NRS stage win for McKay
Kelly Cycle Coaching athlete Carley McKay won stage 3 of Tour of the Murray today. Carley swapped from rowing to cycling at the beginning of 2012. She came to KCC with plenty of horsepower but she needed to spend time learning the skills and technique to enable her to progress.
And to her credit, she has persisted with each skill until she’s mastered them and today she backed herself and had ‘a crack’. Well done Carley.
Carley after her stage win
Below is a report from the National Road Series Website.
McKay claims ‘best career win’ in Echuca
6 September 2013, by Staff Writer
Carley McKay (Bicycle Superstore) clinched the greatest win of her career in Echuca. / Mark GunterCarley McKay (Bicycle Superstore) has enjoyed the greatest win of her career, taking out today’s Echuca road race – the third stage in the women’s Tour of the Murray River, part of the Subaru National Road Series.
McKay was part of a 10 strong breakaway which to hold on until the finish, allowing the team’s guest rider to clinch a sprint finish ahead of Crystal Wemyss (Team Breeze) and Chloe McIntosh (Suzuki Bontrager).
“I’m just in disbelief,” McKay said. “It just wasn’t what I expected. I’m here guest riding with the Bicycle Superstore Team, so I’m just so ecstatic to have a win on the board.”
The break formed 35 kilometres into the 92 kilometre journey, and also included tour sprint jersey leader Judith Betts (Team Bikebug), Zoe Watters (Pensar SPM), Sophie Mackay (BOSS Racing) and Cassandra Dodd (Specialized).
The group gained a maximum advantage of two-and-a-half minutes and worked together for 55 kilometres with the peloton, including the yellow jersey leader, leaving the chase until too late.
“I was concerned about my GC riders that stayed in the bunch,” McKay said of her teammate Felicity Wardlaw, who currently sits second on general classification.
“I spent most of the time on the back of the breakaway and with 50 metres to go I just thought I’m feeling fresh, I’m going to gun it.
Carley celebrating on the podium
“I think I was in fourth place but ended up coming up with the win. I just couldn’t be any more excited about it.”
Katrin Garfoot (Pensar SPM) retains the Tour lead with two stages remaining. Garfoot is 24 seconds ahead of second placed Felicity Wardlaw (BSS) and Betts.
“We worked really hard to close the gap but that was just impossible,” Garfoot explained.
“My thanks goes to the Bicycle Superstore girls who helped us keep the GC in order. The break slipped out of our hands a few times and we clicked too late, we probably should have tried to chase the break earlier than we did,” said Garfoot who at one stage had lost the virtual tour lead to breakaway rider Betts.
The women’s Tour of the Murray River continues tomorrow with a 69 kilometre road race from Nathalia to Cobram.