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7th Flèche Wallonne - CDM
Belgium, April 21, 2004
Huge win for Huguet on Huy
By Jeff Jones in Huy
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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.
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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
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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
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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
- Sonia Huguet (French National Team) powers home for the win
- Hanka Kupfernagel (Vlaanderen T Interim) suffers on the Mur de Huy
- Susan Palmer-Komar (Canada) finished in 4th place, showing her consistency in this race
- Genevieve Jeanson (RONA) on the Mur de Huy
- Sara Carrigan (AIS) on the Mur de Huy
Images by AFP Photo
- Sonia Huguet (French National Team) takes a huge win on top of the Mur de Huy
- Sonia Huguet (French National Team) can't believe she made it
- The podium (L to R) Hanka Kupfernagel (2nd), Sonia Huguet (1st) and Edita Pucinskaite (3rd)
Images by Elmar Krings
- The women's Fleche in action
- More action from the women's race on the Mur
- Kupfernagel leads eventual winner Huguet on the Mur de Huy
Images by Jeff Jones/Cyclingnews.com
- Hanka Kupfernagel (Vlaanderen T Interim) survived to finish second
- Judith Arndt (Nurnberger) crosses for fifth place
- Oenone Wood (Australian National Team) was, as she put it, 'blowing chunks' at this stage
- Zoulfia Zabirova (Let's Go Finland) finished 17th, well out of contention
- World Champ Susanne Ljungskog (SATS) was well off her best today
- Margaret Hemsley (Nurnberger) did a lot of work to try and bring Kupfernagel and Huguet back before the Mur
- Edita Pucinskaite (Michela Fanini) with a big bunch of flowers for coming third
- Oenone Wood (Australian National Team) waves her World Cup leader's bouquet
- Oenone Wood (Australian National Team) on the podium in the World Cup jersey
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
