Games-Baker takes gold in women's cycling road race

BIRMINGHAM, England :Australian Georgia Baker won the Commonwealth Games women's road race cycling gold in a sprint finish on Sunday.

Baker's win came after the Australians bagged gold in the women's and men's individual time trials on Thursday but their hopes of also taking the men's road race faded when time-trial winner Rohan Dennis withdrew. The gold went to New Zealand's Aaron Gate.

Baker, bolting from the pack at the end of a 112-km run through the West Midlands, got to the line in two hours 44 minutes 46 seconds to collect her third gold of the Games, having also picked up titles on the track in the points race and team pursuit.

"This one is extra special. It was a real team effort," said Baker. "I wish I could split this medal into six, it was real credit to the team and I'm glad I could pull it off for them.

"For them to nail the final lead out made my ride so easy.

"I finished with fresh legs and that was the goal. I did the sprint and got my hands across the line."

The six-member Australia outfit controlled the race from the start, neutralizing any breakaway attempts on the flat route.

A train of green-and-gold led the charge to the finish, with Scotland's Neah Evans, who helped Britain to win a team pursuit silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics, coming hard at the end to derail Australia's bid for a podium sweep by snatching the silver ahead of Sarah Roy.

"From the start of the race it was as if the race went the way we wanted," explained Baker. "If it was going to be a bunch sprint I would be sprinting.

"If it was going to be an aggressive and hard race where the other nations were going to make it super hard, then potentially Alex (Manly) would be sprinting.

"We made the call out there with about 20km to go and I was