4th GP Feminas Castilla y Leon - CDM

Spain, May 8, 2005

Results World Cup standings

Ljungskog takes win and World Cup lead

Judith Arndt (Nurnberger)
Photo ©: David Garcia

Swedish dual World Champion Susanne Ljungskog has followed on from her second place in the women's Ronde van Vlaanderen and 8th in La Flèche Wallonne by taking out the GP Feminas Castilla y Leon World Cup ahead of her breakaway companions Judith Arndt (Nürnberger), Tatiana Guderzo (Top Girls-Fassa Bortolo), and Nicole Brändli (Team Bigla). In doing so, Ljungskog took over the World Cup lead with a four point advantage over Oenone Wood (Nürnberger), who won the bunch sprint for fifth.

The race started with 109 riders, with Dori Ruano the only non-starter as her father is ill. From the beginning, attacks were numerous, and a group of eight riders managed to get clear after 22 km. The break gained a maximum of 1'14 before being brought back by the Nürnberger team after 53 km.

Near Peñaflor (km 63), German Theresa Senff (Van Bemmelen-AA Drink) attacked, and was soon joined by Ukrainian Natalia Kachalka (FRW). The pair managed to gain 1'25 by km 76 and came to the finishing circuit in Valladolid alone. But the last five laps were too hard for the pair to stay away, and they were caught with three laps to go. There were only around 30 riders left in the main group at this stage, including all the favourites.

After Senff and Kachalka were caught, Arndt, Ljungskog and Brändli attacked, and were joined by Guderzo a short while later. The four leaders never got further than 25 seconds ahead of the peloton, but still managed to stay clear until the finish. Brändli placed an attack that was unsuccessful, leaving Ljungskog, Arndt and Guderzo to fight it out for the win. Ljungskog was the best and just came around Arndt to win, while Guderzo had to be content with fourth.

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by David Garcia

The main pack crosses a Quixotic village
Joane Somarriba (Bizkaia-Panda Software) post race
Judith Arndt (Nurnberger) took second today
The main bunch pass through the 'Sunny Park'
Working hard through the Parque Sol
It's back down the rise in the Parque Sol
The pointy end of the field head up this gentle incline
Round six of the women'sWorld Cup was a tough one
Pushing hard up the hill
A Van Bemmelen-AA Drink rider checks behind as she attacks up the climb
Where is the horse and cart?
The main pack hit the second climb together
Luisa Tamanini (Team Bianchi Alivert) looking comfortable up the climb
The starting area
The riders head off
The Junta de Castilla y Leon set to go
Judith Arndt in second wheel heading into the final sprint

Results - 121.2 km

1 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint       3.20.11 (38.185 km/h)
2 Judith Arndt (Ger) Nürnberger Versicherung                 
3 Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) Top Girls-Fassa Bortolo H.       0.02
4 Nicole Brändli (Swi) Team Bigla                        0.07
5 Oenone Wood (Aus) Nürnberger Versicherung              0.13
6 Anita Valen (Nor) Vlaanderen-Capri Sonne-T Interim     0.15
7 Eneritz Iturriaga (Spa) Spanish National Team              
8 Joane Somarriba (Spa) Bizkaia-Panda Software               
9 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Van Bemmelen-AA Drink               
10 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Nobili R.-Menikini Cogeas             
11 Theresa Senff (Ger) Van Bemmelen-AA Drink                 
12 Andrea Graus (Aut) Elk Haus-Tirol Noe                     
13 Maja Adamsen (Den) S.C. Michela Fanini                    
14 Katia Longhin (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini                   
15 Joanne Kiesanowski (NZl) Nobili R.-Menikini Cogeas        
16 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint               
17 Rosa Maria Bravo (Spa) MX1-Paper Gift-Rotul               
18 Marianna Lorenzoni (Ita) A.S.Team F.R.W                   
19 Sofie Goor (Bel) Vlaanderen-Capri Sonne-T Interim         
20 Anna Zugno (Ita) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan            0.20
21 Emma Johansson (Swe) SABECO                               
22 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Van Bemmelen-AA Drink             0.25
23 Lorian Graham (Aus) Australian National Team              
24 Marta Vilajosana (Spa) Spanish National Team          0.29
25 Regina Schleicher (Ger) Nürnberger Versicherung       0.32
26 Lada Kozlikova (Cze) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint                
27 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Nürnberger Versicherung           0.40
28 Luisa Tamanini (Ita) Team Bianchi Alivert             0.58
29 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan      2.03
30 Josephine Groenveld (Ned) Van Bemmelen-AA Drink           
31 Zita Urbonaite (Ltu) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan            
32 Zoulfia Zabirova (Kaz) Team Bigla                         
33 Cristine Muller (Ger) Elk Haus-Tirol Noe              3.39
34 Tatiana Antoschina (Rus) Russian National Team            
35 Karine Gautard (Fra) French National Team                 
36 Alessandra Grassi (Ita) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan         
37 Iosune Murillo (Spa) Bizkaia-Panda Software               
38 Tanja Hennes (Ger) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint                  
39 Gessica Turato (Ita) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan            
40 Gema Pascual (Spa) Bizkaia-Panda Software                 
41 Elena Andreeva (Rus) Russian National Team            4.10
42 Belen Lopez (Spa) MX2-FAJER                               
43 Leticia Gil (Spa) Spanish National Team                   
44 Alicia Palop (Spa) Spanish National Team              5.09
45 Sabrina Emmasi (Ita) Team Bigla                           
46 Isabella Wieser (Aut) Elk Haus-Tirol Noe                  
47 Eugene Mermillod (Fra) French National Team               
48 Letizia Giardinelli (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini             
49 Daniela Fusar Poli (Ita) Nobili R.-Menikini Cogeas        
50 Cristina Alcalde (Spa) Bizkaia-Panda Software             
51 Amy Gillet (Aus) Australian National Team                 
52 Alexis Rhodes (Aus) Australian National Team              
53 Apollinaria Bakova (Rus) Russian National Team        6.37
54 Ine Wannijn (Bel) Vlaanderen-Capri Sonne-T Interim    6.49
55 Alessandra Borchi (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini               
56 Mercedes Cagigas (Spa) SABECO                             
57 Aude Pollet (Fra) French National Team                8.25
58 Fanny Riberot (Fra) French National Team             10.16
59 Azucena Sanchez (Spa) MX1-Paper Gift-Rotul           10.50
60 Maitane Telletxea (Spa) Bizkaia-Panda Software            
61 Veronica Andreasson (Swe) Team Bianchi Alivert            
62 Chiara Nadalutti (Ita) Top Girls-Fassa Bortolo H.         
63 Louise Yaxley (Aus) Australian National Team         11.46
64 Alna Burato (Fra) French National Team                    
 
Teams
 
1 Nürnberger Versicherung                           10.01.18
2 Buitenpoort-Flexpoint                                 0.02
3 Van Bemmelen-AA Drink                                 0.10
4 Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan                             3.41
5 Spanish National Team                                 4.09
6 Nobili R.-Menikini Cogeas                             4.54
7 S.C. Michela Fanini R. Rox                                
8 Vlaanderen-Capri Sonne-T Interim                      6.34
9 Team Bigla                                                
10 Bizkaia-Panda Software D.                            6.48
11 Elk Haus-Tirol Noe                                   8.18
12 Australian National Team                             9.58
13 Russian National Team                               13.41
14 French National Team                                16.28

World Cup standings after round 6

1 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint        196 pts
2 Oenone Wood (Aus) Nürnberger Versicherung            192

Past winners

2004 Angela Brotka (Ger) German National Team      
2003 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Farm Frites-Hartol Cycling Team 
2002 Regina Schleicher (Ger) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox