Cycling: Holt stretchered off course after crash

A doctor tends to New Zealand cyclist Melissa Holt after she was injured during the women's road race. Picture / Mark Mitchell

A spectacular crash involving Melissa Holt, and a superior Australian team, conspired to keep New Zealand out of the medals in the Commonwealth Games women's road cycling race in Melbourne today.

Holt was hospitalised with a suspected broken collarbone after a mid-race wipe out caused by Australian Olivia Gollan, who lost concentration and clipped the rear wheel of defending champion Nicole Cooke before hitting the tarmac.

Holt was unable to take evasive action and fell heavily after ploughing over Gollan's machine.

Once Holt was ruled out, the onus was on Jo Kiesanowski to produce a medal.

Unfortunately after being led out in the final sprint by an under strength Sarah Ulmer, Kiesanowski could not keep pace and finished sixth, 3min 07sec down on hometown winner Natalie Bates.

Bates powered away with 30km of the 100km journey remaining to post a commanding victory in 2hr 56min 08sec.

Compatriot Oenone Wood, who crossed 3min 05sec further back, took silver and Cooke of Wales the bronze.

Ulmer was 17th in 2hr 59min 39sec, overtaken by team-mate Toni Bradshaw (2hr 59min 35sec) on the final uphill stretch to the line.

Michelle Hyland was 23rd, 6min 03sec behind Bates, while Susie Wood, who had to compete on borrowed equipment after her bike fell off a team vehicle yesterday, was New Zealand's last finisher in 26th place, clocking 3hr 03min 27sec.

- NZPA