11th Giro del Piave Feminile - 1.9.1

Italy, May 14, 2000

Sundstedt takes out 11th Piave

Courtesy of James Victor

Pia Sunstedt (Fin, GAS Sport Team) rode solo for most of today to take out the Giro del Piave in the mountainous 'Belluno' region of northern Italy.

On a classic one day circuit that had everything from climbing, to narrow streets through mountain villages, Sunstedt opened a commanding lead on the first of 5 climbs, and continued to ride away from the field.

Team-mate Fabiana Luperini and Daniela Veronesi (San Marino, ALFA LUM team) were together for most of the race, battling hard for 2nd place, with the bunch dwindling behind and losing significant time on each of the finishing circuits to a confident Sunstedt.

Australia's Tracey Gaudry, who joins the national team from her Timex team commitments, for a week of racing in Europe, was the best of the Australians, and at the latter part of the race was solo on the road for 4th place. The main group caught Tracey with about 20km remaining, but she was still determined to try again before the finish.

On the final climb, a group of 7 riders went clear from the main bunch, with Tracey losing contact towards the top and only able to regain one of the riders before the finish to come in 11th.

Sara Carrigan showed a lot of determination to bridge a 40 sec. gap to Tracey's group midway through the race, to lose contact in the last 20km, and come in a creditable 23rd. Alison Wright was the only other Australian classified in 31st.

Next Friday starts the Giro del Trentino, ranked as a category 1 UCI tour, with Sunstedt the defending champion. With her GAS Team's performances today, certainly a team to watch next weekend.

Results

1 Pia Sundstedt (Fin) Gas Sport Team                3.06.30 (34.97 km/h)
2 Daniela Veronesi (Smr) Team Alfa Lum R.S.M.          2.26
3 Fabiana Luperini (Ita) Gas Sport Team             
4 Alessandra Cappellotto (Ita) Gas Sport Team          4.47
5 Simona Parente (Ita) Gas Sport Team           
6 Priska Doppmann (Sui) Master Team-Carpe Diem       
7 Lucia Pizzolotto (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox       
8 Joane Somarriba Arrola (Esp) Team Alfa Lum R.S.M.             
9 C. Gilfellan (GBr)  British National team          
10 Fany Lecourtois (Fra) Team Alfa Lum R.S.M.      
11 Tracy Gaudry (Aus) A.I.S. Australia/Timex           6.37
...
19 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Team Alfa Lum R.S.M.         
21 Jacinta Coleman (NZl) Team Nürnberger               7.12
22 Marion Clignet (Fra) Acca Due O-Lorena Camicie          
23 Sara Carrigan (Aus)  A.I.S. Australia               9.02
31 Alison Wright (Aus)  A.I.S. Australia              14.00

DNF Liz Tadich (Aus) A.I.S. Australia
DNF Kristy Scrymgeour (Aus) A.I.S. Australia

Past Winners

1989 Maria Canins (Ita) 
1990 Maria Canins (Ita) 
1991 Elisabetta Guazzaroni (Ita) 
1992 Maria Turcutto (Ita) 
1993 Fabiana Luperini (Ita) 
1994 Kathryn Watt (Aus)
1996 Fabiana Luperini (Ita) 
1997 Luisiana Pegoraro (Ita) 
1998 Greta Zocca (Ita) 
1999 Karen Kurreck (USA)00