September 26, 2010 (Buninyong, Ballarat) – Italy’s Filippo Pozzato won the men’s 130km Herald Sun World Cycling Classic, a preview race leading up to the 2010 Road Worlds from Sept. 29-Oct 3, with Guillaume Boivin the top Canadian in 26th. Germany’s Trixi Worrack won the women’s 90km race while Denise Ramsden lead Canada in 30th followed by Karol-Ann Canuel in 31st.

Herald Sun World Cycling Classic Report

Pozzato Drought not Broken Just Yet

Filippo Pozzato (ITA) showed he is one of the favourites for the elite men’s world road race in Geelong next Sunday after winning the Herald Sun World Cycling Classic Ballarat. Pozzato infamously announced last month that he would abstain from sex until he won the world title, and of course the first question asked on the post-race podium was about ending his pledge of celibacy since May to win the world race title in Geelong. “Yes, it’s possible,” a smiling Pozzato said.

The Italian out-sprinted Maciej Bodnar (POL) and surprise third placing, Chile’s Carlos Guinez to win the 130km race around Buninyong in three hours, one minute and nine seconds. Another favourite for world’s success, Fabian Cancellara (SUI), finished in fourth place. World championships representative Simon Gerrans finished in a strong fifteenth position.

The Italian team dictated the race from the first lap with five men in an initial breakaway of 13 riders before the leading group expanded to 25 riders including Pozzato, Cancellara and Gerrans in the second half of the classic.

In the second last lap of seven, the top four finishers broke from the leading group to hear the bell 48 seconds ahead of the peloton before Pozzato prevailed on the downhill finish. “I was confident before this race because in the Vuelta (Tour of Spain) I was very strong,” Pozzato said. “This race was important for all the team to stay together and to do a race together without radio systems and find the right positions for the team.”

Riders will not use radios for the first time in years at the world championships.

The Italian’s win showed the strength and intent of his national team to triumph in Geelong on October 3 in memory of former team director Franco Ballerini. Ballerini died in a rally accident in February. Pozzato and his fellow countrymen wore stickers on their jerseys saying ‘Franco, you will always be with us’.

Cancellara said he was still feeling the effects of jet lag after arriving in Geelong on Friday. “That’s normal,” the Olympic and triple world time trial champion said. “I need some more days but that’s okay.”

Gerrans placed 15th on Sunday in a bid to gain racing time after his professional team, Team Sky, withdrew one week into the Tour of Spain due to the death of a masseur. “I went out there and did what I had to do, it was a good really incident free hit out,” Gerrans said. “It didn’t feel fantastic out there but that was why I was there to blow a few cobwebs.”

Women’s Race

Earlier in the day, Trixie Worrack displayed the strength of the German team ahead of next week’s world cycling road championships winning the women’s event. Worrack outsprinted Belgian Liesilot Decroix and South Africa’s Carla Swart to win the 90km race in two hours 26 minutes and 50 seconds around Buninyong in central Victoria.

The German and Decroix broke from the peloton in the first of five laps with Swart and Katheryn Curi Mattis (USA) joining the leaders in the next lap to build a maximum lead of four minutes, 30 seconds.

Judith Ardnt (GER), 2004 world road champion, led a group with Sharon Laws (GBR) and Grace Verbeke (BEL) to leave the peloton in the third lap to chase the leaders but were six seconds adrift at the finish. Joanne Hogan was Australia’s best placed rider in 11th spot, as part of the peloton that finished three minutes nine seconds behind Worrack.

“We just planned to train hard and have a good race because it is still pretty long to the worlds race,” Worrack said. “It was a pretty hard course with the wind and it was pretty hilly, so it was good training (for the world titles).”

The leaders encountered a feature of cycling in Australia during spring, with a magpie swooping the riders in the final lap.
Several riders left the race early following a crash on lap three involving Germany’s Sarah Duster and current Australian road champion Ruth Corset.

Corset, a 33 year-old Queenslander, said there were some cuts and bruises on her right hand but the fall would not stop her from competing in Geelong. “We were using today as a good hit out before worlds, but a few girls were sick,” Corset said. Teammates Tiffany Cromwell and Carla Ryan did not race due to illness, she said.

The 2010 UCI Road World Championships will be the biggest cycling event ever seen in Australia. Held from Wednesday 29 September to Sunday 3 October, it will include road races and individual time trials for elite men and women and under-23 men.

Results

Elite Women

1. Trixi Worrack (Germany) 2:26:50
2. Liesilot Decroix (Belgium)
3. Carla Swart (South Africa)
4. Katheryn Curi-Mattis (United States of America)
5. Judith Arndt (Germany) 0:06
6. Sharon Laws (Great Britain)
7. Grace Verbeke (Belgium)
9. Olena Andruk (Ukraine) 3:09
10. Emilia Fahlin (Sweden)
11. Joanne Hogan (Australia)
12. Rasa Leleivyté (Lithuania)
13. Cath Cheatley (New Zealand)
14. Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (Germany)
15. Catherine Williams (Great Britain)
16. Cherise Taylor (South Africa)
17. Nina Ovcharenko (Ukraine)
18. Christine Majerus (Luxembourg)
19. Vicki Whitelaw (Australia)
20. Marissa Van Der Merwe (South Africa)
21. Frøydis Meen Waersted (Norway)
22. Rachel Neylan (Australia)
23. Edwige Pitel (France)
24. Theresa Cliff-Ryan (United States of America)
25. Anriette Schoeman (South Africa)
26. Christel Ferrier Bruneau (France)
27. Loren Rowney (Australia)
28. Sophie Creux (France)
29. Robin De Groot (South Africa)
30. Denise Ramsden (Canada)
31. Karol-Ann Canuel (Canada)
32. Toni Bradshaw (New Zealand)
33. Courtney Lowe (New Zealand)
34. Hanna Solovey (Ukraine)
35. Svetlana Galyuk (Ukraine)
36. Zoe Waters (Australia)
37. Sofie De Vuyst (Belgium)
38. Edita Puâinskaite (Lithuania)
39. Emma Crum (New Zealand)
40. Joëlle Numainville (Canada)
41. Ludivine Henrion (Belgium)
42. Inga Âilvinaite (Lithuania)
43. Liesbet de Vocht (Belgium)
44. Marie Lindberg (Sweden)
45. Nicole Cooke (Great Britain)
46. Erinne Willock (Canada)
47. Sara Mustonen (Sweden)
48. Luise Keller (Germany)
49. Carmen Small (United States of America)
50. Laura Luxford (Australia) 4:05
51. Lise Nøstvold (Norway)
52. Lesya Kalitovska (Ukraine)
53. Nathalie Lamborelle (Luxembourg)
54. Nikolina Orlic (Australia) 4:44
55. Amanda Spratt (Australia) 4:46
56. Amanda Miller (United States of America)
57. Emilie Moberg (Norway) 4:58
58. Chloe McConville (Australia)
59. Emma Lawson (Australia) 5:24
60. Katazna Sosna (Lithuania)
61. Bridie O’Donnell (Australia) 5:39
62. Maja Marukic (Croatia)
63. Nicole Whitburn (Australia)
64. Angela McClure (Australia) 5:45
65. Simone Grounds (Australia) 5:57
DNF Charlotte Becker (Germany)
DNF Sarah Düster (Germany)
DNF Rochelle Gilmore (Australia)
DNF Chloe Hosking (Australia)
DNF Ruth Corset (Australia)
DNF Carla Ryan (Australia)
DNF Edita Janeliunaite (Lithuania)
DNF Rebecca Domange (Australia)
DNF Victoria Luxton (Australia)
DNF Sarah Riley (Australia)
DNF Felicity Wilson (Australia)
DNF Chloe Mcintosh (Australia)
DNF Natalie Langer (Australia)
DNF Kendelle Hodges (Australia)
DNF Marites Bitbit (Australia)
DNF Dinah Chan (Singapore)
DNF Serene Lee (Singapore)
DNF Liz Young (Australia)
DNF Shanice Nitis (Australia)
DNF Colleen Ang (Singapore)
DNS Claudia Häusler (Germany)
DNS Hanka Kupfernagel (Germany)
DNS Luisa Tamanini (Italy)
DNS Noemi Cantele (Italy)
DNS Giorgia Bronzini (Italy)
DNS Tatiann Guderzo (Italy)
DNS Monia Baccaille (Italy)
DNS Elena Berlato (Italy)
DNS Valentina Carretta (Italy)
DNS Eleonora Paruzzo (Italy)
DNS Valentina Scandolara (Italy)
DNS Rossella Callovi (Italy)
DNS Marta Bastianelli (Italy)
DNS Mara Abbott (United States of America)
DNS Kristin Mcgrath (United States of America)
DNS Sinead Miller (United States of America)
DNS Amber Neben (United States of America)
DNS Emma Johansson (Sweden)
DNS Tiffany Cromwell (Australia)
DNS Modesta Vîesniauskaite (Lithuania)
DNS Linda Villumsen (New Zealand)
DNS Tara Whitten (Canada)
DNS Anne Samplonius (Canada)
DNS Jeannie Longo (France)
DNS Naomi Williams (Australia)
DNS Irene Digenis (Australia)
DNS Lisa Jacobs (Australia)

Elite/U23 Men

1. Filippo Pozzato (Italy 3:01:09
2. Maciej Bodnar (Poland)
3. Carlos Oyarzun Guinez (Chile)
4. Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland) 0:02
5. Alexander Kristoff (Norway) 0:20
6. Giovanni Viscomti (Italy)
7. Sylwester Janiszewske* (Poland)
8. Denys Kostyuk (Ukraine)
9. Daniel Schorn* (Austria)
10. Michal Golas (Poland)
11. Michael Koch* (Germany)
12. Peter Sagan (Slovakia)
13. Der Zolt (Serbia)
14. Arnaud Demare* (France)
15. Simon Gerrans (Australia)
16. Patrick Shaw (Australia)
17. Adrain Honkisz* (Poland)
18. Yannick Eijssen* (Belgium)
19. Laurent Didier (Luxembourg)
20. Andras Hofer* (Austria)
21. Massimo Graziato* (Italy)
22. Philipp Ries* (Germany)
23. Jelle Wallays* (Belgium)
24. Laurens de Vreese* (Belgium)
25. David McCann (Ireland)
26. Guillaume Boivin* (Canada)
27. Matija Kvasina (Croatia)
28. Sebastian Balck* (Sweden)
29. Matthias Krizek* (Austria)
30. Gorazd Stangelj (Slovenia)
31. Patrick Lane* (Australia)
32. David Hesselbarth* (Germany)
33. Jakub Novak* (Czech Republic)
34. Sébastien Reichenbach* (Switzerland)
35. Pawel Poljanski* (Poland)
36. Gianluca Leonardi* (Italy)
37. Daryl Impey (South Africa)
38. Georg Preidler* (Austria)
39. Arthur Van Overberghe* (Belgium)
40. Jani Brajkovic (Slovenia)
41. Eric Sheppard* (Australia)
42. David Boily* (Canada)
43. Marcin Sapa (Poland)
44. Vegard Stake Laengen* (Norway)
45. Pawel Gawronski* (Poland)
46. Oleksandr Sheydik (Ukraine)
47. Sonny Colbielli* (Italy)
48. Matteo Mammini* (Italy)
49. Peter Wrolich (Austria)
50. Koss Moerenhout (Netherland) 0:26
51. George Bennett* (New Zealand)
52. Bartosz Huzarski (Poland)
53. Mario Aerts (Belgium)
54. Daniel Teklehaimanot* (Eritrea)
55. Julien Vermote* (Belgium)
56. John Degenkolb* (Germany)
57. Maximilian May* (Germany)
58. Stefano Agostini* (Italy)
59. Enrico Battaglin* (Italy)
60. Jean Lou Paiani* (France)
61. Rafal Majka* (Poland)
62. Przemyslaw Niemiec (Poland)
63. Matteo Tosatto (Italy)
64. Radoslav Rogina (Croatia)
65. Kristjan Koren (Slovenia)
66. Peter Velitis (Slovakia)
67. Luca Paolini (Italy)
68. Marzio Bruseghin (Italy)
69. Joel Zangerie (Luxembourg)
70. Enrico Gasparotto (Italy)
71. Martin Velitis (Slovakia)
72. Vincenzo Nibali (Italy)
73. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Norway) 0:30
74. Sylvain Chavanel (France)
75. Egidijus Juodvalkis* (Lithuania)
76. Ramünas Navardauskas* (Lithuania)
77. Blaz Jarc* (Slovenia)
78. Moreno Moser* (Italy) 0:32
79. Romain Hardy* (France)
80. Tobias Ludvigsson (Sweden)
81. Francesco Gavazzi (Italy)
82. Rinaldo Nocentini (Italy) 0:37
83. Oleksandr Kvachuk (Ukraine)
84. Tony Gallopin* (France)
85. Nicolas Vogondy (France)
86. Adriy Grivko (Ukraine) 1:09
87. Daniel Egeland Jarsto* (Norway) 2:00
88. Darren Lill (South Africa)
89. Øystein Stake Laengen* (Norway)
90. Jay Thompson (South Africa) 2:54
91. Dominique Rollin (Canada)
92. Guillanume Van Keirsbulck (Belgium)
93. Evaldas Sisevieius* (Lithuania)
94. Hugo Houle* (Canada)
95. Martin Mahdar* (Slovakia)
96. Daniel Oss (Italy)
97. Hrvoje Miholjeviå (Croatia)
98. Vegard Robin Bugge* (Norway)
99. Ben Gastauer (Luxembourg)
100. Geoffrey Soupe* (France)
101. Arnaud Papillon* (Canada) 5:30
DNF Andrea Tonti (Italy)
DNF Johan Le Bon* (France)
DNF Michal Kwiatkowski* (Poland)
DNF Robert Hunter (South Africa)
DNF Christoff Van Heerden (South Africa)
DNF Jason Christie* (New Zealand)
DNF Shem Rodger* (New Zealand)
DNF Jovan Zekavica* (Serbia)
DNF Esad Hasanoviå (Serbia)
DNF Ivan Steviå (Serbia)
DNF Marko Kump* (Slovenia)
DNF Jan Tratnik* (Slovenia)
DNF John Cornish (Australia)
DNF Dylan Newell (Australia)
DNF Nathan Earle* (Australia)
DNF Rhys Gillet* (Australia)
DNF Michael Baer* (Switzerland)
DNF Jos Van Emden (Netherland)
DNF Gordon Mccauley (New Zealand)
DNF Jonas Ljungblad (Sweden)
DNF Steele Von Hoff (Australia)
DNF Bernhard Eisel (Austria)
DNS Dominique Cornu (Belgium)
DNS Leif Hoste (Belgium)
DNS Jan Bakelants (Belgium)
DNS Kevin De Weert (Belgium)
DNS Philippe Gilbert (Belgium)
DNS Bjorn Leukemans (Belgium)
DNS Jurgen Roelandts (Belgium)
DNS Greg Van Avermaet (Belgium)
DNS Frederik Willems (Belgium)
DNS Alex Carver* (Australia)
DNS Nick Aitken* (Australia)
DNS Aaron Donnelly* (Australia)
DNS Richard Lang* (Australia)
DNS Malcolm Rudolph* (Australia)
DNS Jaroslaw Marycz (Poland)
DNS Johanna Rabie (South Africa)
DNS Svein Tuft (Canada)
DNS Christian Meier (Canada)
DNS Greg Henderson (New Zealand)
DNS Robert Kiserlovski (Croatia)
DNS Iganatas Konovalovas (Lithuania)
DNS Marko Stankoviâ* (Serbia)
DNS Dragan Spasiå (Serbia)
DNS Joel Pearson (Australia)
DNS Nathan Haas* (Australia)
DNS Ben Grenda* (Australia)
DNS Tom Robinson* (Australia)

*U23