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Women's Road Race, 113.75 kms

14:00 Saturday, October 9, 1999



Complete Starting List     Results    As it happened     Route Info     Karen Kurreck's View

Verona: Corso Porta Nuova, 7 laps/ 113.75 km

Edita bags it, another silver for Anna

It was yet another powerhouse team performance by the Lithuanians which secured the gold medal for Edita Pucinskaite in Verona today, with Australia's Anna Wilson easily winning the bunch sprint for silver just 18 seconds behind, and another Lithuanian and 1998 World Road Race Champion, Diana Ziliute, taking the bronze.

Immediately after the race, Australian team coach James Victor told cyclingnews.com that Wilson, a dual silver medalist at this year's World Championships, was "over the moon" with her ride. He said the Australian is not a noted climber and was feeling the climb up the Torricelle in the earlier part of the race, but improved towards the end.

"We were hoping it could stay together for the bunch kick but the Lithuanians had four strong riders in the final group. We had the twins attacking left and right on the last lap as they headed into the final climb, and every time the bunch was forced to chase them down," he said, referring to the constant attacks by the Polikeviciute sisters, Rasa and Jolanta, which were designed to set up for their noted climber and winner of this year's La Grande Boucle (Tour de France Feminin).

"As they got on the climb, Pucinskaite attacked and when she wants to go on a climb, there's not many who can stay with her," the Australian coach said. Pucinskaite, who won the bronze in the ITT on Wednesday, built up a lead of 20 seconds on the climb and with 2 km to go seemed set for an easy victory, but a chase group including Jeannie Longo (Fra) and Valeria Capellotto (Ita) had set off after her. This caused a major reaction within the final selection and the chase group was brought back by the remainder of the bunch, but it was too late and the Lithuanian rode across the line, still 18 seconds ahead.

In the sprint Wilson crossed the line a bike length in front of the other Lithuanian, Ziliute. The Lithuanians put on a perfect display of selfless team riding today. Although each rides for different trade teams, when they come together as a national unit they show great solidarity.

"I'm thankful there'll only be three of them in the road race at the Olympics next year," Victor said. "A couple of silvers is a good result for us this year," he said of Wilson's efforts, which included a silver medal in the ITT, "we'll do better next year." The Australian coach said one of the hardest decisions he's had to make was to leave out Liz Tadich, a silver medalist in the 1997 World Road Race, from this year's team. "We've built up a great team spirit from hard work and respect for each other," he said. "They've proved they can compete at this level and now they know what to do ... I hardly have to tell them how to ride, they're riding on intuition and experience."

The Yellow Machine Wins The Day

By Tim Maloney, cyclingnews.com correspondent

Everyone was afraid of the Big Yellow Machine of the Lithuanian Elite Women's team. Although defending champion Diana Zilute was not on a great day, her yellow, red & green clad teammate Edita Pucinskaite, winner of of the '98 Womans Tour De France was clearly the strongest on Saturday afternoon in Verona on the Torricelle circuit. And with the best team, the 24 year old Pucinskaite was able to focus on a key attack which won her the rainbow jersey.

The first half of the race was static; although the average speed was high, all of the key players were looking at each other. On the second to last lap, the decisive attack by Pucinskaite left only 15 riders together: Diana Zilute, twin sisters Rasa & Jolanta Polikeviciute and Edita Pucinskaite (Lithuania), sisters Valeria and Alessandra Cappellotto (Italy), Tatiana Stiajkina (Ukraine), Lynn Bessette (Canada), Geraldine Lowenguth and Jeanne Longo-Ciprelli (France), Anna Wilson (Australia), Nicole Brändli (Switzerland), Zulfia Zabirova (Russia), Joanna Sommariba (Spain) and Daniela Veronese (San Marino).

As the 15 hit the bell lap, Lithuania's Big Yellow Machine went into high gear. They pulled back an attack by Alessandra Cappellotto and then Rasa and Jolanta Polikeviciute attacked the group one after the other, keeping the pressure on the French and especially the Italians to chase them down. As the final climb of Torricelle approached, Rasa Polikeviciute got away again and was quickly joined by Alessandra Cappellotto. As the duo gained time, Longo-Ciprelli was forced to chase, while Polikeviciute sat on Cappellotto's wheel, playing the team role perfectly.

At the base of the steep part of Torricelle, Pucinskaite made her expected attack and in a few seconds, she had opened up a 50 meter gap. Behind the flying Lithuanian, Stiajkina, Valeria Cappellotto and Longo-Ciprelli struggled to keep Pucinskaite in sight as she steadily gained ground. By the summit of the 283 meter Torricelle, Pucinskaite had 25 seconds and although the chasers tried, she had maintained her advantage at the base of the decent with only 3.5km to race. Stiajkina, Valeria Cappellotto and Longo-Ciprelli were absorbed by the rest of the chasers with 1.5km left, but it was too late.

Pucinskaite rounded the final turn onto Corso Porta Nuova with 15 seconds in hand, pumping her upraised arms in a joyous victory salute while behind her, Anna Wilson's powerful sprint beat defending champion Diana Zilute. Although Pucinskaite will likely leave her current trade team Acca Due-O Lorena Camice next year to ride for Alfa Lum, but no matter where she goes, the rainbow jersey will be astride her shoulders.

Edita Pucinskaite
1m67 / 52kg
Born 27.11.1975
2 in 1999, Including Lithuanian TT Championship

Results

1    Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu)		  2.59.49 (Av: 39.95 km/h)
2    Anna Wilson (Aus)			     0.18
3    Diana Ziliute (Ltu)		      
4    Tatiana Stiajkina (Ukr)		      
5    Valeria Cappellotto (Ita)		      
6    Zoulfia Zabirova (Rus)		      
7    Joane Somarriba Arrola (Esp)	      
8    Daniela Veronesi (Smr)		      
9    Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (Fra)	      
10   Nicole Brändli (Sui)		      
11   Géraldine Loewenguth (Fra)		      
12   Rasa Polikeviciute (Ltu)		      
13   Lyne Bessette (Can)		      
14   Jolanta Polikeviciute (Ltu)	     0.43
15   Alessandra Cappellotto (Ita)	     1.28
16   Susy Pryde (Nzl)			     4.33
17   Chantal Beltmann (Ned)		     
18   Goulnara Ivanova (Rus)		     
19   Alison Sydor (Can)			     
20   Heidi Van De Vijver (Bel)		     
21   Elisabeth Vink (Ned)		     
22   Anke Erlank (Rsa)			     
23   Roberta Bonanomi (Ita)		     
24   Susanne Ljungskog (Swe)		     
25   Barbara Heeb (Sui)			     
26   Elisabeth Chevanne Brunel (Fra)	     
27   Lenka Ilavska (Svk)		     
28   Cindy Pieters (Bel)		     
29   Annie Gariepy (Can)		     
30   Fatima BlazquezLozano (Esp)	     
31   Valentina Polkhanova (Rus)		     4.33
32   Yvonne Schnorf (Sui)		     6.46
33   Karen Kurreck (Usa)		     
34   Tracey Gaudry (Aus)		     
35   Valentyna Karpenko (Ukr)		     
36   Valentina Gerasimova (Rus)		     
37   Leigh Hobson (Can)			     
38   Ragnhild Kostol (Nor)		     
39   Juanita Feldhahn (Aus)		     
40   Bogumila Matusiak (Pol)		     
41   Chantal Daucourt (Sui)		     
42   Sigrid Corneo (Ita)		     
43   Wenche Stensvold (Nor)		     
44   Mirjam Melchers (Ned)		     
45   Kimberly Smith (Usa)		     
46   Fabiana Luperini (Ita)		     
47   Oksana Saprykina (Ukr)		     9.19
48   Rosa Maria BravoSoba (Esp)	  	    12.50
49   Svitlana Hihilyeva (Ukr)		    
50   Marie Höljer (Swe)			    
51   Marion Brauen (Sui)		    
52   Zinaida Stahurskaya (Blr)		    
53   Miluse Flaskova (Cze)		    
54   Solrun Flataas (Nor)		    
55   Vanja Vonckx (Bel)			    
56   Lucia Pizzolotto (Ita)		    
57   Alexandra Koliasseva (Rus)		    
58   Natalya Kishchuk (Ukr)		    
59   Zita Urbonaite (Ltu)		    
60   Sanna Lehtimaki (Fin)		    
61   Séverine Desbouys (Fra)		    12.50
62   Tina Liebig (Ger)			    16.29
63   Sarah Symington (Gbr)		    18.35
64   Laurence Restoin (Fra)		    
65   Arenda Grimberg (Ned)		   
66   Erica Green Groenewald (Rsa)	  
67   Susan Carter (Gbr)			    20.13
68   Magali LeFloch (Fra)		    20.28
69   Yuliya Murenka (Ukr)		    
70   Madeleine Lindberg (Swe)		    
71   Sara Carrigan (Aus)		    
72   Larysa Chuyenka (Blr)		    
73   Vanessa Rochelle Cheatley (Nzl)	    
74   Tatsiana Makeyeva (Blr)		    
75   Kim Shirley (Aus)			    
76   Irina Chuzhynova (Ukr)		    
77   Ioulya Razenkova (Rus)		    
78   Rosalind Reekie May (Nzl)		    
79   Priska Doppmann (Sui)		    
80   Montserrat Alonso Bernal (Esp)	    
81   Lensy Debboudt (Bel)		    22.27
82   Ghita Beltman (Ned)		    
83   Ulrike Baumgartner (Aut)		    
84   Kerstin Scheitle (Ger)		    22.44
85   Alison Wright (Aus)		    25.00      
86   Dorota Czynszak (Pol)		   
87   Karla Polivkova (Cze)		    28.05      
88   Miho Oki (Jpn)			    
89   Lisbeth Simper (Den)		    29.42      
90   Karen Dunne (Usa)			    30.48      
91   Rikke Sandhoj Olsen (Den)		      
92   Ruth Martinez Gomez (Esp)		 	     
93   Gabriela Gonzalez De Ferrat (Mex)	 	     

Preview

By Tim Maloney, cyclingnews.com correspondent

Defending Elite Women's champion, Diana Zilute of Lithuania has had a big season, winning the Women's Tour De France in August. Although Zilute tested positive for high levels of caffeine in the Tour, she was absolved as there were irregularities in the test protocol - so Zilute will race today.

Leontien Zijlaard-Van Moorsel of the Netherlands, winner of the time trial won't be riding the road race, so Zilute's principal rivals for the rainbow jersey will be World Cup star Anna Wilson (Australia), Alessandra Cappelotto of Italy, Valentina Polkanova of Russia and Hanka Kupfernagel of Germany. And don't ever rule out Jeannie Longo of France; if she gets in a good break, the ever competitive forty-something is always dangerous.

But Zilute's powerful Lithuanian team should control the race and set the stage for her second consecutive win.

(However, we know who we're going for back in Sydney!)

Complete Starting list

Australia
Sara Carrigan                  (Aus)   07-09-1980
Juanita Feldhahn               (Aus)   07-06-1973
Tracy Gaudry                   (Aus)   17-06-1969
Kim Shirley                    (Aus)   17-12-1975
Elisabeth Tadich               (Aus)   11-10-1976
Anna Wilson                    (Aus)   26-11-1971
Alison Wright                  (Aus)   02-11-1980

Austria
Ulrike Baumgartner             (Aut)   12-05-1974

Belgium
Lensy Debboudt                 (Bel)   20-09-1977
Cindy Pieters                  (Bel)   24-01-1976
Heidi Van de Vijver            (Bel)   31-12-1969
Vanja Vonckx                   (Bel)   12-02-1973

Belarus
Larisa Chuyenka                (Blr)   25-05-1979
Tatsiana Makeyeva              (Blr)   07-09-1976
Zinaida Stahurskaya            (Blr)   09-02-1971
Aksana Zviagintseva            (Blr)   09-06-1978

Canada
Lyne Bessette                  (Can)   10-03-1975
Annie Gariepy                  (Can)   12-05-1975
Leigh Hobson                   (Can)   10-08-1970
Clara Hughes                   (Can)   27-09-1972
Linda Jackson                  (Can)   13-11-1958
Chrissy Redden                 (Can)   16-03-1966
Anne Samplonius                (Can)   11-02-1969
Alison Sydor                   (Can)   09-09-1966

Colombia
Paola Madrinan                 (Col)   18-10-1973

Czech Republic
Miluse Flaskova                (Cze)   18-04-1974
Karla Polivkova                (Cze)   01-12-1964

Spain
Montserrat Alonso Bernal       (Esp)   24-09-1975
Fatima Lozano Blazquez         (Esp)   14-05-1975
Rosa Maria Bravo               (Esp)   25-08-1976
Margarita Fullana              (Esp)   09-04-1972
Dori Sanchon Ruano             (Esp)   11-01-1969
Joane Arrola Somarriba         (Esp)   11-08-1972


Finland
Sanna Lehtimaki                (Fin)   16-11-1975
Pia Sundstedt                  (Fin)   02-05-1975

France
Elisabeth Chevanne Brunel      (Fra)   02-03-1975
Séverine Desbouys              (Fra)   17-08-1974
Géraldine Loewenguth           (Fra)   05-06-1964
Jeannie Longo Ciprelli         (Fra)   31-10-1958
Laurence Restoin               (Fra)   04-04-1976

Britain
Caroline Alexander             (Gbr)   03-03-1968
Sally Boyden                   (Gbr)   07-04-1967
Ceris Gilfillan                (Gbr)   03-01-1980
Louise Jones                   (Gbr)   08-06-1963
Sarah Symington                (Gbr)   25-09-1969
Michelle Ward                  (Gbr)   02-08-1976

Germany
Judith Arndt                   (Ger)   23-07-1976
Jacqueline Brabenetz           (Ger)   20-10-1979
Cornelia Dreher                (Ger)   10-03-1979
Mandy Hampel                   (Ger)   12-10-1977
Vera Hohlfeld                  (Ger)   24-02-1972
Natascha Klewitz               (Ger)   15-08-1978
Hanka Kupfernagel              (Ger)   19-03-1974
Tina Liebig                    (Ger)   28-04-1980
Petra Rossner                  (Ger)   14-11-1966
Kerstin Scheitle               (Ger)   05-06-1977

Haiti
Marie Kethlie Boulin           (Hai)   09-09-1966
Marieta Ceide                  (Hai)   19-06-1966
Marie Yolette Joseph           (Hai)   19-04-1972
Estere Michel St Fleurant      (Hai)   09-00-1977

Hungary
Veronika Pare                  (Hun)   09-09-1977

Italy
Roberta Bonanomi               (Ita)   15-10-1966
Alessandra Cappellotto         (Ita)   27-08-1968
Valeria Cappellotto            (Ita)   28-01-1970
Sigrid Corneo                  (Ita)   27-04-1971
Fabiana Luperini               (Ita)   14-01-1974
Paola Pezzo                    (Ita)   08-01-1969
Lucia Pizzolotto               (Ita)   14-11-1970

Japan
Akemi Morimoto                 (Jpn)   22-02-1968
Miho Oki                       (Jpn)   08-03-1974
Ayumu Otsuka                   (Jpn)   01-10-1978

Lithuania
Vilma Balciunaite              (Ltu)   04-01-1977
Gintare Duseviciute            (Ltu)   05-09-1980
Gitana Gruodyte                (Ltu)   06-04-1979
Edita Kubelskiene              (Ltu)   01-03-1974
Rasa Mazeikyte                 (Ltu)   31-03-1976
Lina Pakalnyte                 (Ltu)   04-07-1979
Jolanta Polikeviciute          (Ltu)   25-09-1970
Rasa Polikeviciute             (Ltu)   25-09-1970
Edita Pucinskaite              (Ltu)   27-11-1975
Liuda Triabaite                (Ltu)   07-07-1965
Zita Urbonaite                 (Ltu)   03-09-1973
Erika Vilunaite                (Ltu)   25-12-1980
Diana Ziliute                  (Ltu)   28-05-1976

Macedonia
Irina Cebotari                 (Mda)   23-06-1973
Viorica Ureche                 (Mda)   13-11-1974
Maria Vrednic                  (Mda)   12-05-1972

Mexico
Gabriela Gonzalezdeferrat      (Mex)   27-04-1972

The Netherlands
Chantal Beltman                (Ned)   25-08-1976
Ghita Beltman                  (Ned)   05-04-1978
Arenda Grimberg                (Ned)   10-03-1978
Edith Klep                     (Ned)   20-01-1976
Mirjam Melchers                (Ned)   26-09-1975
Elisabeth Vink                 (Ned)   25-01-1973

Norway
Kari Aud Berg                  (Nor)   02-06-1976
Ingunn Bollerud                (Nor)   16-11-1972
Cecilie Christiansen           (Nor)   07-05-1979
GunnRita Dahle                 (Nor)   10-02-1973
Solrun Flataas                 (Nor)   28-08-1967
Ragnhild Kostöl                (Nor)   25-05-1969
Jorunn Kvalö                   (Nor)   15-07-1975
Wenche Stensvold               (Nor)   08-06-1975
Linn Torp                      (Nor)   22-04-1977
Monica Valen                   (Nor)   15-09-1970

New Zealand
Vanessa Rochelle Cheatley      (Nzl)   07-11-1978
Jacinta Coleman                (Nzl)   17-07-1974
Susy Pryde                     (Nzl)   15-10-1973
Rosalind Reekie-May            (Nzl)   03-02-1972
Kirsty Robb                    (Nzl)   23-05-1979

Poland
Dorota Czynszak                (Pol)   22-01-1980
Bogumila Matusiak              (Pol)   24-01-1971
Monika Tyburska                (Pol)   27-05-1979
Malgorzata Wysocka             (Pol)   15-06-1979

South Africa
Anke Erlank                    (Rsa)   28-06-1977
Erica Greengroenewald          (Rsa)   25-09-1970

Russia
Svetlana Boubnenkova           (Rus)   02-01-1973
Valentina Gerassimova          (Rus)   26-01-1964
Goulnara Ivanov                (Rus)   25-12-1971
Olga Khortova                  (Rus)   08-01-1975
Alexandra Koliasseva           (Rus)   18-08-1968
Valentina Polkhanova           (Rus)   15-08-1971
Ioulia Razenkova               (Rus)   02-07-1975
Olga Slioussareva              (Rus)   28-04-1969
Elena Tchalykh                 (Rus)   25-03-1974
Elizaveta Valeeva              (Rus)   15-08-1971
Olga Zabelinskaia              (Rus)   10-05-1980
Zoulfia Zabirova               (Rus)   19-12-1973

Daniela Veronesi               (Smr)   13-06-1972

Switzerland
Nicole Brändli                 (Sui)   18-06-1979
Marion Brauen                  (Sui)   03-05-1977
Chantal Daucourt               (Sui)   23-06-1966
Priska Doppmann                (Sui)   10-05-1971
Barbara Heeb                   (Sui)   13-02-1969
Yvonne Schnorf                 (Sui)   28-07-1965

Slovakia
Alena Barillova                (Svk)   05-09-1969
Lenka Ilavska                  (Svk)   05-05-1972

Sweden
Jenny Algelid                  (Swe)   06-03-1976
Marie Höljer                   (Swe)   22-10-1965
Madeleine Lindberg             (Swe)   02-03-1972
Susanne Ljungskog              (Swe)   16-03-1976

Ukraine
Irina Chuzhynova               (Ukr)   07-08-1972
Svitlana Hihilyeva             (Ukr)   15-05-1969
Valentiana Karpenko            (Ukr)   09-12-1972
Natalia Kichtouk               (Ukr)   27-05-1968
Yuliya Murenkaya               (Ukr)   03-02-1975
Oksana Saprykina               (Ukr)   18-01-1979
Tatiana Stiazhkina             (Ukr)   10-04-1977
Yevgenia Vysotska              (Ukr)   11-12-1975

USA
Alison Dunlap                  (Usa)   27-07-1969
Karen Dunne                    (Usa)   30-12-1967
Mari Holden                    (Usa)   30-03-1971
Karen Kurreck                  (Usa)   13-06-1962
Emily Robbins                  (Usa)   03-09-1974
Kim Smith                      (Usa)   28-01-1968
Julie Young                    (Usa)   07-04-1966


Uzbekistan
Fatma Galiulina                (Uzb)   30-05-1969

Yugoslavia
Ildiko Fabo                    (Yug)   17-05-1975