Saturn-Timex’s Millward wins Canberra World Cup opener
Australian Anna Millward (Saturn-Timex) won the Canberra World Cup cycling race with a devastating sprint finish here on March 10. Millward, 29, beat Dutch champion Mirjam Melchers and fellow Australian Rochelle Gilmore in a mass sprint finish to the 20-lap 102- kilometer race. It was her third win in the race in as many years and earned her the first World Cup leader's jersey for 2001. "I was extremely nervous before the race today, trying to do it for the third time running. In bunch sprints, so many things can happen -- you might not get a clean run through and it might all come to
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By VeloNews Interactive Wire Services, Copyright AFP 2001
Australian Anna Millward (Saturn-Timex) won the Canberra World Cup cycling race with a devastating sprint finish here on March 10. Millward, 29, beat Dutch champion Mirjam Melchers and fellow Australian Rochelle Gilmore in a mass sprint finish to the 20-lap 102- kilometer race.
It was her third win in the race in as many years and earned her the first World Cup leader’s jersey for 2001.
“I was extremely nervous before the race today, trying to do it for the third time running. In bunch sprints, so many things can happen — you might not get a clean run through and it might all come to nothing,” said Millward.
The pace of the race was conversational until the seventh lap when a series of attacks strung out the peloton on the descent and along the lake. However, there were still around 50 riders remaining in the peloton which continued until close to the finish.
On the climb on the second to last lap, world champion Zinaida Stahurskaia launched a powerful attack, which was covered by Melchers. Millward responded with a counter attack on the descent.
On the last lap, Melchers led out the sprint, but Millward was positioned on her wheel, and came around the Dutch rider with 200 meters to go to win by more than a bike length.
“At the 1km to go sign, I was on Kristy Scrymgeour’s wheel and I told her to start the lead out,” said Millward. “She did a great job of tearing down the back straight, stringing the bunch right out and keeping me nicely positioned in third wheel.”
The women’s World Cup series resumes March 18 in Hamilton City, New Zealand, and then travels to Italy for the Primavera Rosa, held in conjunction with the men’s World Cup classic Milano-San Remo on March 24.
Copyright AFP 2001
Results
CANBERRA WORLD CUP, Australia. March 10.; 1. Anna Millward (Aus) 2:48:11 seconds (36.39 km/h); 2. Mirjam Melchers (Nl); 3. Rochelle Gilmore (Aus); 4. Sara Felloni (I); 5. Alison Wright (Aus); 6. Miho Oki (Jpn); 7. Bridget Evans (Aus); 8. Sarah Ulmer (NZ); 9. Priska Doppmann (Swi); 10. Susy Pryde (Nzl), all s.t.
OTHERS:
20. Pam Schuster, AutoTrader
27. Annie Gariepy, AutoTrader
33. Kim Smith, AutoTrader
WORLD CUP (after 1 of 9 events)
1. Millward (Aus), 75 pts; 2. Mirjam Melchers (Nl), 50; 3. Rochelle Gilmore (Aus), 35; 4. Sara Felloni (I), 30; 5. Alison Wright (Aus); 6. Miho Oki (Jpn) , 24; 7. Bridget Evans (Aus), 21; 8. Sarah Ulmer (NZ), 18; 9. Priska Doppmann (Swi), 15; 10. Susy Pryde (NZ), 1
