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Dauphiné Libéré
Photo ©: Sirotti

GP Plouay - CDM / GP Ouest France-Plouay 1.HC

France, August 28, 2004

Main Page    Results

August 28: Women's World Cup race, 104km

Pucinskaite too good on the climb, Wood increases her lead

By Kristy Scrymgeour

Edita Pucinskaite (S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox)
Photo ©: Régis Garnier
Click for larger image

Coming off a win at the recent Trophée d'Or Féminin in France, Edita Pucinskaite (Michela Fanini Record Rox) continued her form today to take her first World Cup win for the season, attacking a small breakaway group of eight riders to eventually finish solo. Current World Cup series leader Oenone Wood (Australian National Team), was able to take yet another podium position, finishing third behind Mirjam Melchers of Farm Frites Hartol and retaining her lead.

Fabiana Luperini (Team Let's Go Finland)
Photo ©: Régis Garnier
Click for larger image
The winning escape
Photo ©: Régis Garnier
Click for larger image
Oenone Wood (Australia)
Photo ©: Régis Garnier
Click for larger image

Racing eight laps of the 14-kilometre circuit, the women's race was aggressive from the gun. It was Frenchwoman Cathy Marsal who set the ball rolling with her attack on the first lap of the course. "I waited until after the first climb at about 5km and then I attacked," she told Cyclingnews after the race. "I knew I had to try something early as it was my best chance of a result."

Marsal attacked through the valley after the first climb and quickly gained 30 seconds on the bunch. By the top of the major climb of the day her lead had extended to 45" after which the Australian team began the chase. She was caught at the top of the first climb in lap two and the counters began. The aggression continued with many counter attacks by the French National team, Ghita Beltman (Bizkaia - Panda Software) and others, but the Australian team was controlling the race for series leader Wood.

With about two laps to go the decisive break of the day formed consisting of Wood and her teammate Olivia Gollan, Pucinskaite, Melchers, Elisabeth Chevanne Brunel (Interrégionale Pruneaux D'agen), Fabiana Luperini (Let's Go Finland), Barbara Heeb ((Lietzsport Cycling) and Edwige Pitel (Intérrégionale Ouest). The break gained time on the peloton with the Australian team happy to have two riders in the group and it was in the final lap that Pucinskaite made her move taking Melchers with her. But the strength of Pucinskaite was too much for Melchers on the final climb and Pucinskaite rode away to finish solo with Melchers finally having to settle for second place for the second time in the six-year history of this race. Wood won the sprint from the rest of the break to take third place ahead of Chevanne Brunel with another Australian Alison Wright (Nobili Rubinetterie - Guerciotti) winning the bunch sprint for Ninth place ahead of renowned sprinter Regina Schleicher (German National Team).

In the overall World Cup standings. Wood increased her lead to second place by 24 points today, as former second placed rider Zoulfia Zabriova (Let's Go Finland), finished 43rd today failing to gain points. Melchers edged her way a little closer to Wood today and now sits in second place, 72 points behind Wood, with Zabirova in third another 11 points back.

Photography

Images by Régis Garnier/www.velofotopro.fr.st

Results

1 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox         2.55.36
2 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Farm Frites-Hartol                          0.15
3 Oenone Wood (Aus) Australia                                       1.32
4 Elisabeth Chevanne Brunel (Fra) Interregionale Pruneaux D'agen
5 Fabiana Luperini (Ita) Team Let's Go Finland
6 Edwige Pitel (Fra) Interregionale Ouest
7 Barbara Heeb (Swi) Lietzsport Cycling
8 Olivia Gollan (Aus) Australia                                     1.37
9 Alison Wright (Aus) Nobili Rubinetterie-Guerciotti                2.22
10 Régina Schleicher (Ger) Germany
11 Katia Longhin (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox
12 Karine Dalmais (Fra) France
13 Arenda Grimberg (Ned) Team Composite
14 Damme Van (Bel) Belgium
15 Andréa Bosman (Ned) Team Composite
16 Trine Hansen (Den) Team S.A.T.S.
17 Karin Wieser (Aut) Lietzsport Cycling
18 Corine Hierckens (Bel) Team Bik-Gios
19 Magali Le Floch (Fra) France
20 Hayley Rutherford (Aus) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox
21 Ludivine Henrion (Bel) Team Bik-Gios
22 Veerle Ingels (Bel) Belgium
23 Irène Hostettler (Swi) Switzerland
24 Emma James (Aus) Team Bik-Gios
25 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Nobili Rubinetterie-Guerciotti
26 Zlatica Bazola (Fra) France
27 Margaret Hemsley (Aus) Australia
28 Sharon Vandromme (Bel) Belgium
29 Andréa Knecht (Swi) Switzerland
30 Annette Beutler (Swi) Lietzsport Cycling
31 Séreina Traschsel (Swi) Switzerland
32 Frances Newstead (GBr) Great Britain
33 Ine Wannijn (Bel) Belgium
34 Sarah Duster (Ger) Germany
35 Béatrice Thomas (Fra) Bretagne
36 Marina Jaunatre (Fra) France
37 Magali Mocquery (Fra) Interregionale Ouest
38 Rachel Heal (GBr) Farm Frites-Hartol
39 Sofie Goor (Bel) Belgium
40 Nicole Hofer (Swi) Switzerland
41 Lise Christensen (Den) Team S.A.T.S.
42 Ghita Beltman (Ned) Spain
43 Sarah Grab (Swi) Switzerland
44 Zoulfia Zabirova (Rus) Team Let's Go Finland
45 Delphine Guille (Fra) France
46 Christina Peick-Andersen (Den) Team S.A.T.S.
47 Karine Gautard (Fra) Interregionale Pruneaux D'agen
48 Valentina Polkhanova (Rus) Nobili Rubinetterie-Guerciotti
49 Amy Safe (Aus) Australia
50 Madeleine Sandig (Ger) Germany
51 Agurtzane Elorriaga (Spa) Spain
52 Thérésa Senff (Ger) Germany
53 Kym Shirley (Aus) Nobili Rubinetterie-Guerciotti
54 Eva Potocna (Svk) Interregionale Pruneaux D'agen                 2.51
55 Catherine Hare (GBr) Great Britain
56 Luise Keller (Ger) Germany
57 Sandra Rombouts (Ned) Farm Frites-Hartol
58 Caroline Payot Poidevin (Fra) Interregionale Pruneaux D'age      4.13
59 Alessandra Borchi (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox           5.18


World Cup rankings after round 7

1 Oenone Wood (Aus) Australian National Team               237 Pts
2 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Farm Frites-Hartol                 165
3 Zoulfia Zabirova (Rus) Team Let's Go Finland             154
4 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) S.C. Michela Fanini Record       115
5 Olivia Gollan (Aus) Australian National Team              93
6 Alison Wright (Aus) Nobili Rubinetterie-Guerciotti        86
7 Angela Brodtka (Ger) German National Team                 79
8 Judith Arndt (Ger) Team Nurnberger                        77
9 Genevieve Jeanson (Can) RONA                              75
10 Sonia Huguet (Fra) French National Team                  75

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