With the majority of the Roxsolt Liv Sram road squad ripping it up in Europe, Emily Herfoss was the sole rider tackling one-day classic.
The Giant Racing Team women’s squad took 4 riders, hoping to make an impact on the race.
In the days leading into the race, the forecast predicted a wet day on the bike with scattered showers covering the radar. However, the women’s peloton managed to find and stay within a gap in the radar for an overcast, but dry one day race.
With a long day in the saddle on the cards, no one wanted to take charge of the pace making early on and the peloton stayed largely together until the closing stages. A few splits were made over the climbs as riders battled it out for the QOM classification – it was the sprint classification that the Giant Racing team had their eyes on, with Canberran Lauren Thomas, taking first in all 3 sprints to convincingly take out the sprint classification.
The pressure and nervousness started mounting towards the finish, noted by the large increase in pace with 10km to go. Multiple riders were trying to gain an advantage on the peloton, but it was clear that it would come down to a bunch sprint.
Reports of 30 riders coming into the downhill finish – speeds reaching over 60km/hr – it was up to each teams’ sprinter to time their effort perfectly.
Lone Roxsolt Liv Sram rider, Emily kept out of trouble all day as the all-rounder held her own amongst the sprinters, coming over the line in 5th
A good day on the bike for both Emily and the Giant Racing women’s squad – attention now turns to state/ local level racing as there is a break in the calendar until July.