2012 Australia Road National Championships Women’s Road Race

Media release via Cycling Australia

It was a simply splendid performance today by Amanda Spratt who launched an audacius solo attack to claim the elite women’s road race crown while Rohan Dennis delivered a knock out final effort to win the under 23 men’s title at the 2012 Mars Cycling Australia Road National Cycling Championships in Buninyong, near Ballarat.

Spratt, 24, crossed the line in 2:55:25 45 seconds ahead of her GreenEDGE-AIS teammate, South Australia’s Tiffany Cromwell who edged fellow South Australian Rachel Neylan in a sprint to the line. Defending champion and winner of Thursday’s criterium title, Alexis Rhodes (also with GreenEDGE-AIS) led home a chase group of ten riders to finish fourth.

“I can’t believe it still I have been working so hard for this,” said Spratt, the 2004 junior points race world champion on the track. “My mum was right on the side after the finish line and I was able to meet her and she was balling her eyes out, I was crying. I am so happy to have my family here to experience this with me.”

The under 23 crown went to Jayco-AIS rider Sinead Noonan who placed 12th in the combined event but was the first rider in her category across the line. She was in the group at 1.30 to the winner while silver medallist Rebecca Werner and third best under 23 Rebecca Henderson were five minutes further back.

Seventy-eight riders started the race which was 10 laps of the 10.2 kilometre circuit, with the peloton staying mostly together for the first five laps.

The pace intensified over the second half of the race as the GreenEDGE-AIS team featuring Rhodes, Shara Gillow and Melissa Hoskins were joined by 2009 champion Carla Ryan and Team Jayco-AIS rider Gracie Elvin on the front. The increased pace took its toll and riders dropped from the bunch until less than twenty riders were left in contention for the medals.

In the final thirty kilometres Spratt attacked at the top of the Mt Buninyong climb none of her rivals could match her burst of speed. She gained more thank a minute before Neylan, closely followed by Cromwell, launched a counter attack but Spratt by then had a sniff of victory and was not going to be caught.

“I knew I had good form coming in, but here you also need luck on your side in this race,” said Spratt who claimed her first UCI victory in 2011 winning the overall classification at the Gracia Olavia in the Czech Rebublic.

“When I went on the top of the climb, I got a gap straight away which kept growing, but I actually thought I was a little bit early, but I knew I had two strong team mates with me if it did come back together.

“I had the team car coming up and giving me the time gaps, but I didn’t let myself think it was going to happen until probably the last kilometre.

The win comes after a two year period durng which Spratt’s racing and training was hampered by knee and hip injuries that required surgery to reduce pressure from a sciatic nerve injury.

“I have had a couple of years out with a couple of niggles, but I am back in force and this is the biggest result I have had,” Spratt said.

“The last two years now I have been able to get consistent racing, consistent training and finally step up the level I want to be at.

“There is still a lot of hard work to do to keep moving forward, but it is all going well,” Spratt added.

Spratt was quick to praise her new team mates.

“I can’t thank my teammates enough, we had a great team out there, they were looking after me all day and one of us won,” said Spratt. “This is the great thing about this team, everyone backs each other up.”

Date: Sat, 7th January 2012
Distance: 102.0km
Chief Commissaire: Peter Tomlinson

1. 205 Amanda SPRATT (NSW) 2h55:22
2. 211 Tiffany CROMWELL (SA) +45
3. 212 Rachel NEYLAN (SA) +45
4. 201 Alexis RHODES (SA) +1:30
5. 214 Gracie ELVIN (ACT) +1:30
6. 210 Carla RYAN (VIC) +1:30
7. 202 Shara GILLOW (QLD) +1:30
8. 241 Joanne HOGAN (VIC) +1:30
9. 206 Grace SULZBERGER (TAS) +1:30
10. 203 Taryn HEATHER (VIC) +1:30
11. 222 Stephanie IVES (VIC) +1:30
12. 420 Sinead NOONAN (SA) U23 +1:30
13. 217 Miranda GRIFFITHS (VIC) +1:30
14. 207 Carlee TAYLOR (SA) +1:30
15. 223 Lucy COLDWELL (VIC) +4:41
16. 226 Peta MULLENS (VIC) +4:41
17. 215 Loren ROWNEY (QLD) +4:41
18. 434 Rebecca WERNER (SA) U23 +6:35
19. 426 Rebecca HENDERSON (A.C.T) U23 +6:35
20. 227 Chloe MCCONVILLE (VIC) +6:35
21. 229 Jessie MACLEAN (ACT) +6:35
22. 246 Katrin GARFOOT (QLD) +6:35
23. 248 India FAEHNDRICH (NSW) +6:35
24. 260 Lisa BARRY (NSW) +6:35
25. 237 Laura MEADLEY (ACT) +6:35
26. 264 Cait FRASER JONES (VIC) +6:35
27. 430 Chloe HOSKING (ACT) U23 +8:09
28. 416 Lauren KITCHEN (NSW) U23 +8:09
29. 247 Lisa JACOBS (VIC) +8:37
30. 417 Jessica ALLEN (WA) U23 +10:32
31. 230 Kate FINEGAN (VIC) +12:00
32. 255 Jenni KING (VIC) +12:00
33. 225 Therese RHODES (SA) +12:17
34. 235 Nicole MOERIG (QLD) +13:51
35. 232 Sue FORSYTH (NSW) +14:12
36. 261 Melina BERNECKER (VIC) +15:03
37. 234 Amy BRADLEY (VIC) +15:03
38. 251 Heidi BUNTROCK (VIC) +20:10
dnf 204 Bridie O’DONNELL (VIC)
dnf 208 Rebecca WIASAK (ACT)
dnf 209 Rowena FRY (TAS)
dnf 213 Nicole WHITBURN (VIC)
dnf 218 Kellie MATHERS (VIC)
dnf 219 Elizabeth HALL (VIC)
dnf 220 Megan BAGWORTH (ACT)
dnf 224 Delphine ASTIER (VIC)
dnf 228 Carley MCKAY (VIC)
dnf 231 Kimberley WELLS (ACT)
dnf 233 Emma MACKIE (NSW)
dnf 236 Madeleine PAPE (VIC)
dnf 238 Belinda GOSS (VIC)
dnf 239 Manuela TZVETANOVA (QLD)
dnf 240 Victoria LUXTON-BAIN (VIC)
dnf 242 Nicole MCNAMARA (VIC)
dnf 243 Emma VIOTTO (ACT)
dnf 244 Rochelle GILMORE (NSW)
dnf 245 Marianne WESTACOTT-CLERMONTS (QLD)
dnf 249 Elizabeth PHILLIPOU (SA)
dnf 252 Alexis BARNES (QLD)
dnf 253 Sarah RILEY (VIC)
dnf 254 Rebecca LOCKE (VIC)
dnf 257 Katherine O’SHEA (VIC)
dnf 258 Kelly BARTLETT (VIC)
dnf 259 Natalie LANGER (QLD)
dnf 262 Carly WILLIAMS (VIC)
dnf 263 Justyna LUBKOWSKI (VIC)
dnf 267 Kirsty BROUN (QLD)
dnf 418 Alexandra CARLE (ACT) U23
dnf 422 Ailie MCDONALD (ACT) U23
dnf 423 Alice WALLETT (ACT) U23
dnf 427 Melissa HOSKINS (WA) U23
dnf 428 Jasmin HURIKINO (QLD) U23
dnf 429 Angela MCCLURE (SA) U23
dnf 431 Emma LAWSON (TAS) U23
dnf 432 Chloe MCINTOSH (VIC) U23
dnf 433 Ashlee ANKUDINOFF (NSW) U23
dnf 435 Myfanwy GALLOWAY (ACT) U23
dnf 436 Kristy GLOVER (VIC) U23
dns 266 Trudy VAN DER STRAATEN (NSW)
dns 421 Kendelle HODGES (VIC) U23
Average speed of the winner: 34.90 km/h
Number of starters: 78
Riders abandoning the race: 40
Intermediate Sprints

Lap 2 Sprint
1. 229 Jessie MACLEAN (ACT) 3 pt
2. 208 Rebecca WIASAK (ACT) 2
3. 213 Nicole WHITBURN (VIC) 1

Lap 3 Sprint
1. 264 Cait FRASER JONES (VIC) 3 pt
2. 213 Nicole WHITBURN (VIC) 2
3. 229 Jessie MACLEAN (ACT) 1

Lap 4 Sprint
1. 229 Jessie MACLEAN (ACT) 3 pt
2. 213 Nicole WHITBURN (VIC) 2
3. 208 Rebecca WIASAK (ACT) 1
Lap 5 Sprint
1. 229 Jessie MACLEAN (ACT) 3 pt
2. 213 Nicole WHITBURN (VIC) 2
3. 208 Rebecca WIASAK (ACT) 1

Lap 6 Sprint
1. 229 Jessie MACLEAN (ACT) 3 pt
2. 246 Katrin GARFOOT (QLD) 2
3. 208 Rebecca WIASAK (ACT) 1

Lap 7 Sprint
1. 217 Miranda GRIFFITHS (VIC) 3 pt
2. 241 Joanne HOGAN (VIC) 2
3. 203 Taryn HEATHER (VIC) 1

Lap 8 Sprint
1. 205 Amanda SPRATT (NSW) 3 pt
2. 217 Miranda GRIFFITHS (VIC) 2
3. 211 Tiffany CROMWELL (SA) 1

Lap 9 Sprint
1. 205 Amanda SPRATT (NSW) 3 pt
2. 203 Taryn HEATHER (VIC) 2
3. 210 Carla RYAN (VIC) 1

Intermediate Hill Climbs

Lap 2 Climb
1. 246 Katrin GARFOOT (QLD) 3 pt
2. 248 India FAEHNDRICH (NSW) 2
3. 203 Taryn HEATHER (VIC) 1

Lap 3 Climb
1. 264 Cait FRASER JONES (VIC) 3 pt
2. 248 India FAEHNDRICH (NSW) 2
3. 203 Taryn HEATHER (VIC) 1

Lap 4 Climb
1. 264 Cait FRASER JONES (VIC) 3 pt
2. 214 Gracie ELVIN (ACT) 2
3. 233 Emma MACKIE (NSW) 1

Lap 5 Climb
1. 264 Cait FRASER JONES (VIC) 3 pt
2. 246 Katrin GARFOOT (QLD) 2
3. 203 Taryn HEATHER (VIC) 1

Lap 6 Climb
1. 207 Carlee TAYLOR (SA) 3 pt
2. 237 Laura MEADLEY (ACT) 2
3. 203 Taryn HEATHER (VIC) 1

Lap 7 Climb
1. 207 Carlee TAYLOR (SA) 3 pt
2. 211 Tiffany CROMWELL (SA) 2
3. 214 Gracie ELVIN (ACT) 1

Lap 8 Climb
1. 207 Carlee TAYLOR (SA) 3 pt
2. 210 Carla RYAN (VIC) 2
3. 212 Rachel NEYLAN (SA) 1

Lap 9 Climb
1. 205 Amanda SPRATT (NSW) 3 pt
2. 211 Tiffany CROMWELL (SA) 2
3. 207 Carlee TAYLOR (SA) 1
Sprint Competition

1. 229 Jessie MACLEAN (ACT) 13 pt
2. 205 Amanda SPRATT (NSW) 6
3. 217 Miranda GRIFFITHS (VIC) 5
4. 264 Cait FRASER JONES (VIC) 3
5. 203 Taryn HEATHER (VIC) 3
6. 241 Joanne HOGAN (VIC) 2
7. 246 Katrin GARFOOT (QLD) 2
8. 211 Tiffany CROMWELL (SA) 1
9. 210 Carla RYAN (VIC) 1
dnf 213 Nicole WHITBURN (VIC) 7
dnf 208 Rebecca WIASAK (ACT) 5
Hill Climb Competition

1. 207 Carlee TAYLOR (SA) 10 pt
2. 264 Cait FRASER JONES (VIC) 9
3. 246 Katrin GARFOOT (QLD) 5
4. 211 Tiffany CROMWELL (SA) 4
5. 248 India FAEHNDRICH (NSW) 4
6. 203 Taryn HEATHER (VIC) 4
7. 205 Amanda SPRATT (NSW) 3
8. 214 Gracie ELVIN (ACT) 3
9. 210 Carla RYAN (VIC) 2
10. 237 Laura MEADLEY (ACT) 2
11. 212 Rachel NEYLAN (SA) 1
dnf 233 Emma MACKIE (NSW) 1
Decisions of the Commissaires Panel

* 215 Loren ROWNEY (QLD) fined $50: Start without signature check.
* 239 Manuela TZVETANOVA (QLD) fined $50: Start without signature check.
* 267 Kirsty BROUN (QLD) fined $50: Start without signature check.
* 430 Chloe HOSKING (ACT) fined $50: Start without signature check.