Int.Thüringen-Rundfahrt der Frauen - 2.9.1

Germany, July 22-27, 2003

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Stage 1 - July 22: Rund um Zeulenroda TTT, 27.4 km

Nurnberger strongest in the TTT

By Kristy Scrymgeour

Team Nurnberger won todays first stage of the Thuringen Rundfhart in a powerful deomstration of team strength. The Nurnberger team rate this tour high in their list of priorities due to the fact that it is in their home country and set very close to the home towns of most of their riders and they are off to a good start.

Much to the dismay of many, the day didn't bring good weather to the opening stage as a huge storm hit only 10 minutes before the time trial was scheduled to begin. For safety reasons the organisers delayed the start by 15 minutes so that when the first riders set off the rain had ceased but the roads were still extremely wet, not a good sign with such a technical course consisting of corners, hills and cobbles.

Despite a mix up in the timing and the mishap of team member Margaret Hemsley hitting the deck on the slippery cobbles, Nurnberger were clearly the strongest team on the day, winning the event and earning the yellow jersey for Judith Arndt. Times were not taken into account for the first stage, instead teams gained time bonus seconds in order of finishing place. The first three teams gained ten seconds on the following team after which the time gaps dropped to five seconds.

Velodames finished strongly in second place in front of Powerplate Bik as Arndt takes the lead going into the second stage. Tomorrow is a difficult road stage traveling 127.9km from Zeulenroda to Hermsdorf.

Results

1 Equipe Nürnberger                     37.19
2 Velodames Colnago                      2.00
3 Bik Powerplate                         2.23
4 Team T-Mobile                          2.55
5 Road Runner-Guerciotti                 3.48
6 Acca due Pasta/Ausra Gruodis           4.01
7 Team Farm Frites Hartol                4.39
8 National Niederlande                   4.49
9 National Deutschland                   4.50
10 Team Euregio Egrensis                 4.54
11 Equipe Hamburg-Mannheimer             5.03
12 Team Stuttgart                        5.04
13 Nationalteam Großbritannien           5.29
14 Nationalteam Österreich               5.41
15 Bonda Lukowski                        5.41
16 Next 125                              5.50
17 RG Berlin Charlottenburg              6.17
18 Red Bull Team                         7.28