Recently on Cyclingnews.com |
 Giro finale Photo ©: Bettini |
Giro d'Italia Femminile - 2.1 (W)
Italy, July 6-15, 2007
Main Page Results Overall standings Previous Stage Next Stage
Stage 5 - July 11: Cittiglio - Cittiglio, 103.4 km
Brandli solos to victory
By Kirsten Robbins
|
As a two-time winner of the Giro, all eyes should have been on Swiss climber Nicole Brandli (Bigla) when she stormed away from a select group of general classification riders on today's final climb. Brandli flew through a break away of four and soloed to her first stage victory of this year's race, with her victory catapulting her up to second place. Italy's Marta Bastianelli (Safi Pasta) was the only other rider to get free of the breakaway, shooting through to take second from World Champion Marianne Vos (Team DSB Bank), who won the bunch sprint for third.
Edita Pucinskaite (Equipe Nurnberger) held on to her magila rosa but is now followed by Brandli just eighteen second back. Brandli's rise up the order bumps Maribel Moreno Allue (Spanish National Team) back to third place on GC.
How it unfolded
|
The tough climbs commenced on today's Stage 5, from Cittiglio-Cittiglio. The stage required riders to climb Brinzio, a monumental mountain dedicated to all of the cyclists who have died from the Provincia de Varese, twice. If Brinzio was not enough, there was more to come as the riders took a third but smaller lap that finished over the top of Arcumeggia, a five and half kilometer climb followed by a steep descent.
Allison Powers (Colavita/Sutter Home) and Jennifer Hohl (Team Bigla) started a breakaway that would last upwards of 50 kilometers early on. The two riders broke away after the first climb over Brinzio and continued increase the gap over the peloton with each kilometre that passed.
The field was active in trying to bridge to the pair, but not even a chase group of 11 could catch them and thus were reeled back in by the peloton. A second group of seven riders successfully bridge up to the two before they hit the final climb over Arcumeggia, but only four, Kim Anderson (T-Mobile), Charlotte Becker (Nurnberger), Luisa Tamanini (Safi-Pasta) and her teammate Marta Bastianelli, of the now nine-rider break entered the last climb together.
|
A select group of 13 climbers, including the top 10 placed riders on GC, charged over Arcumeggia in pursuit of the four escapees. Brandli attacked her 12 rivals, and caught the remains of the earlier break on the descent into the finish.
Rochelle Gilmore (Team Menikini-Selle Italia) placed second on yesterday's Stage 4 and was pleased with her team's performance with team leader Fabiana Luperini's pursuit of the overall. Gilmore regarded Brandli's move as perfect timing and almost predictable of such a talented climber. "We are a little confused as well as other teams at the outcome of today's stage," Gilmore admitted. "Obviously Nicole Brandli is a very strong rider and one to watch out for. Fabiana is in good form and had good legs to go with her today but it wasn't our team's responsibility to chase Brandli. It was more of Edita's responsibility to chase but when she didn't and the riders sort of looked at each other. It might have been a tactical mistake for them [Nurnberger] and for us, by the time Fabiana tried to get to her it was too late."
When the terrain flattened out the Safi-Pasta duo of Tamanini and Bastianelli worked together to catch up the Brandli before the finale, but Tamanini was swallowed by the charging group from behind while Bastianelli found herself caught between the solo winner and the chase group.
Marianne Vos (Team DSB Bank) continues to lead the points classification, while Svetlana Bubnekova (Fenixs) has taken the lead in the mountains after a stiff battle between the climbers. The best young rider jersey has switched from Nurnberger to T-Mobile's Linda Villumsen Serup.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net
- Speaker of the race, Alberto Rigamonti introduces the teams each morning and then provides live commentary for those in the finish area.
- Mari Plagenzi (Michela Fanini Record Rox) on the climb at Brinzi.
- Nicole Brändli (Team Bigla) hugs the barriers as she rides to a solo win in Cittiglio.
- Marta Bastianelli (Safi Pasta Zara Manhattan) takes a weary second place as the bunch winds up the sprint for third.
- Marianne Vos (DSB Bank) outsprints Monia Baccaille (Saccarelli Emu) and Grete Treier (Michela Fanini Record Rox). Judith Arndt (T-Mobile) was fifth.
- Charlotte Becker (Nürnberger) was very active in the breakaway, but did not maintain it to the finish.
- Claudia Hausler (Nürnberger) passed the young rider's competition lead to Linda Villumsen (T-Mobile) after the stage.
- Podium (L-R): Marta Bastianelli (Safi Pasta Zara Manhattan), Nicole Brändli (Team Bigla) and Marianne Vos (DSB Bank).
- Edita Puckinskaite (Nürnberger) retained the race lead.
- A novel twist on the "podium girls" concept: GC leader Puckinskaite and mountains leader, Svetlana Bubnenkova (Fenixs) kiss race director, Giuseppe Rivolta.
- Alison Powers (Colavita Sutter) was aggressive early in the stage.
- Kim Anderson (T-Mobile) figured in the final breakaway
- Yesterday's stage winner, Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (T-Mobile), leads points leader, Marianne Vos (DSB Bank).
- A friendly sprint to gain a place on the stage between Saccarelli Emu team-mates.
- Sprinter Giorgia Bronzini (Safi Pasta Zara Manhattan) finishes in the 'autobus'.
Images by Davide Tricarico/www.ladiescycling.net
- Anna Farina (G.S. Top Girls) has a great sense of humor.
- Ombretta Ugolini (Chirio Forno d'Asolo) collects her energy for this hard stage.
- Maria Gallastegi (Bizkaia Panda) and a teammate warm up with a pre-race swing.
- Team FRW Gauss get a briefing on the day's tattics.
- Team Bigla prepare for the day's stage.
- The legs of a World Champion Marianne Vos (Team DSB Bank).
- The American team Colavita Sutter Home.
- The team PHB Fenixs
- Team Flexpoint is ready for the day ahead.
- Tatiana Sharakova (FRW Gauss) needs a massage before the start.
- Ketty Manfrin (FRW Gauss) with her team-coloured nails.
- Pink ballons for the riders contesting the pink race.
- Olga Slioussareva (PHB Fenixs) and Julia Martisova (FRW Gauss) before the start.
- New Zealand's Joanne Kiesanowski (Raleigh Lifeforce) stretching before the race.
- Oenone Wood (T-Mobile) is ready to race.
- Allison Powers (Colavita Sutter Home) wins the second mountains sprint at Brinzio.
- Bettina Kuhn (Team Bigla) was second at into Brinzio.
- Brinzio: A memorial dedicated to Alfredo Binda and Luigi Ganna.
- Allison Powers (Colavita Sutter Home) in her solo breakway on the Arcumeggia climb.
- Luisa Tamanini (Safi Pasta Zara Manhattan) and Noemi Cantele (Team Bigla) will catch Powers.
- Svetlana Boubnenkova (PHB Fenixs) and Fabiana Luperini (Menikini Selle Italia) fight for the green jersey of best climber.
- Nicole Brandli (Team Bigla) wins the fifth stage.
- Marta Bastianelli (Safi Pasta Zara) is second.
- Marianne Vos (DSB Bank) sprints to third.
- A happy Nicole Brandli (Team Bigla).
- Podium (L-R): Marta Bastianelli (Safi Pasta Zara Manhattan), Nicole Brändli (Team Bigla) and Marianne Vos (DSB Bank).
- The new white jersey: Linda Villumsen Serup (T-Mobile).
- Giro organizer Rivolta is kissed by pink jersey Edita Pucinskaite (Team Nurnberger) and the green jersey holder Svetlana Boubnenkova (PHB Fenixs).
Images by Nicola Ianuale/www.photoianuale.com
- Stage winner Nicole Brandli comes to the line
- A group cruises over the finish line
- Emanuela Azzini
- Marta Bastianelli holding off the rest for 2nd
- Noemi Cantele (Team Bigla)
- the peloton makes its way up one of the many climbs of the day
- Maribel Moreno Allue pointing out where she will attack?
- Scenes from the start of the day
- 1st and 2nd in the general classification Edita Pucinskaite and Nicole Brandli
- Race director, Giuseppe Rivolta receives kisses from the jersey wearers
- Luisa Tamanini (Safi Pasta Zara Manhattan) leading the group
- Vos making some minor adjustments before the start
- Anna Zugno knows what she wants.... pink
Results
1 Nicole Brandli (Swi) Team Bigla 2.50.59 (36.670 kph) 2 Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Safi Pasta Zara Manhattan 0.46 3 Marianne Vos (Ned) Team DSB Bank 0.52 4 Monia Baccaille (Ita) Saccarelli Emu Sea 5 Grete Treier (Ger) Michela Fanini Record Rox 6 Judith Arndt (Ger) T Mobile Women 7 Svetlana Bubnenkova (Rus) Fenixs Hpb Edilsavino 8 Julia Martisova (Rus) Team Frw Gauss Rdz 9 Noemi Cantele (Ita) Team Bigla 10 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Team Flexpoint General classification after stage 5 1 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Nurnberger Versicherung 13.49.05 2 Nicole Brandli (Swi) Bigla Cycling Team 0.18 3 Maribel Moreno Allue (Spa) Selection Nationale Espanola 0.28 3 Fabiana Luperini (Ita) Menikini Selle Italia Gysko 0.52 4 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Team Flexpoint 1.05 6 Judith Arndt (Ger) T Mobile Women 1.28 7 Linda Villumsen Serup (Den) T Mobile Women 2.04 8 Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) AA Drink Cycling Team 2.23 9 Marianne Vos (Ned) Team DSB Bank 2.45 10 Grete Treier (Ger) Michela Fanini Record Rox 3.06 Points classification 1 Marianne Vos (Ned) Team DSB Bank 36 pts 2 Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Safi Pasta Zara Manhattan 25 3 Grete Treier (Ger) Michela Fanini Record Rox 23 4 Nicole Brandli (Swi) Bigla Cycling Team 21 5 Regina Schleicher (Ger) Nurnberger Versicherung 20 Mountains classification 1 Svetlana Bubnenkova (Rus) Fenixs Hpb Edilsavino 28 pts 2 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Nurnberger Versicherung 24 3 Fabiana Luperini (Ita) Menikini Selle Italia Gysko 23 4 Luisa Tamanini (Ita) Safi Pasta Zara Manhattan 15 5 Kimberly Anderson (USA) T Mobile Women 12 Best young rider classification 1 Linda Villumsen Serup (Den) T Mobile Team 13.51.09
