16th Tour de l'Aude - 2.9.1

France, May 5-14, 2000

Main Page    Anna Wilson's report    Results

Prologue - May 5: Gruissan ITT, 3 km

Kupfernagel takes the first jersey

A short prologue in Gruissan saw former World number one, Hanka Kupfernagel take the lead in the 16th Tour de l'Aude. Kupfernagel, riding for her own team averaged over 43 km/h on the 3 kilometre circuit, beating three Saturn riders: Clara Hughes (Can), Anna Wilson (Aus) and Petra Rossner (Ger).

The race has a field of 13 teams of 75 riders, and starts in earnest tomorrow with a 128 kilometre stage from Lézignan-Corbières to Lézignan-Corbières.

Anna Wilson's report

This evening the Tour de l'Aude began. It is an 11 day race in the south of France. Today was the prologue - a 3 km individual time trial on a very interesting course. The back stretch of the course involved a zig zag along the beach front - with about 20 corners within the space of 1500 metres. The final kilometre was straight and fast, with a tail-wind.

My team was very motivated for the time trial: Clara Hughes in particular was keen to improve on her second place from last year and we were keen to have Petra Rossner finish close to the winner so that if she wins the stage tomorrow and picks up a time bonus, she can take over the lead of the tour and the yellow jersey. Unfortunately for us, Hanka Kupfernagel blasted around the course in 4 mins 11seconds, beating Clara's time by only 4 tenths of a second. So Clara was close but had to settle for second place. Petra and myself battled over third position with me beating Petra to it by about one tenth of a second. We both rode the course in 4 mins 16 seconds. I am not sure of the other positions.

So a good start to the tour for us. Tomorrow we race 128km over a couple of climbs but nothing too serious.

Results

1. Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) Radteam Kupfernagel         4.11
2. Clara Hughes (Can) Saturn Cycling Team
3. Anna Wilson (Aus) Saturn Cycling Team               0.05
4. Petra Rossner (Ger) Saturn Cycling Team
5. Sandy Espeseth (Can) Mixte 1 Canada/Australia       0.09
6. Ina Teutenberg (Ger) Germany                        0.10
7. Maryline Salvetat (Fra) France
8. Lyne Bessette (Can) Saturn Cycling Team             0.11
9. Géraldine Loewenguth (Fra) France
10. Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Netherlands                  0.13
11. Diana Ziliute (Ltu) Lituania
12. Annie Gariepy (Can) Mixte 1 Canada/Australia
13. Heidi Van De Vijver (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002          0.14
14. Aline Camboulives (Fra) France
15. Lada Kozlikova (Cze) Radteam Kupfernagel
16. Madeleine Lindberg (Swe) Mixte 2 Farm Frites/Timex 0.15
17. Olga Slioussareva (Rus) Russie
18. Tatiana Stiajkina (Ukr) Ukraine
19. Chantal Beltman (Ned) Netherlands
20. Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Mixte 2 Farm Frites/Timex  0.16
21. Juanita Feldhahn (Aus) Mixte 1 Canada/Australia
22. Tetyana Andrushchenko (Ukr) Ukraine
23. Zoulfia Zabirova (Rus) Russia
24. Deirdre Barry-Demet (USA) Saturn Cycling Team
25. Nataliya Kachalka (Ukr) Ukraine                    0.17
26. Leah Goldstein (Can) Mixte 1 Canada/Australia
27. Ghita Beltman (Ned) Netherlands                    0.18
28. Kerstin Scheitle (Ger) Germany
29. Arenda Grimberg (Ned) Netherlands
30. Leigh Hobson (Can) Mixte 1 Canada/Australia
31. Marcia Eicher-Vouets (Swi) Master Team Carpe Diem
32. Samanta Loschi (Ita) Master Team Carpe Diem        0.19
33. Magali Le Floc'h (Fra) France                      0.20
34. Elisabeth Chevanne-Brunel (Fra) France             0.21
35. Zita Urbonaite (Ltu) Lituania
36. Valetyna Karpenko (Ukr) Ukraine
37. Cybil Di Guistini (Can) Mixte 1 Canada/Australia
38. Mirella Van Melis (Ned) Netherlands
39. Cindy Pieters (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002
40. Rasa Mazeikyte (Ltu) Team Aliverti Immobili        0.22
41. Vera Hohlfeld (Ger) Germany
42. Svetlana Boubnenkova (Rus) Russia
43. Judith Arndt (Ger) Germany                         0.23
44. Yvonne Brunen (Ned) Mixte 2 Farm Frites/Timex
45. Vanessa Cheatley (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002
46. Yuliya Murenka (Ukr) Ukraine                       0.24
47. Svetlana Samokhvalova (Rus) Russia
48. Marianna Lorenzoni (Ita) Team Aliverti Immobili    0.25
49. Vanja Vonckx (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002
50. Daphny Van Den Brand (Ned) Radteam Kupfernagel     0.27
51. Jolanta Polikeviciute (Ltu) Lituania
52. Valentina Polkhanova (Rus) Russia
53. Meike De Bruijn (Ned) Radteam Kupfernagel          0.28
54. Cindy Bauwens (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002
55. Ita Kryjanovskaïa (Rus) Radteam Kupfernagel
56. Rita Narbutyte (Ltu) Lituania
57. Tania Belvederesi (Ita) Master Team Carpe Diem     0.30
58. Laurence Restoin (Fra) France
59. Natalia Iouganiouk (Ukr) Ukraine
60. Angela Hillenga (Ned) Netherlands                  0.32
61. Kristina Obrucova (Cze) Team Aliverti Immobili
62. Sanna Lehtimaki (Fin) Mixte 2 Farm Frites/Timex    0.33
63. Cornélia Dreher (Ger) Germany                      0.34
64. Sharon Van Essen (Ned) Mixte 2 Farm Frites/Timex   0.35
65. Claudia Marietta (Ita) Master Team Carpe Diem
66. Goulnara Ivanova (Rus) Russia
67. Erika Vilunaite (Ltu) Lituania                     0.36
68. Veronique Belleter (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002           0.38
69. Paola Bresolin (Ita) Master Team Carpe Diem
70. Rasa Polikeviciute (Ltu) Lituania                  0.39
71. Rikke Olsen (Den) Mixte 2 Farm Frites/Timex        0.40
72. Sandra Missbach (Ger) Radteam Kupfernagel          0.42
73. Kym Shirley (Can) Saturn Cycling Team              0.44
74. Valentina Poli (Ita) Team Aliverti Immobili        0.51
75. Jacqueline  Brabenetz (Ger) Germany                1.00

Points:
1. Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) Radteam Kupfernagel        10 pts
2. Clara Hughes (Can) Saturn Cycling Team              9
3. Anna Wilson (Aus) Saturn Cycling Team               8
4. Petra Rossner (Ger) Saturn Cycling Team             7
5. Sandy Espeseth (Can) Mixte 1 Canada/Australia       6
6. Ina Teutenberg (Ger) Germany                        5
7. Maryline Salvetat (Fra) France                      4
8. Lyne Bessette (Can) Saturn Cycling Team             3
9. Géraldine Loewenguth (Fra) France                   2
10. Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Netherlands                  1

Teams:

1 Saturn Cycling Team        12.43
2 France                      0.25
3 Mixte 1 Canada/Australia    0.28
4 Radteam Kupfernagel         0.31
5 Netherlands                 0.36
6 Ukraine                     0.38
7 Germany                     0.40
8 Russia                      0.43
9 Mixte 2 Farm Frites/Timex   0.44
10 Vlaanderen 2002 Lady       0.48
11 Lituania                   0.51
12 Master Team Carpe Diem     0.57
13 Team Aliverti Immobilia    1.09