Stage 1 – 66km Highland circuit race – 8 laps

Each 8km lap had a 3-tiered climb with the steepest section approaching a 15% gradient.  There was a long descent immediately after the climb which allowed most of the peloton to regroup.

The circuit race had 2 sprints at the start/finish line on laps 6 and 4.  The start/finish line was slightly uphill and had a headwind.  I need a long sprint and am more powerful over a longer distance, so with 400m to go, I pulled out and started my sprint.  With 50m to go, I could see Nicole Freedman (Basis) on my left and dropped it down a gear and really dug.  It was a really close sprint but I won it.

Sprint number 2 didn’t go so well.  Melissa Sanborn (Intermountain Cycling) was on my wheel and with 300m to go she kicked to my right and had a 10m gap before I had even reacted.  Another rider also started her sprint on my left and I took the centre line a little way behind them.  Both of them beat me to the line giving me 3 points for 3^rd.  We had a huge gap on the field after this second sprint, so I took off on my own to see if I could get away.  I climbed on my own before 3 riders bridged across to me.  There were climber points on this lap and being first over, I took 5 climber points.  And for the record this is the first time I have contested the sprint jersey and managed to earn climber points in the process.

At the end of this stage, I was equal first with Sanborn (Intermountain Cycling) in the sprint competition with 10 points apiece.  As she placed higher than me in the final sprint of the day, she got the honours of wearing the green jersey.

Sprint Points:

Melissa Sanborn         10
Helen Kelly                 10
Elizabeth Begosh        7
Nicole Freedman        5