Day 4 – Botanical Gardens, Geelong – 11^th January 2003

Conditions: Sunny, 25ºC, 5.00pm

Today was a new tough hilly circuit held in Geelong’s Botanical Gardens.  The circuit was a 1km loop with a sharp downhill left corner after the start / finish line, over a speed hump, into a head wind along the back straight (but with great elevated views of Corio Bay), down a steep hill and left through a 120° degree corner before encountering a short hill up to the start / finish line.  It was technical circuit and would suit a strong aggressive criterium rider.

Katie and I were interviewed by Channel 10 in the afternoon as part of a feature story on John Beasley.

I felt good today and was keen to get into a break.  My wish was granted in just the second lap when Lorian Graham (QLD) leapt off the front.  Belinda Goss (ACT) and myself jumped across to her and the bunch simply watched us establish a 15sec gap.  Goss had team instructions to sit on, so Graham and I shared time trial duties and eventually stretched out our lead to 45sec.  We repeatedly yelled at Goss to work, but she was enjoying the free ride.

I didn’t contest the 15min sprint but went for the 30min sprint, and won it.  With 6 laps to go, I attacked on the climb and dropped both Graham and Goss.  Goss let Graham chase for a lap and then with fresh legs bridged across to my wheel, without Graham.

Not wanting Graham to rejoin us, I continued to drive the pace for the remaining 5 laps.  Goss took a short turn on bell lap but she definitely had fresher legs than 1 and easily took the victory in our sprint to the line.

Katie and Dellys worked hard for me to close down a number of attacks from the ACT-Cooma and NSW teams.  In the main peloton, Katie recovered well from her efforts to finish 9^th.

Results:

1^st Belinda Goss (ACT)
2^nd Helen Kelly (Drapac Property / Beasley Cycles)
3^rd Lorian Graham (QLDIS)
9^th Katie Mactier (Drapac Property / Beasley Cycles)