World Cup comes to Geelong for fifth time

Geelong will play host to the opening round of the UCI Women’s Road Cycling World Cup for the fifth successive year when the world’s best elite women cyclists line up on the Geelong Waterfront on Saturday March 3. The race kicks off at 10.30am.

The World Cup is being staged as a feature event in the Wheels on Waterfront Geelong, a two day festival of sport and family activities (March 3 and 4) incorporating the World Cup and the Australian Triathlon Championships

Head to Steampacket Gardens on Waterfront Geelong to catch all the race action live on the superscreen with non-stop commentary and enjoy music, clowns, face painting and much more. For those who want to really get into the swing of things a range of community rides (over varying distances) are on offer for everyone from the recreational peddaller to the serious cycling enthusiast.

The 2006 Geelong UCI Women’s Road World Cup race featured Olympic, World and World Cup Series champions in the starting list and 2007 promises to again showcase the outstanding talent in the women’s professional ranks.

21 teams have confirmed for the 2007 event including the defending World Cup Series Champion and world ranked number one Nicole Cooke (GBR) who will be backed by the Raleigh Lifeforce Creation HB team (SUI). Team Flexpoint (NED) †will be headed by past World Champion Suzanne Ljungskog of Sweden whilst †Germany’s Regina Schleicher, Trixi Worrack and Charlotte Becker will join Lithuanian star Edita Pucinskaite in the Nurnberger Versicherung (GER) team.

Japan’s Miho Oki, second in Geelong in 2006, and Australian pair Olivia Gollan and Rochelle Gilmore will line up for Italian team Menikini Gysko with Italian Sigrid Corneo also racing.

The T-Mobile squad will include 2006 Geelong World Cup victor Ina Teutenberg of Germany and Australians Oenone Wood and Kate Bates.

Olympic track champion Sarah Ulmer will head the New Zealand Team with national teams also entered from Germany, Brazil and Great Britain.

US Based teams Cheerwine and Colavita/Sutter Home as well as the Chinese registered Giant Pro Cycling team are also entered.

Sixteen nations are so far represented in the startling list being Australia, Austria, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland and the USA.

The peloton will contest eight laps of a tough 15km circuit for a total race distance of 120 kilometres. They will race out along the picturesque Geelong Waterfront before heading west of the City of Greater Geelong that provides spectacular scenery for the fans but no rest for the riders.

Australia has hosted a round of the World Cup every year since its inception.

Points towards the overall World Cup Series crown are awarded to the first 20 riders in each round.

Points towards an individual's world ranking are awarded to the first 50 riders in each round with additional points awarded to riders ranked in the top ten overall at the completion of the World Cup Series.

Geelong is the largest regional centre in the State of Victoria, situated approximately 75km south west of the state capital Melbourne on the shores of Corio Bay.

In the week leading up to the World Cup the women will contest the three day Geelong Tour.

The UCI Women’s Road World Cup and the Geelong Tour are proudly supported by the Victorian Government and the City of Greater Geelong.