WCN quicklink >>     Tour Preview   Stage 1    Stage 2    Stage 3   Stage 4    Starstudded World Cup   2005 Coverage   

                                                                                                                                                                                   2004 Coverage

Race Overview

Geelong Women's Tour

^{February 22 - 24, 2005}

Once the race starts, you will be able to click below to go to Stage results > 

Race Overview

In a drama reminiscent of 2004, where Kate Bates had TT victory taken from her and given to Kate Mactier after a timing error, the winner of Stage 1 of the Geelong Tour, Kathy Watt has been relegated from first place. 

Watt was fastest in the TT, but rode a bike with handlebars which were adjusted into an illegally low position for the ride. The complaints bubbled around the start / finish area at Portarlington, until late in the afternoon, the decision was confirmed  - after 9 official team complaints had been made. The officials involved also took time to consider the position adopted by Watt in the TT compared to the criterium stage, Stage 2 on the same bike. The rules for the TT required a standard RR bike; the change to the position of the 'bars meant that it did not meet that requirement.

So, instead of being separated from race leader, Oenone Wood, after Stage 2 by just 1/100ths of a second, Watt has been relegated to last place in the time trial, which will add at least 2 1/2 minutes to her time.

It is a twist of fate that last year, Kate Bates suffered the problem of the timing error in the TT and had to hand her leader's jersey to Kate Mactier. In 2005, Watt's relegation pushed Natalie Bates into the lead going into the second stage, although the decision was not confirmed until afterwards, so she will be recorded with the lead in the race records, but did not wear the jersey.

Revised Result   (also revised GC after Stage 1)

Back to top