Tessa Fabry (Jayco/Apollo/VIS) and New Zealand?s Joe Cooper (Avanti Racing) have been crowned Battle on the Border victors in Kingslciff on Sunday. The pair took out the third event in the men and women?s Subaru National Road Series (NRS), following convincing wins in the time trial stage on Saturday. Avanti Racing made it a clean sweep of the general classification podium, with Cooper claiming the overall Tour by 12 seconds to stage one winner Mark O?Brien and a further 17 seconds ahead of teammate Jack Haig. ?I?m pretty wrapped to take this title,? said Cooper. ?Last year I came into the race leading the NRS after [Tour de] Perth but I didn?t have the best time up Mt Warning. This year I?ve worked on my climbing a bit and managed to get myself up Mt Warning within a stones throw of the overall title before the time trial yesterday. Cooper (39 points) retains the overall Subaru National Road Series lead ahead of Tim Roe (Budget Forklifts, 26 points) and Jack Haig (Avanti Racing, 17 points). ?I have got to thank the guys, they rode all day for me and they probably would have ridden all night too if they had to,” said Cooper. “They absolutely turned themselves inside out to make sure I was always in the perfect place.” Brisbane?s Fraser Gough (Data#3) stole final stage honours after a daring solo attack inside the final 10 kilometres. Budget Forklifts? Myron Simpson claimed the sprint for second place ahead of James Mowatt (African Wildlife Safaries). ?It?s my first NRS win so I?m buzzing,? exclaimed Gough. ?It was a Budget and Avanti battle and that left an opportunity for the smaller teams to get away and that?s what I capitalized on in the final 10 kilometres. ?The bunch sat up and I rolled off the front, I got about 30 seconds which was quite a gap because the bunch was charging me down like raging bulls,? explained Gough. Women’s wrap For Fabry, the week has been one to remember with the Victorian claiming her maiden NRS stage victory in the race against the clock before holding on to clinch her first NRS overall Tour. Despite only having one teammate, Fabry held onto the leaders jersey by nine seconds to Specialized Securitor?s Lizzie Williams. Modanville?s Anna-Leeza Hull (Racing Kangaroos) rounded out the podium to finish third, over one minute down on Fabry. ?It?s fantastic,? said Fabry. ?It probably hasn?t really sunk in yet, I wasn?t really expecting this Tour to be one that I would do well at. ?Kendelle [Hodges] is worth three teammates, she did incredibly well today and yesterday and the day before that as well and I can?t thank her enough. ?Lizzie managed to get a couple of seconds on me with her second place in today’s race, but in the end it wasn?t enough and I?m super stoked.? Second placed Lizzie Williams was happy with her result. ?It was quite suspenseful in the race, we didn?t get the win but I?m happy I got second,” said Williams. ?I was third wheel coming into the finishing loop because I knew it would be very hard to take over anyone in the last 300 metres, I managed to hold on to second after Emma Viotto (Suzuki/Brumby?s) crashed on the second last corner. “That caused a little split to Tessa but not quite enough.? In the day?s final road stage, it was Rebecca Heath (Bicycle Superstore) who earned line honours, sprinting to her first NRS stage victory ahead of duel stage winner Williams and teammate Kristy Glover. ?I?m thrilled, this is my first National Road Series win, it?s just so exciting,? exclaimed Heath.??It was quite a technical finish and I attacked the girls from about one kilometre to go, I backed myself like my teammates and DS are always encouraging me to do.? Queensland’s Ruth Corset (Holden Women’s Cycling, 39 points) retains the overall Subaru NRS lead. Williams (37 points) is second while Fabry moves into third position (35 points). The men’s Subaru National Road Series continues this week with the FKG Tour of Toowoomba beginning May 22 – May 25. Images copyright?ESi Sports Photography, for more, please visit esisportsphotography.com !
