L'Aude de Feminin - Prologue

Katie Mactier (Value Act Capital), riding for Australian National Team, won today’s 3.9km Prologue at the 24th Tour de l’Aude. The 33-year old former World Champion in the 3k Pursuit (2005) found the flat profile of the course ideal for her talents.

Mactier, who is making her first appearance on the roads of the Tour de l‘Aude, covered the distance in 5:02:78.

On a day where swirling winds at the seaside resort Gruissan [on the Mediterranean coast near Narbonne] made it extremely difficult for the 106 participants, Mactier victory was as much a product of her time trialing skills as it was the decision by Australia’s director sportif to slot his best rider in early before the winds became extremely precarious.

Ellen Van Dijk came in second, while defending champion, Susanne Ljungskog, rounded out the podium. American Alison Powers finished just off the podium in 4th.

Top Ten
1 MACTIER Katie
2 VAN DIJK Ellen
3 LJUNGSKOG Susanne
4 POWERS Alison
5 MELCHERG Mirjam
6 TEUTENBERG Ina
7 NEBEN Amber
8 RHODES Alexis
9 THORBURN Christine
10 ZILIUTE Diana

Other Notables
11 ARNDT Judith
14 COOKE Nicole

Other US Riders
15 CARROLL Katherine
24 MUCH Rebecca
28 MILLER Brooke
29 RAIS Amber
35 RUITTER Chrissy
40 WICHMANN Anke
100 DOMBROSKI Amy