Race Results

De Bortoli Tour

3 stages in 2 days, July 17^th - July 18^th

Stage 1 - Yarra Glen Road Stage

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Stage Review

The day started well enough, but it soon became clear that the dark clouds which were providing such a stunning backdrop to the hills of the Yarra Ranges were full of water. They quickly blew in on the strong southerly winds.

With 5 races (4 men's grades and the women's race) running at the same time, organisation was key and this is something which every Australian race WomensCycling.net has been to does so well. But what a feat! - 5 Lead Cars, 5 Commissaires, 5 spares vehicles (ah, one bonus, only 1 set of marshals) – as one of the helpers commented, this is bigger than a stage of the Tour – there are leaders, bunches and stragglers for each of the 5 races……… 

The women’s race stayed together for the first climb of the hill, then blew apart. Jenny Macpherson and Caitlin Foster broke away and were 2 minutes up on the group containing the potential biggest threat, Kathy Watt. The next group came through another 2 ½ minutes down on the Watt group (4 ½ minutes down on the leaders) and then a long string of lone riders and small groups between 9minutes and 10 minutes down. 

The next climb of the Healesville-Yarra Glen Road saw Fraser leading Macpherson at 2minutes 36 seconds and Watt another 10 seconds back on the tall, ex-rower. The gap to the second group had also grown – they turned the corner  to face the 1km climb to the King of the Mountains point on the Old Healesville Road.

This was basically the order at the finish – Caitlin Fraser beat Watt and Macpherson to take the Leader’s jersey into the afternoon time trial – up and down Steels Creek Road.

RESULTS 

General Classification

Photo Gallery

   Stage 2

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