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Giro finale
Photo ©: Bettini

7th Flèche Wallonne - CDM

Belgium, April 21, 2004

Results     World Cup standings

Huge win for Huguet on Huy

By Jeff Jones in Huy

Sonia Huguet (French National Team)
Photo ©: AFP

An enterprising attack with Hanka Kupfernagel (Vlaanderen T Interim) with 6 km to go saw French champion Sonia Huguet (French National Team) take her biggest ever victory in round 5 of the women's World Cup, La Flèche Wallonne. Huguet and Kupfernagel started the final climb of the Mur de Huy with enough of a lead over the storming peloton for them to stay clear, with Huguet accelerating on the steepest part with 350m to go to drop Kupfernagel and cross the line with 9 seconds to spare on Kupfernagel and 18 seconds to Lithuanian Edita Pucinskaite (Michela Fanini), who was the best of the bunch.

A clearly delighted Huguet explained to Cyclingnews post-race that her late attack "Wasn't planned. At this point of the race [with 6 km to go], the bunch slowed down a bit and we just took our chance. [Teammates] Edwig Pitel tried first, then Magali le Floc'h and then I made the third attack and it worked.

"Hanka bridged across at six kilometres to go and we rode together into Huy. She started the climb full on, and in the steep part I was able to pass her. At that point, I saw Kupfernagel was in trouble so I passed her on the inside [the steepest but shortest part]. I saw that Hanka couldn't follow so I kept going.

"There's no doubt that this is my biggest win," concluded Huguet, sporting the French champion's tricolore. "The best thing is to win with this jersey." Huguet added, however, that she will not be contesting the World Cup overall, and will instead concentrate on making the French team for the Olympic Games.

Kupfernagel
Photo ©: Elmar Krings

Second placed Hanka Kupfernagel, who at last appears to be happy in a team, told Cyclingnews that she was, "So surprised. I felt good at the beginning but on the hard climbs I was always being dropped a little bit. But my team was working well and waiting for me.

"Then there was the attack. I thought we would work to the end and we would see then. I thought that the bunch would catch us."

Wood extends World Cup lead

Oenone Wood (Australian National Team)
Photo ©: CN

Not far behind Huguet was Australian Oenone Wood, who crossed the line completely exhausted for sixth place, which was enough to extend her lead in the World Cup to 48 points over Zoulfia Zabirova, who finished 17th.

"I felt pretty confident coming into it," Wood told Cyclingnews. "I came third here last year so I knew I could get up that hill if it came down to it. It was just a matter of looking out for Mirjam and Zabirova, who were the next two on the overall. Especially in that last 30 km - it was pretty aggressive."

Thus, Wood and the Australian team were unconcerned with most of the attacks that went today, preferring to concentrate on the World Cup contenders rather than winning the race. "A lot of times there were attacks from other riders who aren't figuring in the overall. Our team just let them go and left it to the other teams to chase them back."

Once she came to the foot of the Mur with two riders still in the lead, Wood said, "I didn't feel fantastic but I felt reasonable. I had a go at the bottom. I knew there were two riders up ahead. Coning up to 200 metres to go I was catching them and thought I might even get Hanka...but with 100 metres to go I just blew chunks and I had three riders come around me in the last 50 metres."

The rainbow jersey is still on Wood's shoulders, "That was the main objective of the day so I guess mission accomplished. It's been a good day."

How it unfolded

Action from the women's race
Photo ©: Elmar Krings

The 7th women's Flèche Wallonne started in Huy with 153 riders, another huge field for a women's World Cup. The race was fast and aggressive from the beginning, with Japan's Miho Oki (Farm Frites-Hartol) and German Ina Teutenberg (German National Team) attacking after the top of the first climb, the Côte de France (km 15). The pair managed to get a minute's lead before Melissa Holt (New Zealand) bridged the gap on her own, the three leaders holding 56 seconds advantage on the Côte de Coutisse (km 54), which they kept until the Côte de Bellaire (km 59).

The bunch picked up the pace and swallowed the trio on the Côte de Bohissau (km 67), where Luperini (Let's Go Finland), Bessette (Canadian National Team), Brändli (Michela Fanini) and Jeanson (Rona) formed a new breakaway. The quartet were unable to gain more than 15 seconds over a group of approximately 20 riders, and on the Côte d'Ahin with 13 km to go, the two groups reformed.

Despite another attempt from both Luperini and Bessette, the peloton gradually came back together in the final 10 km, but just as it did so, Sonia Huguet (following her two teammates attacks) broke clear on a downhill section and was able to get a gap. German Hanka Kupfernagel closed, and that pair were able to stave off the bunch until the Mur de Huy.

Nürnberger's Margaret Hemsley did a lot of work in the peloton for her teammate Judith Arndt and brought the leading pair back to within striking distance at the foot of the Mur. But it was not quite enough and Huguet and Kupfernagel staged their own battle on the climb, with Huguet having the strength to ride away from the German on the steepest part and take the victory.

Photography

Images by Mitchell Clinton/Cyclingnews/www.clintonphoto.com

Images by AFP Photo

Images by Elmar Krings

Images by Jeff Jones/Cyclingnews.com

Results - 97.5 km

1 Sonia Huguet (Fra) French National Team                         2.44.04 (35.65 km/h)
2 Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) Vlaanderen-T-Interim Univega Ladies Team   0.09
3 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox             0.18
4 Susan Palmer-Komar (Can) Canadian National Team                    0.20
5 Judith Arndt (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung
6 Oenone Wood (Aus) Australian National Team
7 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung
8 Nicole Brandli (Swi) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox
9 Olivia Gollan (Aus) Australian National Team
10 Barbara Heeb (Swi) Lietzsport Cycling
11 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Australian National Team                      0.29
12 Theresa Senff (Ger) German National Team
13 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Swiss National Team
14 Annette Beutler (Swi) Lietzsport Cycling                          0.31
15 Arenda Grimberg (Ned) Therme Skin Care                            0.32
16 Sharon Vandromme (Bel) Vlaanderen-T-Interim Univega Ladies Team   0.34
17 Zoulfia Zabirova (Rus) Team Let's Go Finland                      0.37
18 Anita Valen (Nor) Team S.A.T.S.
19 Lyne Bessette (Can) Canadian National Team
20 Trine Hansen (Den) Team S.A.T.S.
21 Joane Somarriba Arrola (Spa) Bizkaia-Panda Software-Durango
22 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Team Farm Frites-Hartol                     0.40
23 Karin Thurig (Swi) Swiss National Team                            0.42
24 Jolanta Polikeviciute (Ltu) USC Chirio Forno d'Asolo              0.44
25 Edwige Pitel (Fra) French National Team
26 Fabiana Luperini (Ita) Team Let's Go Finland
27 Valentina Polkhanova (Rus) Nobili Rubinetterie-Guerciotti
28 Olga Slyusareva (Rus) Nobili Rubinetterie-Guerciotti
29 Anna Zugno (Ita) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan
30 Geneviève Jeanson (Can) Equipe Cycliste Rona
31 Rosa Maria Bravo Soba (Spa) Spanish National Team
32 Alison Wright (Aus) Nobili Rubinetterie-Guerciotti
33 Magali Le Floch (Fra) French National Team                        0.51
34 Cindy Pieters (Bel) Vlaanderen-T-Interim Univega Ladies Team      1.00
35 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Team S.A.T.S.
36 Deidre Demet-Barry (USA) Basis Aude
37 Loes Gunnewijk (Ned) Ondernemers Van Nature-Vrienden Van Het Plat 1.05
38 Evy Van Damme (Bel) Belgian National Team
39 Gunn-Rita Dahle (Nor) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan                   1.07
40 Svetlana Stolbova (Rus) Russian National Team                     1.09
41 Teodora Ruano Sanchon (Spa) Spanish National Team                 1.29
42 Miho Oki (Jpn) Team Farm Frites-Hartol
43 Ghita Beltman (Ned) Bizkaia-Panda Software-Durango                1.32
44 Margaret Hemsley (Aus) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung             2.18
45 Katia Longhin (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox                2.34
46 Katherine Bates (Aus) Team Ton Van Bemmelen Sports                2.38
47 Rachel Heal (GBr) Team Farm Frites-Hartol                         2.49
48 Anouska Van Der Zee (Ned) Team Farm Frites-Hartol
49 Liane Bahler (Ger) German National Team                           2.51
50 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Team Ton Van Bemmelen Sports               2.54
51 Rosalind Reekie-May (NZl) New Zealand National Team               3.02
52 Chantal Beltman (Ned) Ondernemers Van Nature-Vrienden Van Het Pla 3.03
53 Sharon Van Essen (Ned) Ondernemers Van Nature-Vrienden Van Het Pl 3.06
54 Maribel Moreno Allue (Spa) Spanish National Team                  3.27
55 Amy Moore (Can) Canadian National Team
56 Rasa Polikeviciute (Ltu) USC Chirio Forno d'Asolo                 3.33
57 Veerle Ingels (Bel) Vlaanderen-T-Interim Univega Ladies Team      3.35
58 Valentina Karpenko (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team                  3.36
59 Sofie Goor (Bel) WTV
60 Elisabeth Chevanne-Brunel (Fra) French National Team              3.39
61 Nina Ovcharenko (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team                     3.45
62 Kathryn Curi (USA) Equipe Cycliste Rona
63 Karine Dalmais Depine (Fra) French National Team                  3.47
64 Amy Safe (Aus) Australian National Team                           3.48
65 Iryna Chuzhynova (Ukr) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan
66 Joanne Marie Kiesanowski (NZl) New Zealand National Team          3.51
67 Irene Hostettler (Swi) Swiss National Team                        3.54
68 Katrina Grove (USA) Equipe Cycliste Rona
69 Lorian Graham (Aus) Australian National Team
70 Iryna Simonova (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team
71 Julia Martisova (Rus) Russian National Team                       3.59
72 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Nobili Rubinetterie-Guerciotti                4.01
73 Charlotte Goldsmith (GBr) British National Team
74 Silva Clemilda Fernandes (Bra) USC Chirio Forno d'Asolo
75 Meredith Miller (USA) Team S.A.T.S.
76 Frances Newstead (GBr) British National Team
77 Isabella Wieser (Aut) Lietzsport Cycling
78 Véronique Belleter (Bel) Vlaanderen-T-Interim Univega Ladies Team
79 Nataliya Kachalka (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team
80 Josephine Groenveld (Ned) Team Ton Van Bemmelen Sports            4.08
81 Corine Hierckens (Bel) Belgian National Team                      4.12
82 Sonja Traxel (Swi) Swiss National Team                            4.14
83 Irene Van Den Broeke (Ned) Therme Skin Care
84 Claudia Stumpf (Ger) German National Team
85 Michelle Hyland (NZl) New Zealand National Team                   4.24
86 Regina Schleicher (Ger) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan                 4.45
87 Zita Urbonaite (Ltu) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan
88 Melissa Jane Holt (NZl) New Zealand National Team                 5.48
89 Hayley Rutherford (Aus) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox            7.54
90 Nina Davies (GBr) British National Team                           8.06
91 Svetlana Denisenko (Rus) Russian National Team                    8.08
92 Marina Jaunatre (Fra) French National Team
93 Mercedes Cagitas Amedo (Spa) Spanish National Team
94 Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan                  8.12
95 Catherine Hare (GBr) British National Team                        8.14
96 Kristen Lasasso (USA) Basis Aude                                  8.15
97 Ilse Geldhof (Bel) Belgian National Team                          8.20
98 Manon Jutras (Can) Team S.A.T.S.                                  8.22
99 Helen Kelly (Aus) Equipe Cycliste Rona                            8.28
100 Janneke Vos (Ned) Therme Skin Care
101 Jane Knietzsch (Ger) German National Team                        8.30
102 Emma James (Aus) Team S.A.T.S.
103 Nicole Demars (Can) Canadian National Team
104 Helen Saunders (GBr) British National Team                       8.34
105 Ludivine Henrion (Bel) Belgian National Team
106 Esther Van Der Helm (Ned) Team Farm Frites-Hartol
107 Francis Linthorst (Ned) Therme Skin Care
108 Iris Slappendel (Ned) Ondernemers Van Nature-Vrienden Van Het Pl 8.39
109 Andrea Bosman (Ned) Ondernemers Van Nature-Vrienden Van Het Plat 8.48
110 Naiara Telletxea Lopez (Spa) Bizkaia-Panda Software-Durango      8.54
111 Corrien Van Haastert (Ned) Ondernemers Van Nature-Vrienden Van H
112 Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (Ger) German National Team                   9.08
113 Sandra Missbach (Ger) Team Farm Frites-Hartol                    9.53
114 Natalie Bates (Aus) Australian National Team                    12.25
115 Katherine White (Can) Basis Aude                                12.27
116 Barbara Cazzaniga (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox          12.30
117 Debby Mansveld (Ned) Vlaanderen-T-Interim Univega Ladies Team   12.32
118 Tina Liebig (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung                12.36
119 Liesbet De Vocht (Bel) WTV                                      12.41
120 Petra Rossner (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung              12.45
121 Anna Gusmini (Ita) Nobili Rubinetterie-Guerciotti               12.48
122 Marina Gloria Chirio (Ita) USC Chirio Forno d'Asolo
123 Karin Wieser (Aut) Lietzsport Cycling                           12.51
124 Jaccolien Wallaard (Ned) Team Ton Van Bemmelen Sports
125 Janildes Fernandes Silva (Bra) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox   12.54
126 Josune Murillo Elkano (Spa) Spanish National Team               12.56
127 Kornelia Groenveld (Ned) Team Ton Van Bemmelen Sports
128 Sandra Hart (Ned) Therme Skin Care
129 Kirsty Nicole Robb (NZl) New Zealand National Team              13.02
130 Sara Peeters (Bel) Belgian National Team                        14.46
131 Arantzazu Azpiroz (Spa) Bizkaia-Panda Software-Durango          15.15
132 Rebecca Mcconnell (Aus) Team Let's Go Finland                   15.21
 
World Cup standings after round 5
 
1 Oenone Wood (Aus) Australian National Team                        202 pts
2 Zoulfia Zabirova (Rus) Team Let's Go Finland                      154
3 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Team Farm Frites - Hartol                   115
4 Angela Brodtka (Ger) German National Team                          79
5 Sonia Huguet (Fra) French National Team                            75
6 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Nurnberger Versicherung                        71
7 Alison Wright (Aus) Nobili Rubinetterie - Guerciotti               71
8 Petra Rossner (Ger) Nurnberger Versicherung                        68
9 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Swiss National Team                          65
10 Joanne Marie Kiesanowski (NZl) New Zealand National Team          58
11 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Team S.A.T.S.                              57
12 Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) Vlaanderen - T-Interim Univega Ladies Tea 50
13 Olga Slyusareva (Rus) Nobili Rubinetterie - Guerciotti            48
14 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox            40
15 Olivia Gollan (Aus) Australian National Team                      40
16 Miho Oki (Jpn) Team Farm Frites - Hartol                          38
17 Leontien Zijlaard-Van Moorsel (Ned) Team Farm Frites - Hartol     35
18 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Australian National Team                      33
19 Susan Palmer-Komar (Can) Canadian National Team                   30
20 Anita Valen (Nor) Team S.A.T.S.                                   30
21 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Team S.A.T.S.                             30
22 Regina Schleicher (Ger) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan                 30
23 Judith Arndt (Ger) Nurnberger Versicherung                        27
24 Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan                  27
25 Sharon Vandromme (Bel) Vlaanderen - T-Interim Univega Ladies Team 26
26 Loes Gunnewijk (Ned) Ondernemers Van Nature                       26
27 Katia Longhin (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox                25
28 Hayley Rutherford (Aus) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox            24
29 Annette Beutler (Swi) Lietzsport Cycling                          23
30 Arenda Grimberg (Ned) Therme Skin Care                            21
31 Rachel Heal (GBr) Team Farm Frites - Hartol                       21
32 Nicole Brandli (Swi) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox               18
33 Barbara Heeb (Swi) Lietzsport Cycling                             11
34 Liane Bahler (Ger) German National Team                           11
35 Tanja Schmidt-Hennes (Ger)                                        11
36 Theresa Senff (Ger) German National Team                           9
37 Debby Mansveld (Ned) Vlaanderen - T-Interim Univega Ladies Team    9
38 Marion Clignet (Fra) Mixte Basis Aude T-Mobile                     9
39 Sara Symington (GBr) Team S.A.T.S.                                 9
40 Nicole Freedman (Isr) Mixte Basis Aude T-Mobile                    8
41 Eneritz Iturriaga (Spa) Team Let's Go Finland                      8
42 Noemi Cantele (Ita)                                                7
43 Catherine Marsal (Fra) Nobili Rubinetterie - Guerciotti            7
44 Svetlana Boubnenkova (Rus) Russian National Team                   7
45 Tina Mayolo-Pic (USA)                                              6
46 Modesta Vzesniauskaite (Ltu) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan             5
47 Katie Mactier (Aus)                                                5
48 Deidre Demet-Barry (USA) Mixte Basis Aude T-Mobile                 4
49 Evy Van Damme (Bel) Belgian National Team                          4
50 Jaccolien Wallaard (Ned) Team Ton Van Bemmelen Sports              3
51 Tatiana Stiajkina (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team                    3
52 Lyne Bessette (Can) Canadian National Team                         2
53 Rosa Maria Bravo Soba (Spa) Spanish National Team                  2
54 Margaret Hemsley (Aus) Nurnberger Versicherung                     2
55 Frances Newstead (GBr) British National Team                       2
56 Bertine Spijkerman (Ned) @Home Cycling Team                        2
57 Trine Hansen (Den) Team S.A.T.S.                                   1
58 Gunn-Rita Dahle (Nor) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan                    1

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