Harbour City GP | Stage 1 Cronulla RSL Criterium | SBS Women's Recap
The SBS Women's league was a cagey affair - All big teams watching each other throughout the race opening, keen to get a look at the two intermediate sprints and bonus seconds on offer. With last year's Harbour City GP decided on a countback, the riders knew the importance of the time on offer and each sprint was hotly contested.
It also gave us an early view into who might be a potential favourite for the finish and after taking out the first sprint without looking under much pressure at all, Team Redcat's Nicole Duncan emerged a strong favourite.
Team Redcat took up the role of patrolling the front of peloton, stacking two of the biggest engines in the field on the front with Amanda Poulsen alongside U23 Time Trial National Champion Sophia Sammons ensuring no-one was able to get away.
Coming into the final lap, Redcat looked to be in pole position, having lead for over half the race. Butterfields x Ziptrak racing left their final push to the last moment - with last weeks Warrnambool Women's Classic winner Sophie Edwards storming past the Redcat team to lead through the critical final corner.
She set up her team-mate Odette Lynch beautifully into the final 2 hundered metres, where Lynch delevered a powerful sprint to take the stage ahead of NSTRMO x Attaquer x CCACHE's Belinda Bailey and Meridian Bikebug's Amelie Sanders.
Lynch takes the race leaders jersey into stage 2 where she will look to defend her lead alongside her Butterfields x Ziptrak team.
𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗚𝗣 | 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗮 𝗥𝗦𝗟 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘂𝗺 | 𝗦𝗕𝗦 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻'𝘀 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗶𝘂𝗺
🥇 Odette Lynch (Butterfields Ziptrak Racing)
🥈 Belinda Bailey (Nstrmo x Attaquer x CCACHE)
🥉 Amelie Sanders (Meridian Bikebug)
