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Huy - Huy (women)
La Fleche Wallonne/Waalse Pijl - CDM
Belgium, April 12, 2000
Karen Kurreck's report Results World Cup Standings
Jeanson too strong on the Mur
The women's race was conducted over two loops, starting in Huy and finishing on the same circuit that the men's did with the ascent of the Mur de Huy. Quite a hilly course that suited the field's climbers, notably Canada's Genevèive Jeanson. The winner of the first major women's race of the year, the Tour de Snowy, showed her class once more on the steep climbs of the Flemish Ardennes, riding away from her rivals on the final climb, to finish ahead of Finn Pia Sundstedt (Gas Sport Team), Frenchwoman Fany Lecourtois (Team Alfa Lum R.S.M.) and Lithuanian Diana Ziliute (Acca Due O - Lorena Camicie).
Jeanson was the very strong during the race, covering most of the attacks in her usual fashion. She made her first move on the intial climb, causing the bunch to shatter. From then on, she and the others kept the pressure on, until a leading group of 10 riders formed 33 kilometres before the end. This contained most the major names in the race: Pieters (Vl. 2002), Doppman (Master Team), Ljungskog (Farm Frites-Hartol), Capellotto (Gas), Brändli (Swiss), and Coleman (Nürnberger).
Once it was down to this many, all Jeanson had to do was wait until the final time up the Mur before using her superior power to weight and climbing prowess to solo away. The gap was not huge at the end - only 10 seconds to Sundstedt, but Jeanson had plenty of time to raise one arm into the year in victory, which also put her into second place in the World Cup standings behind Ziliute.
Second placed Pia Sundstedt told Finnish newsagency FNB afterwards: "I am very happy with the result. The whole winter I have had the goal to be on the podium in this race." This is Sundstedt's fourth year as a pro, her second with Gas Sport where she is captain. Fleche Wallone is her most important race in the spring, a race that she thinks suits her, and she proved it today.
Importantly for Jeanson, it meant that she now automatically qualifies for the Canadian Olympic team, by finishing in the top eight twice in major races in the early part of the season. Other Canadians who have met this standard so far include Anne Samplonius, Lyne Bessette, Annie Gariepy and Alison Sydor. There are three spots available and the final selection will be made at the National Championships in Peterborough, July 13-16.
Karen Kurreck's report
Round 3 of the World Cup - Fleche Wallone - is in the small Belgian town of Huy. We do a course similar to, but not exactly the same as the men. Our finish is the same: the infamous 22% Mur de Huy. 19 teams from all over the world came to Belgium for 2-3 days. Our finish was timed to be about an hour before the men's, so spectators were plentiful.
We arrived in Belgium on Monday afternoon, and actually had cold but sunny weather for the first 2 days. Race day dawned however to gray skies and intermittent rain on the drive over from Liege where we stayed. I got out of the van at the start to go to the bathroom wearing every article of cycling clothing I had brought plus a winter parka. As my teeth chattered, I tried to remind myself I do this by choice... Speaking of the bathroom, it was in a bar at the start line and it was definitely the smallest bathroom I have ever been in. The toilet was so close to the wall in front of it that the only possible way to sit was sideways! I'm sure it had been that way for 100 years and would stay that way for a good long time, but I couldn't help wondering what the person who designed it was thinking at the time...
We staged on the start line about 15 min before the official start time and there must have been Italians on the organizing committee because the race actually left 5 min early. At least I think everyone was more or less ready - it was better than the Italian World Cup that left 10 min. before the official start time. There, some riders chased for 10km and some never even saw the race!
The sky was overcast, but no rain. It could go either way. Last year we were dry for about 10 km and then had snow. I had enough layers on for just about anything and was actually comfortable in the race. I put my helmet on over my hat in the van and the Russians laughed at me. Europeans wear hats for training and helments for racing. To wear both at the same time does not occur to them. We had a few drops of rain in the race but luckily nothing that amounted to anything and we even had periods of sunshine. The only real factor Mother Nature dealt us was a howling wind!
The course was almost entirely on narrow, winding roads with numerous climbs but none over 3km. Positioning was critical. The first climb was at 13 km and Canadian Genevieve Jeanson set a wicked pace up it that completely shattered the field. It was partly the pace and partly becuase a lot of strong riders were caught napping at the back early in the race. I know this because most of them passed me. I felt absolutely terrible and was ready to pack in the race after the first climb. I have been fighting a cold for the last couple of days. It has been frustrating - my training has been going well and I did some testing here at the Mapei center last week and my power levels were good, but it seems every time I race I am either sick or have mechanicals!
Anyway, after the climb, there were strong riders in every group and it was still early and we all came back together again for the most part. Genevieve had served notice however, that she was here to win. The pace slowed for a little bit and I was able to recover. I was feeling a bit hungry and ate a PowerGel - no easy feat with the peleton being blown around by the gusty winds. The Italian idea of eating the last meal 3 1/2 - 4 hrs before a race does not sit well with me - I get hungry half way through the race.
Soon Dream Team sent Vera, Zita and Zula to the front to drive up the pace. Maybe they were remembering last year when both Diana and Edita crashed in the first 20km. GAS lined up behind them and everyone was in the gutter for something like 15-20km. It was rolling hills and windy and hard but at least it was safer.
Around 60km, there was a climb of about 3 km that started out quite steep. The attacks started immediately and the group was shattered. Over the top, 2 small grouplets coaleased to form a break of 11 riders: Jeanson, Pia Sundstedt, A. Cappellotto, Priska Doppmann, Ziluite, Heidi Van de Vijver, Cindy Pieters, Jacinta Coleman, Fany Lecourtois, Nicole Brandli and Susanne Ljungskog. Our group chased for awhile, but it was too little too late. The strongest climbers on the strongest teams were gone for good. By the finish they had 2 min. over our group which was about 40 riders.
The finish is about 500m of a gradual climb, followed by a turn onto the Mur which is 800m long and gets steeper and steeper all the way up. Boubnenkova attacked at the bottom on our group, followed by a few others. Most people who attack at the bottom blow up in the last 300m, which is pretty much what happened. For me, it works better to do it as a climb and then a sprint. (If one can call 3mph "sprinting".) Tatiana Stiajkina attacked in the last 100m and I couldn't match her, but I was able to pass everyone else for 2nd in our group and 13th overall. This was 1 place lower than I got last year. Given the strength of the field and how lousy I felt the first half of the race, I suppose it was a respectable placing and I was ahead of a lot of strong riders, but it was not the result I was aiming for.
Meanwhile up front, Jeanson powered away on the final climb to win by 10 sec. over Pia Sundstedt. To those of us who saw Genevieve in Tour de Snowy, it was only a mild suprise. BTW, on this finish, 10 sec. is something like 5-6 bike lengths. Ziluite was 4th, thus solidifying her lead in the World Cup overall.
We headed down the hill after the finish to the showers which were not just cold, but ice cold! It just wouldn't be Fleche Wallone without a cold shower. Then it was back in the van for the 13 hr drive back to Italy.
Courtesy of racereport@vcnet.com
Results
1 Geneviève Jeanson (Can) Association Cycliste Canadienne 2.38.09 (34.52 km/h) 2 Pia Sundstedt (Fin) Gas Sport Team 0.10 3 Fany Lecourtois (Fra) Team Alfa Lum 0.23 4 Diana Ziliute (Ltu) Acca Due O - Lorena Camicie 0.37 5 Cindy Pieters (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002 Ladies Team 0.41 6 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Team Farm Frites-Hartol 0.42 7 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Master Team - Carpe Diem 0.45 8 Alessandra Cappellotto (Ita) Gas Sport Team 9 Nicole Brändli (Swi) Schweiz.Rad-Und Motorfahrer-Bund 0.47 10 Jacinta Coleman (NZl) Equipe Nürnberger 0.53 11 Heidi Van De Vijver (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002 Ladies Team 1.02 12 Tatiana Stiajkina (Ukr) Acca Due O - Lorena Camicie 2.21 13 Karen Kurreck (USA) Edilsavino 2.27 14 Joane Somarriba (Spa) Team Alfa Lum 2.28 15 Elisabeth Chevanne-Brunel (Fra) France 16 Svetlana Boubnenkova (Rus) Edilsavino 17 Ceris Gilfillan (GBr) British Cycling Federation 2.32 18 Aline Camboulives (Fra) France 19 Daniela Veronesi (Smr) Team Alfa Lum 2.34 20 Yvonne Brunen (Ned) Team Farm Frites-Hartol 2.37 21 Yuliya Murenka (Ukr) Ukraine 2.38 22 Simona Parente (Ita) Gas Sport Team 23 Magali Le Floc'h (Fra) France 2.43 24 Yvonne Mcgregor (GBr) British Cycling Federation 2.45 25 Vanessa Cheatley (NZl) Vlaanderen 2002 Ladies Team 2.47 26 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Team Alfa Lum 27 Oksana Saprykina (Ukr) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Box 2.49 28 Valentina Polkhanova (Rus) Edilsavino 2.52 29 Zinaida Stahurskaya (Blr) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Box 2.56 30 Leontien Zijlaard - Van Moorsel (Ned) Team Farm Frites-Hartol 31 Nataliya Kachalka (Ukr) Ukraine 2.58 32 Madeleine Lindberg (Swe) Team Farm Frites-Hartol 2.59 33 Fatima Blazquez (Spa) Team Alfa Lum 3.02 34 Roberta Bonanomi (Ita) Gas Sport Team 35 Zita Urbonaite (Ltu) Acca Due O - Lorena Camicie 3.07 36 Géraldine Loewenguth (Fra) France 37 Natalia Kishchuk (Ukr) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Box 3.14 38 Svetlana Samokhvalova (Rus) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Box 3.17 39 Susan Carter (GBr) British Cycling Federation 40 Erika Scherlti (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger 41 Jacqueline Brabenetz (Ger) Allemagne 3.18 42 Giovanna Troldi (Ita) Edilsavino 43 Maryline Salvetat (Fra) France 44 Zoulfia Zabirova (Rus) Acca Due O - Lorena Camicie 3.22 45 Marion Clignet (Fra) Acca Due O - Lorena Camicie 46 Iryna Chuzhynova (Ukr) Ukraine 3.26 47 Marcia Eicher-Vouets (Swi) Master Team - Carpe Diem 48 Luisiana Pegoraro (Ita) Gas Sport Team 3.42 49 Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (Ger) Allemagne 50 Gabriela Pregnolato (Ita) Gas Sport Team 3.48 51 Lada Kozlikova (Cze) Federation Tcheque De Cyclisme 4.06 52 Kerstin Scheitle (Ger) Allemagne 4.30 53 Chantalle Gehrig (Ger) Allemagne 5.09 54 Vanja Vonckx (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002 Ladies Team 5.46 55 Katia Longhin (Ita) Master Team - Carpe Diem 5.51 56 Laurence Restoin (Fra) France 5.52 57 Véronique Belleter (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002 Ladies Team 5.59 58 Cindy Bauwens (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002 Ladies Team 6.17 59 Vera Hohlfeld (Ger) Acca Due O - Lorena Camicie 6.30 60 Sandra Rombouts (Ned) Koninklijke Nederlandsche Wielren Unie 7.11 61 Edith Klep (Ned) Koninklijke Nederlandsche Wielren Unie 7.39 62 Sonja Van Kuik (Ned) Koninklijke Nederlandsche Wielren Unie 8.05 63 Leigh Hobson (Can) Association Cycliste Canadienne 8.22 64 Valentyna Karpenko (Ukr) Ukraine 8.43 65 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Master Team - Carpe Diem 8.54 66 Silvia Parietti (Ita) Edilsavino 9.07 67 Alexandra Koliasseva (Rus) Team Alfa Lum 9.24 68 Darnelle Moore (Can) Association Cycliste Canadienne 9.24 69 Sarah Symington (GBr) British Cycling Federation 9.42 70 Megan Hughes (GBr) British Cycling Federation 71 Gitana Gruodyte (Ltu) La Rosa Dei Venti 9.47 72 Claudia Saintagne (Bra) Ukraine 9.52 73 Clarisssa Breuer (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger 9.55 74 Veerle Ingels (Bel) Royale Ligue Velocipedique Belge 75 Sandra Wampfler (Swi) Schweiz.Rad-Und Motorfahrer-Bund 76 Marion Brauen (Swi) Schweiz.Rad-Und Motorfahrer-Bund 10.02 77 Janildes Silva (Bra) Ukraine 10.06 78 Emma Davies (GBr) British Cycling Federation 10.18 79 Francis Linthorst (Ned) Koninklijke Nederlandsche Wielren Unie 10.26 80 Anna-Sophia Czilwik (Ger) Allemagne 10.30 81 Rikke Sandhoj Olsen (Den) Team Farm Frites-Hartol 10.34 82 Tania Belvederesi (Ita) Master Team - Carpe Diem 10.35 83 Debby Mansveld (Ned) Team Farm Frites-Hartol 10.39 84 Tina Liebig (Ger) Allemagne 10.47 85 Janneke Vos (Ned) Koninklijke Nederlandsche Wielren Unie 12.41 86 Amy Jarvis (Can) Association Cycliste Canadienne 13.47 87 Julia Bradley (Can) Association Cycliste Canadienne 14.13 88 Diana Rast (Swi) Schweiz.Rad-Und Motorfahrer-Bund 17.02 89 Marika Murer (Swi) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Box 17.09 90 Sonia Rocca (Ita) Edilsavino 17.12 91 Ann Roegiers (Bel) Royale Ligue Velocipedique Belge 17.18 92 Denise Baumann (Swi) Schweiz.Rad-Und Motorfahrer-Bund 17.31 93 Anna Farina (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Box 17.42 94 Lensy Debboudt (Bel) Royale Ligue Velocipedique Belge 17.46 95 Areke Hassink (Ned) Koninklijke Nederlandsche Wielren Unie 17.53
World Cup Standings after round 3:
1 Diana Ziliute (Ltu) Acca Due O - Lorena Camicie 105 Pts 2 Geneviève Jeanson (Can) Association Cycliste Canadienne 75 3 Anna Wilson (Aus) Saturn Cycling Team 75 4 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Dutch National Team 59 5 Pia Sundstedt (Fin) Gas Sport Team 54 6 Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (Ger) Allemagne 50 7 Mirella Van Melis (Ned) Dutch National Team 50 8 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Master Team - Carpe Diem 39 9 Fany Lecourtois (Fra) Team Alfa Lum 35 10 Giovanna Troldi (Ita) Edilsavino 35 11 Cindy Pieters (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002 Ladies Team 34 12 Jacinta Coleman (NZl) Equipe Nürnberger 34 13 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Team Farm Frites-Hartol 32 14 Heidi Van De Vijver (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002 Ladies Team 31 15 Yvonne Brunen (Ned) Team Farm Frites-Hartol 31 16 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Master Team - Carpe Diem 30 17 Hayley Rutherford (Aus) Australian National Team 27 18 Chantal Beltman (Ned) Dutch National Team 27 19 Anne Samplonius (Can) Canadian National Team 24 20 Bridget Evans (Aus) Master Team - Carpe Diem 21 21 Alessandra Cappellotto (Ita) Gas Sport Team 18 22 Karen Kurreck (USA) Edilsavino 18 23 Nicole Brändli (Swi) Schweiz.Rad-Und Motorfahrer-Bund 16 24 Joane Somarriba (Spa) Team Alfa Lum 16 25 Tatiana Stiajkina (Ukr) Acca Due O - Lorena Camicie 15 26 Susy Pryde (NZl) Saturn Cycling Team 15 27 Monica Valen (Nor) Norwegian National Team 15 28 Marion Clignet (Fra) Acca Due O - Lorena Camicie 11 29 Katie Mactier (Aus) Jayco/VIS 11 30 Sara Felloni (Ita) Team Alfa Lum 10 31 Sandy Espeseth (Can) Canadian National Team 9 32 Margaret Hemsley (Aus) Australian National Team 8 33 Erin Carter (Can) Canadian National Team 7 34 Elisabeth Chevanne-Brunel (Fra) France 6 35 Miho Oki (Jpn) Japanese National Team 6 36 Svetlana Boubnenkova (Rus) Edilsavino 5 37 Rosalind Reekie May (NZl) New Zealand National Team 5 38 Ceris Gilfillan (GBr) British Cycling Federation 4 39 Marielle Van Scheppingen (Ned) Dutch National Team 4 40 Aline Camboulives (Fra) France 3 41 Simona Parente (Ita) Gas Sport Team 3 42 Elisabeth Tadich (Aus) Jayco/VIS 3 43 Daniela Veronesi (Smr) Team Alfa Lum 2 44 Ragnhild Kostöl (Nor) Norwegian National Team 2 45 Kim Shirley (Aus) Australian National Team 2 46 Tracey Gaudry (Aus) Timex Team 1