Grande Boucle Féminine Internationale - 2.9.1

France, August 3-17, 2003

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Stage 12 - August 15: Trélazé - Gorron, 126 km

Two for Zabirova

By Kristy Scrymgeour

Two for Zabirova
Photo: © AFP

Zoulfia Zabirova (Road Runner - Guerciotti Cycling Team) won her second stage of the 2003 Grande Boucle Feminin today in her usual style of a late break away. Despite a strong chase and a very close finish, she managed to just hold off the bunch on the line.

On the second cooler day of the tour, the 126km stage from Trélazé to Gorron saw the Colnago team and Road Runner setting a fast pace on the front. The temperature was pleasant and a tailwind made for perfect conditions, with the roads slightly wet towards the end of the race. A few attacks went early, but the pace set by Colnago and Road Runner was too high for anything to stay away.

Later in the race Sigrid Corneo (Road Runner - Guerciotti Cycling Team) managed to get a convincing gap but was later chased down with 10km remaining in the race, the move then being countered by Madeleine Lindberg (Nurnberger). As Lindberg was caught Zabirova attacked, and immediately the peloton knew that this could be the winning move. Lindberg and Katrina Grove (Team S.A.T.S) attempted to bridge to her with no success and they were caught by the bunch in the very final stages of the race. Nurnberger had their team lead out ready for yesterday's winner Petra Rossner as the bunch was beginning to reel in Zabirova.

In the sprint Rossner almost caught Zabirova on the line, but didn't quite get past her and Zabirova won the stage from Rossner and Alison Wright (Road Runner - Guerciotti Cycling Team). Tour leader, Joane Somarriba Arrola (Bizkaia Panda Spiuk Sabeco), finished safely in 18th place and extended her lead over Nicole Brandli to 2'05, courtesy of an intermediate sprint win. Somarriba will wear the yellow jersey going into the time trial tomorrow and her lead is surely enough to allow her to keep the jersey after the time trial, but look for riders such as Judith Arndt (Nurnberger) who is sitting in fifth place, 39" behind Fabiana Luperini (Team 2002 Aurora RSM).

Photography

Images by AFP Photo

World Champion Susanne Ljungskog (Powerplate-Bik) in action during stage 12 of La Grande Boucle Feminine
Zoulfia Zabirova (Road Runner) crosses the line ahead of Petra Rossner (Nurnberger) and Alison Wright (Road Runner) to win stage 12

Results

1 Zoulfia Zabirova (Rus) Road Runner - Guerciotti Cycling Team      3.10.42
2 Petra Rossner (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung                       
3 Alison Wright (Aus) Road Runner - Guerciotti Cycling Team                
4 Mette Andreasen Fischer (Den) Team S.A.T.S                               
5 Anita Valen (Nor) Bik-Powerplate                                         
6 Olga Zabelinskaia (Rus) Velodames-Colnago                                
7 Erika Vilunaite (Ltu) Prato Marathon Bike                                
8 Francesca Castrucci (Ita) Prato Marathon Bike                            
9 Luisa Tamanini (Ita) Team 2002 Aurora RSM                                
10 Corinne Sempe (Fra) French National Team                                
11 Nadia Triquet (Fra) French National Team                                
12 Nicole Brändli (Swi) Prato Marathon Bike                                
13 Madeleine Lindberg (Swe) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung                 
14 Tatiana Stiajkina (Ukr) Velodames-Colnago                               
15 Katrina Grove (USA) Team S.A.T.S                                        
16 Sylvie Riedle (Fra) Les Pruneaux d'Agen                                 
17 Azucena Sanchez (Spa) Team Catalunya-Aliverti-Kookai                    
18 Joane Somarriba Arrola (Spa) Bizkaia Panda Spiuk Sabeco                 
19 Helen Kelly (Aus) Team S.A.T.S                                          
20 Karine Dalmais (Fra) French National Team                               
21 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox                  
22 Judith Arndt (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung                       
23 Jolanta Polikeviciute (Ltu) Team 2002 Aurora RSM                        
24 Ioulia Martissova (Rus) Bizkaia Panda Spiuk Sabeco                      
25 Elisabeth Chevanne Brunel (Fra) Les Pruneaux d'Agen                     
26 Eneritz Iturriaga (Spa) Team 2002 Aurora RSM                            
27 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Bik-Powerplate                                  
28 Lisbeth Simper (Den) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox                     
29 Emma James (Aus) Les Pruneaux d'Agen                                    
30 Fabiana Luperini (Ita) Team 2002 Aurora RSM                             
31 Francis Linthorst (Ned) Bik-Powerplate                              0.08
32 Cristina Alcalde Huertanos (Spa) Bizkaia Panda Spiuk Sabeco             
33 Marianna Lorenzoni (Ita) Team Catalunya-Aliverti-Kookai                 
34 Giovanna Troldi (Ita) Les Pruneaux d'Agen                               
35 Iosune Murillo Elkano (Spa) Bizkaia Panda Spiuk Sabeco                  
36 Letizia Giardinelli (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox                
37 Trine Hansen (Den) Team S.A.T.S                                         
38 Meredith Miller (USA) Team S.A.T.S                                      
39 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Road Runner - Guerciotti Cycling Team               
40 Montserrat Alonso Bernal (Spa) Team Catalunya-Aliverti-Kookai           
41 Irene Puccioni (Ita) Prato Marathon Bike                                
42 Christina Peick Andersen (Den) Team S.A.T.S                             
43 Birgit Söllner (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung                     
44 Nataliya Kachalka (Ukr) Team 2002 Aurora RSM                            
45 Kirsty Robb (NZl) Bik-Powerplate                                        
46 Ghita Beltman (Ned) Bizkaia Panda Spiuk Sabeco                          
47 Sabrina Emmasi (Ita) Prato Marathon Bike                                
48 Rasa Polikeviciute (Ltu) Team 2002 Aurora RSM                           
49 Margaret Hemsley (Aus) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung               0.20
50 Magalie Finot Laivier (Fra) French National Team                    3.40
DNS Youlia Razenkova (Rus) Velodames-Colnago
 
General classification after stage 12
 
1 Joane Somarriba Arrola (Spa) Bizkaia Panda Spiuk Sabeco          33.25.30
2 Nicole Brändli (Swi) Prato Marathon Bike                             2.05
3 Fabiana Luperini (Ita) Team 2002 Aurora RSM                          3.44
4 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox               6.14
5 Judith Arndt (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung                    6.53
6 Olga Zabelinskaia (Rus) Velodames-Colnago                            9.24
7 Jolanta Polikeviciute (Ltu) Team 2002 Aurora RSM                    10.51
8 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Bik-Powerplate                              10.55
9 Eneritz Iturriaga (Spa) Team 2002 Aurora RSM                        20.27
10 Rasa Polikeviciute (Ltu) Team 2002 Aurora RSM                      22.52
11 Marianna Lorenzoni (Ita) Team Catalunya-Aliverti-Kookai            28.00
12 Luisa Tamanini (Ita) Team 2002 Aurora RSM                          28.32
13 Katrina Grove (USA) Team S.A.T.S                                   29.32
14 Nataliya Kachalka (Ukr) Team 2002 Aurora RSM                       39.37
15 Tatiana Stiajkina (Ukr) Velodames-Colnago                          42.19
16 Elisabeth Chevanne Brunel (Fra) Les Pruneaux d'Agen                45.01
17 Anita Valen (Nor) Bik-Powerplate                                   46.57
18 Emma James (Aus) Les Pruneaux d'Agen                               51.47
19 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Road Runner - Guerciotti Cycling Team          56.18
20 Ioulia Martissova (Rus) Bizkaia Panda Spiuk Sabeco                 59.09
21 Zoulfia Zabirova (Rus) Road Runner - Guerciotti Cycling Team       59.58
22 Lisbeth Simper (Den) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox              1.01.05
23 Karine Dalmais (Fra) French National Team                        1.09.11
24 Nadia Triquet (Fra) French National Team                         1.11.08
25 Margaret Hemsley (Aus) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung            1.23.47
26 Mette Andreasen Fischer (Den) Team S.A.T.S                       1.50.17
27 Giovanna Troldi (Ita) Les Pruneaux d'Agen                        1.55.06
28 Birgit Söllner (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung              2.00.07
29 Ghita Beltman (Ned) Bizkaia Panda Spiuk Sabeco                   2.07.27
30 Corinne Sempe (Fra) French National Team                         2.07.58
31 Erika Vilunaite (Ltu) Prato Marathon Bike                        2.12.02
32 Trine Hansen (Den) Team S.A.T.S                                  2.18.45
33 Francis Linthorst (Ned) Bik-Powerplate                           2.20.49
34 Alison Wright (Aus) Road Runner - Guerciotti Cycling Team        2.22.42
35 Magalie Finot Laivier (Fra) French National Team                 2.23.10
36 Meredith Miller (USA) Team S.A.T.S                               2.23.59
37 Sabrina Emmasi (Ita) Prato Marathon Bike                         2.26.38
38 Francesca Castrucci (Ita) Prato Marathon Bike                    2.26.57
39 Christina Peick Andersen (Den) Team S.A.T.S                      2.27.31
40 Irene Puccioni (Ita) Prato Marathon Bike                         2.28.16
41 Sylvie Riedle (Fra) Les Pruneaux d'Agen                          2.33.22
42 Helen Kelly (Aus) Team S.A.T.S                                   2.36.23
43 Montserrat Alonso Bernal (Spa) Team Catalunya-Aliverti-Kookai    2.42.45
44 Letizia Giardinelli (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox         2.44.32
45 Kirsty Robb (NZl) Bik-Powerplate                                 2.49.47
46 Azucena Sanchez (Spa) Team Catalunya-Aliverti-Kookai             2.52.17
47 Madeleine Lindberg (Swe) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung          3.15.01
48 Cristina Alcalde Huertanos (Spa) Bizkaia Panda Spiuk Sabeco      3.18.15
49 Petra Rossner (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung               3.28.32
50 Iosune Murillo Elkano (Spa) Bizkaia Panda Spiuk Sabeco           3.32.03
 
Mountains classification
 
1 Fabiana Luperini (Ita) Team 2002 Aurora RSM                            61 pts
2 Joane Somarriba Arrola (Spa) Bizkaia Panda Spiuk Sabeco                50
3 Nicole Brändli (Swi) Prato Marathon Bike                               47
4 Jolanta Polikeviciute (Ltu) Team 2002 Aurora RSM                       25
5 Rasa Polikeviciute (Ltu) Team 2002 Aurora RSM                          25
6 Tatiana Stiajkina (Ukr) Velodames-Colnago                              23
7 Olga Zabelinskaia (Rus) Velodames-Colnago                              20
8 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox                 19
9 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Bik-Powerplate                                 16
10 Judith Arndt (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung                     13
 
U23 classification
 
1 Nicole Brändli (Swi) Prato Marathon Bike                         33.27.35
2 Olga Zabelinskaia (Rus) Velodames-Colnago                            7.19
3 Eneritz Iturriaga (Spa) Team 2002 Aurora RSM                        18.22
4 Luisa Tamanini (Ita) Team 2002 Aurora RSM                           26.27
5 Mette Andreasen Fischer (Den) Team S.A.T.S                        1.48.12
6 Erika Vilunaite (Ltu) Prato Marathon Bike                         2.09.57
7 Alison Wright (Aus) Road Runner - Guerciotti Cycling Team         2.20.37
8 Irene Puccioni (Ita) Prato Marathon Bike                          2.26.11
9 Kirsty Robb (NZl) Bik-Powerplate                                  2.47.42
10 Cristina Alcalde Huertanos (Spa) Bizkaia Panda Spiuk Sabeco      3.16.10