"Barwick's front-running display a winner"
A crucial breakaway 5km into the race proved the difference as Downer resident Barwick beat triathlete Jennifer Dixon in a sprint to the line to claim her first Tour title.
A record 677 competitive and social riders, aged 10-70, jostled for position in the opening stages of the 20km race.
With her more fancied opponents in a group of more than 50 riders, Barwick made a break and challenged her rivals to stay with her.
Dixon was the only one who chased Barwick and managed to stay with the eventual winner until the last 100m.
Barwick finished in 32min 10sec with Dixon two seconds adrift. Just six seconds separated the top eight riders.
''It was an early break and it went and stuck so that was pretty cool,'' Barwick said.
''We had a little... plan... to be aggressive and I went and that's pretty much it.
''The crash was well behind us so we didn't even know it had happened, that's what's nice about being out in front of the field, you stay out of trouble.''
The top four seeded riders became tangled in the chase group minutes away from the finish line at the Canberra Yacht Club.
Two-time winner Chloe Hosking, Australian elite squad member Vicki Whitelaw, third seed Myfanwy Galloway and junior star Rebecca Henderson fell before they could mount a challenge for the lead.
Whitelaw failed to finish while the other three managed to cross the line in the top 20.
''It's unfortunate but there may have been some riders a little inexperienced about riding in packs,'' Hosking said.
''That's cycling, it's the way it goes sometimes.''
It was a change in luck for 28-year-old Barwick who finished 16th in 2006 after being caught in a similar crash.
She normally races on the track in individual pursuit and will compete at the Oceania Track Championships in Adelaide on Wednesday.
Tandem riders Kerry Knowler and Brandie O'Connor were the first to cross the line in 31.53.
They were bewildered when they finished almost two seconds ahead of Paralympian Lindy Hou.
''I don't know what happened,'' Knowler said. ''I think we went so fast because we were scared and didn't want anyone to pass us.''
O'Connor, who is visually impaired, collected her third Tour de Femme but her first with Knowler as the pilot.
llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll lllllllllllllllllllllAT A GLANCE19th Tour de Femme: Tandem: 1 Knowler/O'Connor 31min 53sec, 2 Hodges/Hou 33:47; Individual overall: 1 Bec Barwick 32:10, 2 Jennifer Dixon 32:12, 3 Gracie Elvin 32:16
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