Sara Ortiz in action last weekend in Donegal, extended her league lead yesterday (Photo: Marian Lamb of Cycling Ulster)
By Caroline Martinez
Sara Ortiz has won the fourth round of the “Stickybottle.com - Joe Daly’s Women’s National League” in Navan, beating main rival Melanie Späth and third placed Amy Brice in a sprint finish.
Some 22 women took to the start of the 84km Sean Nolan GP yesterday. With last year having been a wash-out with hail and rain, everybody was pleased to be racing in near perfect conditions on dry tarmac under the sunshine.
It was clear from early on that there was going to be plenty of attacking for the full race. Vanessa Fenton (Swords) and Fiona Cooke (Marble City) were among the early attackers, though they were not let go too far up the road.
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It was 30kms into the race when Eve McCrystal (Garda CC) and Fiona Cooke (Marble City) took matters into their own hands and launched what immediately looked like a promising move. Having pulled out a very decent gap, the duo was soon joined by two willing collaborators, with Geraldine Gill (Bohermeen) and Orla Hendron (Orwell Wheelers) keen to get away from the bunch.
The four-rider escape soon had a big enough gap to be out of sight of the bunch, with none of those in the group behind keen to chase them down.
The two race favourites, Späth (Cycleways) and Ortiz (Black Rose Racing) - both riding without any team mates - were still in the bunch and rolling through at a very controlled pace with none of the other teams willing to take the initiative to bring back the four up the road.
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At the turn towards the draggy back section of the second lap, it seemed that Ortiz had had enough. She attacked and though she initially got a small gap, the bunch responded. Immediately Späth counterattacked, sending the pace of the bunch even higher.
The sudden acceleration was taking its toll on the rest of the field, resulting in a line out with splits opening as the attacks continued at the front of the bunch.
Späth increased the pace in the hills, which resulted in a five-woman chase group going clear. Among them was world track champion pilot Francine Meehan (Tullamore), who bridged across to the four-rider breakaway shortly before they were all caught by the chasers as the riders raced into the last kilometre.
With Ortiz leading from the front, Späth, Amy Brice (Phoenix CC) and Eve McCrystal (Grada CC) attempted to get past her but were unable to stop the Spaniard from taking her third win of the league.
She continues to hold onto her pink leader's jersey ahead of round five.
”StickyBottle.com - Joe Daly’s Cycles Womens National League”
Round Four Results
1st Sara Ortiz Black (Rose Racing)
2nd Melanie Späth (Cycleways)
3rd Amy Brice (Phoenix CC)
4th Eve McCrystal (Garda CC)
5th Francine Meehan (Tullamore CC)
6th Anne Dalton (Orwell Wheelers)
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