In Stage 3 of the Women’s National Capital Tour, Rebecca Wiasak was able to outsprint the others for the win in the final dash to the line after the late attacks had been brought back. An early break had driven the day’s action with Kate Perry, who was a danger on GC, getting in the move, with the gap getting out to 1 and half minutes at one point. That meant that QTS (QAS and CQ Emerging Talent Team) had to work hard to protect Ainslie Bakker’s 2nd position, whilst lone rider and GC leader Ruth Corset could just follow wheels. The race was peppered with late attacks in the final kilometres, but High 5 Dreamteam closed the race down for Rebecca Wiasak to take the win in a sprint.

Ruth Corset spoke to us after the stage on how the race panned out. “It was good having that break in front, it meant that I was just able to sit in, then it was quite aggressive towards the end once the break was caught. I just wanted to secure my lead by finishing up there on the sprint.” Looking ahead to the Criterium later in the day, Corset said, “It would be good if a break got away, down on GC, so I could just sit in and cover the main contenders on GC. There’s 4 riders that I need to follow if they attack. It’s quite a technical course, so I think there will be a lot of gaps.”

Ainslie Bakker was 2^nd heading into the Criterium, only 11 seconds down on the GC in her debut at NRS level. She also spoke peletoncafe after the stage. “We didn’t know until quite a way into the race that Kate Perry was in the break, then the team got together and went to the front to try to bring the break back. Our team worked really well together and brought it back on our own, no one else was helping, so it was really good teamwork from the QTS girls.”

On the criterium, Bakker was more focused on maintaining her good position than moving up. “There’s only 6 seconds on the line, so I’d have to take a gap. I’ll follow moves at the end, and if I have the legs I’ll have a go.” On her great form in her first race, Bakker said “This has been a really good experience, I wasn’t expecting to go this well, so whatever happens in the crit, I’m happy.”

Later in the day, the 36 kilometre criterium saw aggressive racing, with a number of teams taking up the challenge of attacking, with Belinda Chamberlain and Kristy Glover gaining the biggest advantage of the race, at one point having a lead of 23 seconds on the peleton. Chloe McIntosh (CBR women’s cycling) went off the front in the second last lap to take the gambler’s jersey but it was Rebecca Wiasak of High 5 Dreamteam who took her second win of the day, soloing off the front of the bunch, and maintaining it through to the line. Kendelle Hodges led the rest of the peloton home in the sprint to make a 1-2 for the High 5 women and Ruth Corset took third to wrap up the leader’s jersey for the race.

Images copyright Con Chronis

Rebecca Wiasak Makes Hers A Double; Ruth Corset Takes Tour (Peloton Cafe)
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On a cloudy Canberra day, the former basketballer and triathlete vindicated her decision to take up cycling by staying with a large break and then powering to the finish at Corin Forest.

“I have never felt like this before,” exclaimed Fitzgerald post-race. “I can’t believe it – I am so stoked! Last week at Amy’s Otway Tour was my first NRS race.”

“My background is basketball, and then I switched to triathlon about 10 years ago. The bike was always my strongest leg, I did some climbing while on holidays in Europe earlier this year, and just decided that I would turn my attention to racing.”

A nervy start saw the women roll out slowly from Rond Terrace in the heart of Canberra, before attacks began as the peloton rounded Lake Burley Griffin. In an ominous sign of her climbing prowess, Tour leader Ruth Corset won the first, second and third Queen of the Mountain sections.

“Two riders went off the front early, but we caught them,” said Corset. “There were quite a few attacks during the race, and I ended up getting some time bonuses on the climbs.”

The peloton split on the third Queen of the Mountain as they neared the finish, with a group of nine riders establishing a two minute gap from the chasers as they began the final climb. After cresting the mountain, a diminished group drove towards the Subaru arch with Fitzgerald finishing victorious.

“I was talking to Lucy Kennedy (QAS/CQ Emerging Talent Squad) and trying to get her to keep the pace on,” explained second-placed Bechtel. “She had a team-mate in there on second overall, so I was saying we really need to keep pushing. We came over the final hill, saw the big banner and then I gave everything – going as hard as I could to the finish.”

General classifications leader Ruth Corset finished in the bunch sprint just behind Fitzgerald and Bechtel to retain her jersey ahead of the final two stages on Sunday, further building her lead atop the Subaru National Road Series aggregate rankings.

“I’m still in yellow and have increased my lead,” said the Queenslander. “Tomorrow is a flat road race and then a criterium – I just have to make sure I go with the breaks and finish at the front.”

The Women’s National Capital Tour concludes on Sunday with two exciting stages. Canberra’s scenic highlights will be showcased with the 74.9 kilometre Service One Alliance Banking Road Race around Lake Burley Griffin from 8.00am, before the Tour wraps up with the Fitness First Criterium at Stromlo Forest Park.

Text via Cycling Australia Media Release

Images copyright Con Chronis

Lauren Fitzgerald Claims Maiden Subaru National Road Series Stage Win (Peloton Cafe)
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Corset completed the National Capital Tour’s stage one 7.3 kilometre out-and-back individual time trial course three seconds faster than Bakker, who has only recently switched from triathlon, to claim the yellow jersey ahead of Saturday’s challenging road race.

“I definitely needed that as a confidence boost, because I have not had many good results lately,” explained former national road champion Corset. “I’m feeling really good for the days ahead, and it is great to get my first stage win of the year.”

Beginning and ending in Googong, a development of Tour sponsors CIC Australia, the course crossed the New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory border before return to the township.

“It was quite a hilly course so it really suited me,” continued Corset. There was a bit of crosswind on the nice long descent, and then I gave it everything on that last hill to the finish.”

Bakker meanwhile was ecstatic to earn a place on the podium in her first ever Subaru National Road Series event, as she repaid the faith of the Queensland Academy of Sport’s development team who had brought her along as a guest rider.

“I was really surprised with how I went given this is my first NRS race,” she said. “I felt great throughout the race and then brought it home strongly at the end. I’m stoked with the result.”

Like Corset and third-placed Rebecca Wiasak (High5 Dream Team), Bakker was a triathlete before transitioning to road cycling.

“I was doing triathlon and then started doing a few cycling races,” she exclaimed. “I did really well, so I stuck with it!”

For local rider and track world champion Wiasak, the podium finish was a nice reward for time spent in the gym as she looks towards the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

“This is my first podium in the National Road Series this year, whereas in previous years I have had quite a few,” said Wiasak. “It is nice to be back in the placings, and obviously this is my home tour. I did not think the course would suit me – straight down a mountain then back up again – so I’m really pleased to come third today.”

The Women’s National Capital Tour continues on Saturday with a testing 98 kilometre road race to Corin Forest.

Text via Cycling Australia Media Release

Images copyright Con Chronis

Ruth Corset Stamps Authority On 2015 National Capital Tour (Peloton Cafe)
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National Capital Tour, 7.4 KM Time Trial at Googong, Canberra, A.C.T, Australia, Friday, September, 18, 2015. {credit}: Con Chronis : Con Chronis

By Jamie Finch-Penninger – @FishysCP

The National Capital Tour kicked off for the women today, starting with a short time trial around Googong, just south of Canberra. The course started in the town, and took in two hair-raising descents and two hard ascents including a tough 8% climb before the false flat into the finish. Ainslie Bakker turned heads today when she finished 2^nd in her first NRS event, finishing 3 seconds behind Ruth Corset on a very challenging short TT course around Googong, pulling on the young riders jersey and the sprint jersey to top off an impressive first day of racing. She spoke with a lot of humility after her top ride, but that clearly belies her talent on the bike.

“The time trial suited me today…. the hills I really liked. It finished on a 1 kilometre hill at 8%, so that was really good.” The climbs will only get tougher from here as the peloton takes to the hills on Stage 2, which finishes at over 1,200 metres in altitude with a final tough climb thorugh Corin Forest, which goes for 11 kilometres at 5.8%. Bakker again, “Tomorrow will be testing as it’s a really hilly stage, so I think the bunch will split up and hopefully I’m in the front pack and can hold on.”

Bakker is new to road cycling, after competing for years in the triathlon and being offered a guest rider spot for the QTS (Queensland Academy of Sport and Cycling Queensland Emerging Talent Squad) for the National Capital Tour.  “The cycling in triathlon was always my strongest leg. I was doing triathlon until about 4 months ago, I started doing a few road races and I got hooked.”

Bakker’s surprise emergence to the road cycling scene is all the all the more impressive given that her closest rival on the GC is 38-year-old veteran Ruth Corset, who  is currently holding overall top position on the NRS standing. Corset will be the favourite for the overall win. The hard luck story of the day went to Kate Perry, who was held up by a semi-trailer from a building site turning into her path mid-way towards the end of the course. Despite the impediment, she recovered to finish 4^th on the day, only 19 seconds down on Corset.

Ainslie Bakker Turns Heads With National Capital Tour Time Trial Display (Peloton Cafe)
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2015 National Capital Tour: Women’s Startlist (Peloton Cafe)
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Peloton Cafe || Lucy Garner (image courtesy Wiggle Honda)

Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling is pleased and excited to announce that Lucy GARNER will be joining the team in 2016 on a two-year contract. The young British rider from Leicester, who will celebrate her 21st birthday on the 20th of September, has spent her entire professional career to date with the Liv-Plantur team, but looks forward to the opportunities that riding with Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling will bring.

“It’s obviously a huge team, a really professional team, and they’ve had a lot of success,” Garner said. “For me, I just need the next step, a new challenge, and I feel that it’s that time now in my career when I need to make that step, and I think that Wiggle Honda they can really support me and help me with that. They’re really, really positive, and they really believe in my abilities as a sprinter.

“It’s really nice to hear that, that they really believe in me, so I’m really looking forward to working with them.”

As one of the outstanding junior riders of her generation, in 2011 and 2012 Lucy GARNER became the first rider since the great Nicole Cooke to win the Junior World Road Race Championships on two occasions. Despite the big step up into the senior ranks, Lucy confirmed her talent with a stage victory in the Tour of Chongming Island, still aged just 18. Last year saw her ride, and finish, her first Giro d’Italia, while this season she won the opening road stage of the Route de France – beating Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling’s Nettie Edmondson to the line in the process. Other results included third place in the tough, technical finish of the third stage of the Aviva Women’s Tour, in Kettering, Northamptonshire.

Earlier this month Garner took another high-profile sprint podium as she finished second to future Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling teammate, Belgian Champion Jolien D’hoore, in the first stage of the Boels Rentals Ladies Tour.

“It has been a good three years,” Garner said. “But I’m definitely looking, especially next year and the year after, to build on my sprint, and also work on building a bigger engine so I can be there in the finals. That’s another real reason why I’m going to Wiggle Honda; they will give me real opportunities to be in the final, but not necessarily always sprinting.

“There’s going to be a lot of good riders on Wiggle Honda, but it’s really good for me just to  ride the races to make me stronger. That’s definitely going to help me in the future with my sprinting.”

Garner is not the only current Liv-Plantur rider to make the move to Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling next year, with Dutch rider Amy PIETERS already confirmed with the black and orange team. The two young riders have enjoyed an excellent relationship in their three years riding together, and Garner hopes to see that continue.

“The last couple of years Amy and I have really got on well off the bike, as well as on the bike, and I really trust Amy as a rider,” Garner said. “We’ve been riding together for three years now, and for the sprints she’s always the last lead-out girl for me. I know what she’s doing and she knows me really well. I really trust her as a rider, and she’s a really strong rider as well!

“It’s really nice that we can do the move together, and it’s always nice to have someone there that you know of course!”

“This is an extremely exciting signing for the future of our team and for our British based sponsors and fans!” said Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling Team Owner and Manager Rochelle GILMORE. “It’s the perfect moment to have the opportunity to start working with Lucy. We’ll have a very busy race schedule in 2016 and with many athletes focusing on Rio, we’ll have plenty of opportunities to support Lucy’s development and ambitions.

“A professional environment is of the utmost importance to Lucy, so our team of very dedicated staff and experienced athletes are extremely eager to welcome Lucy into the family and be a part of her rapidly developing career.”

Garner joins Pieters, Belgian Champion D’hoore and Swedish Champion Emma JOHANSSON in the list of confirmed riders in Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling’s 2016 roster. More riders will be announced in the coming weeks.

Lucy Garner joins Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling for two years (Peloton Cafe)
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Peloton Cafe || 2015 Amy’s Otway Classic Stage 2 – Kate Perry (image copyright Con Chronis)

Victorian Kate Perry has soloed to victory on Stage 2 of the 2015 Amy’s Otway Tour, part of the the Cycling Australia Subaru National Road Series, beating home Miranda Griffiths (VIC) by 1 minute 28 seconds.

Tour winner Georgia Baker (Tas) finished third on the stage with Perry’s Total Rush Hyster teammate Ruth Corset (Qld) in fourth. Baker’s tour win cuts Corset’s lead in the overall Subaru National Road Series to just two points.

The peloton rolled out of Lorne to a stunning sunrise, and perfect racing conditions. It didn’t take long for the attacks to start, and it was the Echuca duo of Minda Murray (Vic) and Danielle Garden (Vic) who made the early running, leading all the way to the base of the Skenes Creek climb.

Once over the Queen of the Mountain point, a select group of twelve riders pulled out to a five minute lead over the chasing peloton, with eventual stage winner Perry driving the reduced bunch all the way to the base of the final climb, where she would make the decisive attack of the race.

‘I was really excited to take the win today, we worked really hard all race and we had a really good break that we got out to about five minutes which was unexpected, which meant I could conserve some energy for the final climb.’

‘The plan was to go hard and to go early at the bottom corner, which I did, and I was a bit surprised nobody came with me. After that I didn’t look back, it was the longest twelve kilometres of my life!’

‘I got the time gap out to about 1 minute 22 seconds, and I’ve learnt that you never give in until the end, so even with 500 meters to go I was still looking around. This is a great confidence booster!’ Said Perry.

Tour winner Georgia Baker survived multiple attacks to remain with the peloton going into the sprint to the line, and was both surprised and relieved to take back to back Subaru National Road Series victories.

‘It’s really amazing, I didn’t expect to win today, it’s not really a stage that suits someone like me with those huge climbs and my track background, I’m really happy, it’s great!’

‘Along the Great Ocean Road things mainly stayed together, so I made sure I took 3rd on the first intermediate sprint.’

‘With ten kilometres to go Kate Perry attacked going around the right hand corner, which was a really great move by her. She didn’t threaten our General Classification position so we were happy to let her go.’

‘I was yo-yoing off the back on the last climb, and I managed to get third on the stage to win overall, so I am really happy’ added race winner Georgia Baker.

Dark Horse Kate Perry Wins Stage 2; Georgia Baker Takes Out 2015 Amy’s Otway Tour (Peloton Cafe)
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Peloton Cafe || 2015 Amy’s Otway Tour – Georgia Baker

Spring has sprung and the Subaru National Road Series basked in all its glory in the Surf Coast Shire today, as the 2015 Amy’s Otway Tour got underway with a criterium in front of huge crowds on Mountjoy Parade in Lorne.

The race was animated with multiple attacks and strong head winds but it was Tasmanian Georgia Baker of the High5 Dream Team who sprinted to victory ahead of Subaru NSWIS NKC Team’s Ashlee Ankudinoff with Total Rush Hyster rider Ruth Corset in third.

An injury to Tessa Fabry reduced the High5 Dream Team to only three riders, making Georgia Baker’s win all the more thrilling, with thanks sent to her tireless teammates, Rebecca Wiasak (ACT) and Kendelle Hodges (Vic), for their contribution to her win.

‘That was one tough race, that’s for sure! I definitely wasn’t feeling it that entire race and I was just hanging in there to be honest, so I tried to look after myself.’

‘I’m glad I’ve got great teammates here who helped me out.’

‘It all came down to positioning in that last 300 metres and I’m lucky I could come up the inside where there was less wind, and hold off Ashlee (Ankudinoff), so I’m really really happy.’

The race started in a carnival atmosphere. Fans and locals lined the hotdog circuit drinking in the sunshine and were treated to a flurry of attacks early.

Specialized Securitor, Holden Women’s Cycling Team and Total Rush Hyster were well represented in the early breaks, and it was Bridie O’Donnell in particular who was controlling the peloton when she wasn’t launching her own solo attacks.

Holden’s Laurelea Moss made the most of the cracking pace, picking up points in three of the four intermediate sprints to lead the Sprint Championship after Stage 1.

Going into the 109km road race tomorrow, Georgia Baker has a ten second lead over both Ashlee Ankudinoff (NSW) and Laurelea Moss (Qld) with Subaru National Road Series leader Ruth Corset (Qld) a further fifteen seconds back.

Racing starts at 7.30am tomorrow, with riders leaving from Mountjoy Parade in Lorne.

Follow @Subaru_NRS for live updates on Twitter, hashtag #AOC15

Text via Cycling Australia Media Release

Georgia Baker Wins 2015 Amy’s Otway Tour Criterium (Peloton Cafe)
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2015 Amy’s Otway Tour: Startlist (Peloton Cafe)
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Peloton Cafe || 2014 Amy’s Otway Classic (image copyright Con Chronis)

This weekend the women’s Subaru National Road Series will kick things up a gear as Victoria’s picturesque Surf Coast Shire hosts the 2015 Amy’s Otway Tour.

Set to be twice as good in 2015 with the addition of an extra stage, a field of close to 60 riders will be in action across the weekend beginning with Amy’s Criterium on the popular Lorne waterfront on Saturday September 12.  The iconic Amy’s Otway Road Race returns on Sunday with riders to take in the breathtaking Great Ocean Road during the 109km race.

Day one will see a fast flowing hot dog circuit on Mountjoy Parade and the pace will certainly be on from the gun as riders look to take the bonus seconds on the four intermediate sprints on laps 6, 12, 18 & 24.

With an early start on Sunday morning, recovery from the criterium will be paramount. Luckily the stunning Louttit Bay is just a stones throw away from the finish line, so there will be no excuses not cooling after some full blooded racing.

Day two racing gets underway at 7.30am, one hour before the mass start of Amy’s Gran Fondo in Lorne. Riders will travel along the picturesque Great Ocean Road, before making the punishing 10km ascent at Skenes Creek to contest the Queen of the Mountain climb.

The peloton then head through the hills of Forrest, come back towards Deans Marsh, then finish with a difficult 10km climb to the finish line in Benwerrin.

Despite taking a heavy fall at the recent Sam Miranda Tour of the King Valley which saw her taken to hospital, 2015 individual rankings leader Ruth Corset will take to the start line in Lorne.

“I have recovered well now after my fall at Tour of the King Valley,” said Amy’s Classic runner-up Corset. “I landed pretty hard on my sacrum so had a fair bit of bone bruising which is slowly getting better.

“But I am really looking forward to Amy\’s Otway Road Race as it is a race that suits the climbers.

“We have a strong team and Kate Perry is riding really well so we should be able to work well together on the climbs and I am keen to use this race to further increase my lead in the NRS rankings.”

About 2015 Amy’s Otway Tour

Stage 1: Amy’s Criterium

• Start Time: 3:00pm
• Distance: 36 Laps
• Lap Distance: 1km
• Start and Finish Location: Opposite Lorne Home Timber & Hardware shop – 56 Mountjoy Parade, Lorne

Stage 2: Amy’s Otway Road Race

• Start Time: 7:30am
• Distance: 109.7km
• Lap Distance:
• Start Location: Corner of Mountjoy Parade and Bay St
• Finish Location:Corner of Deans – Marsh Lorne Road & Mount Sabine Road

Text via Cycling Australia Media Release

Amy’s Otway Tour to feature two stages in 2015 (Peloton Cafe)
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