TQ Paper International Two Day - NE

Ireland, September 10-11, 2005

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Stage 3 - September 11: Road race, 72km

Double dutch triumph on TQ Paper stage 3

By Shane Stokes

Today’s final stage of the TQ Paper International Women’s 2 Day ended in double success for the Dutch WV Alcmaria Victrix/Plusine ICT team, with Roxanne Knetemann taking the stage honours and Elisabeth Braam winning out overall.

Roxanne, the daughter of former Tour de France star Gerrie Knetemann, narrowly outsprinted Ireland’s Louise Moriarty at the uphill finish at Man O’War in North County Dublin, with German rider Elena Eifler (RG Charlottenburg Berlin) taking third. Overnight race leader Maxime Groenewegen finished in the same time as this leading bunch of 23 riders, but incurred a ten second penalty which dropped her to second overall behind team-mate Braam. The race judges ruled that she had drafted race vehicles when returning to the bunch after suffering mechanical problems.

2004 national road race champion Julie O’Hagan (Team Ireland) was best of the home riders in third, 1 minute and 31 seconds back, while Moriarty finished a further 9 seconds behind in sixth. She had a great ride today, winning four out of the five hill primes, finishing a close second on the stage and taking both the mountains and points jerseys. Although she missed the vital break yesterday and so lost out on her chance of defending the title she took last year, she can be pleased with her performance this weekend.

So too the WV Alcmaria Victrix / Plusine ICT squad, who beat Ireland and RG Charlottenburg Berlin for the team prize.

“I am very happy to take this yellow jersey,” said Braam after the prize presentation. “It was a bit strange at first because my team-mate was on top, but I am pleased too to get yellow in this race. We did a lot of attacking yesterday, whereas today the whole team rode to hold onto the jersey. It was pretty difficult.”

“Myself and Maxime got clear of the first lap yesterday morning and the others couldn’t follow on all those little hills. They organised a chase behind but one advantage which we had is as we were two team-mates, we were both able to ride hard without worrying what the other might do. We just went flat out from there to the finish.

“I’ve done some good racing this year, including the recent Holland Ladies Tour, and also competed in the Topcompetitie series of six races. I normally place towards the front of the events that I do rather than winning, so it’s great to come out on top here. I did take a win before but it was in a smaller race, so this is definitely the biggest victory of my three years of racing.”

The Team Ireland riders were disappointed with how the stage panned out. “We tried to get clear today but there was a lot of defensive racing going on,” said Team Ireland’s Colette Swift. “The Dutch girls were strong and they were able to bring everything back.”

Team-mate Julie O’Hagan agreed. “There were five or six of us who went clear on each of the climbs, distancing the yellow jersey, but it always came back together. The course probably didn’t help in that while the hills were hard, there was usually a big descent right after. So it was hard to keep a gap going.”

Louise Moriarty finished a very close second. “I lost by one pedal stroke,” she said after the stage. “I eased back a little…people asked me why I stopped pedalling. I just saw her [Knetemann] on my left when I hit the line. Ah well, there is always next year, I suppose.”

“We had a go today but the Dutch team was strong. The hills weren’t really tough enough to get a decent break going, and with a descent afterwards the bunch was able to get back in touch.”

How it happened

Today’s hilly 72 kilometre stage was marked by a number of unsuccessful attacks, with the Ireland team being particularly active in their efforts to recover the time they lost on stage one. Ten kilometres after the drop of the flag, O’Hagan, Aisling Daly (Bagel Bar) and Jessica Glasbergen (WV Alcmaria Victrix/Plusine ICT - Netherlands) broke clear but were soon recaptured. Orla Hendron (Team Ireland) was next to get free but she too was hauled back, as was a subsequent move by Braam.

Nadine Krpal (RG Charlottenburg Berlin) made her own bid after 20 kilometres and was joined by Yvonne Baltus (WV Alcmaria Victrix/Plusine ICT - Netherlands). They quickly built a lead of 15 seconds but hard chasing by the Ireland women soon brought them back into the fold. Ardcath, the first categorised climb of the day, saw more aggression but although the pressure applied by Moriarty, Knetemann, Linda Ringlever and Moonen (both with Weijers Eijkhout Movingladies Groenewoud – Netherlands) temporarily split the main field, a regrouping soon took place.

The same four riders got a gap on the ascent of Garristown but once again it all came back together on the descent. A lull in speed followed, with riders slowing noticeably until a move by Aisling Daly (Bagel Bar) opened up a short-lived eight-second lead. Following Daly’s recapture, Moriarty showed her power again in leading Brooks, Kentemann and Ringlever over the summit of the Three Sisters climb and then finishing ahead of Moonen, Knetemann and Swift on the day’s penultimate QOH of the Naul.

The now-inevitable regrouping took place on the descent but that didn’t deter several riders from attacking. Team Ireland duo Colette Swift and Jenny Fay got away, briefly, with yellow jersey Maxime Groenewegen herself then having a short foray off the front. Bramm punctured but managed to get back onto those in the front group, after which Hendron tried to drag another of her Ireland team-mates and a small group clear.

However, the aggression was to no avail, with the front group arriving together to the foot of the final climb up to the finish at the Man O’ War pub. Moriarty had shown herself to be the strongest climber all day, but she appeared to misjudge the finish, with Knetemann edging by in the final few metres before the line. Elena Eifler, Daniella Moonen, Linda Ringlever and Jessica Glasbergen completed the top six places.

Groenewegen finished safely in 11th place but she was later penalised ten seconds for pacing, dropping to second overall behind her team-mate Braam.

Results

1 Roxanne Knetemann (Ned) WV Alcmaria Victrix / Plusine ICT       1.58.47
2 Louise Moriarty (Irl) Team Ireland
3 Elena Eifler (Ger) R G Charlottenburg
4 Daniella Moonen (Ned) Weijers Eijkhout Movingladies Groenewoud
5 Linda Ringlever (Ned) Weijers Eijkhout Movingladies Groenewoud
6 Jessica Glasbergen (Ned) WV Alcmaria Victrix / Plusine ICT
7 Kirsten Brooks (GBr) Abergavenny R C Bikebase/Govilon Garage
8 Christin Grimm (Ger) R G Charlottenburg
9 Claire Moore (GBr) Manx Viking Wheelers
10 Mary Brennan (Irl) Castlebar / T. F. Hotels
11 Maxime Groenewegen (Ned) WV Alcmaria Victrix / Plusine ICT
12 Aisling Daly (Irl) The Bagel Bar
13 Jenny Fay (Irl) Team Ireland
14 Colette Swift (Irl) Team Ireland
15 Elisabeth Braam (Ned) WV Alcmaria Victrix / Plusine ICT
16 Julia Theisen (Ger) R G Charlottenburg
17 Julie O'Hagan (Irl) Team Ireland
18 Nadine Krpal (Ger) R G Charlottenburg
19 Liane Gaffron (Ger) R G Charlottenburg
20 Mary Mulchrone (Irl) Boot Inn Team
21 Peggy Kraatz (Ger) R G Charlottenburg
22 Susan O'Mara (Irl) All Systems Dublin Wheelers
23 Róisín Kennedy (Irl) Boot Inn Team
24 Orla Hendron (Irl) Team Ireland                                   0.37
25 Kirsten Peetoom (Ned) WV Alcmaria Victrix / Plusine ICT           5.36
26 Debs Gordon (Irl) All Systems Dublin Wheelers                     8.01
27 Niamh Fitzgibbon (Irl) Boot Inn Team                              8.03
28 Louise Harliwich (Irl) Boot Inn Team                             10.36
29 Caitríona Jennings (Irl) Boot Inn Team
30 Jean O'Connor (Irl) Boot Inn Team                                10.44
31 Yvonne Baltus (Ned) WV Alcmaria Victrix / Plusine ICT
32 Trix Mulder (Ned) Weijers Eijkhout Movingladies Groenewoud       15.17
33 Anouk Haantjes (Ned) Weijers Eijkhout Movingladies Groenewoud
34 Gillian McDarby (Irl) The Bagel Bar
 
Final general classification
 
1 Elisabeth Braam (Ned) WV Alcmaria Victrix / Plusine ICT         3.28.42
2 Maxime Groenewegen (Ned) WV Alcmaria Victrix / Plusine ICT         0.07
3 Julie O'Hagan (Irl) Team Ireland                                   1.32
4 Roxanne Knetemann (Ned) WV Alcmaria Victrix / Plusine ICT
5 Linda Ringlever (Ned) Weijers Eijkhout Movingladies Groenewoud     1.37
6 Louise Moriarty (Irl) Team Ireland                                 1.40
7 Róisín Kennedy (Irl) Boot Inn Team                                 1.43
8 Jenny Fay (Irl) Team Ireland                                       1.45
9 Jessica Glasbergen (Ned) WV Alcmaria Victrix / Plusine ICT         1.48
10 Colette Swift (Irl) Team Ireland
11 Mary Brennan (Irl) Castlebar / T. F. Hotels
12 Kirsten Brooks (GBr) Abergavenny R C Bikebase/Govilon Garage      1.52
13 Liane Gaffron (Ger) R G Charlottenburg                            1.54
14 Aisling Daly (Irl) The Bagel Bar                                  1.55
15 Daniella Moonen (Ned) Weijers Eijkhout Movingladies Groenewoud    1.56
16 Claire Moore (GBr) Manx Viking Wheelers                           1.58
17 Elena Eifler (Ger) R G Charlottenburg                             2.02
18 Nadine Krpal (Ger) R G Charlottenburg
19 Christin Grimm (Ger) R G Charlottenburg                           2.03
20 Julia Theisen (Ger) R G Charlottenburg                            2.06
21 Peggy Kraatz (Ger) R G Charlottenburg                             2.09
22 Orla Hendron (Irl) Team Ireland                                   2.40
23 Kirsten Peetoom (Ned) WV Alcmaria Victrix / Plusine ICT           7.33
24 Louise Harliwich (Irl) Boot Inn Team                             12.31
25 Yvonne Baltus (Ned) WV Alcmaria Victrix / Plusine ICT            12.48
26 Mary Mulchrone (Irl) Boot Inn Team                               13.36
27 Niamh Fitzgibbon (Irl) Boot Inn Team                             14.45
28 Gillian McDarby (Irl) The Bagel Bar                              17.14
29 Caitríona Jennings (Irl) Boot Inn Team                           17.18
30 Susan O'Mara (Irl) All Systems Dublin Wheelers                   23.27
31 Jean O'Connor (Irl) Boot Inn Team                                24.20
32 Anouk Haantjes (Ned) Weijers Eijkhout Movingladies Groenewoud    31.48
33 Debs Gordon (Irl) All Systems Dublin Wheelers                    31.54
34 Trix Mulder (Ned) Weijers Eijkhout Movingladies Groenewoud       39.29