Cycling: Ulmer's win a sign of things to come at Games

Sarah Ulmer

The team effort that delivered victory in the Tour of New Zealand women's cycling race for Sarah Ulmer yesterday is a portent for this month's Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

Riding for the Trust House team, New Zealand's shadow Games line-up, Ulmer took the yellow jersey on the first day and comfortably retained it.

She was placed in a protective cocoon by her five teammates, who controlled the 124-strong field with aggressive riding throughout the three-day tour.

Ulmer yesterday overcame a strong southerly to breeze to victory in the fourth and final stage, clocking the fastest time of 16 minutes six seconds over the 14km time trial on Miramar Peninsula in Wellington.

Ulmer's time stretched her general classification lead on second-placed Swedish rider Priska Doppmann from 8sec overnight to 1min 2sec and to 1min 16sec over third-placed German Trixi Worrack.

Doppmann clocked 17min and Worrack 17min 10sec yesterday, enough to hold on to second and third overall respectively.

Ulmer won the opening criterium in Lower Hutt on Wednesday and finished second in the 99.6km second stage from Martinborough to Masterton on Thursday.

The Trust House team -- Ulmer, Melissa Holt (10th overall), Susie Wood (13th equal), Toni Bradshaw (17th), Tamara Boyd (62nd) and Michelle Hyland (did not finish) -- were a dominating presence as they tuned up for the Games.

"The team have come together, totally committing to each other and for the Games. It's a very good sign," team manager Susy Pryde said.

Ulmer, who rode shotgun as team captain Holt finished second in last week's three-day Geelong tour in Australia, credited her teammates for her win in Wellington.

"There was no way I would be wearing one of these (the yellow jersey) without them."

The Olympic and world individual pursuit champion, who switched to road racing last year, said it was a great experience for her to race in a team environment after years of performing as an individual.

On the track, she had been the only person responsible for the outcome.

"Whereas here, we have six people who are absolutely committed to the overall result.

"It has been good for us to race as a solid team unit," said Ulmer, who will ride the time trial and road race at the Games.

"It's never really been done before -- we (the women's road race team) have never really had a chance to really race for each other.

"That has been the most satisfying part of the whole tour and in Geelong last week as well.

"Everyone has performed as well as they could so it has been a good feeling."

BikeNZ high performance director Michael Flynn was pleased with the team's performance over the last couple of weeks.

"The girls seem to be aggressive and working as a team and protecting the leader, which is as it should be," he said.

Ulmer's team now look to the second round of the World Cup series tomorrow in Wellington where they anticipate a tougher test from a field packed with top European and Australian riders.

- NZPA