WomensCycling.net - race coverage, Race 2 - Mitchelton Bay classic 2013

Tiffany Cromwell (Orica-AIS) rode in her familiar style to solo to victory on stage 2. Melissa Hoskins (Orica-AIS) won the sprint for second ahead of Peta Mullens (Anytime Fitness).

In a familiar move, to the one she made in 2011, Cromwell attacked after just over two laps to ride a solo victory. Overnight leader Kimberley Wells (Specialized Securitor) was not able to respond to the attack and lost time during the race to drop down the overall standings.

Orica-AIS worked hard as a team to ensure that they would move into the overall lead with great tactics from Shara Gillow and Loes Gunnewijk.

Cromwell secured a maximum lead of 47 seconds during the race before a brief response from the chasing peloton created by former Australian road and Time Trial champion Carla Ryan (Crino Cycles-Casa & Bottega) closed the gap to 30 seconds. The increase in pace split the bunch and Orica-AIS's Hoskins benefited with Shara Gillow and Gracie Elvin (Jayco-AIS) for company. Wells missed the break and was forced to use some of her team to limit her losses.

Cromwell secured maximum points in the sprint competition to move into the overall lead ahead of Gunnewijk.

Tiffany Cromwell (Orica-AIS) was very happy with her victory on stage 2 of the Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic. "I like this course and I obviously like riding on my own," said Cromwell as she recovered from her solo effort. Cromwell won on the Portarlington course in 2011, "I have good memories on this course. It is great to get the win again. I like to win races from long solo break. It has happened many times on this course. An early break goes and manages to stay away. On lap 3, the bunch used the flat section to take a break so I decided to keep going and got the gap and it just kept on building," said Cromwell.

"Seems when I go out I have this one pace and I was also comfortable with corners and I knew I could get time on them," said Cromwell. "I do a lot of training on my own and with the men and that gives me the confidence and strength to keep on going, the longer the race the better for me."

Some could argue that Orica-AIS have an advantage at this years race. The size limit for each team is 5, but Orica-AIS have Cromwell and Gracie Elvin riding as individuals with an obvious sharing of effort and protection from all of the riders. Indeed the Team's press release noted that, "The rest of the girls organized behind Cromwell," according to Sport Director, David McPartland.

"Because they were well organized, Tiff was able to grow her gap to 30 seconds really quickly. By the mid-point of the race, her gap was holding steady and I was confident that she would win."

Gillow took responsibility for the nine rider group, setting a pace that allowed Cromwell to maintain her lead while ensuring that the group behind wouldn't regain contact. With two laps left to race, Gillow's job was done. "Gracie picked up where Shara left off, and she did an awesome job in her first lead out for the team," said McPartland. "She took Mel into the bottom corner of the course, and all Mel had to do was come off Gracie's wheel at the 150 metre mark."

Cromwell play down the team work and said "I am free to do what I want to do at these races which is great. It is always hard this time of year but ultimately I am here to train for the Nationals. It is a great opening to have three days of hard racing to get the intensity back. I have done a lot of work over the two weeks after we had the training camp in Canberra. If you ask people like Marv [Martin Barras-Team selector] I was not in the best form there but I put my head down and just got on with some really good training. This just showed that I am well on the way to another good season," added Cromwell.

"As long as it is Orica-AIS on the podium it does not matter that I am here as an individual, it is a win in the colours that matters," stated Cromwell.

Melissa Hoskins (Orica-AIS) knew it was going to be a tough race. in 2012 she moved into the overall lead after the Portarlington stage and repeated the same in 2013. "I knew it was going to be a big ask today, it is horses for courses and we had the team," said Hoskins.

"I looked around about half way and Kimberley [Wells] was still there and she looked comfortable so we knew we had to put some pressure on. We managed to slip off the front with a big group of us and put some gap on the yellow jersey," added Hoskins.

Asked if she believed she could hold onto the lead in the final stage at Williamstown tomorrow, Hoskins added, "I really hope so, it is a great way to start the season. I obviously have good legs because I was able to get up that hill. Fingers crossed for tomorrow. The team are on fire and huge credit to them, they go me over the line today so I want to finish it off tomorrow." " I've done the maths, roughly that puts me in the yellow, I needed to get more than two points on Kimberley Wells and get a little bit of a buffer ahead of tomorrow," Hoskins said. "I don't have to win tomorrow, so we can play a few more cards tomorrow and the girls rode fantastic today."

Kimberley Wells (Specialized Securitor) did not enjoy the race as much today, "The Portarlington course is very different to the Geelong Hot dog course yesterday, so it was always going to be a big challenge. For us today we had the Team classification, Green Sprint jersey and the yellow Overall which is a lot t defend. There was some really aggressive racing out there. The Orica-AIS girls took control of it out there it is hard to stack up against all of their numbers," said Wells. With one stage left, Wells was asked if she felt is was possible to regain the lead, "The Williamstown crit is different again in terms of the actual course. So I am looking forward to it, no big hills so the fastest rider is going to win tomorrow," added Wells.

Back to Top

Results - Top 10 - click here to see full result

Position	Name	Team	Time
1	Tiffany CROMWELL	Orica - AIS	45:54:00
2	Melissa HOSKINS	Orica - AIS	29
3	Peta MULLENS	Anytime Fitness Trek	29
4	Gracie ELVIN	Jayco AIS	30
5	Carla RYAN	Crino Cycles - Casa & Bottega	"
6	Grace SULZBERGER	Jayco AIS	"
7	Taryn HEATHER	Jayco Apollo VIS Women	33
8	Shara GILLOW	Orica - AIS	"
9	Sarah ROY	Crino Cycles - Casa & Bottega	"
10	Miranda GRIFFITHS		"

Back to Top

General Classification Top 10 - click here to see full GC

Position	Name	Team	Points
1	Melissa HOSKINS	Orica - AIS	20
2	Peta MULLENS	Anytime Fitness Trek	13
3	Tiffany CROMWELL	Orica-AIS	12
4	Kimberley WELLS	Specialized Securitor	12
5	Rochelle GILMORE	Wiggle Honda	8
6	Gracie ELVIN	Jayco-AIS	7
7	Kate FINEGAN	Specialized Securitor	7
8	Carla RYAN	Crino Cycles - Casa & Bottega	6
9	Sarah ROY	Crino Cycles - Casa & Bottega	6
10	Nicole WHITBURN	Liv / Giant	6

Sprint Ace Competition
After Stage 2
Position	Name	Team	Points
1	Tiffany CROMWELL	Orica - AIS	8
2	Loes GUNNEWIJK	Orica - AIS	5
3	Gracie ELVIN	Jayco-AIS	4
4	Kate FINEGAN	Specialized Securitor	3
5	Melissa HOSKINS	Orica - AIS	1

Back to Top

Photos Click on any image to enlarge >>

2013_Bay_2_077	2013_Bay_2_114	2013_Bay_2_122	2013_Bay_2_129
2013_Bay_2_131	2013_Bay_2_139	2013_Bay_2_141	2013_Bay_2_155
2013_Bay_2_160	2013_Bay_2_169	2013_Bay_2_179	2013_Bay_2_180
2013_Bay_2_182	2013_Bay_2_188	2013_Bay_2_190	2013_Bay_2_202
2013_Bay_2_209	2013_Bay_2_222	2013_Bay_2_225	2013_Bay_2_227
2013_Bay_2_237	2013_Bay_2_246	2013_Bay_2_255	2013_Bay_2_260
2013_Bay_2_282	2013_Bay_2_292	2013_Bay_2_484	2013_Bay_2_504