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Grande Boucle Féminine Internationale - 2.9.1

France, August 4-18, 2002

Main Page Results Previous Stage Next Stage

Stage 8 - August 11: Courchevel - Vaujany, 113.6km

Polkhanova gets stage, Stahurskaia still in yellow

By Chris Henry, Cyclingnews correspondent

Polkhanova wins
Photo: © AFP

After yesterday's uphill finish to Courchevel, the Grande Boucle tested the riders again today with a stage featuring two more major mountain passes and another finishing climb to Vaujany. The five leaders of the Tour once again asserted themselves at the finish, but today it was the turn of Russian Valentina Polkhanova (Itera), who stole 24 seconds from the leading group in Vaujany and claimed her first stage win of the event.

The climbing started early, with the mighty Col de la Madeleine beginning only 15km into the stage. The majority of the favorites stayed together on the HC climb of the Madeleine, which carried the peloton to an altitude of 1933 meters. The difficulty of the climbs was once again compounded by a second day of miserable weather in the mountains, forcing riders to wear extra layers of clothing and suffer through chilling rains throughout the stage. The real attacks came towards the end of the stage, as the leading group of five broke clear on the 1st category climb of the Col du Glandon.

On the Glandon
Photo: © AFP

Race leader Zinaida Stahurskaia (USC Chirio), yesterday's stage winner Edita Pucinskaite (Figurella Dream Team), Valentina Polkhanova (Itera), Susanne Ljungskog (Vlaanderen-T Interim), and defending Grande Boucle champion Joane Somarriba once again dominated the field and marked each other on the day's two tough climbs.

Near the finish in Vaujany, Itera's Polkhanova attacked the quintet and soloed to victory with a 24 second advantage over second place Pucinskaite, who was followed by Stahurskaia and Somarriba in the same time. Susanne Ljungskong lost some ground in the closing meters, but hung on to finish only six seconds behind Somarriba and claim fifth place on the day.

Although she lost 24 seconds today, defending champion Somarriba remains in close contact with Maillot Or Stahurskaia, 1'01" behind. Edita Pucinskaite sits 1'15" back in third place. Eighty five of the 113 starters remain in the race heading into Monday's rest day after another nine riders abandoned today's stage.

Images by AFP

Valentina Polkanova (Itera) leads the way on the Col du Glandon, during the eighth stage of La Grand Boucle Feminine.
Valentina Polkanova (Itera) wins the eighth stage of La Grand Boucle Feminine.
Zinaida Stahurskaia (USC Chirio) in the leader's jersey after the 8th stage of La Grand Boucle

Photos by Russell Standring

Oh, what a lovely day for a race
Wintry conditions for the chase group and the race leader
Valentina Polkhanova on her way to the stage victory
Susanne Ljungskog rides to fifth place on the stage
Silvia Parietti is happy to see the finish in Vaujany
The first French rider, Sandrine Marcuz, rides into Vaujany
Rosalisa Lapomarda gets advice from the team car
Rasa Polikeviciute rides to seventh place
Priska Doppmann and Shani Bloch ride together into Vaujany
A lone rider cycles into Vaujany
Liane Bahler rides to 24th place
The Italian Alessandra Cappellotto braves the bad weather
Jolanta Polikeviciute cycles past the devil's bicycle
The face of Jenny Algelid-Bengtsson says it all
Itera Team riders lead the largest bunch to finish together in Vaujany
Even the Devil wasn't happy with the weather
Nicole Brandli rides to sixth place
The final 50 metres for Anna Ramirez, Marina Khodtchenkova and Francesca Castrucci
An Aliverti Kookai Imm Luca Atet rider is happy to get some dry clothes

Results

1 Valentina Polkhanova (Rus) Itera Team                         4.06.59 (27.59 km/h)
2 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Figurella Dream Team                     0.24
3 Zinaida Stahurskaia (Blr) USC Chirio
4 Joane Somarriba Arrola (Spa) Deia Pragma Colnago
5 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Vlaanderen-T Interim                     0.30
6 Nicole Brandli (Swi) Acca Due O                                  3.21
7 Rasa Polikeviciute (Ltu) Acca Due O                              5.39
8 Judith Arndt (Ger) Saturn Cycling                                5.48
9 Amber Neben (USA) USA National-T Mobile                          6.12
10 Cindy Pieters (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim                       10.38
11 Tatiana Stiajkina (Ukr) Deia Pragma Colnago                    11.06
12 Kimberly Bruckner (USA) Saturn Cycling                         12.37
13 Rosalisa Lapomarda (Ita) Aliverti Kookai Imm Luca Atet         13.37
14 Alessandra Cappellotto (Ita) Mixte Power Plate                 15.25
15 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Mixte Power Plate                        20.53
16 Shani Bloch (Isr) Michela Fanini                               21.21
17 Rhonda Quick (USA) Figurella Dream Team                        21.35
18 Heidi Van De Vijver (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim                 22.59
19 Jolanta Polikeviciute (Ltu) Acca Due O                         24.28
20 Sandrine Marcuz (Fra) French National Team                     26.07
21 Elisabeth Chevanne Brunel (Fra) C.A Mantes la ville 78         28.01
22 Teodora Ruano Sanchon (Spa) Deia Pragma Colnago                28.42
23 Eneritz Iturriaga Mazaga (Spa) Deia Pragma Colnago             29.02
24 Liane Bahler (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung              30.20
25 Kristin Armstrong (USA) USA National-T Mobile                  31.43
26 Karine Dalmais (Fra) French National Team                      32.30
27 Birgit Sollner (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung            32.45
28 Madeleine Lindberg (Swe) Team Farm Frites-Hartol               34.56
29 Valentyna Karpenko (Ukr) Deia Pragma Colnago                   34.56
30 Mari Holden (USA) USA National-T Mobile
31 Iryna Chuzhynova (Ukr) Edilsavino
32 Penny Edwards (GBr) USC Chirio                                 37.00
33 Silvia Parietti (Ita) Figurella Dream Team                     40.22
34 Arenda Grimberg (Ned) Team Farm Frites-Hartol                  40.45
35 Helga Faccin (Ita) USC Chirio
36 Youlia Martissova (Rus) Itera Team                             43.20
37 Olga Slioussareva (Rus) Itera Team
38 Tetyana Andrushchenko (Ukr) USC Chirio
39 Edita Kubelskiene (Ltu) Figurella Dream Team
40 Lada Kozlikova (Cze) Itera Team
41 Marcia Eicher-Vouets (Swi) C.A Mantes la ville 78
42 Sylvie Riedle (Fra) C.A Mantes la ville 78
43 Ghita Beltman (Ned) Acca Due O
44 Sandra Rombouts (Ned) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung
45 Yvonne Brunen (Ned) Mixte Power Plate
46 Letizia Giardinelli (Ita) Michela Fanini
47 Daniela Veronesi (Ita) Edilsavino
48 Chantal Beltman (Ned) Acca Due O
49 Laure Werner (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim
50 Sara Felloni (Ita) Edilsavino
51 Regina Schleicher (Ger) Michela Fanini
52 Kim Anderson (USA) USA National-T Mobile
53 Francis Linthorst (Ned) Mixte Power Plate                      44.46
54 Zita Urbonaite (Ltu) Acca Due O                                45.16
55 Jenny Algelid-Bengtsson (Swe) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung   46.11
56 Tiziana Smorgon (Ita) Figurella Dream Team                     46.29
57 Lisbeth Simper (Den) Michela Fanini                            47.32
58 Kym Shirley (Aus) Itera Team
59 Stacey Peters (USA) USA National-T Mobile                      47.39
60 Marta Vilajosana Andreu (Spa) Aliverti Kookai Imm Luca Atet    48.00
61 Baukje Doedee (Ned) Mixte Sabeco Bizkaia                       50.39
62 Cristina Alcalde Huertanos (Spa) Mixte Sabeco Bizkaia          50.50
63 Agurtzane Elorriaga Derteano (Spa) Mixte Sabeco Bizkaia        51.55
64 Debby Mansveld (Ned) Vlaanderen-T Interim                      53.16
65 Emma James (Aus) C.A Mantes la ville 78                        53.54
66 Vilija Purlite (Ltu) Figurella Dream Team                      54.25
67 Anouska Van Der Zee (Ned) Team Farm Frites-Hartol              55.55
68 Veronique Belleter (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim                  56.24
69 Sissy Van Alebeek (Ned) Team Farm Frites-Hartol
70 Alessandra d'Ettore (Ita) Aliverti Kookai Imm Luca Atet        58.32
71 Anke Wichmann (Ger) Michela Fanini                           1.02.39
72 Ina Yoko Teutenberg (Ger) Saturn Cycling
73 Anna Ramirez (Spa) Aliverti Kookai Imm Luca Atet             1.03.46
74 Marina Khodtchenkova (Rus) Edilsavino
75 Francesca Castrucci (Ita) Aliverti Kookai Imm Luca Atet
76 Cornelia Cyrus (Rus) Itera Team                              1.04.28
77 Montserrat Alonso Bernal (Spa) Mixte Sabeco Bizkaia          1.04.34
78 Goulnara Ivanova (Rus) USC Chirio                            1.04.37
79 Iosune Murillo Elkano (Spa) Mixte Sabeco Bizkaia             1.05.17
80 Alexandra Nohles (Ger) Mixte Power Plate
81 Catherine Marsal (Fra) Saturn Cycling                        1.06.03
82 Isabelle Moulis (Fra) French National Team                   1.06.29
83 Magalie Finot (Fra) French National Team                     1.07.06
84 Marta Evangelisti (Ita) Edilsavino                           1.09.26
85 Cynthia Compain (Fra) C.A Mantes la ville 78                 1.10.25

General classification after stage 8

1 Zinaida Stahurskaia (Blr) USC Chirio                         27.10.41
2 Joane Somarriba Arrola (Spa) Deia Pragma Colnago                 1.01
3 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Figurella Dream Team                     1.15
4 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Vlaanderen-T Interim                     2.35
5 Valentina Polkhanova (Rus) Itera Team                            4.42
6 Nicole Brandli (Swi) Acca Due O                                  6.51
7 Judith Arndt (Ger) Saturn Cycling                                9.36
8 Rasa Polikeviciute (Ltu) Acca Due O                             19.34
9 Amber Neben (USA) USA National-T Mobile                         22.03
10 Kimberly Bruckner (USA) Saturn Cycling                         25.14
11 Alessandra Cappellotto (Ita) Mixte Power Plate                 30.34
12 Tatiana Stiajkina (Ukr) Deia Pragma Colnago                    37.21
13 Cindy Pieters (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim                       42.56
14 Jolanta Polikeviciute (Ltu) Acca Due O                         46.23
15 Rosalisa Lapomarda (Ita) Aliverti Kookai Imm Luca Atet         53.13
16 Sandrine Marcuz (Fra) French National Team                     59.38
17 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Mixte Power Plate                      1.01.07
18 Shani Bloch (Isr) Michela Fanini                             1.04.53
19 Rhonda Quick (USA) Figurella Dream Team                      1.04.58
20 Liane Bahler (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung            1.06.52
21 Karine Dalmais (Fra) French National Team                    1.11.25
22 Teodora Ruano Sanchon (Spa) Deia Pragma Colnago              1.12.26
23 Elisabeth Chevanne Brunel (Fra) C.A Mantes la ville 78       1.15.47
24 Iryna Chuzhynova (Ukr) Edilsavino                            1.16.34
25 Birgit Sollner (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung          1.18.06
26 Heidi Van De Vijver (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim               1.19.02
27 Kristin Armstrong (USA) USA National-T Mobile                1.19.06
28 Madeleine Lindberg (Swe) Team Farm Frites-Hartol             1.19.19
29 Eneritz Iturriaga Mazaga (Spa) Deia Pragma Colnago           1.21.25
30 Valentyna Karpenko (Ukr) Deia Pragma Colnago                 1.22.25
31 Youlia Martissova (Rus) Itera Team                           1.22.27
32 Silvia Parietti (Ita) Figurella Dream Team                   1.26.05
33 Mari Holden (USA) USA National-T Mobile                      1.28.43
34 Arenda Grimberg (Ned) Team Farm Frites-Hartol                1.28.58
35 Regina Schleicher (Ger) Michela Fanini                       1.29.38
36 Helga Faccin (Ita) USC Chirio                                1.31.38
37 Yvonne Brunen (Ned) Mixte Power Plate                        1.34.33
38 Sandra Rombouts (Ned) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung         1.35.06
39 Marcia Eicher-Vouets (Swi) C.A Mantes la ville 78            1.35.16
40 Chantal Beltman (Ned) Acca Due O                             1.35.39
41 Sara Felloni (Ita) Edilsavino                                1.36.35
42 Letizia Giardinelli (Ita) Michela Fanini                     1.37.18
43 Sylvie Riedle (Fra) C.A Mantes la ville 78                   1.40.01
44 Jenny Algelid-Bengtsson (Swe) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung 1.40.59
45 Lisbeth Simper (Den) Michela Fanini                          1.41.37
46 Edita Kubelskiene (Ltu) Figurella Dream Team                 1.42.38
47 Daniela Veronesi (Ita) Edilsavino                            1.42.54
48 Zita Urbonaite (Ltu) Acca Due O                              1.43.09
49 Kym Shirley (Aus) Itera Team                                 1.43.54
50 Laure Werner (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim                      1.44.11
51 Marta Vilajosana Andreu (Spa) Aliverti Kookai Imm Luca Atet  1.45.32
52 Lada Kozlikova (Cze) Itera Team                              1.46.24
53 Olga Slioussareva (Rus) Itera Team                           1.48.58
54 Kim Anderson (USA) USA National-T Mobile                     1.51.13
55 Cristina Alcalde Huertanos (Spa) Mixte Sabeco Bizkaia        1.52.45
56 Tiziana Smorgon (Ita) Figurella Dream Team                   1.53.15
57 Francis Linthorst (Ned) Mixte Power Plate                    1.53.21
58 Veronique Belleter (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim                1.53.21
59 Ghita Beltman (Ned) Acca Due O                               1.59.41
60 Baukje Doedee (Ned) Mixte Sabeco Bizkaia                     2.00.10
61 Emma James (Aus) C.A Mantes la ville 78                      2.00.20
62 Tetyana Andrushchenko (Ukr) USC Chirio                       2.01.25
63 Debby Mansveld (Ned) Vlaanderen-T Interim                    2.04.09
64 Anouska Van Der Zee (Ned) Team Farm Frites-Hartol            2.05.41
65 Penny Edwards (GBr) USC Chirio                               2.08.03
66 Alessandra d'Ettore (Ita) Aliverti Kookai Imm Luca Atet      2.08.28
67 Stacey Peters (USA) USA National-T Mobile                    2.12.34
68 Vilija Purlite (Ltu) Figurella Dream Team                    2.18.13
69 Sissy Van Alebeek (Ned) Team Farm Frites-Hartol              2.18.27
70 Montserrat Alonso Bernal (Spa) Mixte Sabeco Bizkaia          2.19.48
71 Anke Wichmann (Ger) Michela Fanini                           2.21.12
72 Goulnara Ivanova (Rus) USC Chirio                            2.23.02
73 Marina Khodtchenkova (Rus) Edilsavino                        2.23.59
74 Ina Yoko Teutenberg (Ger) Saturn Cycling                     2.28.13
75 Catherine Marsal (Fra) Saturn Cycling                        2.41.07
76 Marta Evangelisti (Ita) Edilsavino                           2.41.15
77 Agurtzane Elorriaga Derteano (Spa) Mixte Sabeco Bizkaia      2.42.04
78 Alexandra Nohles (Ger) Mixte Power Plate                     2.42.46
79 Francesca Castrucci (Ita) Aliverti Kookai Imm Luca Atet      2.43.05
80 Magalie Finot (Fra) French National Team                     2.44.32
81 Anna Ramirez (Spa) Aliverti Kookai Imm Luca Atet             2.47.02
82 Iosune Murillo Elkano (Spa) Mixte Sabeco Bizkaia             2.47.22
83 Isabelle Moulis (Fra) French National Team                   2.49.08
84 Cornelia Cyrus (Rus) Itera Team                              2.58.26
85 Cynthia Compain (Fra) C.A Mantes la ville 78                 3.53.22