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Tour de L'Aude Feminin - 2.9.1
France, May 14-23, 2004
Stage 1 - May 14: Gruissan - Gruissan , 95km
Wright finally on top
By Kristy Scrymgeour
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Alison Wright (Nobili Rubinetterie - Guerciotti) won her first big race of the year today taking out stage one of Tour de L'Aude in Gruissan, France. Wright has made the podium in multiple big one-day races this year and it was only a matter of time before she took the number one spot.
The infamous wind of the south hit Gruissan as hard as ever today to welcome the riders to the 20th edition of Tour de L'Aude. As usual, in any first stage of a big tour, the bunch was also a bit nervous in the wind with riders trying to position themselves in the peloton.
A few attacks tried to go throughout the 95km race, but the wind was too much for anything to stay away and the Dutch teams and Nurnberger were keen to keep it together for their sprinters. One break away of note occurred mid way through the race consisting of Dede Barry (T-Mobile), Trixi Worrack (Nurnberger), Lyne Bessette (Canadian National Team), Sandrine Marcuz Morrea (French National Team) and another Nurnberger rider. The five hit the front in the tailwind and as the road turned, they used the cross wind to escape. The break looked as if it could succeed, but when they turned again into a headwind, they were quickly reeled in. Last minute breakaway attempts also went nowhere as the headwind was too strong coming into the finish.
As the riders came across the finish line with 10km to go, Anita Valen (Team S.A.T.S) went for the sprint and continued to try and stay away, taking Debbie Mansveld (Vlaanderen - T-Interim Univega Ladies Team) with her. The pair were quickly reeled in, however, as Nurnberger moved to the front of the peloton to prepare for their lead out and to try to keep things safe on the twisty finishing circuit.
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With one kilometer to go, a crash involving Tanja Schmidt - Hennes (Basis Aude) and Sigrid Corneo (Nobili -Rubinetterie-Guerciotti) caused upset in the bunch and again at 400 meters to go was another crash, this time with Petra Rossner (Nurnberger), Magali LeFloch (French National Team) and Lyne Bessette coming down, among others. Le Floch will remain in hospital overnight but will start the stage tomorrow.
Staying safe and holding off multiple world-class sprinters was Wright, who jumped with 250m to go to take the win from Valen and Angela Brodtka (German National Team). Wright will wear the yellow jersey going into the 5.7km time trial stage in Port La Nouvelle tomorrow.
Wright was all smiles as usual after the race and very happy to have finally won a big race this year and to be now in the yellow jersey. She was also happy to avoid the crash with 400m to go.
"It was a long time coming," she laughed. "But it's nice to have done it and it's also nice to have the yellow jersey. When the crash happened with 400m to go, Lorian Graham (Australian National team) decided to jump early. I hopped on her wheel and then I went around her with 250m to go and just put my head down."
Tomorrow, Wright believes she has a chance to hold onto the jersey after the short time trial, but with an HC climb within the first 25km on Sunday, she doubts she will have it on Monday.
"I'll see how tomorrow goes," she explained. "The short time trial distance certainly suits me so I'm going to give it everything to try and hold onto the jersey tomorrow. Sunday I'm not so sure about," she smiled. "I just wanted to take advantage of my one chance to get the jersey."
Wright said her team worked well today and that their aim for the tour is to get Valentina Polkhanova up there in the general classification.
"Cathy [Marsal] was great today," she said. "She must have attacked ten times in the last 15km and that really helped me for the finish."
With the Australian Olympic team not yet announced, this strong performance may put Wright in favour for one of the three road spots.
"Officially the road team is decided upon," she explained, "as they were going to decide upon those positions at the end of the World Cups in April." However they are not announcing the team until June because there is still a spot remaining that is being held open for a time trialler. I'm still in with a chance. Who knows, this might help me."
Photos
Images by velopalmares.free.fr
- The Australian National Team are presented
- Team Basis try to stay warm
- The Canadian National Team sign in
- The French National Team smile for the cameras
- Are we finished yet, it's cold?
- Sonia Huguet prepares
- The Lithuanian National Team head for the team presentation
- The Lithuanians finish up on the stage
- The jerseys that are up for grabs
- The Inter-region Pruneau team and the "dalmation" jerseys
- Priska Doppmann heading for fourth place
- Doppmann pushes to beat the peloton home
- The peloton early in the race
- Andrea Bosman of Ondernemers Van Nature
- The nsprint for the finish, with Alison Wright in front
- Alison Wright crosses the line to take the win
- Followed by Anita Valen and Angela Brodtka
- Anita Valen early in the race
- Alison Wright on the podium
- Ghita Beltman puts on the sprinters jersey
- Beltman poses for the cameras
- nita Valen of Team S.A.T.S with the mountains jersey
- Alison Wright hold her flowers high
- Angela Brodtka of the German National Team in her young rider jersey
- Alison Wright once again
- The jersey winners on the podium
Results
1 Alison Wright (Aus) Nobili Rubineterie-Guerciotti 2.34.18 2 Anita Valen (Nor) Team S.A.T.S 3 Angela Brodtka (Ger) German National Team 4 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Vlaanderen T Interim 5 Ghita Beltman (Ned) @Home Cycling Team 6 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Therme Skin Care 7 Liane Bahler (Ger) German National Team 8 Lorian Graham (Aus) Australian National Team 9 Chantal Beltman (Ned) Ondernemers Van Nature 10 Kimberly Bruckner (USA) T-Mobile 11 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Sc Michela Fanini Record Rox 12 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Team S.A.T.S 0.08 13 Rachel Heal (GBr) British National Team 14 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Nurnberger Versicherung 15 Olivia Gollan (Aus) Australian National Team 16 Nicole Brandli (Swi) Sc Michela Fanini Record Rox 17 Kristen Wild (Ned) @Home Cycling Team 18 Sonia Huguet (Fra) French National Team 19 Elodie Leroux (Fra) Inter Region Pruneau 20 Stacey Peters (USA) T-Mobile 21 Valentina Polkhanova (Rus) Nobili Rubineterie-Guerciotti 22 Loes Markerink (Ned) @Home Cycling Team 23 Virginie Moinard (Fra) French National Team 24 Edwige Pitel (Fra) French National Team 25 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Australian National Team 26 Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) Vlaanderen T Interim 27 Cindy Pieters (Bel) Vlaanderen T Interim 28 Kimberly Anderson (USA) T-Mobile 29 Anke Wichmann (Ger) Equipe Composite Rostex Quantum 30 Deidre Demet-Barry (USA) T-Mobile 31 Francis Linthorst (Ned) Therme Skin Care 32 Margaret Hemsley (Aus) Australian National Team 0.15 33 Corinne Hierckens (Bel) Basis-Aude Mixed 34 Lara Kroepsch (USA) T-Mobile 35 Sharon Van Essen (Ned) Ondernemers Van Nature 36 Meredith Miller (USA) Team S.A.T.S 37 Andrea Bosman (Ned) Ondernemers Van Nature 38 Tina Liebig (Ger) Nurnberger Versicherung 39 Kirsty Nicole Robb (NZl) Therme Skin Care 40 Erinne Willock (Can) Canadian National Team 41 Madelaine Sandig (Ger) German National Team 42 Barbara Cazzaniga (Ita) Sc Michela Fanini Record Rox 43 Kristin Armstrong (USA) T-Mobile 44 Theresa Senff (Ger) German National Team 45 Erika Vilunaite (Ltu) Lithuanian National Team 46 Sandrine Marcuz (Fra) French National Team 47 Leah Goldstein (Isr) Basis-Aude Mixed 48 Rasa Polikeviciute (Ltu) Lithuanian National Team 49 Catherine Marsal (Fra) Nobili Rubineterie-Guerciotti 50 Judith Arndt (Ger) Nurnberger Versicherung 51 Amy Moore (Can) Canadian National Team 52 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Nobili Rubineterie-Guerciotti 53 Francis Newstead (GBr) British National Team 54 Nadia Triquet Claude (Fra) Inter Region Pruneau 1.10 55 Mette Fisher Andreasen (Den) Team S.A.T.S 56 Irene Van Den Broek (Ned) Therme Skin Care 57 Karine Dalmais (Fra) French National Team 58 Christina Peick-Anders (Den) Team S.A.T.S 59 Veerle Ingels (Bel) Vlaanderen T Interim 60 Josephine Groenveld (Ned) Therme Skin Care 61 Janildes Silva (Bra) Sc Michela Fanini Record Rox 62 Alessandra Borchi (Ita) Sc Michela Fanini Record Rox 63 Charlotte Goldsmith (GBr) British National Team 64 Kym Shirley (Aus) Nobili Rubineterie-Guerciotti 65 Trine Hansen (Den) Team S.A.T.S 66 Natalie Bates (Aus) Australian National Team 67 Luise Keller (Ger) German National Team 68 Suzanne Bayer (Ger) Equipe Composite Rostex Quantum 69 Birgit Hollmann (Ger) Equipe Composite Rostex Quantum 70 Bertine Spijkerman (Ned) @Home Cycling Team 71 Sandra Rombouts (Ned) Basis-Aude Mixed 72 Nicole Demars (Can) Canadian National Team 73 Sylvie Riedle (Fra) Inter Region Pruneau 74 Magalie Finot Laivier (Fra) Inter Region Pruneau 75 Madeleine Lindberg (Swe) Nurnberger Versicherung 76 Loes Gunnewijk (Ned) Ondernemers Van Nature 0.15 77 Lyne Bessette (Can) Canadian National Team 78 Tanja Hennes (Ger) Basis-Aude Mixed 79 Sara Symington (GBr) British National Team 80 Ombretta Ugolini (Ita) Nobili Rubineterie-Guerciotti 2.50 81 Jolanta Polikeviciute (Ltu) Lithuanian National Team 82 Jessica Philipps (USA) Nurnberger Versicherung 83 Zlatica Gavlakova-Bazola (Fra) Inter Region Pruneau 84 Catherine Hare (GBr) British National Team 85 Kristen Lasasso (USA) Basis-Aude Mixed 86 Corrien Van Haastert (Ned) Ondernemers Van Nature 87 Elisabeth Chevanne-Brunel (Fra) Inter Region Pruneau 88 Claudia Stumpf (Ger) German National Team 89 Louise Yaxley (Aus) Australian National Team 90 Saskia Elemans (Ned) @Home Cycling Team 91 Janieke Vos (Ned) Therme Skin Care 92 Hayley Rutherford (Aus) Sc Michela Fanini Record Rox 93 Minke Van Dongen (Ned) Ondernemers Van Nature 94 Aneke Hassink (Ned) @Home Cycling Team 95 Debby Mansveld (Bel) Vlaanderen T Interim 96 Petra Rossner (Ger) Nurnberger Versicherung 0.15 97 Magali Le Floc'h (Fra) French National Team 98 Lenka Valova (Cze) Equipe Composite Rostex Quantum 8.31 99 Helen Saunders (GBr) British National Team 100 Gina Grain (Can) Canadian National Team 101 Kathy Watt (Aus) Basis-Aude Mixed 13.55 102 Kathy White (Can) Canadian National Team 103 Klara Sintakova (Cze) Equipe Composite Rostex Quantum 104 Diana Elmentaite (Ltu) Lithuanian National Team 105 Ramune Lipinskaite (Ltu) Lithuanian National Team 0.15 106 Indre Januleviciute (Ltu) Lithuanian National Team 13.55 107 Martina Ruzickova (Cze) Equipe Composite Rostex Quantum 17.27 108 Sharon Van Dromme (Bel) Vlaanderen T Interim 0.15 General classification after stage 1 1 Alison Wright (Aus) Nobili Rubineterie-Guerciotti 2.34.08 2 Anita Valen (Nor) Team S.A.T.S 0.04 3 Angela Brodtka (Ger) German National Team 0.06 4 Ghita Beltman (Ned) @Home Cycling Team 0.07 5 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Vlaanderen T Interim 0.10 6 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Therme Skin Care 7 Liane Bahler (Ger) German National Team 8 Lorian Graham (Aus) Australian National Team 9 Chantal Beltman (Ned) Ondernemers Van Nature 10 Kimberly Bruckner (USA) T-Mobile 11 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Sc Michela Fanini Record Rox 12 Elodie Leroux (Fra) Inter Region Pruneau 0.16 13 Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) Vlaanderen T Interim 14 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Team S.A.T.S 0.18 15 Rachel Heal (GBr) British National Team 16 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Nurnberger Versicherung 17 Olivia Gollan (Aus) Australian National Team 18 Nicole Brandli (Swi) Sc Michela Fanini Record Rox 19 Kristen Wild (Ned) @Home Cycling Team 20 Sonia Huguet (Fra) French National Team 21 Stacey Peters (USA) T-Mobile 22 Valentina Polkhanova (Rus) Nobili Rubineterie-Guerciotti 23 Loes Markerink (Ned) @Home Cycling Team 24 Virginie Moinard (Fra) French National Team 25 Edwige Pitel (Fra) French National Team 26 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Australian National Team 27 Cindy Pieters (Bel) Vlaanderen T Interim 28 Kimberly Anderson (USA) T-Mobile 29 Anke Wichmann (Ger) Equipe Composite Rostex Quantum 30 Deidre Demet-Barry (USA) T-Mobile 31 Francis Linthorst (Ned) Therme Skin Care 32 Lyne Bessette (Can) Canadian National Team 0.24 33 Margaret Hemsley (Aus) Australian National Team 0.25 34 Corinne Hierckens (Bel) Basis-Aude Mixed 35 Lara Kroepsch (USA) T-Mobile 36 Sharon Van Essen (Ned) Ondernemers Van Nature 37 Meredith Miller (USA) Team S.A.T.S 38 Andrea Bosman (Ned) Ondernemers Van Nature 39 Tina Liebig (Ger) Nurnberger Versicherung 40 Kirsty Nicole Robb (NZl) Therme Skin Care 41 Erinne Willock (Can) Canadian National Team 42 Madelaine Sandig (Ger) German National Team 43 Barbara Cazzaniga (Ita) Sc Michela Fanini Record Rox 44 Kristin Armstrong (USA) T-Mobile 45 Theresa Senff (Ger) German National Team 46 Erika Vilunaite (Ltu) Lithuanian National Team 47 Sandrine Marcuz (Fra) French National Team 48 Leah Goldstein (Isr) Basis-Aude Mixed 49 Rasa Polikeviciute (Ltu) Lithuanian National Team 50 Catherine Marsal (Fra) Nobili Rubineterie-Guerciotti 51 Judith Arndt (Ger) Nurnberger Versicherung 52 Amy Moore (Can) Canadian National Team 53 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Nobili Rubineterie-Guerciotti 54 Francis Newstead (GBr) British National Team 55 Loes Gunnewijk (Ned) Ondernemers Van Nature 56 Tanja Hennes (Ger) Basis-Aude Mixed 57 Sara Symington (GBr) British National Team 58 Petra Rossner (Ger) Nurnberger Versicherung 59 Magali Le Floc'h (Fra) French National Team 60 Ramune Lipinskaite (Ltu) Lithuanian National Team 61 Sharon Van Dromme (Bel) Vlaanderen T Interim 62 Kym Shirley (Aus) Nobili Rubineterie-Guerciotti 1.19 63 Nadia Triquet Claude (Fra) Inter Region Pruneau 1.20 64 Mette Fisher Andreasen (Den) Team S.A.T.S 65 Irene Van Den Broek (Ned) Therme Skin Care 66 Karine Dalmais (Fra) French National Team 67 Christina Peick-Anders (Den) Team S.A.T.S 68 Veerle Ingels (Bel) Vlaanderen T Interim 69 Josephine Groenveld (Ned) Therme Skin Care 70 Janildes Silva (Bra) Sc Michela Fanini Record Rox 71 Alessandra Borchi (Ita) Sc Michela Fanini Record Rox 72 Charlotte Goldsmith (GBr) British National Team 73 Trine Hansen (Den) Team S.A.T.S 74 Natalie Bates (Aus) Australian National Team 75 Luise Keller (Ger) German National Team 76 Suzanne Bayer (Ger) Equipe Composite Rostex Quantum 77 Birgit Hollmann (Ger) Equipe Composite Rostex Quantum 78 Bertine Spijkerman (Ned) @Home Cycling Team 79 Sandra Rombouts (Ned) Basis-Aude Mixed 80 Nicole Demars (Can) Canadian National Team 81 Sylvie Riedle (Fra) Inter Region Pruneau 82 Magalie Finot Laivier (Fra) Inter Region Pruneau 83 Madeleine Lindberg (Swe) Nurnberger Versicherung 84 Debby Mansveld (Bel) Vlaanderen T Interim 2.57 85 Ombretta Ugolini (Ita) Nobili Rubineterie-Guerciotti 3.00 86 Jolanta Polikeviciute (Ltu) Lithuanian National Team 87 Jessica Philipps (USA) Nurnberger Versicherung 88 Zlatica Gavlakova-Bazola (Fra) Inter Region Pruneau 89 Catherine Hare (GBr) British National Team 90 Kristen Lasasso (USA) Basis-Aude Mixed 91 Corrien Van Haastert (Ned) Ondernemers Van Nature 92 Elisabeth Chevanne-Brunel (Fra) Inter Region Pruneau 93 Claudia Stumpf (Ger) German National Team 94 Louise Yaxley (Aus) Australian National Team 95 Saskia Elemans (Ned) @Home Cycling Team 96 Janieke Vos (Ned) Therme Skin Care 97 Hayley Rutherford (Aus) Sc Michela Fanini Record Rox 98 Minke Van Dongen (Ned) Ondernemers Van Nature 99 Aneke Hassink (Ned) @Home Cycling Team 100 Lenka Valova (Cze) Equipe Composite Rostex Quantum 8.41 101 Helen Saunders (GBr) British National Team 102 Gina Grain (Can) Canadian National Team 103 Kathy Watt (Aus) Basis-Aude Mixed 14.05 104 Kathy White (Can) Canadian National Team 105 Klara Sintakova (Cze) Equipe Composite Rostex Quantum 106 Diana Elmentaite (Ltu) Lithuanian National Team 107 Indre Januleviciute (Ltu) Lithuanian National Team 108 Martina Ruzickova (Cze) Equipe Composite Rostex Quantum 17.37 Points classification 1 Alison Wright (Aus) Nobili Rubineterie-Guerciotti 40 pts 2 Anita Valen (Nor) Team S.A.T.S 34 3 Angela Brodtka (Ger) German National Team 30 4 Priska Doppmann (Bel) Vlaanderen T Interim 26 5 Ghita Beltman (Ned) @Home Cycling Team 23 6 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Therme Skin Care 20 7 Liane Bahler (Ger) German National Team 18 8 Lorian Graham (Aus) Australian National Team 16 9 Chantal Beltman (Ned) Ondernemers Van Nature 14 10 Kimberly Bruckner (USA) T-Mobile 12 11 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Sc Michela Fanini Record Rox 10 12 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Team S.A.T.S 9 13 Rachel Heal (GBr) British National Team 8 14 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Nurnberger Versicherung 7 15 Olivia Gollan (Aus) Australian National Team 6 16 Nicole Brandli (Ita) Sc Michela Fanini Record Rox 5 17 Kristen Wild (Ned) @Home Cycling Team 4 18 Sonia Huguet (Fra) French National Team 3 19 Elodie Leroux (Fra) Inter Region Pruneau 2 20 Stacey Peters (USA) T-Mobile 1 Mountains classification 1 Anita Valen (Nor) Team S.A.T.S 5 pts 2 Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) Vlaanderen T Interim 3 3 Magali Le Floc'h (Fra) French National Team 2 4 Theresa Senff (Ger) German National Team 1 Sprints classification 1 Ghita Beltman (Ned) @Home Cycling Team 5 pts 2 Debby Mansveld (Bel) Vlaanderen T Interim 5 3 Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) Vlaanderen T Interim 3 4 Elodie Leroux (Fra) Inter Region Pruneau 3 5 Lyne Bessette (Can) Canadian National Team 2 6 Kym Shirley (Aus) Nobili Rubineterie-Guerciotti 2 7 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Nurnberger Versicherung 1 8 Sonia Huguet (Fra) French National Team 1 Young rider classification 1 Angela Brodtka (Ger) German National Team 2.34.14 2 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Therme Skin Care 0.04 3 Liane Bahler (Ger) German National Team 4 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Nurnberger Versicherung 0.12 5 Kristen Wild (Ned) @Home Cycling Team 6 Loes Markerink (Ned) @Home Cycling Team 7 Virginie Moinard (Fra) French National Team 8 Corinne Hierckens (Bel) Basis-Aude Mixed 0.19 9 Sharon Van Essen (Ned) Ondernemers Van Nature 10 Erinne Willock (Can) Canadian National Team 11 Madelaine Sandig (Ger) German National Team 12 Barbara Cazzaniga (Ita) Sc Michela Fanini Record Rox 13 Theresa Senff (Ger) German National Team 14 Ramune Lipinskaite (Ltu) Lithuanian National Team 15 Sharon Van Dromme (Bel) Vlaanderen T Interim 16 Mette Fisher Andreasen (Den) Team S.A.T.S 1.14 17 Veerle Ingels (Bel) Vlaanderen T Interim 18 Josephine Groenveld (Ned) Therme Skin Care 19 Alessandra Borchi (Ita) Sc Michela Fanini Record Rox 20 Luise Keller (Ger) German National Team 21 Bertine Spijkerman (Ned) @Home Cycling Team 22 Catherine Hare (GBr) British National Team 2.54 23 Corrien Van Haastert (Ned) Ondernemers Van Nature 24 Claudia Stumpf (Ger) German National Team 25 Louise Yaxley (Aus) Australian National Team 26 Minke Van Dongen (Ned) Ondernemers Van Nature 27 Aneke Hassink (Ned) @Home Cycling Team 28 Lenka Valova (Cze) Equipe Composite Rostex Quantum 8.35 29 Helen Saunders (GBr) British National Team 30 Klara Sintakova (Cze) Equipe Composite Rostex Quantum 13.59 31 Diana Elmentaite (Ltu) Lithuanian National Team 32 Indre Januleviciute (Ltu) Lithuanian National Team Teams classification 1 German National Team 7.43.09 2 @Home Cycling Team 0.01 3 Australian National Team 4 Vlaanderen T Interim 5 T-Mobile 6 Team S.A.T.S 0.08 7 Sc Michela Fanini Record Rox 8 Nobili Rubineterie Guerciotti 9 Therme Skin Care 10 French National Team 0.09 11 Ondernemers Van Nature 0.15 12 Nurnberger Versicherung 0.23 13 British National Team 14 Basis-Aude Mixed 0.30 15 Canada 16 Lithuanian National Team 17 Inter Region Pruneau 2.13 18 Equipe Composite Rostex Quantim
