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5th Souvenir Magali Pache Lausanne - 1.1
Sion, Switzerland, May 2, 2008
2007 Results Results Past winners
Swiss timing sees Soeder so good
By Ben Atkins in Sion
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Austrian time trial champion Christiane Soeder (Cervelo Lifeforce) has won the sixth edition of the Grand Prix Suisse Feminin time trial on a blistering hot day in Sion, nestling between the Alps of southern Switzerland. The race, dedicated to the young Swiss time trial specialist Magali Pache – who tragically died in a French race in 2000 at the age of just 22 – was run over the same course on the same day as the time trial stage of the Tour de Romandie. Soeder finished twenty-two seconds ahead of her team-mate: US champion and last year's winner Kristin Armstrong. Armstrong's compatriot Amber Neben (Flexpoint) was another nine seconds back in third place.
Despite being made up of just eighteen riders, the field for the Grand Prix Suisse is all invited on merit and so represents the cream of women's time trialling – the only notable absence being the World champion Hanka Kupfernagel, who presumably declined her invitation.
Soeder was third from last to start ahead of the better-seeded Neben and last year's winner and hot favourite Armstrong. Soeder however, seemingly rode a perfectly judged race to overhaul the previous best time set by her team-mate Karin Thürig, and post a time that no one could match. Neben had started a minute ahead of Armstrong and her time as good enough for a provisional second place until the American champion just shaded her out, knocking Thürig off the podium in the process.
"Yeah, it was nice," Soeder told Cyclingnews on the way to the podium. "I think it was a hard course, but for all of us it was the same. In the beginning I tried to make a high cadence because mostly I like to take big gears, and if it's longer than 10ks it's not so good. So I tried the high cadence and in the end it was good.
"On the hill I tried to go not too hard," she continued "Hard, but not too hard – because it's very long and in the end very steep, I think in the last 3ks I put a big gear in and [went] very fast."
Cervelo Lifeforce riders filled three of the top four places, but as a team in form this was no surprise to the Austrian. "We are a good time trial team because of Kristin [Armstrong], Priska [Doppmann] and Karin [Thürig] and so I think it's good for us because we can learn from each other and we like each other, and it's a very good team."
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That the Cervelo Lifeforce team provided the winner may have been expected, but with other specialists – including two former World champions in the form of Armstrong and Thürig – perhaps the specific rider that took the win was less so. "Yes, [I'm] very surprised!" laughed Soeder. "I was very good in Geelong, but mostly I like the shorter distances, more the 10ks or 15ks, and so yeah it's good for me."
Amber Neben (Flexpoint) rode an excellent race to prevent a total Cervelo Lifeforce podium. "I had a good ride and I'm happy with it," she said. "I wish I'd had a 54 on; I was at 120rpms all the way down. It was a great ride; Kristin [Armstrong] rode fantastic; Christiane [Soeder] rode awesome. To get third in a field like this is really an honour, I'm very happy."
Asked if she was surprised if her compatriot Armstrong – the defending champion – had been beaten by Soeder, the Netherlands based rider was philosophical. "I've seen Christiane pull off some fantastic time trials before. Kristin has been dialled in since February, I think she's on the end of being at her peak; she's fine, I'm not worried about her."
2005 winner Karin Thürig (Cervelo Lifeforce) was disappointed, but optimistic about her own rising condition this season. "The podium is always nice," she told Cyclingnews. "I know where I lost a lot of time, so it's okay. I think my form's not perfect but it's not bad, my condition, but I hope I can be much stronger in Beijing."
The Swiss champion may not have made the top three, but two of her team-mates did: "That's great," she said, "because Cervelo is also the main sponsor [of the race – in fact Soeder's prize was a Cervelo P3C frame, just like the one she rode to victory!], so two of us on the podium is great.
"We have a lot of good riders and I hope we do well in Bern on Sunday," she continued, looking forward to the next round of the World Cup this coming weekend. "We are very motivated for this race; it's always nice to have a race in Switzerland. Also here, it was very nice to be able to start here before the men, and so it's very good for women's cycling."
Sixth placed Christine Thorburn (USA National Team) enjoyed her ride, but was frustrated by the technical nature of the final part of the course after she caught the rider who started one minute ahead of her. "It was really good until the last 5k," said the American to Cyclingnews. "Priska [Doppmann} and I were playing a little tag – back and forth – and she definitely interfered with my... I mean she didn't on purpose, but that's the way it turned out. There are a couple of technical turns on the descent where you have to set up your own line, which was frustrating, and then it got kind of narrow in here so it's hard to pass back."
Like most of the riders, Thorburn was very positive about the event, especially the race's parcours: "It was a great course," she enthused, "I like the course. [The climb] was very, very hard, it just got steeper and steeper: 17% at the top."
"Really good course," agreed High Road's Oenone Wood. "I don't think I was super fast here today, in fact I think I was quite slow [in fact she finished last of the eighteen riders], but it was a great course and a really well organised race."
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Wood's compatriot, Australian champion Bridie O'Donnell (AIS Australia), was equally enthusiastic – and equally self-effacing about her own performance: "It was good. I rode as well as I could, I just need to lose about ten kilos if I'm going to get up that hill a little bit quicker," she joked. "It was generally pretty fast. There wasn't as much wind as there was on the other days when I've been here to practice, so it was quite fast when you weren't going uphill!"
As there are not many competitive time trials for women, this race was an important marker for those trying to qualify for the Olympic games in Beijing. For the Swiss, the race is treated as a qualifying event, so for Nicole Brändli (Bigla) eighth place was good enough to finish as second Swiss rider, and – she hopes – a ticket for the games. "I was happy," she said, "because I don't train much for time trails and today it was the best girls here for the race, [but] the parcours was not so [hard] like the Olympic race. The first, second and third girls [were much] better, but after I was there so I was really happy, it was important to make a good race for the selection."
"Karin Thurig is certain [to go to Beijing] because she is strong, but we have two places. When you look at the parcours for the Olympic games it's like a mountain in the beginning so I hope I can go."
Finishing in seventh place, only fractionally slower than Thorburn, was an evergreen Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (Team Pro Feminin les Carroz). The thirteen-time World champion is bidding to qualify for yet another Olympic games this summer, just a few months shy of her fiftieth birthday.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net
- The beautiful surroundings in Romandie, above the town of Sion.
- Andrea Thurig (Team Bigla) digs deep.
- Pascal Schnider (Swiss National) shows the pain.
- Nicole Cooke (Bike Hut) is working hard and hurting herself.
- Bridie O'Donnell (Australia) takes in a gulp of air on the rise.
- Nicole Brandli (Team Bigla) looked comfortable in the closing metres.
- Brandli up close.
- Trixi Worrack (Equipe Nurnberger) gasps for air as she gives it everything.
- Judith Arndt (High Road) stays on the tri bars as she climbs the rise.
- Suzanne Ljungskog (Menikini Gysko) has given everything by the look in her eyes.
- Mirjam Melchers van Poppel (Team Flexpoint) strains to keep the pace high on the climb.
- Karin Thurig (Cervelo Lifeforce) in control.
- Oenone Wood (High Road) takes in as much air as possible.
- Emma Pooley (Team Specialized Designs) looks calm towards the finish.
- Jeannie Longo (Team Les Carroz) she knows how to time trial.
- Priska Doppmann (Cervelo Lifeforce) on her way to the finish.
- Christine Thorburn (USA) out of the saddle and straining for the finish.
- Christianne Soeder (Cervelo Lifeforce) didn't look that fast - looks are deceptive!
- Amber Neben (Team Flexpoint) changes gear, but stays on the tri bars up the climb.
- Kristin Armstrong (Cervelo Lifeforce) was last starter and led a huge convoy of official vehicles around the course.
- The podium: Armstrong, Soeder and Neben.
- "I just rode on of these to victory"… Christiane Soeder takes a look at her prize, donated by the Cervelo Lifeforce team sponsor.
Images by Ben Atkins/Cyclingnews.com
- Bridie O'Donnell (AIS Australia) warms up with some tunes in the shade.
- Pascale Schnider (Switzerland) adjusts the resistance on her trainer as she warms up.
- Priska Doppmann (Cervelo Lifeforce) warms up with cotton wool up her nose to ensure her airways are clear when the race starts.
- Nicole Cooke (Halfords Bikehut) found the shade of some bushes to warm up in.
- Trixie Worrack (Nürnberger Versicherung) looks a bit nervous as she rides her trainer.
- Nicole Brändli (Bigla) is hoping to qualify for Beijing and so is one of the few people that gets to use the BMC TT01 Time Machine.
- Mirjam Melchers-Van Poppel (Flexpoint) chills out before it's time to warm up.
- Cervelo Lifeforce has a lot of talent to bring to a race like this (l-r) Karin Thürig, Priska Doppmann, Christianne Soeder and Kristin Armstrong.
- Emma Pooley (Specialized Designs for Women) qualified for this event thanks to her 8th place in last year's World championships.
- Amber Neben (Flexpoint) shuts out the world with music as she prepares for her ride.
- High Road duo Oenone Wood (l) and Judith Arndt (r) warm up in formation.
- Christine Thorburn (USA National Team) rides for Webcor Builders but is representing her country here.
- Suzanne Ljungskog (Menikini-Selle Italia) is a two-time World champion on the road, but also a multiple Swedish time trail champion.
- Nicole Brändli (Bigla) will finish as second Swiss rider today and hopes that's enough to take her to Beijing.
- Andrea Thürig (Bigla) is the younger sister of Karin (Cervelo Lifeforce) and the first rider to start.
- Thürig is off! The 2008 GP Suisse - Souvenir Magali Pache is under way.
- Pascale Schnider (Switzerland) sets off down the start ramp.
- Aussie Champion Bridie O'Donnell (AIS Australia) heads off on her ride - she's strong on the flat but found the climb a bit tough.
- Nicole Cooke (Halfords Bikehut) takes a deep breath as she prepares to start.
- Cooke grits her teeth as she gets her gear turning.
- Nicole Brändli (Bigla) heads off on a ride that she hopes will take her to the Olympics.
- Trixie Worrack (Nürnberger Versicherung) rolls down the start ramp.
- Judith Arndt (High Road) focuses on the road ahead.
- Suzanne Ljungskog (Menikini-Selle Italia) grimaces as she gets her wheels turning.
- Oenone Wood (High Road) looks serene as she watches the clock count her down.
- Oenone Wood (High Road) looks fast as she starts, but she didn’t find the course to her liking today.
- Mirjam Melchers-Van Poppel (Flexpoint) starts her ride.
- Karin Thürig (Cervelo Lifeforce) is Swiss champion and hot favourite but she will only manage fourth.
- Emma Pooley (Specialized Designs for Women) adjusts her glasses as the clock counts her down.
- Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (Team Pro Feminin les Carroz) can't resist a smile as the announcer tries to list her achievements in time before she starts.
- Priska Doppmann (Cervelo Lifeforce) puts everything into her start.
- Christine Thorburn (USA National Team) starts the ride that will see her finish in sixth place.
- Christiane Soeder (Cervelo Lifeforce) is calm as she watches the clock count down.
- Christiane Soeder (Cervelo Lifeforce) is still smiling as sh sets off on her winning ride.
- Amber Neben (Flexpoint) focuses as the starters fingers count her down.
- Amber Neben (Flexpoint) is off on her way to a storming third place.
- Kristin Armstrong (Cervelo Lifeforce) is US National Champion and as last year's winner is hot favourite today.
- Armstrong is off! Despite a fast ride though, her Cervelo Lifeforce team-mate Christiane Soeder was even faster.
- Christine Thorburn (USA National Team) loves the way these shades don't put their frames in her line of vision. We think you look cool in them too Christine!
- The podium (l-r) Kristin Armstrong (Cervelo Lifeforce), Christiane Soeder (Cervelo Lifeforce) and Amber Neben (Flexpoint)
Results - 20.4 km
1 Christiane Soeder (Aut) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 28.46.37 2 Kristin Armstrong (USA) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 0.22.23 3 Amber Neben (USA) Team Flexpoint 0.31.29 4 Karin Thürig (Swi) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 0.46.50 5 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Menikini - Selle Italia 1.00.87 6 Christine Thorburn (USA) Webcor Builders Cycling Team 1.01.77 7 Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (Fra) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz 1.02.45 8 Nicole Brändli (Swi) Bigla Cycling Team 1.12.64 9 Judith Arndt (Ger) Team High Road Women 1.17.43 10 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 1.21.41 11 Emma Pooley (GBr) Team Specialized Designs For Women 1.23.47 12 Nicole Cooke (GBr) Team Halfords Bikehut 1.30.39 13 Mirjam Melchers-Van Poppel (Ned) Team Flexpoint 1.40.92 14 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 2.00.18 15 Andrea Thürig (Swi) Bigla Cycling Team 2.50.14 16 Bridie O'Donnell (Aus) AIS 3.02.73 17 Pascale Schnider (Swi) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 3.13.22 18 Oenone Wood (Aus) Team High Road Women 3.23.33
Past winners
2007 Kristin Armstrong (USA) Team Lipton 20.40 km in 30.31 (40.109 km/h) 2006 Nicole Cooke (GBr) Univega Pro Cycling Team 20.40 km in 30.43 (39.843 km/h) 2005 Karin Thürig (Swi) Univega Pro Cycling Team 2004 Oenone Wood (Aus) Australian National Team Past winners by Mario Stiehl, www.world-of-cycling.com
