Tour of Bright – May 2000 – 4^th

Stage 1 Saturday 13^th – 14km I/T/T – 5^th

It rained steadily all morning.  I warmed up on the rollers inside then headed to the airfield.  It rained steadily throughout the timetrial which was an out and back course.  I was reasonably happy with my time, 22min41sec.  Karren Barrow won in 21min09sec.

Stage 2 Saturday 13^th 82km road stage

The weather cleared up so I decided not to race in leggings and booties.  I heard the VIS were going to make a break early so I spent the first 20km sitting on Katie’s wheel watching Karen, Sophie and Geraldine, wondering who was going to attack.  The bunch split on the first KOM.  I was 5^th over the top, passed Geraldine and jumped onto Fjelda’s wheel and starting chasing the bunch.  A group of 8 of us were clear of the main bunch as we headed towards Tawonga store.  I started the sprint too late – I was waiting for everyone else to start sprinting.  I came 4^th.  Karen dropped off from the bunch due to an injury.  Katie attacked before the Tawonga Gap climb.  I tried to go with her but she kept climbing at tempo.  The 12km climb really hurt.  I slipped back to 7^th on the climb.  Sophie F. passed me near the top and finished 4^th.  I worked with Rachel Rademaker to the finish.  She got me in a sprint finish.  I was now 5^th on GC.

Stage 3 Sunday 14^th 35km Mt Buffalo climb

The drizzling rain greeted us again.  I decided against wearing leggings as I knew I would get hot up the ascent.  I still wore a singlet under my jersey and decided to keep arm warmers on.  I only had about 10min to warm up and just rode up and down the main street of Bright.  I came 4^th in the sprint at the Golf course, and 3^rd in the KOM.  I broke away with Katie and Fjelda over the KOM but didn’t work a turn and soon the bunch had caught us.  I didn’t want the legs to blow up when I had a 25km climb to go.  My heartrate was 170-180 BPM during the climb.  Our lead bunch gradually dwindled down to 5 of us.  Katie attacked on a hairpin corner with about 5km to go, and no-one went with her.  Thinking about it now, I should have attempted to go with her but we all just watched her ride away.  On the last KOM, I tried desperately to sprint but had nothing in the legs.  Geraldine and I battled it out to the finish and I beat her by a few seconds finishing 4^th.  I was shivering with cold as the temperature had dropped right down to nearly zero.  We drove down the mountain as soon as we could to get ready for the next stage.

Stage 4 Sunday 14^th 20min criterium

Our bunch had dwindled down to 16 starters.  I came 2^nd and 3^rd in the sprints and finished 4^th overall in the criterium.  I made a mistake of not driving off the front, after the sprint laps, as this would have been a good time to attack.  Overall for the tour, I finished 4^th.  Katie Mactier 1^st, Fjelda Lee 2^nd, Geraldine Denham 3^rd.