my sprint well because to come off Greg is not an easy thing to do.”

“We came here to win stages and we’ve won two now so where very happy with that. Matt is sprinting really well at the moment so Wes and I will be trying to get him up for the finish tomorrow.”

Matthews holds a slender lead going into the final stage and has the benefit of Graeme Brown in his corner as he tries, at just twenty, to become one of the youngest ever winner of the men’s series.

“My team rode awesome and I wouldn’t have got fifth place and the jersey without them today.  So hopefully they can do the same for me tomorrow,” Matthews said.

“It was a big confidence boost today when I crossed the finish line and looked across and saw that I’d beat Gossy in the sprint.  Hopefully I still have the jersey tomorrow. Goss is just behind me so I will keep an eye on him and see how we go.”

In the support race, series leader Steele Von Hoff covered every move in the 45 minute race that quickly halved the field from 120 starters to less than 50 after just 20 minutes.  With good support from his Genesys teammates, Von Hoff took the stage win from yesterday's stage winner Nathan Earle and Nathan Hass. Von Hoff extended his series lead to an almost unassailable 12 point lead.  A top ten finish will secure the Victorian the series win.