15th Tour de l'Aude, Cat 2.9.1France, May 7-16, 1999 |
The Stages:
Stage 5, Castelnaudary-Castelnaudary, ITT 12.8 kms:1. Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) 16.32.04 (45.532 km/h) 2. Elizabeth Emery (USA) 0.07 3. Lyne Bessette (Can) 0.09 4. Emily Robbins (USA) 0.21 5. Valentina Polkhanova (Rus) 0.22 6. Géraldine Loewenguth (Fra) 0.23 7. Anna Wilson (Aus) 0.23 8. Tracey Gaudry (Aus) 0.24 9. Albine Caillie (Fra) 0.27 10. Heidi Van De Vijver (Bel) 0.31 GC after Stage 5
1. Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) 13.11.43 2. Lyne Bessette (Can) 0.38 3. Heidi Van de Vijver (Bel) 1.00 4. Tracey Gaudry (Aus) 1.32 5. Valentina Polkhanova (Rus) 1.46 6. Meike De Bruijn (Ger) 2.21 7. Anna Wilson (Aus) 2.24 8. Emily Robbins (USA) 2.28 9. Rasa Polikeviciute (Lit) 3.02 10. Géraldine Loewenguth (Fra) 3.09 .. 13. Marcia Eicher Vouets (Swi) 3.36 14. Sanna Lehtimaki (Fin) 3.37 20. Valentina Gerassimova (Rus) 6.34 22. Jacqueline Brabenetz (Ger) Chemnitz) 7.44 27. Sandra Wampfler (Swi) 9.30 32. Natascha Klewitz (Ger) 14.13 49. Sandra Missbach (Ger) 28.26 58. Petra Rossner (Ger) 50.59 62. Cornelia Dreher (Ger) 58.27 65. Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (Ger) 59.28 66. Tina Liebig (Ger) 1.02.41 Giana Roberge reports Today's 12.8 kilometer time trial was on good quality farm roads, beginning and ending in Caustlenadry. Time trials in the middle of a big tour like this are always interesting as riders have different goals for the stage. A rider like Lynn Bessette (Saturn) or Hanka (still in the leader's jersey) is trying to gain a bit of time on some of the other "climbers." Others, like Elizabeth Emery are racing for a stage win. Women that may usually be competitive at a time trial but are riding as a support rider at this tour will not waste the effort at riding hard in the time trial. I have not seen the final results, but I do know that Hanka smoked everyone beating second place Elizabeth Emery (yeah)! by seven seconds. Defending the yellow jersey can be truly inspiring; Hanka always seems to be able to rise to the occasion. I do not think that the overall results changed that much. I do know that as I sit and type this our mechanic is busy removing the aero bars and getting the bikes ready for tomorrow's double stage day ... and without having eaten dinner yet. God bless him. Stage 6a, Mazamet - Pic de Nore, 58.3 kms:1. Anna Wilson (Aus) 1.53.46 (30.747 km/h) 2. Lyne Bessette (Can) 0.46 3. Tracey Gaudry (Aus) 0.57 4. Emily Robbins (USA) 1.02 5. Eidi Van De Vijver (Bel) 1.06 6. Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) 1.11 7. Meike De Bruijn (Ger) 1.14 8. Elisabeth Chevanne-Brunel (Fra) 1.21 9. Cindy Pieters (Bel) 1.21 10. Linda Jackson (Can) 1.21 Giana Roberge reports This morning's stage included two climbs in the 71 kilometers of racing. The first a category one, the second an hors category climb called Pic de Nore. Yesterday I chatted with Anne Samplionus and Kim Langton (both Canadians) and they laughingly promised that they would figure out the time we needed to finish the stage in to make the 35 percent time cut. The stage began down a gradual descent and the pace was fast. We hit the first climb at ten kilometers and instantly a laughing group formed. This is the group of racers that know their short comings as climbers and all ride together in an effort to insure everyone in the group finishes the stage in the time allowed. In just about every stage with major climbs the same group of women find themselves together. These are the women that know that this is not a stage for them to win; and, most likely, they are already in the "General Classification dungeon" and are just finishing the stage in hopes of being competitive in a stage more suitable to their strengths. By offering encouragement to those that need it everyone in the group finishes in good spirits. Petra and Ina (Germany) "drive the bus," making for a cheery group. Today we shared the joy in the sunshine, the beautiful country side, and the pleasant atmosphere in the group. We caught up on the events of the winter, chatting about boyfriends, upcoming races, and the juicy gossip of the peloton. We had 50 minutes grace to finish the stage and still be allowed to race in the afternoon's race. However, we are not in France to make friends; we are here to race our bikes. My first year in Europe, Ina and Petra taught me the importance of being smart about when to use the limited amount of energy throughout ten days of racing. As professionals we recognize when we need to conserve energy and when to put every ounce of energy into the stage. There comes a point in a cyclist's career when she knows her strengths and races tactically to insure that when the opportunity arises the energy she needs to win or be an effective support rider has not been wasted by riding at a pace up a mountain that will still leave her finishing twenty minutes down on the climbers. Meanwhile, Anna Wilson (Saturn) attacked half way up the first climb and managed to stay away to win the stage solo. What an impressive effort. Julie Young and Pam Shuster (USA) both hung on to a small group at the bottom of Pic de Nore. They finished about two minutes down from Anna, who managed to finish with 46 seconds over second place Lynn Bessette (Saturn). Hanka still has the yellow jersey but only by 9 seconds. Anna has now moved into fourth place; Saturn has three riders in the top ten overall. Stage 6b, Pradelles Cabardès - Mazamet, 75.2 kms:1. Tracey Gaudry (Aus) 1.54.27 (39.423 km/h) 2. Elisabeth Chevanne-Brunel (Fra) 0.02 3. Rasa Polikeviciute (Lit) 0.02 4. Valentina Polkhanova (Rus) 0.02 5. Emily Robbins (USA) 0.02 6. Anna Wilson (Aus) 0.42 7. Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) 0.42 8. Lyne Bessette (Can) 0.43 9. Eidi Van De Vijver (Bel) 0.44 10. Svetlana Samokhvalova (Rus) 3.14 GC after Stage 6b
1. Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) 17.01.47 2. Lyne Bessette (Can) 0.09 3. Tracey Gaudry (Aus) 0.30 4. Heidi Van de Vijver (Bel) 0.59 5. Anna Wilson (Aus) 1.09 6. Valentina Polkhanova (Rus) 1.29 7. Emily Robbins (USA) 1.40 8. Rasa Polikeviciute (Lit) 3.30 9. Elisabeth Chavanne-Brunel (Fra) 3.40 10. Meike De Bruijn (Ger) 4.58 Giana Roberge reports Today's second stage began with a twenty kilometer descent. What fun I had on my Lemond bike. It corners so straight and true; it is a rush to go blasting down the mountain, diving into corners, taking risks, and accelerating out of the hairpins. The group shattered on the second hors category climb of the day. Tracy Gaudry (Elbly) won the sprint out of the small group that got away on the climb. Lynn Bessette was second. Stage 7, Saint-Lauret de la Cabrerisse-Durban Corbières, 125 kms:1. Chantal Beltman (Ned) 3.25.14 (36.164 km/h) 2. Deirdre Demet (USA) 3. Julie Young (USA) 4. Maryline Salvetat (Fra) 5. Rasa Polikeviciute (Lit) 6. Elena Tchalykh (Rus) 7. Leigh Hobson (Can) 8. Valentina Gerassimova (Rus) 9. Séverine Desbouys (Fra) 10. Lucia Pizzolotto (Ita) s.t. GC after Stage 7
1. Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) 20.29.17 (35.754 km/h) 2. Lyne Bessette (Can) 0.09 3. Tracey Gaudry (Aus) 0.30 4. Heidi Van de Vijver (Bel) 0.59 5. Anna Wilson (Aus) 1.09 6. Rasa Polikeviciute (Lit) 1.13 7. Valentina Polkhanova (Rus) 1.29 8. Emily Robbins (USA) 1.40 9. Elisabeth Chevanne-Brunel (Fra) 3.40 10. Lucia Pizzolotto (Ita) 4.37 .. 13. Sévrine Desbouys (Fra) 5.49 14. Géraldine Loewenguth (Fra) 6.15 24. Magali Le Floch (Fra) 12.50 32. Maryline Salvetat (Fra) 20.58 Giana Roberge reports I attacked when the neutral car dropped the flag, and was shortly joined by Rasa Poliscavichuite (Lithuania). She sat behind me and would not pull through when I asked her to. Deciding that I had nothing to lose, I put my head down and began the very difficult task of trying to stay clear of the field. When the time gap reached about twenty seconds Rasa began to pull through. She was very positive; encouraging me in French and thanking me every time I pulled through. This being my first major break in a big tour I was very ambitious and matched Rasa pull for pull. Rasa being one of the best climbers in the world dropped me on the first major climb. But as it turned out Julie Young was in the group that countered and they stayed away from the field to the finish. Julie was third in the final sprint, lifting Rasa actually moved into the leader's jersey on the road; this forced Greenery Hawk to pick up the chase with 10 k to go in order to keep Hanka in yellow. Their effort payed off and Hanka has three more stages left to defend the yellow gracing her back. Stage 8a, Quillan - Matemale, 60 kms:1. Heidi Van de Vijver (Bel) 2.02.25 (29.408 km/h) 2. Lyne Bessette (Can) 3. Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) 2.08 4. Tracey Gaudry (Aus) 2.08 5. Géraldine Loewenguth (Fra) 2.08 6. Emily Robbins (USA) 2.08 7. Cindy Pieters (Bel) 2.08 8. Meike De Bruijn (Ger) 2.08 9. Valentina Polkhanova (Rus) 3.50 10. Sanna Lehtimaki (Fin) 5.55 GC after Stage 8a
1. Lyne Bessette (Can) 22.31.44 (35.177 km/h) 2. Heidi Van de Vijver (Bel) 0.49 3. Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) 2.04 4. Tracey Gaudry (Aus) 2.36 5. Emily Robbins (USA) 3.45 6. Valentina Polkhanova (Rus) 5.17 7. Cindy Pieters (Bel) 6.47 8. Meike De Bruijn (Ger) 7.04 9. Géraldine Loewenguth (Fra) 8.21 10. Rasa Polikeviciute (Lit) 12.05 Giana Roberge reports As I write this on the eve of the last stage of the tour I cannot h) remember much of the day's stage events, the town we started in, the hotel we stayed in, or even what was for lunch. Fatigue has hit all of the competitors; faces are white, expressions grim, laughter nonexistent and a general apathy has struck the peloton. All save for one rider as Lynn Bessette proved with her spectacular ride in the morning's stage. She and her Saturn teammates undressed Hanka, claiming the yellow jersey by over 49 seconds. Through out this tour, Saturn proved that they are one of the top professional women's teams in the world by patiently waiting for the perfect time to claim what is rightfully theirs. Lynn's teammates kept her protected, safe, and doing only the absolutely necessary work so that she arrived at the climbs fresh. And now, with only one stage left, defending the jersey should be a manageable task for them, leaving Lynn the 1999 champion of the Tour de L'Aude. Lynn finished the stage with Heidi Van de Viver today, easily climbing away from the rest of her competition. This I gathered from the race radios in the team cars as the caravan flew by me on the hors category climb. I finished the morning stage with a big group making the cold rain at least bearable. Unfortunately, Pam hit a dog on the descent and dislocated her pinkie finger. She was unable to finish the stage but managed to escape the crash relatively uninjured. Stage 8b, Matemale - Quillan, 86 kms:1. Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (Ger) 1.05.02 (45.853 km/h) 2. Elena Tchalykh (Rus) 3. Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) 4. Lyne Bessette (Can) 5. Sandra Rombouts (Ned) 6. Petra Rossner (Ger) 3.06 7. Janneke Vos (Ned) 3.06 8. Magali Le Floc'h (Fra) 3.06 9. Laurence Restoin (Fra) 3.06 10. Elisabeth Chevanne-Brunel (Fra) 3.06 GC after Stage 8b
1. Lyne Bessette (Can) 23.36.45 (35.669 km/h) 2. Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) 2.00 3. Heidi Van de Vijver (Bel) 3.56 4. Tracey Gaudry (Aus) 5.43 5. Emily Robbins (USA) 6.52 6. Valentina Polkhanova (Rus) 8.24 7. Cindy Pieters (Bel) 9.54 8. Meike De Bruijn (Ger) 10.11 9. Géraldine Loewenguth (Fra) 11.28 10. Rasa Polikeviciute (Lit) 15.12 Giana Roberge reports After a brief lunch, we were pulling on our shorts again. The afternoon's race had two climbs in the 77 kilometers. And what would a European tour be without rain and cold? As the miserable weather continued, down below in the town where we were to finish, a group of disgruntled hospital workers were gathering in the roads of our final laps. The gendarmes, unable to dismiss the protesters, were forced to stop our race 30 kilometers short. We did not race the final category one climb; the break that was away, including Ina Teutenburg, were alerted that the stage would finish in ten k. Ina handily won the sprint, with Lynn Bessette rolling across the line well ahead of any one that was a threat to her for the overall classification. Susy Pryde has successfully defended the sprinter's jersey; Hanka should be able to maintain the points jersey. I believe that Lynn will win the climbers jersey as well as the overall. Stage 9, Limoux - Limoux, 132 kms:1. Mirjam Melchers (Ned) 3.46.30 (34.967 km/h) 2. Magali Le Floc'h (Fra) 2.49 3. Julie Young (USA) 2.49 4. Valentina Gerassimova (Rus) 2.49 5. Rasa Polikeviciute (Lit) 2.49 6. Sanna Lehtimaki (Fin) 2.49 7. Lucia Pizzolotto (Ita) 2.49 8. Chantal Beltman (Ned) 2.51 9. Laurence Restoin (Fra) 3.25 10. Sandra Rombouts (Ned) 4.33 .. 14. Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) 5.51 22. Valentina Polkhanova (Rus) 5.51 23. Marcia Eicher Vouets (Swi) 5.51 25. Meike de Bruijn (Ned) 6.05 26. Jacqueline Brabenetz (Ger) 6.05 33. Natascha Klewitz (Ger) 8.13 46. Petra Rossner (Ger) 8.23 50. Tina Liebig (Ger) 14.47 51. Cornelia Dreher (Ger) 14.47 57. Sandra Missbach (Ger) 15.13 62. Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (Ger) 23.38 Final GC after Stage 9
1. Lyne Bessette (Can) 27.29.06 2. Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) 2.00 3. Heidi Van de Vijver (Bel) 3.56 4. Tracey Gaudry (Aus) 5.43 5. Emily Robbins (USA) 6.52 6. Valentina Polkhanova (Rus) 8.24 7. Cindy Pieters (Bel) 9.54 8. Meike De Bruijn (Ger) 10.25 9. Géraldine Loewenguth (Fra) 11.45 10. Rasa Polikeviciute (Lit) 12.09 11. Sanna Lehtimaki (Fin) 13.25 .. 14. Séverine Desbouys (Fra) 20.05 16. Valentina Gerassimova (Rus) 20.36 17. Marcia Eicher Vouets (Swi) 21.12 19. Magali Le Floc'h (Fra) 23.41 20. Jacqueline Brabenetz (Ger) 25.12 21. Elisabeth Chevanne-Brunel (Fra) 27.01 33. Natascha Klewitz (Ger) 51.26 45. Sandra Missbach (Ger) 1.27.25 50. Cornelia Dreher (Ger) 2.05.24 51. Petra Rossner (Ger) 2.11.37 52. Tina Liebig (Ger) 2.15.56 56. Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (Ger) 2.32.07 Teams: 1. Greenery Hawk-Team Berlin 82.39.26 2. Saturn Cycling/USA 7.27 3. France 26.27 4. Ebly Mixed 52.41 5. Molteni 1.10.18 6. Netherlands 1.31.21 7. Vlaanderen 2002 1.42.45 8. Canada 1.51.28 9. Russia 1.54.43 10. German National Team 2.41.02 11. USA 2.52.52 12. Mazza Mixed 3.04.38 13. Spain 5.38.56 14. J&J Wholesalers 10.00.24 |