RochelleGilmore.com powered by HONDA

Australian Professional Cyclist

Jayco Bay Crit Series Review

Geelong, Victoria. 2nd – 5th January 2010

The Honda Dream Team

The team will include current omnium world champion, Josephine Tomic. With the omnium having recently been added to the Olympic track cycling program the 20-year-old West Australian will be closely watched in the lead up to the London Olympics and will benefit from riding alongside the experienced Gilmore, 27.

Tiffany Cromwell, 21, who was the second placed Australian in the road race at the 2009 Road World Championships, will be a key member of the team.

The difficult course on the second day of racing is expected to suit the South Australian who is quickly building a reputation for her ability in the hills.

Current under-23 Australian road race champion, 21-year-old Victorian Peta Mullens, will also be on the team along with New Zealand’s Nimesha Smith, 32.

“We’ve got a really strong team with really good criterium riders and I’m communicating with girls daily to make sure their on track to be in good form,” a positive sounding Gilmore said.

“If everyone is fit and healthy we’ll have one of the strongest teams. Having said that there’s going to be a lot of strong competition.

“There’ll be experienced riders like Belinda Goss and Kirsty Broun to contend with and the NSW institute of Sport has combined with the Victorian Institute of Sport to build a team around Megan Dunn.

Broun won the series in 2009 and Dunn in 2008, as a 16-year-old to be the youngest ever winner of the event, while Goss took out the scratch race at the opening round of the UCI Track World Cup in Manchester earlier this year.

The 2010 Jayco Bay Cycling Classic is the 21st edition of the event and Gilmore was quick to recognise the significance of the race even in comparison to the Australian Criterium Championships.

“The Bay Crits are a prestigious race to win,” the Commonwealth Games silver medallist said.

“The national title could be won by a lucky rider because it’s only a one day race and anything can happen but the Bay Crits it really proves who is the best criterium rider because you have to be consistent over the four days.”

The Jayco Bay Cycling Classics starts in Geelong on Saturday 2 January and finishes in Williamstown on Tuesday 5 January.

website design by essendon web