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Grande Boucle Féminine Internationale - 2.9.1
France, August 3-17, 2003
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Stage 6 - August 8: Vif - Davezieux, 106 km
Polikeviciute solos to win
By Kristy Scrymgeour
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Rasa Polikeviciute (Team 2002 Aurora RSM) won today's stage of the Grande Boucle when she attacked a break of 12 riders at the 66km Mountain Sprint, and rode solo to the finish. Polikeviciute has been gradually moving herself up in the general classification over the past couple of days, and now sits in 10th position behind race leader Joane Somarriba Arrola (Bizkaia Panda Spiuk Sabeco) and Nicole Brändli (Prato Marathon Bike).
Polikeviciute has always been a major player in this tour placing second in both 1994 and 1996. She has moved up, but with over 16 minutes to make up she was not a threat to GC today.
The 126km race started in Vif and traveled to Davezieux over a course that was not as challenging as the previous two days due to the fact that they were riding away from the Alps. But the pace was on from the word go, as a Russian rider attacked on the 10km uphill drag that started the race. Sigrid Corneo and Margaret Hemsley (Nürnberger) went with her, but were dropped and eventually all three came back to the field.
Riders immediately countered the move and a group of 10 riders escaped from the peloton at the 45km mark. In the break were Polikeviciute, Emma James (Les Pruneaux d'Agen), Margaret Hemsley (Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung), Anita Valen (Bik-Powerplate), Magalie Finot Laivier (French National Team), Tina Liebig (S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox), Elisabeth Chevanne Brunel (Les Pruneaux d'Agen), Volha Hayeva (Velodames-Colnago), Sabrina Emmasi (Prato Marathon Bike) and Sigrid Corneo (Road Runner - Guerciotti Cycling Team).
The riders worked well together to gain 1'30 on the field before Polikeviciute attacked with force over the KOM, never to be seen again by the chasers. More attacks followed in the break as riders attempted to bridge to Polikeviciute and soon enough four riders split from the group. Finot Laivier, Hemsley, James and Valen quickly gained time on the rest of the break and then began to attack each other. Finot Lavier was very strong and aggressive all day but it Hemsley and James who managed to get rid of the other two.
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As Polikeviciute was riding over the line to take the stage Hemsley made one last attack on the final uphill drag to the finish. James was able to go with her however and then the two realised that they had better work together to stay away from Valen who was closing in on them. James took the sprint for second place over Hemsley with Valen coming in only seven seconds behind for fourth place.
Behind, the rest of the break came over the line in dribs and drabs, followed by a group of 13 riders containing the race leaders who arrived eight minutes down on Polikeviciute. With no change to the General Classification Somarriba Arrola keeps the yellow jersey going into stage 7 of the tour.
Tomorrow's stage will be another tough day as the race travels through the hilly center of France from Royat to Commentry.
Photography
Images by AFP
- Rasa Polikieviciute (Team 2002) rides alone during stage 6 of La Grande Boucle Feminine, which she won
- Rasa Polikieviciute (Team 2002) crosses the line in Davezieux two minutes clear of the next rider and nearly nine minutes ahead of the bunch
- The podium (L to R): Mariana Lorenzoni, Joane Somarriba (first GC), Olga Zabelinskaia (combination), Fabiana Luperini (mountains), Rasa Polikieviciute (stage winner)
Images by Russell Standring/grenoblecycling.free.fr
- Race leader Joane Somarriba-Arola (Bizkaia Panda Spiuk Sabecco)
- Joane Somarriba-Arola (Bizkaia Panda Spiuk Sabecco) on the podium in Vif
- Joane Somarriba-Arola (Bizkaia Panda Spiuk Sabecco) rolls out from Vif
- Joane Somarriba-Arola (Bizkaia Panda Spiuk Sabecco) warms up with her teammates in Vif
- Spanish rider Joane Somarriba (Bizkaia-Panda-Spiuk-Sabeco) relaxes with teammates in Vif
- The World champion, Swede Susanne Ljungskog (Bik.Powerplate) in Vif
- Susanne Ljungskog (Bik.Powerplate) on the podium in Vif
- Susanne Ljungskog (Bik.Powerplate) contemplates the day ahead at the start in Vif
- German Judith Arndt (Nürnberger Versicherung) before the start in Vif
- Part of the French national team on the podium in Vif including the French champion Sonia Huguet
- The French champion Sonia Huguet riding for the French National team
- The commentator's favourite rider the Norwegian Anita Valen (Bik.Powerplate)
- The Australian Sara Carrigan (Bik.Powerplate) in Vif
- Australian rider Helen Kelly (Team S.A.T.S) in Vif
- American Katrina Grove-Berger (Team S.A.T.S) in Vif
- Team S.A.T.S introduce themselves to the French public in Vif
- Giovanna Troldi (Les Pruneaux d'Agen)_ before the start in Vif
- Zoulfia Zabirova (Road Runner Guerciotti) warms up on the little roads in Vif
- The Russian Zoulfia Zabirova (Road Runner Guerciotti) before the depart in Vif
- The Road Runner Guerciotti team on the podium in Vif
- The riders line up in the pretty French village of Vif
Results
1 Rasa Polikeviciute (Ltu) Team 2002 Aurora RSM 3.42.54 2 Emma James (Aus) Les Pruneaux d'Agen 2.04 3 Margaret Hemsley (Aus) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 4 Anita Valen (Nor) Bik-Powerplate 2.11 5 Magalie Finot Laivier (Fra) French National Team 2.30 6 Tina Liebig (Ger) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox 2.43 7 Elisabeth Chevanne Brunel (Fra) Les Pruneaux d'Agen 2.45 8 Volha Hayeva (Rus) Velodames-Colnago 3.12 9 Sabrina Emmasi (Ita) Prato Marathon Bike 4.10 10 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Road Runner - Guerciotti Cycling Team 4.31 11 Katrina Grove (USA) Team S.A.T.S 8.53 12 Tatiana Stiajkina (Ukr) Velodames-Colnago 13 Jolanta Polikeviciute (Ltu) Team 2002 Aurora RSM 14 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox 15 Nataliya Kachalka (Ukr) Team 2002 Aurora RSM 16 Fabiana Luperini (Ita) Team 2002 Aurora RSM 17 Joane Somarriba Arrola (Spa) Bizkaia Panda Spiuk Sabeco 18 Olga Zabelinskaia (Rus) Velodames-Colnago 19 Nicole Brändli (Swi) Prato Marathon Bike 20 Judith Arndt (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 21 Eneritz Iturriaga (Spa) Team 2002 Aurora RSM 22 Marianna Lorenzoni (Ita) Team Catalunya-Aliverti-Kookai 23 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Bik-Powerplate 24 Lisbeth Simper (Den) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox 9.39 25 Corinne Sempe (Fra) French National Team 26 Valentina Karpenko (Ukr) Velodames-Colnago 9.42 27 Luisa Tamanini (Ita) Team 2002 Aurora RSM 28 Francesca Castrucci (Ita) Prato Marathon Bike 10.41 29 Sylvie Riedle (Fra) Les Pruneaux d'Agen 30 Nadia Triquet (Fra) French National Team 31 Sonia Huguet (Fra) French National Team 32 Trine Hansen (Den) Team S.A.T.S 33 Ioulia Martissova (Rus) Bizkaia Panda Spiuk Sabeco 34 Youlia Razenkova (Rus) Velodames-Colnago 35 Francis Linthorst (Ned) Bik-Powerplate 11.01 36 Helen Kelly (Aus) Team S.A.T.S 37 Letizia Giardinelli (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox 38 Birgit Söllner (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 39 Irene Puccioni (Ita) Prato Marathon Bike 40 Alison Wright (Aus) Road Runner - Guerciotti Cycling Team 41 Meredith Miller (USA) Team S.A.T.S 42 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Bik-Powerplate 43 Zoulfia Zabirova (Rus) Road Runner - Guerciotti Cycling Team 44 Giovanna Troldi (Ita) Les Pruneaux d'Agen 45 Karine Dalmais (Fra) French National Team 11.34 46 Erika Vilunaite (Ltu) Prato Marathon Bike 11.44 47 Stefani Kortekaas (Ned) Bik-Powerplate 12.15 48 Mette Andreasen Fischer (Den) Team S.A.T.S 49 Emanuela Brigati (Ita) Road Runner - Guerciotti Cycling Team 50 Madeleine Lindberg (Swe) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 51 Kirsty Robb (NZl) Bik-Powerplate 14.07 52 Azucena Sanchez (Spa) Team Catalunya-Aliverti-Kookai 14.59 53 Montserrat Alonso Bernal (Spa) Team Catalunya-Aliverti-Kookai 54 Baukje Doedee (Ned) Team Catalunya-Aliverti-Kookai 15.02 55 Christina Peick Andersen (Den) Team S.A.T.S 19.48 56 Petra Rossner (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 20.16 57 Ghita Beltman (Ned) Bizkaia Panda Spiuk Sabeco 58 Iosune Murillo Elkano (Spa) Bizkaia Panda Spiuk Sabeco 59 Cristina Alcalde Huertanos (Spa) Bizkaia Panda Spiuk Sabeco DNF Nadia Triquet (Fra) French National Team DNF Agurtzane Elorriaga Derteano (Spa) Bizkaia Panda Spiuk Sabeco DNF Marta Evangelisti (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox General classification after stage 6 1 Joane Somarriba Arrola (Spa) Bizkaia Panda Spiuk Sabeco 16.51.07 2 Nicole Brändli (Swi) Prato Marathon Bike 2.01 3 Fabiana Luperini (Ita) Team 2002 Aurora RSM 3.29 4 Olga Zabelinskaia (Rus) Velodames-Colnago 4.07 5 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox 7.00 6 Judith Arndt (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 10.57 7 Jolanta Polikeviciute (Ltu) Team 2002 Aurora RSM 11.18 8 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Bik-Powerplate 11.40 9 Tina Liebig (Ger) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox 15.31 10 Rasa Polikeviciute (Ltu) Team 2002 Aurora RSM 16.32 11 Tatiana Stiajkina (Ukr) Velodames-Colnago 17.59 12 Marianna Lorenzoni (Ita) Team Catalunya-Aliverti-Kookai 19.01 13 Luisa Tamanini (Ita) Team 2002 Aurora RSM 19.54 14 Katrina Grove (USA) Team S.A.T.S 20.43 15 Elisabeth Chevanne Brunel (Fra) Les Pruneaux d'Agen 20.47 16 Eneritz Iturriaga (Spa) Team 2002 Aurora RSM 23.00 17 Valentina Karpenko (Ukr) Velodames-Colnago 26.09 18 Anita Valen (Nor) Bik-Powerplate 26.10 19 Emma James (Aus) Les Pruneaux d'Agen 30.03 20 Nataliya Kachalka (Ukr) Team 2002 Aurora RSM 30.41 21 Karine Dalmais (Fra) French National Team 33.05 22 Ioulia Martissova (Rus) Bizkaia Panda Spiuk Sabeco 34.47 23 Lisbeth Simper (Den) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox 39.58 24 Nadia Triquet (Fra) French National Team 46.59 25 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Road Runner - Guerciotti Cycling Team 47.08 26 Zoulfia Zabirova (Rus) Road Runner - Guerciotti Cycling Team 54.05 27 Margaret Hemsley (Aus) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 59.49 28 Sonia Huguet (Fra) French National Team 1.05.01 29 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Bik-Powerplate 1.08.53 30 Giovanna Troldi (Ita) Les Pruneaux d'Agen 1.15.27 31 Mette Andreasen Fischer (Den) Team S.A.T.S 1.17.17 32 Volha Hayeva (Rus) Velodames-Colnago 1.17.29 33 Ghita Beltman (Ned) Bizkaia Panda Spiuk Sabeco 1.26.16 34 Youlia Razenkova (Rus) Velodames-Colnago 1.30.02 35 Erika Vilunaite (Ltu) Prato Marathon Bike 1.33.03 36 Magalie Finot Laivier (Fra) French National Team 1.34.41 37 Birgit Söllner (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 1.34.54 38 Sabrina Emmasi (Ita) Prato Marathon Bike 1.38.16 39 Trine Hansen (Den) Team S.A.T.S 1.41.49 40 Sylvie Riedle (Fra) Les Pruneaux d'Agen 1.42.28 41 Corinne Sempe (Fra) French National Team 1.42.48 42 Meredith Miller (USA) Team S.A.T.S 1.46.24 43 Christina Peick Andersen (Den) Team S.A.T.S 1.48.20 44 Irene Puccioni (Ita) Prato Marathon Bike 1.50.40 45 Francis Linthorst (Ned) Bik-Powerplate 1.56.23 46 Alison Wright (Aus) Road Runner - Guerciotti Cycling Team 1.58.51 47 Helen Kelly (Aus) Team S.A.T.S 2.00.10 48 Francesca Castrucci (Ita) Prato Marathon Bike 2.02.42 49 Letizia Giardinelli (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox 2.07.15 50 Azucena Sanchez (Spa) Team Catalunya-Aliverti-Kookai 2.10.35 51 Montserrat Alonso Bernal (Spa) Team Catalunya-Aliverti-Kookai 2.16.59 52 Kirsty Robb (NZl) Bik-Powerplate 2.19.33 53 Stefani Kortekaas (Ned) Bik-Powerplate 2.20.49 54 Emanuela Brigati (Ita) Road Runner - Guerciotti Cycling Team 2.22.08 55 Baukje Doedee (Ned) Team Catalunya-Aliverti-Kookai 2.28.33 56 Cristina Alcalde Huertanos (Spa) Bizkaia Panda Spiuk Sabeco 2.33.47 57 Madeleine Lindberg (Swe) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 2.35.38 58 Iosune Murillo Elkano (Spa) Bizkaia Panda Spiuk Sabeco 2.40.42 59 Petra Rossner (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 2.43.39 Mountains classification 1 Joane Somarriba Arrola (Spa) Bizkaia Panda Spiuk Sabeco 47 pts 2 Fabiana Luperini (Ita) Team 2002 Aurora RSM 46 3 Nicole Brändli (Swi) Prato Marathon Bike 45 4 Tatiana Stiajkina (Ukr) Velodames-Colnago 23 5 Jolanta Polikeviciute (Ltu) Team 2002 Aurora RSM 19 6 Olga Zabelinskaia (Rus) Velodames-Colnago 18 7 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox 18 8 Rasa Polikeviciute (Ltu) Team 2002 Aurora RSM 17 9 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Bik-Powerplate 16 10 Judith Arndt (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 13 U23 classification 1 Nicole Brändli (Swi) Prato Marathon Bike 16.53.08 2 Olga Zabelinskaia (Rus) Velodames-Colnago 2.06 3 Tina Liebig (Ger) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox 13.30 4 Luisa Tamanini (Ita) Team 2002 Aurora RSM 17.53 5 Eneritz Iturriaga (Spa) Team 2002 Aurora RSM 20.59 6 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Bik-Powerplate 1.06.52 7 Mette Andreasen Fischer (Den) Team S.A.T.S 1.15.16 8 Volha Hayeva (Rus) Velodames-Colnago 1.15.28 9 Erika Vilunaite (Ltu) Prato Marathon Bike 1.31.02 10 Irene Puccioni (Ita) Prato Marathon Bike 1.48.39
