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World Championships - CM
Verona, Italy, September 27-October 3, 2004
Preview Map Course description Start List Latest live report
Race 9 - Saturday October 2: Road Race - Elite Women, 132.75km
Commentary by Jeff Jones and Hedwig Kröner, with additional reporting from Tim Maloney
Complete live report
Live coverage starts: 13:30 CEST
Estimated finish time: 17:00 CEST
13:25 CEST
Welcome back to Cyclingnews' Live coverage of the World Championships
in Verona. Today's second race features the World's most successful Elite Women
riders racing a total of 132.75 km on a 14 km course. Nine laps have to be completed
before the finish line, with the Torricelle climb being the main obstacle and
very probably the decisive part of the circuit. Today's lineup includes many
of the same women who raced on almost the same parcours at the World's in 1999,
including the winner of the event, Edita Pucinskaite from Lithuania.
13:29 CEST
With her teammates Jolanta and Rasa Polikeviciute, the main favourites for today
are the Lithanians, as well as a strong German team led by Judith Arndt and
Trixi Worrack. Challenging them are Oenone Wood, Olivia Gollan and their Australian
team, a good American selection with Dede Barry as well as Christine Thorburn,
Kristin Armstrong, Kimberly Bruckner, Tina Pic and Amber Neben, and, last but
not least, Welshwoman Nicole Cooke.
Finally, one should not forget Joane Somarriba Arola (Spain), current UCI points
leaders Mirjam Melchers (Netherlands) and of course the reigning world champion
Susanne Ljunskog (Sweden) who won both last year in Hamilton.
13:33 CEST 2km/130.7km to go
The women's field rolls out along the Adige river at a steady tempo. The skies
are still overcast, but it doesn't look like raining.
13:44 CEST 8km/124.7km to go
The peloton is together over the top of the climb, led by the Swiss and US teams.
13:56 CEST 16km/116.7km to go
The women's field comes through for the end of lap 1 all together, led by the
British team. The lap time was 24'47 - not too fast yet.
13:57 CEST
Diane Emery (RSA) has abandoned on the first lap.
13:59 CEST 19km/113.7km to go
The field rolls across the Adige and towards to the Torricelle for the second
time, now strung out by one of the Moldavian riders. Longo is towards the back
of the field.
14:07 CEST 22km/110.7km to go
The peloton moseys on up the Torricelle on lap two, not really doing anything
at the moment. It's still one of the Moldavian riders in front.
14:10 CEST 24km/108.7km to go
Hayley Rutherford (Australia) is now leading at the top of the descent. It's
very watchful.
14:18 CEST 28km/104.7km to go
The bunch takes the descent at a watchful pace and heads back into Verona a
second time. No-one has attacked yet, as it's a bit early in the piece.
14:19 CEST
Maria Licilene Silva (Brazil) is out of the race.
The Swiss team leads up towards the start/finish now.
14:20 CEST 30km/102.7km to go
The second lap was ridden in just over 25 minutes. The Swiss are really driving
over the cobbles at the start of lap 3.
14:22 CEST
Cindy Pieters (Belgium) has abandoned, looking very disappointed.
14:25 CEST 33km/99.7km to go
The peloton is strung out as it heads to the Torricelle for the third time,
with Anna Ramirez Bauxell (Spain) leading.
Sharon Van Dromme (Belgium) has also abandoned.
14:28 CEST 37km/95.7km to go
Monika Kiraly (Hungary) is out, looking a bit shot.
The Spaniard Anna Ramirez is setting a good tempo on the climb, putting more
riders in trouble at the back.
14:31 CEST
Sarah Grab (Switzerland) attacks hard, and takes four riders with he. They can't
follow, and the Swiss rider is solo.
14:32 CEST
Grab is still in the lead as she nears the top of the Torricelle, but there
is a counter attack now from Maribel Moreno Allue (Spain), Tina Liebig (Germany)
and three more.
14:36 CEST 40km/92.7km to go
Grab powers on the descent, with a group of five behind her containing: Tina
Liebig (Germany), Maribel Moreno Allue (Spain), Natalia Boyarskaya (Russia),
Tatiana Shishkova (Moldova) and an Australian. They catch her.
14:38 CEST 41km/91.7km to go
The chasers make contact on the descent and we now have six leaders. But the
peloton is coming back too and it looks like it will be all together at the
bottom.
14:41 CEST 43km/89.7km to go
Anna Zugno (Italy) does a big turn on the flat now, with the rest of the bunch
strung out behind her. Now is a good time to attack, and it's another Italian
- Fusar Poli. But she is marked by three others, including Zita Urbonaite (Lithuania)
and a few more. Maybe a dozen as they ride through the team box area.
14:42 CEST
Sofie Goor (Belgium) crashes in the team box zone.
14:43 CEST 44km/88.7km to go
The peloton closes the gap to the lead group at the end of the lap, despite
some hard work from Fusar Poli and Zugno. All together again, but strung out.
This will be a tough race.
14:45 CEST 46km/86.7km to go
The third lap is completed in 24'34, with the average speed around 35.5 km/h
now. Daniela Fusar Poli (Italy) continues to put the pressure on across the
cobbles at the start of lap 4.
14:46 CEST 47km/85.7km to go
Daniela Fusar Poli (Italy) now has a nice gap as she crosses the Adige. Maybe
7 seconds.
14:47 CEST
Tania Belvederesi (Italy) rides on the front of the peloton, slowing it down
so that Fusar Poli gets a 20 second lead at the foot of the climb.
14:51 CEST 50km/82.7km to go
Fusar Polio has a 24 second gap as she commences the Torricelle. There is no
reaction from behind just yet.
Kristin Armstrong (USA) and Eneritz Iturriaga (Spain) crash in the peloton,
but they're up again very quickly.
14:54 CEST 52km/80.7km to go
Tatiana Shishkova (Moldova) is setting the tempo in the peloton, 16 seconds
behind Fusar Poli, who is nearly at the summit of the Torricelle.
14:57 CEST
Noemi Cantele (Italy) crashes into a French rider on the climb. They're both
up again quickly. It's fairly nervous though.
Fusar Poli is now just 5 seconds ahead of the bunch.
14:57 CEST
Uenia Fernandes Souza (Brazil) has abandoned.
14:58 CEST 54km/78.7km to go
Fusar Poli sits up, just before the top. Stahurskaya (Blr) is well placed at
the front of the bunch.
14:59 CEST
Anna Zugno (Italy) counter attacks after he teammate is caught, and she has
a few seconds lead over the top.
15:03 CEST 55km/77.7km to go
Zugno flies down the descent, opening up a 15 second lead. But she hits a bump
in the road on the sharp left hander and stacks. He's back on, and rejoining
the peloton. Ouch.
15:05 CEST
Longo is now at the head of the peloton with Stahurskaya on her wheel. They're
at the foot of the descent.
15:10 CEST 60km/72.7km to go
The peloton hits the start/finish for the fourth time, having ridden that lap
in 25'43. The Swiss are driving on the cobbles again.
15:11 CEST
Madeleine Lindberg (Sweden) has pulled out.
15:12 CEST 61km/71.7km to go
Alison Wright (Australia) has abandoned.
Italy continues its offensive by Tania Belvederesi (Italy) on the attack. She
takes three riders with her, and the peloton is strung out in pursuit.
15:15 CEST 63km/69.7km to go
With Belverdersi are Lyne Bessette (Canada), Sarah Grab (Switzerland), Hayley
Rutherford (Australia) and Frances Newstead (Great Britain). But they are all
caught by the bunch just before the climb.
15:23 CEST
Another crash during the climb - it's Maribel Moreno Allue (Spain) and Natalia
Boyarskaya (Russia). But they are up again and continuing.
Rasa Polikeviciute (Lithuania) has attacked, but its not a serious attempt.
The pace is high.
15:26 CEST 67km/65.7km to go
Louise Moriarty (Ireland) has abandoned.
The bunch is still together, speeding down the twisty descent again.
15:32 CEST 70km/62.7km to go
The field is stretched at the flat part, led by Anna Zugno (Italy), doing a
right turn onto a main road getting to the boxes.
15:34 CEST 72km/60.7km to go
As they pass the bridge, three riders have created a small gap in front, but
all is well together again under the flamme rouge. The Italians control the
field.
15:36 CEST 74km/58.7km to go
This lap was completed in 25'01, leaving four laps to go.
15:40 CEST 76km/56.7km to go
On the cobbles passage, a Swiss rider sits in front and the tempo does not get
slower on the other side of the Adige. The French women Jeannie Longo Ciprelli
and Edwige Pitel stay at the back of the peloton.
15:42 CEST 77km/55.7km to go
At the bottom of the Torricelle, a lot of riders toss their bottles away.
The bunch hits the climb with Tatiana Shishkova (Moldova) in front.
15:44 CEST 77km/55.7km to go
Everybody is able to follow now as the front riders look at each other, waiting
for attacks.
15:47 CEST 78km/54.7km to go
Volha Hayeva (Belarus) has stepped off her bike and called it quits for today,
as well as Veronica Leal Balderas (Mexico).
15:50 CEST 81km/51.7km to go
Another Belarusian rider, Tatsiana Sharakova, has abandoned, while Sarah Grab
(Switzerland) attacks, with Moldovan Tatiana Shishkova struggling to hold onto
her wheel. The Swiss manages to get away 30 metres, but no more.
All roll down the top of the climb together.
15:52 CEST 83km/49.7km to go
Erinne Willock (Canada) hammers downhill, trying to make contact with the front
rider, Sarah Grab. The peloton follows, and the French women Pitel and Longo
passed the top of the Torricelle slightly late - looks like one of them must
have some problems.
15:58 CEST 84km/48.7km to go
Anna Zugno (Italy) has crashed in a left hand curve. Not sure if she'll continue...
Erinne Willock (Canada) and Sarah Grab (Switzerland) are together now, with
a gap of about 10 seconds before the bunch, of which Dori Ruano Sanchon (Spain)
comes out in a counterattack.
16:02 CEST 88km/44.7km to go
The peloton has now decided not to let them go, gearing up under the flamme
rouge. The three front women look back, and the peloton led by a Brazilian rider
is about 35 seconds back.
As they pass the finish line, the tempo of this race is 36,26 km/h. Three laps
to go.
16:04 CEST 90km/42.7km to go
The Swiss rider doesn't really participate in the break, with Dori Ruano Sanchon
(Spain) doing all the work now.
The bunch behind is stretched out on the cobbly section, and the lead of the
break now amounts to 0.47.
16:09 CEST 93km/39.7km to go
The Italian team is now taking the lead of the peloton, as all the riders have
now embarked on their journey up the Torricelle again. Jeannie Longo is still
at the back, she must not be feeling well today.
There has been another crash involving 5-6 riders that went into the barriers
at the side of the road, but nobody got hurt, all riding again.
16:13 CEST 93km/39.7km to go
The Spanish rider still leads within the break, with the Canadian second and
the Swiss behind.
16:14 CEST 94km/38.7km to go
Another Swiss rider attacks from the bunch, taking an Italian with her... The
Swiss don't seem to believe this will get anywhere. The peloton caught up with
the two and is now reducing the gap to the front - only 0.26 left.
16:17 CEST 95km/37.7km to go
The peloton passes the top of the climb, and Jeannie Longo is at the front!
Has she been playing a game?
The three breakaways are on their way down already.
16:22 CEST 99km/33.7km to go
Like a string of pearls, the bunch moves down the descent curves one rider behind
the other. Longo is now leading.
The breakaway is approaching the feeding zone, the gap reduced to 18 seconds.
16:23 CEST 99km/33.7km to go
Margaret Hemsley (Australia) broke away from the bunch to join the front riders,
the peloton not far away.
16:27 CEST 103km/29.7km to go
As they are approaching the finish line for the 7th time, the four riders still
have a lead of 0.28. But the field is controlling this break.
The last lap was completed in 25'31.
16:29 CEST 104km/28.7km to go
Edita Kubelskiene (Lithuania) has abandoned. Two laps remain before we'll know
the next World Champion.
16:31 CEST 105km/27.7km to go
Toward the Torricelle climb once more. The Dutch riders have formed at the front
of the peloton, setting the pace.
The three breakaways are still attempting to take this to the end, with the
fourth, the Swiss rider, not participating.
16:34 CEST 106km/26.7km to go
Mirjam Melchers (Netherlands) and Jeannie Longo Ciprelli (France) are up front
now, leading the pack. The break has reached the foot of the climb, still leading
by 18 seconds.
16:37 CEST
Another abandon: Olga Slyusareva (Russia.
Christine Thorburn (USA) is inside the front part of the peloton, with Longo
still leading.
And there's an attack: Edwige Pitel (France)! She's driving up to the break,
and passing them.
16:41 CEST 110km/22.7km to go
Pitel got the break and he bunch reacted: They are all together now, and the
tempo is fast on this climb. Nicole Cooke (Great Britain) is up front, and there
are about 30 riders left in this group, with a lot of the favourites in it.
16:42 CEST 112km/20.7km to go
Zoulfia Zabirova (Russia) attacked on the descent. Judith Arndt (Germany) and
Mirjam Melchers (Netherlands) are chasing at the front of this group, stretched
downhill.
16:44 CEST 113km/19.7km to go
Zoulfia Zabirova (Russia) is caught by a very strong bunch, hammering down the
Torricelle.
16:47 CEST 115km/17.7km to go
Svetlana Bubnenkova (Russia) and Noemi Cantele (Italy) tried to escape this
front group, but the leaders won't let them. Tempo is very high, as Jeannie
Longo is up front again.
16:52 CEST 118km/14.7km to go
The bunch is now approaching the finish line, headed toward the last lap. All
the favourite riders are within this front group.
16:54 CEST 120km/12.7km to go
Chantal Beltman (Netherlands) attacks an the cobbles. She drives away fast,
with Svetlana Bubnenkova (Russia) chasing after her.
16:57 CEST 122km/10.7km to go
The Russian rider caught the Dutch, looking very decided. Bubnenkova passes
her, and Beltman takes her wheel. At the foot of the climb, the gap is already
0.24.
16:59 CEST 123km/9.7km to go
Svetlana Bubnenkova (Russia) takes off on her own, and Edita Pucinskaite (Lithuania)
decides to fill the gap, but she's having a hard time. Beltman is caught.
17:02 CEST 124km/8.7km to go
Tatiana Guderzo (Italy) makes a move out of the bunch, leaving Pucinskaite,
and catching Bubnenkova in front.
17:08 CEST 126km/6.7km to go
The break is caught just before the top of the climb, and now there are six
riders hammering down the descent: Svetlana Bubnenkova (Russia), Tatiana Guderzo
(Italy), Judith Arndt (Germany), Joane Somarriba Arrola (Spain), Edita Pucinskaite
(Lithuania) and Nicole Brändli (Switzerland).
Behind is a chase group of eight, including two Americans.
17:10 CEST 127km/5.7km to go
Judith Arndt attacks during the descent, but cannot create a significant gap.
17:11 CEST 129km/3.7km to go
Tatiana Guderzo (Italy) is set to get her alone, the four others looking at
each other. The gap is growing, as Arndt give it everything. The Italian might
get her. Passing through the team boxes.
17:12 CEST 130km/2.7km to go
About six seconds between Arndt and Guderzo. Will the German make it?
17:14 CEST 131km/1.7km to go
Guderzo can't seem to catch her, and behind the two women there is a small bunch
of ten riders possibly out for the bronze. Flamme rouge!
17:17 CEST
And Judith Arndt wins the rainbow jersey, in front of Guderzo and Anita Valen!
Results
Provisional 1 Judith Arndt (Germany) 3.44.38 (35.457 km/h) 2 Tatiana Guderzo (Italy) 0.10 3 Anita Valen (Norway) 0.12 4 Trixi Worrack (Germany) 5 Modesta Vzesniauskaite (Lithuania) 6 Nicole Brändli (Switzerland) 7 Joane Somarriba Arrola (Spain) 8 Svetlana Bubnenkova (Russia) 9 Mirjam Melchers (Netherlands) 10 Edita Pucinskaite (Lithuania)
