Grande Boucle Féminine Internationale - 2.9.1

France, August 4-18, 2002

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Stage 10 - August 14: Montrond-les-Bains - Issoire, 141.2km

By Chris Henry, Cyclingnews correspondent

Rasa Polikeviciute
Photo: ©AFP

World champion Rasa Polikeviciute built on the success of Acca Due O teammate Nicole Brandli's stage 9b victory with a win in today's stage 10, 141.2km from Montrond-les-Bains to Issoire. Once again, the tactic was simple: attack early and don't look back.

"Petra Rossner can get away with 100m to go. For us, it takes 60-80km of attacking to win," laughed Polikeviciute at the finish. "Yesterday it was Nicole who attacked early. Normally the attacks have to come at the beginning of the race, because at the end there's more control (from other teams). At the beginning of the race everyone thinks there's too far to go, but that's when you have more of a chance."

The world champion's springboard came from Italian Daniela Veronesi (Edilsavino), who was already away on a solo attack on the 4th category Côte de Malaveille. Polikeviciute launched her own counter attack, and caught Veronesi by the summit of the climb, taking the QOM points in the process.

At this point it didn't take long for the Acca Due rider to leave Veronesi behind, as Polikeviciute attacked again and set off alone with over 70km to the finish. Once clear, Rasa's teammate and twin sister Jolanta Polikeviciute took to the front of the peloton to block and dissaude any efforts at an early chase.

As the time gaps back to the peloton increased, the principal contenders for the general classification began to ponder Polikeviciute's escape as well as their own aspirations on the undulating stage. Second place overall Susanne Ljungskog (Vlaanderen-T Interim) launched the first serious counter attack, with German national champion and former Maillot Or Judith Arndt (Saturn) close behind. Race leader Zinaida Stahurskaia reacted quickly to Ljungskog's move, and the peloton regrouped once again. Joane Somarriba followed suit with her own attack, but sat up shortly thereafter, sensing the peloton hot on her heels.

Although the Tour is moving away from the high mountains, a few riders did still find themselves in difficulty on the slopes of today's stage, including yesterday's stage 9a winner Ina Teutenberg and red jersey wearer Debby Mansveld.

As Polikeviciute sailed towards Issoire, her lead over the peloton was 3'20" with 10km to go. One more attack stirred things up in the chase group, as American Kim Anderson (USA National-T Mobile) broke clear with Valentina Karpenko (Deia Pragma Colnago) and early attacker Daniela Veronesi. Itera's Valentina Polkhanova bridged across to the three chasers, but prompted a reaction from opportunist Ljungskog, who caught the group of four but in doing so brought the field back together.

Coming into the 5km finishing circuit in Issoire, Polikeviciute still held an advantage of three minutes, while the Itera team took control of the peloton in the hopes of setting Olga Slioussareva up for the field sprint. But with valuable bonus seconds available for the first three finishers, the leaders of the GC would surely try to get in the mix in the final.

After over 70km on the attack, Polikeviciute enjoyed the encouragement of the large crowd gathered along the finishing circuit. When the bell lap failed to ring, a brief moment of confusion and frustration ensued, but in the end Polikeviciute had plenty of time to savour her victory.

Saturn's Judith Arndt crossed the line 2'53" later to claim second place on the stage, followed by Susanne Ljungskog, who picked up another 4 seconds thanks to finishing bonuses. This was in addition to 1 second she grabbed from a mid-race sprint earlier in the day, moving her within 38" of Zinaida Stahurskaia's overall lead.

Photography

Photos by AFP

• Rasa Polikeviciute (L), Susanne Ljungskog, and Teodora Ruano in stage 10.
• World Champion Rasa Polikeviciute (Acca Due O) on her way to winning Stage 10 of La Grande Boucle Féminine.
• Rasa Polikeviciute (Acca Due O) is relieved to win the 10th stage

Results

1 Rasa Polikeviciute (Ltu) Acca Due O                           3.54.04
2 Judith Arndt (Ger) Saturn Cycling                                2.53
3 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Vlaanderen-T Interim
4 Sara Felloni (Ita) Edilsavino
5 Olga Slioussareva (Rus) Itera Team
6 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Mixte Power Plate
7 Regina Schleicher (Ger) Michela Fanini
8 Alessandra Cappellotto (Ita) Mixte Power Plate
9 Zita Urbonaite (Ltu) Acca Due O
10 Joane Somarriba Arrola (Spa) Deia Pragma Colnago
11 Arenda Grimberg (Ned) Team Farm Frites-Hartol
12 Sylvie Riedle (Fra) C.A Mantes la ville 78
13 Edita Kubelskiene (Ltu) Figurella Dream Team
14 Liane Bahler (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung
15 Iryna Chuzhynova (Ukr) Edilsavino
16 Zinaida Stahurskaia (Blr) USC Chirio
17 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Figurella Dream Team
18 Youlia Martissova (Rus) Itera Team
19 Nicole Brandli (Swi) Acca Due O
20 Eneritz Iturriaga Mazaga (Spa) Deia Pragma Colnago
21 Marcia Eicher-Vouets (Swi) C.A Mantes la ville 78
22 Chantal Beltman (Ned) Acca Due O
23 Lada Kozlikova (Cze) Itera Team
24 Ghita Beltman (Ned) Acca Due O
25 Elisabeth Chevanne Brunel (Fra) C.A Mantes la ville 78
26 Shani Bloch (Isr) Michela Fanini
27 Tatiana Stiajkina (Ukr) Deia Pragma Colnago
28 Birgit Sollner (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung
29 Daniela Veronesi (Ita) Edilsavino
30 Cindy Pieters (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim
31 Mari Holden (USA) USA National-T Mobile
32 Amber Neben (USA) USA National-T Mobile
33 Valentyna Karpenko (Ukr) Deia Pragma Colnago
34 Sandrine Marcuz (Fra) French National Team
35 Sandra Rombouts (Ned) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung
36 Kimberly Bruckner (USA) Saturn Cycling
37 Silvia Parietti (Ita) Figurella Dream Team
38 Teodora Ruano Sanchon (Spa) Deia Pragma Colnago
39 Valentina Polkhanova (Rus) Itera Team
40 Rosalisa Lapomarda (Ita) Aliverti Kookai Imm Luca Atet
41 Kim Anderson (USA) USA National-T Mobile
42 Madeleine Lindberg (Swe) Team Farm Frites-Hartol
43 Jolanta Polikeviciute (Ltu) Acca Due O
44 Ina Yoko Teutenberg (Ger) Saturn Cycling                        3.37
45 Helga Faccin (Ita) USC Chirio                                  15.30
46 Stacey Peters (USA) USA National-T Mobile
47 Alexandra Nohles (Ger) Mixte Power Plate
48 Kristin Armstrong (USA) USA National-T Mobile
49 Emma James (Aus) C.A Mantes la ville 78
50 Isabelle Moulis (Fra) French National Team                     22.19
51 Karine Dalmais (Fra) French National Team                      23.25
52 Marta Evangelisti (Ita) Edilsavino
53 Francesca Castrucci (Ita) Aliverti Kookai Imm Luca Atet
54 Penny Edwards (GBr) USC Chirio
55 Anke Wichmann (Ger) Michela Fanini
56 Marina Khodtchenkova (Rus) Edilsavino
57 Laure Werner (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim
58 Montserrat Alonso Bernal (Spa) Mixte Sabeco Bizkaia
59 Cristina Alcalde Huertanos (Spa) Mixte Sabeco Bizkaia
60 Letizia Giardinelli (Ita) Michela Fanini
61 Kym Shirley (Aus) Itera Team
62 Debby Mansveld (Ned) Vlaanderen-T Interim
63 Veronique Belleter (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim
64 Marta Vilajosana Andreu (Spa) Aliverti Kookai Imm Luca Atet
65 Lisbeth Simper (Den) Michela Fanini
66 Tetyana Andrushchenko (Ukr) USC Chirio
67 Yvonne Brunen (Ned) Mixte Power Plate
68 Magalie Finot (Fra) French National Team
69 Francis Linthorst (Ned) Mixte Power Plate
70 Baukje Doedee (Ned) Mixte Sabeco Bizkaia                       24.07
71 Anouska Van Der Zee (Ned) Team Farm Frites-Hartol              26.17
72 Tiziana Smorgon (Ita) Figurella Dream Team
73 Alessandra d'Ettore (Ita) Aliverti Kookai Imm Luca Atet
74 Anna Ramirez (Spa) Aliverti Kookai Imm Luca Atet
75 Cornelia Cyrus (Rus) Itera Team
76 Vilija Purlite (Ltu) Figurella Dream Team
77 Sissy Van Alebeek (Ned) Team Farm Frites-Hartol
78 Iosune Murillo Elkano (Spa) Mixte Sabeco Bizkaia
79 Agurtzane Elorriaga Derteano (Spa) Mixte Sabeco Bizkaia
80 Goulnara Ivanova (Rus) USC Chirio                              41.25
81 Cynthia Compain (Fra) C.A Mantes la ville 78                   51.41

General classification after stage 10

1 Zinaida Stahurskaia (Blr) USC Chirio                         34.19.30
2 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Vlaanderen-T Interim                     0.38
3 Joane Somarriba Arrola (Spa) Deia Pragma Colnago                 1.00
4 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Figurella Dream Team                     1.43
5 Nicole Brandli (Swi) Acca Due O                                  2.22
6 Valentina Polkhanova (Rus) Itera Team                           11.38
7 Judith Arndt (Ger) Saturn Cycling                               14.53
8 Rasa Polikeviciute (Ltu) Acca Due O                             21.51
9 Amber Neben (USA) USA National-T Mobile                         27.26
10 Kimberly Bruckner (USA) Saturn Cycling                         32.10
11 Alessandra Cappellotto (Ita) Mixte Power Plate                 35.52
12 Tatiana Stiajkina (Ukr) Deia Pragma Colnago                    44.17
13 Jolanta Polikeviciute (Ltu) Acca Due O                         53.19
14 Cindy Pieters (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim                       56.47
15 Rosalisa Lapomarda (Ita) Aliverti Kookai Imm Luca Atet       1.01.46
16 Sandrine Marcuz (Fra) French National Team                   1.13.29
17 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Mixte Power Plate                      1.14.41
18 Shani Bloch (Isr) Michela Fanini                             1.18.44
19 Teodora Ruano Sanchon (Spa) Deia Pragma Colnago              1.26.17
20 Eneritz Iturriaga Mazaga (Spa) Deia Pragma Colnago           1.28.21
21 Elisabeth Chevanne Brunel (Fra) C.A Mantes la ville 78       1.29.38
22 Liane Bahler (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung            1.30.16
23 Iryna Chuzhynova (Ukr) Edilsavino                            1.30.25
24 Birgit Sollner (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung          1.31.57
25 Madeleine Lindberg (Swe) Team Farm Frites-Hartol             1.33.10
26 Youlia Martissova (Rus) Itera Team                           1.36.41
27 Valentyna Karpenko (Ukr) Deia Pragma Colnago                 1.36.45
28 Silvia Parietti (Ita) Figurella Dream Team                   1.39.56
29 Regina Schleicher (Ger) Michela Fanini                       1.43.28
30 Kristin Armstrong (USA) USA National-T Mobile                1.44.01
31 Sara Felloni (Ita) Edilsavino                                1.50.26
32 Arenda Grimberg (Ned) Team Farm Frites-Hartol                1.52.15
33 Mari Holden (USA) USA National-T Mobile                      1.52.36
34 Karine Dalmais (Fra) French National Team                    1.55.21
35 Edita Kubelskiene (Ltu) Figurella Dream Team                 1.56.29
36 Marcia Eicher-Vouets (Swi) C.A Mantes la ville 78            1.57.00
37 Daniela Veronesi (Ita) Edilsavino                            1.57.14
38 Sandra Rombouts (Ned) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung         1.58.30
39 Chantal Beltman (Ned) Acca Due O                             1.59.03
40 Lada Kozlikova (Cze) Itera Team                              2.00.15
41 Sylvie Riedle (Fra) C.A Mantes la ville 78                   2.03.18
42 Zita Urbonaite (Ltu) Acca Due O                              2.06.33
43 Helga Faccin (Ita) USC Chirio                                2.07.32
44 Olga Slioussareva (Rus) Itera Team                           2.10.35
45 Letizia Giardinelli (Ita) Michela Fanini                     2.11.41
46 Kim Anderson (USA) USA National-T Mobile                     2.14.37
47 Yvonne Brunen (Ned) Mixte Power Plate                        2.18.29
48 Laure Werner (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim                      2.18.34
49 Ghita Beltman (Ned) Acca Due O                               2.23.05
50 Lisbeth Simper (Den) Michela Fanini                          2.25.33
51 Kym Shirley (Aus) Itera Team                                 2.27.43
52 Marta Vilajosana Andreu (Spa) Aliverti Kookai Imm Luca Atet  2.29.28
53 Emma James (Aus) C.A Mantes la ville 78                      2.36.21
54 Cristina Alcalde Huertanos (Spa) Mixte Sabeco Bizkaia        2.36.41
55 Veronique Belleter (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim                2.37.10
56 Francis Linthorst (Ned) Mixte Power Plate                    2.37.17
57 Baukje Doedee (Ned) Mixte Sabeco Bizkaia                     2.45.17
58 Tetyana Andrushchenko (Ukr) USC Chirio                       2.45.21
59 Tiziana Smorgon (Ita) Figurella Dream Team                   2.45.55
60 Debby Mansveld (Ned) Vlaanderen-T Interim                    2.48.33
61 Stacey Peters (USA) USA National-T Mobile                    2.48.35
62 Ina Yoko Teutenberg (Ger) Saturn Cycling                     2.50.36
63 Penny Edwards (GBr) USC Chirio                               2.51.59
64 Anouska Van Der Zee (Ned) Team Farm Frites-Hartol            2.52.29
65 Alessandra d'Ettore (Ita) Aliverti Kookai Imm Luca Atet      2.55.16
66 Anke Wichmann (Ger) Michela Fanini                           3.05.01
67 Sissy Van Alebeek (Ned) Team Farm Frites-Hartol              3.05.15
68 Marina Khodtchenkova (Rus) Edilsavino                        3.08.24
69 Montserrat Alonso Bernal (Spa) Mixte Sabeco Bizkaia          3.09.36
70 Vilija Purlite (Ltu) Figurella Dream Team                    3.19.18
71 Alexandra Nohles (Ger) Mixte Power Plate                     3.19.24
72 Francesca Castrucci (Ita) Aliverti Kookai Imm Luca Atet      3.27.31
73 Agurtzane Elorriaga Derteano (Spa) Mixte Sabeco Bizkaia      3.29.29
74 Marta Evangelisti (Ita) Edilsavino                           3.31.03
75 Magalie Finot (Fra) French National Team                     3.34.57
76 Anna Ramirez (Spa) Aliverti Kookai Imm Luca Atet             3.40.12
77 Goulnara Ivanova (Rus) USC Chirio                            3.41.31
78 Isabelle Moulis (Fra) French National Team                   3.48.31
79 Iosune Murillo Elkano (Spa) Mixte Sabeco Bizkaia             3.53.21
80 Cornelia Cyrus (Rus) Itera Team                              4.04.25
81 Cynthia Compain (Fra) C.A Mantes la ville 78                 5.28.14