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Australian National Road Championships 2011

WCN quicklink >>    Criterium    Road Race    Time Trial

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Alexis Rhodes (SA-Garmin-Cervelo) was overwhelmed with her win in the elite Australian Road Championships “I won,” screemed Rhodes as she crossed the line ahead of her professional team mate Carla Ryan (QLD) who will join her in Garmin Cervelo for the 2011 season.

Rhodes is honoured to be wearing the Australian jersey in Europe, “For any rider being able to wear your national jersey in Europe is pretty special and something to be proud of. I am ecstatic,  I never thought it would happen,” said Rhodes.

Rhodes had considered giving up the sport at the end of 2010 after disappointing performances in her mind at the Commonwealth Games and the World Championships but after a late offer of a professional contract from Garmin Cervelo, Rhodes reconsidered, “I did not have a good season last year and I had an OK commonwealth games but I was really disappointed with worlds. I finished just inside the top 20 in the time trail and 4^th in the time trial ant the comm games which was ok. I didn’t do so well in the road race at worlds. I didn’t have any good offers for 2011 and I didn’t want to go to overseas and be in a small team. In November,  I got an offer from Garmin Cervelo which gave me renewed interest in riding again. In 2011 they have given me the opportunity to impress and hopefully I can reward them for having faith in me,” added Rhodes.

Rhodes was part of a final six rider break that included Ryan, Judith Arndt (GER), Carlee Taylor, Joanne Hogan (VIC) [bronze medalist] and Vicki Whitelaw (Lotto Honda). On the final climb Whitelaw was dropped and then Taylor. Rhodes had to battle to get back on, “Judith was really putting me in the gutter, I’ m not half the bike rider she is and I dropped off. Then they [Arndt, Hogaqn and Ryan] stated looking at each other which gave me the chance to jump back on.”

Coming into the final kilometre the four riders were together. “I had to be really patient, it was a really fast finish and I knew I had to wait and wait before I sprinted. I managed to get there for the win,” smiled Rhodes.

Ryan celebrated Rhodes win across the line, “Carla Ryan and I had discussed that one of us had to win today. To run one, two is unreal. I made sure that I got in the early break because Carla is a much better climber than me. To have her there and me in the break was great. There was no pressure on her and she managed to come up to us. I knew that I didn’t have to drive the break because she was coming up behind, it was fantastic and perfect for us,” commented Rhodes.

Carla Ryan (QLD- Garmin Cervelo) had chased really hard in the final few laps to bridge to the leaders and celebrated the one two for her team, “I am so happy for Alex. She rode an amazing race. To stay up front all day then come away with the win is incredible. I have something left for the sprint like that is amazing and super special. For her to win her first national jersey is so special,” said Ryan.

Ryan had celebrated across the line, “Alex said get on my wheel and we knew we had to take it late. She was on the left and I was on the right and we just went for it. I knew she had it on the line and I was so happy for her,” added Ryan.

Joanne Hogan (VIC) was overwhelmed with her bronze medal. “I worked really hard in the break and felf good all day. When we dropped Alex, the main sprinter, I thought I was in with a chance of winning, then she came back to the three of us and I knew I had to position myself well for the sprint. I am so please,” said Hogan.

Hogan was the silver medalist in the criterium and and targeted the road race as her main goal, “The crit silver was a complete shock so to come away with two medals is awesome,” added Hogan.

Carlee Taylor (ACT-Team Tibco) was a key driving force in the break of 8 riders and won the U23 title and queen of mountain prize, “I had done the hard work and I was pretty pumped for this race. I thought given the warm conditions I would end up in the winning move but it wasn’t to be. I am excited and so happy to come away with a win in my last year as U23. When I left the U19 I finished with a national title, so to do it again as I leave the U23, I could not be happier,” said Taylor.

Sinead Noonan (SA) could not beleive she was on the podium after one of the toughest races she has ever ridden, “I am over whlemed, I was not sure how many U23 were in front of me. The coaches were shouting at me to keep going and I am very please with a silver medal, in my first year as an U23,” said Noonan.

Lauren Kitchen (NSW) won the bronze medal after her gold medal in the criterium  this week. “We had two team mates up the road, we were really unlucky we had 3 punctures, Ruth [Corset], [Amanda] Spratty and Alex [Carle]. When we realised there was still a medal up for grabs,  we were keen to try to get one of us up there. Alex [Carle] still being an U23, sacrificed herself for the Jayco AIS team and I managed to get across the line for a medal. It is always good to come away with a medal at these championships. It is a good way to finish the last few days of racing, ” said Kitchen.

Tiffany Cromwell and Vicki Whitelaw (Lotto Honda) both realised that there attempts to create the break and maintain it had taken its toll but the time the race had reached the crucial point. 

Cromwell, was frustrated and tired at the end of the road race,"We knew that we had to break up the race and we did that. I gave it everything. I know i still have a lot to learn and each year I develop as a rider," said Cromwell. 

Whitelaw was a awarded the sprint jersey after her efforts in the break but this could not take away from the disappointment of missing the final stage of the race, "I gave it everything today and could not have done anymore. I paid for all the work to create the break but it was the only way open up the race away from pure climbers," said Whitelaw. 

Judith Arndt (HTC Hightroad) has been training in Australia for the past few months and loves the opportunity to ride the Australian Open Road Championships. A favourite for the race, Arndt had bridged across the gap to the leaders and really wanted to have a chance to win the race. A puncture in the last couple of laps had meant she had to chase back and she did not have the legs for the sprint, “I tried to attack on the last lap a few times on the other side of the course but they kept chasing back to me. I thought I had a pretty good chance in the sprint but the two of them [Ryan and Rhodes] came pretty fast from behind I made a mistake not reacting quickly enough and could not chase,” said Arndt.

Arndt was very frustrated with missing out on the win, she came to the race with great form, “I could not believe it someone had thrown tacks on the road and I punctured. That isn’t very nice. I came here to win the race so I am disappointed I didn't,” added Arndt.