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Race Results

Commonwealth Games Road Race

Rivington, Lancashire

Exclusive action photos - click on an image to enlarge it 

Video action from Lap 3 - click here

58.4 miles (93.5km) - 8 laps

09:00 hrs - Saturday 3 August

The race took place on a mild, but foggy morning. The first two laps were covered relatively slowly. Everyone was together & looked comfortable. Lap times were about 20 minutes for the 7.3miles circuit at this stage. Guernsey's Ann Bowditch was amongst those at the front over the climb for the second lap. Bermuda's Melanie Claude and Julia Hawley, as well as Malaysia's Hsu Min Chung were strong in the bunch on the third climb.

The fourth lap was faster - covered in 19min47secs. Everyone was still together, however, except for Hsu Min Chung, who unshipped her chain at the foot of the main climb and was chasing back.

By the fifth lap, the sun had appeared and the riders were beginning to speed up - they came back around the circuit to the climb in 18min46secs - 3 groups had formed. The main contestants were from Australia, New Zealand & Canada, with a solitary English rider. Chasers were Welsh & English with Melanie Claude from Bermuda also holding her own. The third group contained Ann Bowditch, Julia Hawley and just off the back were Scotland's Jo Cavill & Katrina Hair.

One minute down was Caroline Cook (Scotland) & 2 minutes down, Sharon Watterson (Isle of Mann). Chung was still chasing further off the back, she was to retire next time through the start/finish area.

At the beginning of the 6th lap, a group of 5 were 42secs clear. Rachel Heal & FrancesNewstead (both England), Genevieve Jeanson (Canada), Caroline Alexander (Scotland) and Roz Reekie-May (New Zealand).

Within half a lap – at 1.5laps to go, the five had been joined by 2 others and the following were about 35seconds clear:

Jeanson (Can), Holt (NZ), Reekie-May (NZ), Rutherford (Aus), Cooke (Wal), Alexander (Sco), Newstead (Eng), Heal (Eng), Millward  (Aus), Hemsley (Aus), Tadich (Aus), Bessette (Can)

 The bunch followed through 35sec down. The front of which was led through by Australians, Canadians and New Zealanders – obviously working to slow the bunch and assist the break to gain further time. This strategy worked well – the 6^th lap was slower – 19minutes 30seconds, compared to the “middle” laps which had been consistently around 18minutes30seconds. However, by the foot of the climb on the 7^th lap a group of 4 managed to gain 15seconds on a chase group by the foot of the climb. They were :

Jeanson (Can), Heal (Eng) Hemsley (Aus), Reekie-May (NZ)

 The chasers were Bessette, Rutherford, Alexander, N Cooke, Millward, five New Zealanders and an English rider – Mel Sears. However, disaster struck Margeret Hemsley (Australia) on the sharp right hand turn after the descent. She fell heavily, leaving three away. But to her credit, she continued for another complete lap. Her helmet was damaged – pieces were hanging off it, her clothing torn and, as is now known, she had broken her collarbone. Her Commonwealth Games were over, but her final lap one of courage – cheered and appreciated by the spectators all the way around the course.

 On the final lap, the three were 4minutes 23seconds ahead of the main bunch, although they were chased by a group of seven for a while, before all the chasers came back together and the bunch reformed. Nina Davies (Wales), Sally Ashbridge (Scotland), Rachel Heal (England), Hayley Rutherford (Australia), Lynne Bessette (Canada) were all there. Although Frances Newstead and Anna Milward were sliding backwards as their prevous efforts doubtless caught up with them – although by the last 2km, these two were chasing so hard that that they threatened to catch the leaders as they played out sprinting tactics on the way in to the line. Tadich (Aus) and Holt (NZ) were even further back their job done. The Commonwealth Games Road Race was going to come down to a sprint, despite Caroline Alexander’s attempts to go off the front on the way into Rivington. 

As they entered Rivington. the chasers had been caught – Rachel Heal had worked hard to bridge the gap. Heal, N Cooke, Rutherford, Susan Palmer-Komar (Can) Bessette, and Alexander were there. Riders and spectators alike were beginning to think about the sprint when Nicole Cooke took the bend to fast, had to avoid hitting a wall. She chased hard to regain contact with the group with just over 2km to go.

 Caroline Alexander, who  had been at the back of the group just seconds earlier, sprinted off the front, she was matched by Rachel Heal and the others. Alexander went again with 500m to go, following Palmer-Komar’s attempt to go for it. But Nicole Cooke was too strong – she went through and took the line clear of the others. Palmer-Kovar was second and Rachel Heal third.

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