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1 2 3 4 5 6 7a 7b 8 9 10 11 12 Stage 1, Cagliari - Cagliari, 96.3 kms:1. Greta Zocca (Ita) Vittorio Veneto Sprint 2.14.38 (40.108) 2. Diana Ziliute (Lit) Acca Due O Lorena 3. Sara Felicioni (Ita) Edilsavino 4. Regina Schleicher (Ita) Albatros Lega del Filo d'oro 5. Alessandra Cappellotto (Ita) Acca Due O Lorena 6. Mara Calliope (Ita) Mista Verde 7. Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Master 8. Barbara Heeb (Swi) Acca Due O Lorena 9. Imelda Chiappa (Ita) Edilsavino 10. Anna Wilson (Aus) AIS GC after Stage 1
1. Greta Zocca (Ita) Vittorio Veneto Sprint 2.14.38 (40.108) 2. Diana Ziliute (Lit) Acca Due O Lorena 3. Sara Felloni (Ita) Edilsavino 4. Regina Schleicher (Ita) Albatros Lega del Filo d'oro 5. Alessandra Cappellotto (Ita) Acca Due O Lorena 6. Mara Calliope (Ita) Mista Verde 7. Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Master 8. Barbara Heeb (Swi) Acca Due O Lorena 9. Imelda Chiappa (Ita) Edilsavino 10. Anna Wilson (Aus) AIS Stage 2, Sardara - Arborea, 100 kms:1. Greta Zocca (Ita) Vittorio Veneto Sprint 2.33.43 (36.681) 2. Sara Felicioni (Ita) Edilsavino 3. Julie Young (USA) Fanini Record Rox 4. Kandra Wenzel (USA) Saeco 5. Gabriella Pregnolato (Ita) Mimosa Sprint 6. Diana Ziliute (Lit) Acca Due O Lorena 7. Zita Urbonaite (Lit) 8. Barbara Heeb (Swi) 9. Z. Stahurskaia (Blr) 10. I. Chuzhinova (Ukr) GC after Stage 2
1. Greta Zocca (Ita) Vittorio Veneto Sprint 4.48.21 2. Sara Felloni (Ita) Edilsavino 3. Diana Ziliute (Lit) Acca Due O Lorena 4. Barbara Heeb (Swi) Acca Due O Lorena 5. Regina Schleicher (Ita) Albatros Lega del Filo d'oro 6. Z. Stahurskaia (Blr) 7. I. Chuzhinova (Ukr) 8. Zita Urbonaite (Lit) 9. O. Saprykina (Ukr) 10. Anna Wilson (Aus) AIS s.t. Anna Wilson Reports Hi Bill, well Italy is a bit backward for modem connections but if you have got this then I have succeeded in getting through! So far the Giro has been relatively uneventful. 2 pretty flat stages both ending in bunch kicks and both won by the Sprint team - Greta Sroca or something like that! The temperature has been pretty unbearable - close to 40 both days. I finished 10th on the 1st day and 17 today. Kristy Scrymgeour finished 11th today. We are working on our leadouts but it's hard to compete with 16 Sprint riders! Teams are supposed to be 8 strong but Luperini has 2 teams working for her and the Dream Team has 2 as well so it's a bit of a farce having teams of 8! It only gets hillier from here so we are trying to bolt our climbing legs on at the moment. We did have one unfortunate incident - Kim Palmer had a bad crash yesterday and is out of the tour - nothing broken but some pretty good cuts and swelling.
Well I'll be in touch when I can.
Stage 3, Macomer - Macomer, 68 kms:1. Diana Ziliute (Lit) Acca Due O Lorena 1.46.48 (38.202) 2. Sara Felloni (Ita) Edilsavino 3. Anna Wilson (Aus) AIS 4. Imelda Chiappa (Ita) Edilsavino 5. Alessandra Cappellotto (Ita) Acca Due O Lorena 6. Roberta Bonanomi (Ita) Mimosa-Sprint 7. V. Cappellotto (Ita) Mimosa-Sprint 8. Hihiyova (Ukr) Albatros Lega Filo D’Oro 9. Fabiano Luperini (Ita) Mimosa-Sprint 10. Pamela Schuster (USA) Saeco Timex s.t. GC after Stage 3
1. Sara Felloni (Ita) Edilsavino 6.35.09 2. Diana Ziliute (Lit) Acca Due O Lorena 3. Barbara Heeb (Swi) Acca Due O Lorena 4. Anna Wilson (Aus) AIS 5. Imelda Chiappa (Ita) Edilsavino 6. Alessandra Cappellotto (Ita) Acca Due O Lorena Stage 4, Civitavecchia - Civitavecchia, 80.5 kms:1. Anna Wilson (Aus) AIS 2.16.57 2. Diana Ziliute (Lit) Acca Due O Lorena 3. Sara Felloni (Ita) Edilsavino 4. Catherine Marsal (Fra) Mimosa-Sprint 5. Nada Cristofoli (Ita) Vittorio Veneto-Sprint 6. Alessandra Capellotto (Ita) Acca Due O Lorena 7. Pamela Schuster (USA) saeco-Timex 8. Julie Young (USA) Fanini Record Brox 9. Imelda Chiappa (Ita) Edilsavino 10. Barbara Hebb (Swi) Acca Due O Lorena s.t. GC after Stage 4
1. Sara Felloni (Ita) Edilsavino 8.52.06 2. Diana Ziliute (Lit) Acca Due O Lorena 3. Anna Wilson (Aus) AIS 4. Barbara Heeb (Swi) Acca Due O Lorena 5. Imelda Chiappa (Ita) Edilsavino 6. Alessandra Capellotto (Ita) Acca Due O Lorena 7. Julie Young (USA) Fanini Record Brox 8. Zita Urbonaite (Lit) 9. Catherine Marsal (Fra) Mimosa-Sprint 10. Elizabeth Chevanne (Fra) Fanini s.t. Brief: 106 riders started the 4th stage in the Giro. Soon after the start the peloton split on the first ascent of the Tramontana. The Mountain sprint (18.6 kms) saw Heeb (Swi, Acca Due O Lorena) cross first, then Bandini (Ita, Edilsavino) with Roberta Bonanomi (Ita, Mimosa Sprint) third. During the second ascent several riders were dropped although the leading riders were all in the first peloton. The average speed after the first hour was 35.7 km/h. After the second lap (43 kms) the gap between the leading bunch and the last riders was already 4.30. On the third ascent, Sommariba (Esp, Vittorio Veneto Sprint) attacked 3 kms from the top but was reeled in very quickly. The first intermediate sprint (61.1 kms) went toLithuanian Urbonate (Acca Due O Lorena), then Sommariba (Esp, Vittorio Veneto Sprint), with Pamela Schuster (USA, Saeco-Timex) taking third. The leading peloton by now had 1.40 on the chasing bunch. On the fourth ascent of the Tramontana there were attacks and counter-attacks, but all of them proved fruitless. In each case the peloton reacted immediately. The second intermediate sprint went to the Finish rider Sundstedt (Mimosa Sprint), with Pamela Schuster (Saeco-Timex) second and Diana Ziliute (Ltu, Acca Due O Lorena) third. The peloton then settled for the mass sprint with Australian Anna Wilson taking the win. Ziliute and Felloni took 2nd and 3rd. Sara Felloni retained the pink leader's jersey. Australian rider Anna Wilson, leader of the best foreigner classification won of the 4th stage of the Giro D’Italia Femminile, Civitavecchia-Civitavecchia (80.5 kms). Various attacks and counter-attacks during each climb of the Tramontana (the last one from world champion Alessandra Cappellotto). The Australian rider won her 11th race in 1998. She outsprinted 30 other riders in the top group. Anna said afterwards: "I remained alone in the first pack because all my team-mates were dropped behind while climbing to Tramontana.. I did my best to stay with the first group during the ascension. I knew I could come back in the downhill, one of my specialities. I guessed Cappellotto wanted to prepare a very long sprint but she was caught up at 150 meters from the finish by Marsal. I caught them up at 50 metres from the line and knew the stage win was mine." Sara Felloni said it was very hard for her to remain in the lead of the classification: "Diana Ziliute was doing very well today and it was really difficult to stay on her wheel. I know this is my last pink jersey. And together with all my team-mates I want to greet Paola Pezzo who is such a big rider, also on the road!" Tomorrow's stage will be a very difficult one with the ascension of the Monte Serra. The 5th stage, Pontedera-Buti Monte Serra (106.8 kms) will be flat for about 100 km before reaching the hill that leads to Monte Serra. Fabiana Luperini is definitely the favourite. She obvioulsy will feel at home: born in Pontedera she is now living in Cascine di Buti. Today she remained in the 1st position during the entire stage. Stage 5, Pontedera - Monte Serra, 106 kms:1. Fabiana Luperini (Ita) Mimosa-Sprint 2.42.43 (36.505) 2. Linda Jackson (Can) Saeco-Timex 0.11 3. Barbara Heeb (Swi) Acca Due O Lorena 0.18 4. Monica Bandini (Ita) Edilsavino 0.34 5. Imelda Chiappa (Ita) Edilsavino 1.51 6. Alessandra Cappellotto (Ita) Acca Due O Lorena 7. Pia Sundstedt (Fin) Mimosa Sprint 8. Sommariba (Spa) Vittorio Veneto Sprint 9. Pucinskaite (Lit) Acca Due O Lorena 10. Elizabeth Chevanne (Fra) Fanini 3.07 GC after Stage 5
1. Fabiana Luperini (Ita) Mimosa-Sprint 11.34.49 2. Linda Jackson (Can) Saeco-Timex 0.11 3. Barbara Heeb (Swi) Acca Due O Lorena 0.18 4. Monica Bandini (Ita) Edilsavino 0.34 5. Imelda Chiappa (Ita) Edilsavino 1.51 Brief: From Nica Lewis, Press Officer for the Giro: Fabiana Luperini won the 5th stage of the Giro d’Italia Femminile, Pontedara-Buti Monte Serra (106 km). She also becomes the new leader in the general classification. Former pink jersey Sara Felloni arrived very late today. Luperini who won the 3 last Giro d’Italia, attacked while reaching home (she lives in Buti) making all her fans happy. The other favourites finished within a few seconds or minutes so the race is certainly not won yet! While climbing to Monte Serra Jackson and Heeb were the only riders able to resist the Mimosa Sprint rider. But at the top Luperini was the best anyway. Fabiana first attacked at 9 km from the finish followed by Heeb, Jackson, Pucinskaite and Bandini. "I was very nervous", said Luperini after the finish. "Being at home I knew everybody was waiting for me. I climbed while trying to control the other riders. But the hill was not hard enough for me. That is the reason why the gaps are not very important. I am happy to wear the pink jersey, but we have to wait for the time trial in Correggio to know if I can win or not." Tomorrow’s stage will go through Umbria, a region partly destroyed last winter by some earthquakes.The race will start at 13.00 in Cascia in front of the Santuario di Santa Rita. Finish (after 98 km) on the Piazza Comunale of Assisi. GPM in Forca di Cerro (734 mt, after 39,8 km). Born in Pontedara (Pi) on 14/01/1974 Fabiana Luperini lives in Cascine di Buti. The best rider Italian women's cycling has ever known already won the Giro and the Tour in ’95, ’96 and 97. The Mimosa Sprint Energia dalla Frutta rider won 11 races in 1998 (and also 11 stage-wins in the Giro till now): GP Lugano, GP Mib Travel, 2 stages and general classification in the Tour de l’Aude, The Trofeo Foto Due in Florence and three stages in the Giro del Trentino. Her most brilliant success, in any case, was the inaugural Flèche Wallonne. Anna Wilson Reports Hi again Bill - well finally I have a hotel room with a simple phone jack in the wall for ease of emailing! We have just completed stage 5 of the Giro and it was a shocker! But first I better tell you about Stages 3 and 4. Stage 3 was 68 km long and there was a 14 km climb in it. From the top it was 20 kilometres to the finish. The climb was not too steep and with much grovelling and biting of the headstem I managed to get on the back of the lead group just over the top. There were 24 riders in the lead group and the Dream Team and Edel Savino team drove it from the top to the finish. It was like being motorpaced! Cappellotto led out Diana Ziluite who took out the stage from Sara Felone and I was third. I was happy to at last place but disappointed to not win the stage. With all 24 of us on the same time (no time bonuses) the leader's jersey passed to the rider with the most points from intermediate sprints, mountain sprints and stage finishes. Sara Felone was the leader on points and so she got the jersey. That night we flew off Sardinia back to the mainland and by the time we got a bus to our hotel it was 11pm. I wish Italian airports would run on time for a change! Stage 4 was 85 km and was 4 laps of a 21 km circuit with a 1 km tail on the end of the last lap. There was a 10 km climb each lap - not too steep though and we had a tailwind up it so that helped! The last time up the climb the Dream Team went ballistic attacking and counter attacking and thank God the Sprint team just wanted to keep it together for Luperini. I survived and went over the top with about the same 24 riders as the day before I think. It was basically a descent into the finish which suited me just fine. There was a sharp left hander about 500 metres from the finish. Cappellotto was leading Ziluite out again but she got a much better line than Ziluite through the corner and gapped the whole bunch by about 20 metres. Ziluite sat up thinking Cappellotto could win it from there. I was on Marsal's wheel around the corner and she set out to chase Cappellotto. She got to her with about 200 metres to go and I thought I could win from there. So I started the sprint and whooped for joy as I crossed the line first. The Italians know how to put on a good presentation ceremony too. I was presented with huge bunches of flowers and a little silver carving of the city the race was in. You know how you always see the guys in the Tour de France on the podium with a girl kissing each cheek? Well I got to stand on the podium with 2 male models on each side kissing my cheeks. I have to buy a photo of that for the album! Anyway - today brought me back to reality. Today the stage was 108 km with a 10 climb to finish with. I was hoping for a good climb but I guess I could only really expect a top 20 considering how I was climbing on the easier climbs. I think I finished 20th but I am not sure. Luperini won by about 20 seconds from Heeb and Jackson third. About a minute behind were a group of 6 including the two Cappellottos, Edita Pukinskaite, Chiappa and a couple of others I am not sure of. Then there was Elisabeth Bruneel and after that I am not sure. I lost nearly 5 minutes on Luperini. Oh well - I think I will just aim for another stage win now!
I will email again if I am fortunate enough to come up with another easy
connection. Take care
Results from Andrea Mandiroli, our reporter in Italy and reports from Nica Lewis, Press Officer for the Giro |