After having to sit out the all important Australian January racing block injured Lucinda Stewart (ARA Skip Capital) made a stunning return, claiming a solo victory at the 160 kilometre Lochard Energy Warrnambool Women’s Cycling Classic.
The 19-year-old Stewart launched from a group of four that had been out the front for well over 100km of the National Road Series Event, holding the chase of her former break companions at bay through the final six kilometres to claim victory on the Raglan Parade line.
“I am just in absolute disbelief,” Stewart said in an interview broadcast on the livestream by SBS. “I didn’t have too much confidence going into this race, I’ve sat out all of January with a broken collarbone.”
The team, however did have confidence in Stewart, who had come fourth in the race last year as her teammate Sophie Edwards claimed the win. On paper she looked the fastest of that lead group but drawing inspiration from Saturday’s solo Melbourne to Warrnambool winner Mark O’Brien, and seeing how much the riders around her were hurting, Stewart decided at six kilometres to go to deliver an “all or nothing” effort.
“I’m sort of more of a sprinter but I didn’t really want to wait to the end for a sprint so I just dug the heels in and gave it everything and held on,” said Stewart.
Josie Pepper (Butterfields Racing) came second, relentless in her pursuit and crossing six seconds back, while Amanda Poulsen (BridgeLane), a further four seconds behind, swept up the final spot on the podium.
Sophia Sammons (Cycling Development Foundation) was fourth, with the 18-year-old in her first National Road Series race the first of the break riders to be shed in the final ten kilometres, but only after a long and valiant effort fighting painful leg cramps. Lauren Thomas (Lochard Energy Composite Team) came fifth after having jumped out of the peloton at 20km to go, while Keely Bennett (BridgeLane) led the first bunch from the split peloton over the line, 3:33 after Stewart had claimed the victory.
The Victorian event, in its third edition as a standalone women’s National Road Series race, follows the same route as the final 160km of Saturday’s Melbourne to Warrnambool. It started in Colac, reached the coast at Port Campbell and then headed to the traditional Raglan Parade finish line in the coastal hub of Warrnambool.
More to come …
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