Robert Winder

What a way to race - the women put on a huge display of combative racing. Teams from Touchstone, VAC, Proman and Tibco were taken to the cleaners by Mary-Ellen Ash from Los Gatos/Easton/Specialized.

Mary-Ellen won at least two of the primes, followed by Touchstones, Kelly McDonald and huge break by VACs, Hannah Banks raking in the prizes. With 4 to go McDonald took the initiative and based on her sponsor name climbed away up the finishing straight and stayed away until the last lap catch… so near and yet so far, she was caught in view of the line.

Racing at its best, the remnants of the field came down to the final sprint and up popped Mary-Ellen for a huge win for Easton/Specialized.

I heard of the post-race gnashing of teeth from the big teams unrepresented and heard all about the right of some to a win, which just makes Mary-Ellen’s win all the better.