Peta Mullens Solos To Stage 3 Bay Crits Victory

Peloton Cafe || 2015 Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic Stage 3 - Peta Mullens
Peloton Cafe || 2015 Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic Stage 3 – Peta Mullens (image copyright Con Chronis)
In the Elite Women?s Stage 3 race at the 2015 Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic, Peta Mullens dominated the pack on the unforgiving hilly circuit in a show of incredible strength and endurance. ?I?m really happy with my form here and seeing as I?m only going to do a handful of road races this year because I want to focus on my Mountain Biking, getting a win already is great,? Mullens said.
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Positioned at the front of the peloton in the initial stages of the race, it wasn?t long before the aggressive attacking nature of the lead riders began to decimate the field. Choosing to forgo yesterday?s race at Eastern Gardens in Geelong, Mullens? fresh legs allowed her to apply to pressure early on in the race. At the halfway point and with several attempts by Lauren KITCHEN and Chloe Hocking to form a breakaway contained by the peloton, Mullens made her decisive attack. Bursting out of the peloton, she established a lone breakaway that was not challenged by the tiring group behind her. With five laps to go and an ever-growing lead of 26 seconds developing, there was no stopping this amazing endurance rider as she soared to a comfortable victory in tough conditions. ?When I went broke away I was pretty knackered ? I thought surely if I?m hurting the other girls are hurting and I went straight into tempo mode because I knew I didn?t have it in me to keep going that hard. So with four laps to go I actually eased up a bit then thought better of it as I don?t like to race that way and instead left it all out on the track,? Mullens said. Today?s effort was her best performance at The Bay Classic and is also her tenth consecutive year competing at the event. Amanda SPRATT and Giorgia BRONZINI led the peloton into the final lap, with the yellow jersey of Chloe HOSKING among the leading riders in an attempt to maintain her position in the overall classification. It was a dramatic race to the line with Bronzini managing 2nd place and Lauren KITCHEN 3rd. Bronzini?s effort in the final sprint ensured that teammate Hosking maintained her yellow jersey ahead of Kitchen who is sitting only two points behind on 24. The green sprinter?s jersey was also returned to Kitchen for another day, sitting comfortably 7pts ahead of her closest rival in Joanne Hogan (Roxsolt) on 5pts. With the Elite Women?s event being especially tight at the top, tomorrow is sure to bring out the best in all the riders as the Mitchelton Bay Cycling classic winds up for another year in Williamstown. It will definitely be another exciting day of racing to conclude the first event on Victoria?s outstanding summer of road cycling calendar.

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