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2002 Road World Championships - CM
Hasselt-Zolder, Belgium, October 8-13, 2002
Main Page Start list Course Map Results Latest live report
Day 2 - October 9: Elite Women's Time Trial, 23 km
Complete Live Report
Start time: 15:00 CEST
Estimated finish time: 16:38 CEST
15:00 CEST
Welome to Hasselt for the fourth event of the World Road Championships, the
elite women's time trial. Conditions are sunny and a little warmer than yesterday
after a chilly start to the day. The wind has picked up a little since yesterday,
but will mostly be helping the riders.
The women's elite course is 23.2 km, the same course used this morning for the junior men. There are two intermediate checkpoints after 10.8 and 20.8 km. From the 42 riders scheduled to start, the first to start is Chalime Giourbouz from Greece, last to start will be defending champion Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli from France.
15:01 CEST
They're underway, as Chalime Giourbouz begins the charge. Next off is Karin
Thürig of Switzerland, who comes with a triathalon background. Thürig
claimed her national title in the time trial, and despite her early start, might
be one to watch.
15:08 CEST
Six riders have left the line now, including Ireland's Geraldine Gill. Next
off is Amber Neben, first American rider to start. Neben finished in the top
ten of this year's Grande Boucle Feminine.
15:12 CEST
Thürig is showing her stuff early, and has already caught Chalime Giourbouz
out on the course. New Zealand's Melissa Holt has just begun her ride.
15:17 CEST
Thürig goes through the first time check in 13:45, and will likely set
the time to beat before the big favorites begin. At the start, Australian Alison
Wright is on her way.
A spare bike from Olga Slyuussareva's follow car has fallen off the car. No problem for her (unless she needs it, perhaps), but her team staff had a bit of scrambling to do.
15:19 CEST
Thürig's first intermediate check is holding up well. In fact, she was
44 seconds faster than provisional second place Jenny Algelid-Bengtsson (Sweden).
Ireland's Gill is in third for the moment, but well over a minute back.
15:24 CEST
Several riders from the Saturn pro ranks are competing today, including Catherine
Marsal of France, Kimberly Bruckner of the U.S., and Germany's Judith Arndt.
15:27 CEST
It's still Karin Thürig leading the way at the first time check, ahead
of Jenny Algelid-Bengtsson and Amber Neben (47 seconds back). Next to start
is Kirsty Robb of New Zealand.
15:32 CEST
Two time Grande Boucle winner (and third place this year) Joane Somarriba has
just begun, and is considered one of the favorites for the day. Meanwhile, the
first finisher is Karin Thürig, with a time of 30:18.28. Next off is Cindy
Pieters from Belgium.
15:36 CEST
The provisional top three at the first time check is as follows:
1. Karin Thürig (Switzerland) 13:48.86 2. Olga Slyuussareva (Russia) 14:04.24 3. Alison Wright (Australia) 14:14.03
Thürig's time is also holding up at the finish. France's Catherine Marsal has just left the start house.
15:41 CEST
Last year's world champion in the road race, Rasa Polikeviciute of Lithuania,
has started her ride. She is followed out of the start house by American Kimberly
Bruckner.
15:43 CEST
The provisional top three at the finish:
1. Karin Thürig (Switzerland) 30:18.28 2. Olga Slyuussareva (Russia) 30:35.29 3. Amber Neben (USA) 31:23.25
15:48 CEST
Australia's Alison Wright has just come into the finish, pushing Neben out of
third place. Zinaida Stahurskaya, winner of this year's Grande Boucle, is out
on the course. Joane Somarriba has come through the first time check in second
place, less than 5" behind Thürig.
15:53 CEST
Leontien Zijlaard-Van Moorsel, always one to watch, has just started her ride
for the Netherlands. Starting behind her is the second Russian, Zoulfia Zabirova.
15:57 CEST
Lyne Bessette has just come in for 7th place for the moment. Meanwhile, the
provisional top three at the first time check is as follows:
1. Karin Thürig (Switzerland) 13:48.86 2. Joane Somarriba (Spain) 13:50.05 3. Sara Carrigan (Australia) 14:03.23
16:00 CEST
Nicole Brandli (Switzerland), second last year by several hundreths of a second,
is starting her ride now. For the moment, the top three at the finish: Thürig,
Somarriba, Slyuussareva.
Jeannie Longo is the last to start, looking to defend her title.
16:07 CEST
Things are holding relatively stable among the fast finishers, though Sara Carrigan
has just nipped Olga Slyuussareva at the finish, and now sits in third place.
Catherine Marsal of France has just come in for 5th place.
16:12 CEST
Rasa Polikeviciute has just bumped Marsal out of 5th place. Meanwhile on the
course, pre-race favorites Susanne Ljungskog (Sweden) and Judith Arndt (Germany)
are not turning times as fast as expected.
16:15 CEST
Nicole Brandli has just passed the first intermediate check in 14: 07, only
good enough for 6th place. Finally, defending champ Longo has set a time of
14:21 at the first check, further back in 11th place.
16:19 CEST
It's looking more and more possible that the first woman to finish, Switzerland's
Karin Thürig, holds a time that will not be beaten. The favorites are not
tearing up the course behind, and Zoulfia Zabirova of Russia might be the only
contender remaining.
16:22 CEST
Leontien Zijlaard-Van Moorsel has crossed the finish line with a time of 30:53.89,
sixth best.
At the second time check, a challenge is finally shaping up as Zoulfia Zabirova has set the fastest time.
16:24 CEST
She's done it- Zoulfia Zabirova has eclipsed Karin Thürig's time, setting
the new marker at 30:02.62. It looks pretty safe that she will take the title.
16:27 CEST
Susanne Ljunskog has come across the line in a disappointing 16th place, almost
a minute and a half behind Zabirova.
Germany's Judith Arndt has just come in 7th place. Behind, Brandli is powering her way up the slight rise, and Longo also looks to be picking up the pace.
16:29 CEST
Brandli is catching Mirjam Melchers as they near the finish. Brandli will not
beat Zabirova, but she has taken second place. The podium is shaping up as Zabirova,
Brandli, Thürig.
16:33 CEST
Jeannie Longo has not managed to make the podium, as she comes in with a time
of 30:44.81 for 6th place.
Final podium:
1. Zoulfia Zabirova (Russia) 30:02.62 2. Nicole Brandli (Switzerland) 30:17.33 3. Karin Thürig (Switzerland) 30:18.28
