Melbourne’s Matilda Raynolds (Specialized Women’s Racing) has held strong in tough conditions and fast racing to win the Lady Bay Resort Women’s Melbourne to Warrnambool.
After losing contact with the front group with 100 kilometres still to race, Raynolds worked with a small group and eventually re-joined the remnants of the peloton.
Raynolds finished the race in a time of 6 hours 25mins 48sec, just 9mins 45secs behind race winner Brendan Johnston.
“That was furthest I’ve ever raced in my life, I had to break it up into little bits. Just make it to halfway, make it to the next feed, make it to 20kms to go. It was just such a mental battle because so many times I was almost about to come off the back of the bunch,” she said.
“It’s such a hard race because you really peak at about 50km and it felt like the break just would not go and I was just begging the break to go because the pace was on so many times but I’m so grateful that we were able to race and really thankful that we were able to race with the men, they looked after everyone. It was a great day despite the weather.
“I tailed off on one of the climbs and I actually got caught out in the feed – I grabbed a bag and I think there was a bit of an attack so we tailed off the back a little bit and we had to be taking turns at about 100kms to go. The bunch in front of us sat up about 50kms later. So it was a long time that it took us, they were just 30seconds in front of us and we could just see them but we just couldn’t catch them. We got in and I think the boys wanted a training session so they kept it moving pretty well, so I just tried to sit in the best I could. I’m really grateful that it worked out with no crashes and I’m so glad to be finished.
“I’m pretty glad to be off my bike for a while now.”
In the race for the Anchor Point first Warrnambool Rider, it was Ryan Brodie who sealed the win for the second year in a row.
Brodie managed to make a select group who bridged to the first big breakaway of the day with 95 kilometres left to race. He then worked with the leading 27 riders before the winning break of the day rode clear to take line honours.
Brodie finished in 27th place, with a total time of 6h16:03, +7mins 11secs behind race winner Johnston.
“It was harder this year, a bit more wind and we had the rain and stuff.
“I was just trying to do my best and all of that [first local rider] will take care of itself.
“I grew up 100metres up the road so I’ve seen every one of them from when I was born so year, it’s good to do it.
“I was thinking “just hang on for dear life.”
The 104th Powercor Melbourne to Warrnambool elite men’s race report is here.
Result: A-GRADE
| 1. | 308 | Adrian LITTLE (Carnegie Caulfield) | 6h25:48 | |||
| 2. | 321 | Alex EDNEY (St Kilda) | +0 | |||
| 3. | 306 | Brett KINGSTON (Carnegie Caulfield) | +0 |
Result: WOMEN
| 1. | 209 | Matilda RAYNOLDS (St Kilda) | 6h25:48 | |||
| 2. | 201 | Taryn HEATHER (Albury-Wodonga Panthers) | +16:25 | |||
| 3. | 204 | Kirsty DEACON (Carnegie Caulfield) | +44:39 |
Result: B-GRADE
| 1. | 407 | Aaron GROOT (Carnegie Caulfield) | 6h25:48 | |||
| 2. | 404 | Andrew KANTOR (Carnegie Caulfield) | +0 | |||
| 3. | 417 | Cameron MCDONALD (St Kilda) | +16:25 |
Result: C-GRADE
| 1. | 513 | Tim VAN DER SCHANS (Colac) | 6h36:07 | |||
| 2. | 517 | Ryland MOLLARD (Hawthorn) | +6:06 | |||
| 3. | 516 | Chris PAPAKOSTAS (Hawthorn) | +6:06 |
Avalon Airport Young Rider
Final Result
| Time/Gap | ||||||
| 1. | 105 | David WILLIAMS (AVV) | 6h23:14 | |||
| 2. | 41 | Tristan SAUNDERS (VDR) | +0 | |||
| 3. | 167 | Sam FOX | +0 |
Deakin University Sprint Champion
Final Result
| 1. | 85 | Aidan BUTTIGIEG (CHR) | 8 | pt | ||
| 2. | 161 | Jack AITKEN | 5 | |||
| 3. | 31 | Michael FREIBERG (ACA) | 4 |
South West TAFE King of the Mountain
Final Result
| 1. | 16 | Mark O’BRIEN (INF) | 8 | pt | ||
| 2. | 82 | Mathew ROSS (CHR) | 6 | |||
| 3. | 61 | Brendan JOHNSTON (CCS) | 3 |
