Dyers Pass climb tests elite women

Jan 9th, 10.  Thousands of fans lined the city streets today to watch the Raboplus Elite Women's Road Cycling championship on a course that includes the 12.5% gradient climb up Dyers Pass Rd. 

Raboplus Elite Womans Road Championship starts ©RoadCycling.co.nz

The attacks started early in the race with Serena Sheridan (East Coast North Island), Emma Peterson (Waikato), and Bronwyn Fraser (Tasman Wheelers) forming a breakaway which put nearly four minutes on the peloton.

Sheridan climbed away from Peterson and Fraser on the 2nd time up the 12.5% Dyers Pass Road.

She then rode solo until being joined by a chasing duo, Marina Duvnjak (Auckland) and eventual winner Rushlee Buchanan (Waikato), who had ridden hard to bridge the then 40 second gap.

Once the three riders joined forces they rode well together and extended the time gap to the main peloton to over six minutes.

The repeated efforts up the steep climb each lap eventually took it's toll on two of the breakaway riders. During the 4th climb Buchanan managed to ride away from Duvnjak and Sheridan putting significant time into her opponents.

Duvnjak, who over the last three National Championships has always been part of the breakaway action, found today's climbing difficult.

"Rushlee had kept the pace up at the start of the climb. I thought I would be able to shut it down over the top, but I couldn't. I was struggling," she told RoadCycling.co.nz. She later pulled out before the finish.

Rushlee Buchanan powering away on the 12.5% climb 

Marina Duvnjak struggles to hang on ©RoadCycling.co.nz

Serena Sheridan loses touch ©RoadCycling.co.nz

Sheridan was also suffering and had cramp in both legs during the climb.  This was likely the effects of yesterday's time trial and a lack of racing over the summer, said her partner Jeremy Yates, but after a short stop on the hill climb, she rejoined the race when the peloton rode through.

Peloton in chase up the 12.5% section

©RoadCycling.co.nz

Some of the many supporters on Dyers Pass Rd ©RoadCycling.co.nz

Villumsen and Mercer chase ©RoadCycling.co.nz

Although behind, the peloton appeared to sit back with no organised chase . With three laps remaining they didn't look like catching the flying Buchanan.

In a last gasp effort Rachel Mercer (Wellington) and Linda Villumsen (Auckland) tried to bridge the gap, on the second to last lap, but these two experienced international riders had left their run too late.

Then it was Auckland's Kaytee Boyd, another kiwi who races internationally, who paired with Villumsen for the final attempt.

Boyd said she and Villumsen talked tactics during the race and decided to share the job of trying to catch Buchanan.

"I went first, got caught and then Linda attacked. When she'd had enough, I took another turn etc, it was good teamwork," said Boyd.

Buchanan completed the last lap and crossed the line victorious to claim the title of New Zealand Elite Road Cycling Champion.

Villunsen finished 2nd, 3m6s behind Buchanan, with Boyd in third 3rd place.

Mercer crossed the line just behind Boyd for fourth place with the majority of the peloton coming home over a minute further back.

Related Articles

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• Buchanan demolishes the field for victory
• Raboplus Elite National Championship results