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World Championships - CM
Verona, Italy, September 27-October 3, 2004
Preview Map Course description Start List Latest live report
Race 6 - Friday October 1: Road Race - Junior Women, 73.75km
Commentary by Hedwig Kröner
Complete live report
Live coverage starts: 09:30 CEST
Estimated finish time: 11:45 CEST
09:29 CEST
Welcome back to the World Championships, moved from Bardolino from the time
trials to Verona, where the road races take place. On roughly the same course
as in 1999, the Junior Women start off the competition and have to complete
five laps to cover the 73.75 km parcours. Defending Champion Loes Markerink
(Netherlands) is now 19 and too old for the Junior race, and there will be a
fresh slate of 66 women lining up this year.
09:37 CEST 1km/72.75km to go
And the race has hit it off under a cloudy sky, with the start/finish at the
Piazza Brà in Verona. The bunch heads north for three kilometres of flat before
the 3.1 kilometre-long Torricelle climb that begins from the Viale dei Colli.
The final part of the Torricelle is the hardest, where the Viale dei Colli turns
to the Via Santa Giuliana 700 metres from the top.
Marianne Vos (Netherlands) attacked right away, but is caught now, as the peloton
controls itself.
09:42 CEST 3km/70.75km to go
The girls are at the bottom of the climb now, with Caroline Ibele (Germ any)
in front. Maria Auxiliadora Martin Morales (Spain) is at the back, struggling
already as the tempo is high.
09:46 CEST 5km/68.75km to go
The American Rebecca Much, starting all alone without a team, is heading the
bunch now with a couple of Polish riders. The bunch is still together, as many
are waiting for it to reduce in size in order to attack.
09:49 CEST 7km/66.75km to go
On top of the climb, there are quite some spectators present, as the bunch hits
the winding descent with about 70 km/h.
09:53 CEST
Ekaterina Tretiakova (Russia) is in front, and anther rider has crashed in one
of theses twisty curves. Didn't look too bad, as she could brake enough right
before falling into a grassy ditch.
09:55 CEST 10km/63.75km to go
The weather is a little humid, a bit foggy. The Canadian girls are up front,
with the Lithuanians.
10:00 CEST 15km/58.75km to go
The race is back in the streets of Verona now, passing through the finish for
the first time - 4 laps yet to go.
The first lap has been fast: 26'05, and an handful of riders have not been able
to bridge the gap to the peloton yet.
10:05 CEST 18km/55.75km to go
The bunch is headed toward the Torricelle climb again, and the pace is still
high. One Italian rider threw away her wind stopper.
10:08 CEST
The first few hundred metres of the climb have seen attacks: one Polish rider
wanted to get away, but was caught with Amanda Spratt (Australia) chasing her
too. It's getting nervous, and more and more riders have difficulties in following
the leaders.
10:14 CEST 20km/53.75km to go
Sandrine Allais (France) put on the wrong gear at the back and nearly stopped
- the climb is steep. The road looks O.K., and it's painted with flags and rainbow
coloured peace signs.
Rebecca Much is leading the bunch again. The Lithuanians are still there, too.
10:16 CEST 21km/52.75km to go
About 40 riders are left at the front and have past the highest point now, with
a small group still climbing.
10:18 CEST 23km/50.75km to go
Catrine Josefsson (Sweden) has punctured her rear wheel, getting it changed
now.
Stefanie Wiedner (Austria) has abandoned.
10:22 CEST 27km/46.75km to go
Two Lithuanians are leading the pack even during the descent - they do look
strong and must be confident.
The riders have passed the feeding zone, and some of them have grabbed a quick
energy boost.
10:25 CEST
Second abandon of the day: Maria De Lourdes Garcia-Navas Llaneras from Spain
has stepped off her bike.
The peloton led by Poland and Lithuania passed the 1000 m "flamme rouge" - but
there are still three laps to go.
10:28 CEST 30km/43.75km to go
The second round has been completed, 53'20 after the start. Average speed until
now is 33,5 km/h.
10:31 CEST 32km/41.75km to go
There's been a crash inside the bunch: Amanda Spratt (Australia) got up quickly
again and has made her way back to the peloton, not hurt.
10:36 CEST 34km/39.75km to go
Virginia Hennig (Germany) is up front with a Ukranian rider. And Spratt attacks
in the climb! But she is caught again by an Italian.
The young women look at each other.
10:39 CEST
Next to attack is Francesca Andina (Italy). But the others followed he up -
break caught again.
Another Italian, Savrina Bernardi, tries from the left hand side. She has now
created a 200 metres gap, with a Ukranian rider leading the chase behind.
10:42 CEST 36km/37.75km to go
Savrina Bernardi is caught at the top of the climb.
10:48 CEST 39km/34.75km to go
Francesca Andina from Italy has crashed in a curve during the descent, but nothing
serious. She's back on her bike.
The peloton has diminished in number, with a small group chasing it behind.
10:51 CEST 40km/33.75km to go
Amanda Spratt (Australia) has attacked again! She has 6 seconds on the bunch,
with Barbara Gromaszek (Poland) going after her.
10:54 CEST 44km/29.75km to go
A 30 rider bunch is chasing Spratt. She is caught at the start/finish line,
and the peloton seems pretty groupé now.
10:57 CEST 45km/28.75km to go
The field is stretched out now, with Rebecca Much again leading on the flat
part before the climb.
The Italians at the front are talking to each other, as well as the Germans.
11:01 CEST 47km/26.75km to go
Just before the hill, some riders grab a drink from their assistants. A new
face is at he front: Mayuko Hagiwara from Japan is setting the pace now. Caroline
Ibele (Germany) is still there too.
11:02 CEST
There are some small groups left at he back: the last riders have just passed
the finish line now, 8'35 behind the bunch.
11:06 CEST 48km/25.75km to go
The Japanese rider exploded as the climb got steeper - she is now at the back.
An Italian rider, Savrina Bernardi, has set a faster pace, and the others follow.
She has 5 seconds now.
11:08 CEST 49km/24.75km to go
Amanda Spratt has caught up with Bernardi, and the chase group - pretty small
now - is right behind at the top of the climb. After the descent, they should
be together again.
11:11 CEST 51km/22.75km to go
Ekaterina Tretiakova (Russia) has joined the two front girls for the race downhill,
with about 14 riders going after them.
11:16 CEST 57km/16.75km to go
In the streets of Verona, the tempo is high. The front group includes Amanda
Spratt, three Ukranians, Rebecca Much (USA), Roxane Knetemann (Netherlands)
with two teammates, three Italians, Caroline Ibele (Germany)... about 16 riders.
11:20 CEST 59km/14.75km to go
The second chase group of about 15 gets back to the front riders just at the
final passage of the finish line, so there are about 30 riders headed back toward
the last climb. One lap left to go.
11:23 CEST 60km/13.75km to go
Sabine Fischer (Germany) has also made it back into this front group, leading
the pack now. And we have an attack: Barbara Gromaszek (Poland) is trying hard,
but cannot get away on this flat bit before the climb.
11:26 CEST 61km/12.75km to go
The girls are taking it easy now, preparing for this last hill which might be
decisive. Two Italians are talking at the front.
11:29 CEST 63km/10.75km to go
Rebecca Much is always in front, with the first attacks coming round: Roxane
Knetemann (Netherlands) tries, but is caught immediately. Tempo is very high.
Federica Balestri (Italy) is cramped.
11:32 CEST 64km/9.75km to go
An Italian rider is leading the pack, and Spratt is still there too. Now there's
a real attack going: Marianne Vos (Netherlands) decided to get away, quickly
leading by 60 metres...
11:34 CEST
This could be decisive as Vos already has about 15 sec's - she's pushing hard,
with Much chasing inside a small group behind her.
11:37 CEST 67km/6.75km to go
There are 4 Dutch riders in the chase group too, composed of about 12 riders.
They are now on the descent, and Vos is giving it everything. She is leading
by 24 sec., Much still in front at chasing.
11:41 CEST 70km/3.75km to go
Rebecca Much now has three Dutch riders on her rear wheel - that doesn't look
good.
Marianne Vos (Netherlands) is speeding on the flat part, she has a lead of 0.24
now.
11:43 CEST 72km/1.75km to go
And Vos is headed toward the finish with 31 seconds under the flamme rouge!
11:45 CEST
Tactics begin within the chase group, with the Dutch girls even in front. As
Marianne Vos wins, the sprint is preparing...
11:46 CEST 73km/0.75km to go
Marta Bastianelli (Italy) wins the sprint of the chase group.
Results
Provisional 1 Marianne Vos (Netherlands) 02.11.44 2 Marta Bastianelli (Italy) 0.29
