Dutch rider Annemiek van Vleuten ended a stellar month of racing for Orica-Scott in Australia to kick off 2017 with a thrilling win in the elite women’s race (UCI 1.2) at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race in Geelong, Victoria on Saturday.
The Australian women’s WorldTour team had already claimed three national titles and the Santos Women’s Tour (2.2) in the first three weeks of the season.
The win marks a sensational return to form for van Vleuten, who suffered three fractured vertebrae and a concussion following a horrific crash in the closing kilometers of last year’s Rio Olympic Games women’s road race while leading.
Van Vleuten, 34, won the 113.3km race featuring 87 starters from 15 teams by outsprinting her three fellow chase companions, who caught solo leader Emma Pooley (Holden Women’s Cycling Team) with 2.5km left to race.
American Ruth Winder (UnitedHealthCare) finished second ahead of Japan’s Mayuko Hagiwara (Wiggle High5) and Australian Lucy Kennedy (High5 Dream Team). Great Britain’s Pooley dropped to fifth.
“I was not one of the leaders for the day,” van Vleuten explained. “I am targeting the start of March, so I said I would like to help my teammates.
“I have surprised myself. In the Tour Down Under I was struggling uphill, but today I was one of the better riders uphill.
“Katrin Garfoot and Amanda Spratt were supposed to be our leaders and they didn’t have a great day,” she continued. “I noticed on the climbs that they weren’t there anymore and that it was only me.
“I had done already some work, so I felt some pressure thinking maybe I have to also finish this race off. I think this is one of my strengths that I am a bit older and I have a big engine.”
Results
- 1. Annemiek VAN VLEUTEN, ORICA-SCOTT, in 3:04:13
- 2. Ruth WINDER, UNITEDHEALTHCARE, at :00
- 3. Mayuko HAGIWARA, WIGGLE HIGH5, at :00
- 4. Lucy KENNEDY, at :00
- 5. Emma POOLEY, at :00
- 6. Susanna ZORZI, DROPS, at :27
- 7. Kirsten WILD, CYCLANCE PRO CYCLING, at :33
- 8. Chloe HOSKING, ALE CIPOLLINI, at :33
- 9. Chloe DYGERT, SHO-AIR TWENTY20, at :33
- 10. Gracie ELVIN, ORICA-SCOTT, at :33
- 11. Annette EDMONDSON, WIGGLE HIGH5, at :33
- 12. Gretchen STUMHOFER, SHO-AIR TWENTY20, at :33
- 13. Ann-Sophie DUYCK, DROPS, at :33
- 14. Kylie WATERREUS, at :33
- 15. Julie LETH, WIGGLE HIGH5, at :33
- 16. Amanda JAMIESON, NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL TEAM, at :33
- 17. Abigail VAN TWISK, DROPS, at :33
- 18. Elizabeth WILLIAMS, HAGENS BERMAN/SUPERMINT, at :33
- 19. Tayler WILES, UNITEDHEALTHCARE, at :33
- 20. Alexandra MANLY, ORICA-SCOTT, at :33
- 21. Annie FOREMAN-MACKEY, SHO-AIR TWENTY20, at :33
- 22. Rushlee BUCHANAN, UNITEDHEALTHCARE, at :33
- 23. Leah THOMAS, SHO-AIR TWENTY20, at :33
- 24. Alice BARNES, DROPS, at :33
- 25. Daiva TUSLAITE, ALE CIPOLLINI, at :33
- 26. Georgia CATTERICK, NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL TEAM, at :33
- 27. Kate MCILROY, at :33
- 28. Lucy BECHTEL, at :33
- 29. Grace BROWN, at :33
- 30. Justine BARROW, at :33
- 31. Katharine HALL, UNITEDHEALTHCARE, at :33
- 32. Peta MULLENS, HAGENS BERMAN/SUPERMINT, at :33
- 33. Malgorzata JASINSKA, CYCLANCE PRO CYCLING, at :33
- 34. Shannon MALSEED, at :33
- 35. Sharlotte LUCAS, NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL TEAM, at :33
- 36. Amanda SPRATT, ORICA-SCOTT, at :37
- 37. Romy KASPER, ALE CIPOLLINI, at :39
- 38. Jenelle CROOKS, ORICA-SCOTT, at :39
- 39. Carlee TAYLOR, ALE CIPOLLINI, at :39
- 40. Dani KING, CYCLANCE PRO CYCLING, at :39
- 41. Tiffany CROMWELL, CANYON SRAM RACING, at :49
- 42. Rebecca WIASAK, at 1:50
- 43. Grace ANDERSON, NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL TEAM, at 1:50
- 44. Nina Marie LAUGHLIN, SHO-AIR TWENTY20, at 1:50
- 45. Jessica PRATT, at 1:50
- 46. Rebecca WOMERSLEY, DROPS, at 1:50
- 47. Amy CURE, WIGGLE HIGH5, at 1:50
- 48. Anna CHRISTIAN, DROPS, at 1:50
- 49. Alexis RYAN, CANYON SRAM RACING, at 1:50
- 50. Christel VAN LOO, at 2:59
- 51. Anna TREVISI, ALE CIPOLLINI, at 3:42
- 52. Janneke ENSING, ALE CIPOLLINI, at 3:42
- 53. Amy ROBERTS, WIGGLE HIGH5, at 4:19
- 54. Barbara GUARISCHI, CANYON SRAM RACING, at 4:19
- 55. Starla TEDDERGREEN, HAGENS BERMAN/SUPERMINT, at 4:19
- 56. Beth Ann ORTON, HAGENS BERMAN/SUPERMINT, at 4:19
- 57. Lisa BRENNAUER, CANYON SRAM RACING, at 4:19
- 58. Louisa LOBIGS, at 4:19
- 59. Liza RACHETTO, HAGENS BERMAN/SUPERMINT, at 4:19
- 60. Lauretta HANSON, UNITEDHEALTHCARE, at 4:19
- 61. Rossella RATTO, CYCLANCE PRO CYCLING, at 4:19
- 62. Ellen SKERRITT, at 4:19
- 63. Jaime GUNNING, at 4:19
- 64. Lauren HALL, UNITEDHEALTHCARE, at 4:23
- 65. Tsubasa MAKISE, at 5:41
- 66. Jessica LANE, at 9:44
- 67. Ella SCANLAN-BLOOR, at 11:02
- 68. Kristy GLOVER, at 11:03
- 69. Matilda RAYNOLDS, at 11:28
- 70. Ivy Audrain, HAGENS BERMAN/SUPERMINT, at 11:28
- 71. Kristina CLONAN, at 11:28
- 72. Ruby LIVINGSTONE, NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL TEAM, at 11:28
- 73. Erin KINNEALY, at 11:28
- 74. Grace GARNER, WIGGLE HIGH5, at 11:28
- 75. Sofia ARREOLA, SHO-AIR TWENTY20, at 11:28
- 76. Kate PERRY, at 14:14
- DNF Mieke KROEGER, CANYON SRAM RACING
- DNF Katrin GARFOOT, ORICA-SCOTT
- DNF Marta TAGLIAFERRO, CYCLANCE PRO CYCLING
- DNF Rachele BARBIERI, CYCLANCE PRO CYCLING
- DNF Mikayla HARVEY, NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL TEAM
- DNF Désirée EHRLER
- DNF Ayla RUDGLEY
- DNF Winanda SPOOR
- DNF Minda MURRAY
- DNF Taryn HEATHER
- DNF Sophie MACKAY
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