MacPherson back in front
16 January 2007
by
Vincent Ciccarello
The
good-natured jostling before the start of tonight’s UniSA Women’s Criterium
Stage 1, the curtain raiser to the Tour Down Under Classic, turned into a
thrilling duel at the finish line.
Jenny MacPherson, overall winner of the 2006 and 2005 Women’s Criterium, stormed ahead of Emma Mackie just metres from the finishing line, after a game of cat and mouse during the final lap of the 30-minute event.
Belinda Goss finished in third place.
Goss and Mackie took turns at the head of a small breakaway group, but Mackie and MacPherson were well ahead of the peloton for about the last half of the race.
“It’s a great race and it’s awesome to win,” a beaming MacPherson said. “And it’s amazing to have all my family and friends here from Melbourne and Geelong.”
Mackie was thrilled with her second place.
“There’s some good sprinters in here and I know sometimes I can’t match it with them. But I’m stoked,” a determined Mackie said.
“I’m definitely going to try to win this series. And it’s started off well.”
The field of 34 riders included Katie Brown in her first race since the tragic 2005 road accident in Germany which claimed the life of fellow cyclist, Amy Gillett.
Brown, who suffered serious injuries in the accident including a broken leg, broken arm, four broken ribs and a collapsed lung, rode a courageous race to finish in 23 rd place.
Olympic champion Sara Carrigan finished in 13th place.
Stage 2 of the UniSA Women’s Criterium takes place at the Tanunda street circuit tomorrow (Wednesday January 17).