Cycling: Rossner duplicates Canberra victory

German Petra Rossner, riding for the United States professional team Saturn, won the second women's World Cup race in Hamilton yesterday, making it two from two in the series.

The first two placings in a big-bunch finish were the same as in the first race of the series in Canberra last week, with Australian Rochelle Gilmore second.

Another German, Hanka Kupfernagel, riding in an international composite team, was third.

The first New Zealander was Rosalind Reekie-May, who finished 11th.

The Saturn team worked hard throughout the 107km race to protect Rossner and have her in the right position for the sprint, but in the end she had to fight all the way to the line.

"I had to go around a lot of riders. I had a lot in my way and my team had already done their job.

"I didn't have, like last week, five riders to lead me out," Rossner said.

The 35-year-old former Olympic gold medallist sat quietly in the bunch throughout the race while her team-mates covered the breaks.

"I was trying to save my legs in the bunch, and while it wasn't hard on my legs, it was harder on my nerves.

"There were a few crucial times when I would think this break could stay away for ever."

Gilmore, 20, is a track specialist, and that experience got her the second placing in a tight finish, while Kupfernagel rode the race of her life for third.

"I was alone out there with no help at all," Kupfernagel said. "I wasn't even coming here for the race.

"I had to go to a training camp in Italy, but it was cancelled so I managed to get on a flight to Australia only 36 hours before the race started there."

The New Zealand team battled to get Reekie-May and Melissa Holt into a good position for the finish. Holt finished 13th.

Sarah Ulmer, who had earlier declared herself a support rider for the others because of her commitment to track training, covered all the early breaks and retired from the race three laps from the finish.

- NZPA