Interreg Dreiländer Damen-Tour - 2.9.2Austria, August 1 - 5, 2001The Stages
Stage 1 - Deutschlandberg - Deutschlandberg, 95 kmReportBy Jon Miles, Team Letchworth Starting outside the Town Hall, the race started in weather that was to follow the race all week, with blazing sun and 35 degrees. Julie Hooper (Team Letchworth), started the race but the sickness she had been feeling all week proved too much and she was the first casualty after 5 kilometres to retire soon after. At 16 kms the race passed through the village of Pistorf and that was the feeling of Sarah Duster (Charlotenburg), whose chain came off but she was back in the bunch after 1 km. Attacks came with Doreen Weise (German National team) the first but she was soon caught. At 41 kms the first of the counting climbs, a kilometre long smooth climb but already 8 riders found the going tough and they were dropped. Over the top of the climb and 5 riders attacked but again were caught. At 64 kms the second of the climbs wound its way through a forest, very steep which again did damage at the back; over the top there were four groups on the road. With 75 kms covered three riders got away from the vigilant bunch; Swedish Champion Jenny Algelid, Valentyna Karpenko (Ciegi) and Tina Liebig (Nurnberger). A Swiss rider collapsed on the grass with cramp but the leaders were increasing their gap until with 6 kms remaining it was 55 seconds. Under the red kite and Algelid attacked and rode clear but was caught just before the line when Karpenko eased around to win the stage. Results
1 Valentyna Karpenko (Ukr) Ciegi Professional Team 2.27.05 2 Tina Liebig (Ger) German National Team 3 Jenny Algelid (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger 4 Isabella Wiesser (Aut) Austrian National Team 0.54 5 Andrea Purner (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger 6 Kerstin Scheitle (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger 7 Trixi Worrack (Ger) German National Team 12 Joanne Cavill (GBr) Team Letchworth 13 Sara Dean (GBr) Team Letchworth 60 Nicola Bedwell (GBr) Team Letchworth 9.23 61 Susan O'Mara (GBr) Team Letchworth Stage 2 - August 2: St.Stephan - Stainz, 113 kmReportBy Jon Miles, Team Letchworth A pretty stage with rolling long roads and through forests but again it was 35 degrees that faced the riders. The first casualty was Katherina Kampits (Austria National Team) with a puncture but with 3 teammates waiting for her, she was soon back in the race. With 102 kilometres covered the first major climb of the day was reached after the road went up for 10 kms. The climb wound through the forest with Tatjiana Stiajkina (Ciegi) the first over the line and then it was a swoop for 5 kms to the finish when again it was Stiajkina who was first over the line closely followed by ex-Junior World Champion Trixi Worrack. Results
1 Tatjana Stiajkina (Ukr) Ciegi Professional Team 3.13.19 2 Trixi Worrack (Ger) German National Team 0.02 3 Valentyna Karpenko (Ukr) Ciegi Professional Team 4 Jenny Algelid (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger 5 Andrea Purner (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger 0.04 6 Tina Liebig (Ger) German National Team 22 Joanne Cavill (GBr) Team Letchworth 0.34 32 Sara Dean (GBr) Team Letchworth 42 Nicola Bedwell (GBr) Team Letchworth 0.52 44 Susan O'Mara (GBr) Team Letchworth 1.30 General classificaiton after stage 2 1 Valentina Karpenko (Ukr) Ciegi Professional CT 5.40.14 2 Jenny Algelid (Swe) Nürnberger 0.10 3 Tina Liebig (Ger) German National Team Stage 3 - Pesnica - Pesnica (Slovenia), 93.8 kmReportBy Jon Miles, Team Letchworth This was probably the hardest stage in a race for women that I have seen, made all the worst by the temperature which was measured at 37 degrees. Crossing the border when all the race convoy had their passports inspected; the race started in the main square of the Slovenian town with the roads very lumpy but a shock was to come at 12 kms covered when the riders had to cover 1 kilometre of road with no tarmac surface, just a huge road with stone, gravel and dirt covering, reminding one of the old photos of the Tour de France from the 30's. Surprisingly only 5 riders punctured and none came off; Karpenko was one of the puncture victims but with 4 teammates waiting she soon got back on. The mountain climb was at 10% and 1 km long - after the line was crossed the road continued to go up for a further 5 kms! For the second time in the day the race crossed the same unmade road and now there were 6 groups on the road; a very hard stage. 3 riders punctured this time. With 44 kilometres covered Afke Syjm (Westland - Holland), crashed and badly cut her leg but she was soon on her bike, and all before a small climb. Water was at a premium with riders taking 4 bottles from team cars to finish the stage. 58 kms covered and the second of the mountain climbs was tackled with Petra Pilz (RCU Charly Sport), winning. At 82 kilometres Angela Brodtka (German National Team), Jenny Algelid and Karpenko again attacked and left the field but they dangled for a long time out front never gaining more than 15 seconds. 2 kms later they were joined by Theresa Senff (German National team), but they were also caught with just 2 kms remaining. With 4 kms to the finish came the final climb which was really brutal, steep and winding with a fast descent through a tunnel and then a right hand bend; Irene Hostettler (Team Next) and Olga Hayeva (Eurocycling), did not make it all around and they crashed at speed. Hostettler carried onto the finish but after crossing the line collapsed, was given oxygen and taken to hospital - these riders are a tough bunch! Results
1 Trixi Worrack (Ger) German National Team 2.47.30 2 Jenny Algelid (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger 3 Valentyna Karpenko (Ukr) Ciegi Professional Team 0.14 4 Tina Liebig (Ger) German National Team 5 Theresa Senff (Ger) German National Team 18 Sara Dean (GBr) Team Letchworth 0.35 22 Nicola Bedwell (GBr) Team Letchworth 32 Joanne Cavill (GBr) Team Letchworth 61 Susan O'Mara (GBr) Team Letchworth 15.17 General classification after stage 3 1 Jenny Algelid (Swe) Nürnberger 2 Valentina Karpenkov (Ukr) Ciegi Professional CT 3 Tina Liebig (Ger) German National Team 4 Trixi Worrack (Ger) German National Team 5 Tatjana Stiajkina (Ukr) Alfa Lum RSM Stage 4 - August 4: Ebiswald - Ebiswald, 119 kmReportBy Jon Miles, Team Letchworth Again it was very hot but the race started in perhaps the prettiest village in Austria which was a compensation. In the heat the bunch stayed together until the first climb at 33 kms with 15 riders losing contact; Brodtka attacked soon after but was brought back. The next climb came at 53 kms and over the top 8 riders escaped but after 1 km they were caught; 3 kilometres later another attack by two riders Youlia Razenkova - Eurocycling and Chantelle Gehrig - Equipe Nurnberger; they stayed away until the sprint but were then joined by Weiser and Christine Becker . At 89 kms 6 more riders got away, with 95 kilometres Liane Bahler - German National Team, crashed at a traffic island and was badly grazed and cut but with team mate Brodtka she got back to the bunch although minus a lot of skin from her thigh. The leaders were now 8 in number and with the tactics of the top teams and the heat, their lead increased to a maximum of 3 mins 30 secs and by the finish this increased to 4 mins 25 secs with Karpenko winning her second stage
Results1 Valentyna Karpenko (Ukr) Ciegi Professional Team 3.16.50 2 Tina Liebig (Ger) German National Team 3 Jenny Algelid (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger 4 Theresa Senff (Ger) German National Team 0.02 5 Anna Skawinska (Pol) Polish National Team 0.04 16 Joanne Cavill (GBr) Team Letchworth 4.36 34 Sara Dean (GBr) Team Letchworth 35 Nicola Bedwell (GBr) Team Letchworth 50 Susan O'Mara (GBr) Team Letchworth 23.17 General classification after stage 4 1 Valentina Karpenko (Ukr) Ciegi Professional Team 11.44.30 2 Jenny Algelid (Swe) Equipe Nürnberger 0.01 3 Tina Liebig (Ger) TEAG Team Euregio 0.20 Stage 5 - August 5: Deutschlandsberg - Burg, 97 kmReportAt last the sky was overcast but still hot. A day of attacking and a super day for Team Letchworth; with 16 kms covered an group of 6 riders escaped including Joanne Cavill - Team Letchworth, Liane Bahler - German National Team, Annette Beutler -Swiss National Team, Tetyana Andrushchenko - Ciegi Professional Team (Ukraine), Kerstin Scheitle - Nurnberger, Janneke Vos - Westland (Holland) and gradually their lead increased, 15 seconds - 35 secs - 3 minutes, until a maximum of 5 mins 20 seconds at 65 kilometres covered. At the 69 km point Susan O'Mara punctured and after a long chase of some 7 kilometres she was back in the bunch. With 5 kilometres to the hardest climb of the whole race, the infamous Burg which was lined by hundreds of spectators, the gap was now down to 2 mins 30 secs and riders decided to cease working. The leaders reached the bottom of the hill which was 18% with 10 bends that snaked up to a castle - in past years riders have actually fallen off on this climb as they lost impetus ! The lead was almost wiped out as the leading rider of the chasers caught the tail of the leading group on the incredible climb but at last the line was in sight with Joanne Cavill taking a wonderful 6th place. Meanwhile at the bottom of the climb O'Mara had again got wheel trouble and this time it was a broken spoke; with the new wheel in she could not get beyond the 19 sprocket when what was need was a 25 sprocket so it was a long struggle up the hill for her. Results
1 Kerstin Scheitle (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger 2.40.14 2 Liane Bahler (Ger) German National Team 0.02 3 Tetyana Andrushchenko Ciegi Professional Team 0.18 4 Annette Beutler Swiss National Team 0.48 5 Tatjana Stiajkina (Ukr) Ciegi Professional Team 6 Joanne Cavill (GBr) Team Letchworth 0.58 32 Sara Dean (GBr) Team Letchworth 1.50 41 Nicola Bedwell (GBr) Team Letchworth 2.13 65 Susan O'Mara (GBr) Team Letchworth 3.57 Final general classification 1 Valentyna Karpenko (Ukr) Ciegi Professional Team 14.25.47 2 Jenny Algelid (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger 0.01 3 Tina Liebig (Ger) German National Team 0.20 4 Tatjana Stiajkina (Ukr) Ciegi Professional Team 1.05 5 Theresa Senff (Ger) German National Team 2.08 6 Anna Skawinska (Pol) Polish National Team 2.27 7 Sarah Duster RC Charlottenburg Berlin 2.51 8 Beatka Jasinska (Pol) Polish National Team 3.25 9 Trixi Worrack (Ger) German National Team 5.33 10 Kerstin Scheitle (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger 18 Joanne Cavill (GBr) Team Letchworth 7.28 21 Sara Dean (GBr) Team Letchworth 7.46 40 Nicola Bedwell (GBr) Team Letchworth 16.52 55 Susan O'Mara (GBr) Team Letchworth 52.36 Courtesy of www.cykelnytt.press.se/Jon Miles (Team Letchworth) |