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8th Women's Flèche Wallonne - CDM
Belgium, April 20, 2005
Main Page Results World Cup standings
Wood Cooke'd
By Hedwig Kröner in Huy
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Nicole Cooke (Safi-Pasta Zara-Manhattan) was victorious in the Women's Flèche Wallonne today, beating her main rival Oenone Wood (Equipe Nürnberger) in a thrilling finish up the Mur de Huy after 105.5 km of hard racing. With her win, Cooke moved herself the World Cup rankings into third behind new leader Wood and Mirjam Melchers (Buitenpoort-Flexpoint).
"I'm very happy to have won here today," Cooke said after the race. "This year, I've had two wins: one in Italy and one here in Belgium on Sunday, but this race is the biggest amongst them. Last year, I couldn't race because I had knee problems at the time. Two years ago, I knew that there was a very good chance of winning here because I won the Amstel Gold Race before. I didn't want to ruin it by doing something wrong. And today, I knew I was probably going to have to save whatever energy I had for the end. With a race like Flèche Wallonne or San Francisco with a lot of steep hills, I knew it was going to be hard, but it just needed to be done."
How it unfolded
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The early players of the Flèche Wallonne women's race were Béatrice Thomas and Natalie Bates, who embarked on a breakaway after only 15 km after the Frenchwoman initiated it. The bunch let them go, as well as a counter-attack at km 55, where Anke Wichmann followed by Sabrina Emmasi and Katia Longhin managed to catch up with the leading riders. Eventually, only two could hold up the fast pace, dropping the others: Bates and Emmasi.
At the Côte de Bellaire after 65 km, Tatiana Shishkova made a move a caught the two leading women. But their lead couldn't last, as the team led by Mirjam Melchers-Van Poppel drove an even higher pace and caught the break with 30 km to go at the Côte de Bohissau. One last break attempt was made by, Karin Thürig and Adrie Visser, but the bunch of about 40 riders didn't allow them to take it to the end: halfway up the penultimate climb, they were caught. The pack was together at the bottom of the final climb up the Mur de Huy, and the next events are best described by the winner's words, Nicole Cooke.
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"We came with about thirty riders to the bottom of the climb. At that moment, even though I didn't want to make my final move I think it was best to be at the front where I wouldn't get closed in or get pushed to the back. So I took the front line with Melchers, Wood and another rider, even though we weren't going flat out. But then Melchers really started her effort and I just stayed behind, knowing that there was no need to go too soon . But as we got to the two hairpins I started to go flat out, and afterwards Oenone Wood came past me, then I went past her, she came back past me.[laughs] But then, with the last 200 metres to go, I made my move and gave it absolutely everything to the line."
Cooke, who will not make the World Cup her objective although she is in third place, is looking forward to riding the Giro d'Italia and to possibly defend her title there. "I want to do well at the Tour if Italy," she said after the race. "I will go to Italy soon to prepare for that. But when the World Cup starts again in August and September I really want to do well at the event in Great Britain. And maybe not being a contender for the overall might be in my favour - I'll be given a bit of freedom."
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by AFP Photo
- Nicole Cooke (Safi) on the podium after her victory
- The women's podium (L to R): Oenone Wood (2nd), Nicole Cooke (1st) and Judith Arndt (3rd)
Images by Luc Claessen/www.actiefotos.be
- Nicole Cooke (Safi) en route to winning the women's race
- Judith Arndt (Nurnberger) all out on the Mur for third place
- The women's podium (L to R): Oenone Wood (2nd), Nicole Cooke (1st) and Judith Arndt (3rd)
Results - 105.5 km
1 Nicole Cooke (GBr) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan 2.56.58 (35.77 km/h) 2 Oenone Wood (Aus) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 0.04 3 Judith Arndt (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 0.05 4 Mirjam Melchers-Van Poppel (Ned) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team 0.10 5 Theresa Senff (Ger) Van Bemmelen-AA Drink 0.13 6 Andréa Graus (Aut) Elk Haus-Tirol Noe 0.14 7 Nicole Brändli (Swi) Team Bigla 8 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team 9 Amber Neben (USA) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team 0.19 10 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Nobili Rubinetterie-Menikini Cogeas 0.21 11 Gunn-Rita Dahle (Nor) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan 0.28 12 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 0.30 13 Trine Hansen (Den) Team S.A.T.S 14 Loes Gunnewijk (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland 0.33 15 Fabiana Luperini (Ita) A.S. Team F.R.W 16 Modesta Vzesniauskaite (Ltu) Nobili Rubinetterie-Menikini Cogeas 17 Edwige Pitel (Fra) Univega Pro Cycling Team 18 Marianna Lorenzoni (Ita) A.S. Team F.R.W 0.36 19 Anna Zugno (Ita) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan 0.37 20 Joanne Kiesanowski (NZl) Nobili Rubinetterie-Menikini Cogeas 0.42 21 Anette Beutler (Swi) Swiss National Team 22 Magali Le Floch (Fra) French National Team 23 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Van Bemmelen-AA Drink 24 Dorte Lohse Rasmussen (Den) Team S.A.T.S 0.45 25 Alexandra Le Henaff (Fra) Team Pruneaux D'agen 0.46 26 Sarah Grab (Swi) Univega Pro Cycling Team 0.50 27 Sofie Goor (Bel) Vlaanderen-Capri Sonne-T Interim 28 Sabrina Emmasi (Swi) Team Bigla 0.57 29 Cindy Pieters (Bel) Vlaanderen-Capri Sonne-T Interim 30 Luise Keller (Ger) German National Team 31 Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo Hausbrandt Caffe' 1.00 32 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Nobili Rubinetterie-Menikini Cogeas 33 Amy Gillett (Aus) Australian National Team 34 Ioulia Martissova (Rus) P.M.B. Fenixs 35 Sandrine Marcuz (Fra) Team S.A.T.S 1.03 36 Teodora Ruano Sanchon (Spa) Spanish National Team 1.05 37 Luisa Tamanini (Ita) Team Bianchi-Aliverti 1.07 38 Madeleine Sandig (Ger) German National Team 39 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Van Bemmelen-AA Drink 1.09 40 Miyoko Karami (Jpn) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan 1.11 41 Monika Schachl (Aut) Elk Haus-Tirol Noe 1.15 42 Katherine Bates (Aus) Van Bemmelen-AA Drink 1.19 43 Sonia Huguet (Fra) French National Team 44 Karin Thürig (Swi) Univega Pro Cycling Team 2.06 45 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Univega Pro Cycling Team 2.21 46 Bianca Knopfle (Ger) German National Team 2.26 47 Evy Van Damme (Bel) Vlaanderen-Capri Sonne-T Interim 2.28 48 Emma Rickards (Aus) Australian National Team 2.29 49 Claudia Häusler (Ger) Elk Haus-Tirol Noe 2.31 50 Maja Adamsen (Den) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox 2.34 51 Tina Liebig (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 2.37 52 Katia Longhin (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox 2.38 53 Patricia Schwager (Swi) Swiss National Team 2.41 54 Elisabeth Chevanne-Brunel (Fra) Team Pruneaux D'agen 2.47 55 Adrie Visser (Ned) Van Bemmelen-AA Drink 2.55 56 Lorian Graham (Aus) Australian National Team 3.00 57 Tatiana Shishkova (Mda) P.M.B. Fenixs 3.11 58 Lada Kozlikova (Cze) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team 4.15 59 Sara Peeters (Bel) Belgian National Team 4.24 60 Linda Serup (Den) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team 61 Karine Gautard (Fra) Team Pruneaux D'agen 4.28 62 Eva Lutz (Ger) German National Team 4.32 63 Monica Holler (Swe) Elk Haus-Tirol Noe 4.35 64 Elena Andreeva (Rus) Russian National Team 4.38 65 Olivia Gollan (Aus) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 66 Meredith Miller (USA) Team S.A.T.S 4.40 67 Emma Davies (GBr) Vlaanderen-Capri Sonne-T Interim 4.43 68 Elodie Touffet (Fra) Team Pruneaux D'agen 4.45 69 Sylvie Riedle (Fra) Team Pruneaux D'agen 4.47 70 Mercedes Cagigas Amedo (Spa) Spanish National Team 4.48 71 Arenda Grimberg (Ned) Therme Skin Care 72 An Van Rie (Bel) Belgian National Team 73 Nathalie Bates (Aus) Van Bemmelen-AA Drink 4.50 74 Alexis Rhodes (Aus) Australian National Team 4.54 75 Malgorzata Wysocka (Pol) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox 5.00 76 Daniela Fusar Poli (Ita) Nobili Rubinetterie-Menikini Cogeas 5.03 77 Anke Wichmann (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 78 Martina Corazza (Ita) A.S. Team F.R.W 79 Francis Linthorst (Ned) Therme Skin Care 5.07 80 Ine Wannijn (Bel) Vlaanderen-Capri Sonne-T Interim 81 Tanja Schmidt-Hennes (Ger) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team 82 Janildes Silva (Bra) Team Bigla 5.12 83 Magalie Finot-Laivier (Fra) French National Team 84 Laure Werner (Bel) Vlaanderen-Capri Sonne-T Interim 5.14 85 Claudia Stumpf (Ger) German National Team 86 Iosune Murillo (Spa) Bizkaia-Panda Software-Durango 5.31 87 Lidia Arcangeli (Ita) Team Bigla 5.35 88 Tania Belvederesi (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo Hausbrandt Caffe' 5.43 89 Zita Urbonaite (Ltu) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan 90 Kim Schoonbaert (Bel) Belgian National Team 5.52 91 Sereina Trachsel (Swi) Univega Pro Cycling Team 10.26 92 Lise Christensen (Den) Team S.A.T.S 11.01 93 Jenny Macpherson (Aus) Australian National Team 11.11 94 Magali Mocquery (Fra) French National Team 95 Svetlana Pauliukaite (Ltu) Team Bianchi-Aliverti 11.15 96 Giuseppina Grassi (Ita) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan 11.17 97 Kelly Van Eyken (Bel) Belgian National Team 11.18 98 Minke Van Dongen (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland 11.20 99 Iris Slappendel (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland 11.30 100 Rachel Heal (GBr) Team S.A.T.S 11.32 101 Sharon Van Essen (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland 11.42 102 Irina Zemlyanskaya (Rus) Russian National Team 103 Alessandra Borchi (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox 104 Tiina Nieminen (Fin) Team Pruneaux D'agen 11.50 105 Cristina Alcalde (Spa) Bizkaia-Panda Software-Durango 106 Maribel Moreno (Spa) Spanish National Team 107 Béatrice Thomas (Fra) French National Team 12.42 108 Alna Burato (Fra) French National Team 13.43 109 Irene Van Den Broek (Ned) Therme Skin Care 14.01 110 Lisbeth De Vocht (Bel) Belgian National Team 14.05 111 Ludivine Henrion (Bel) Therme Skin Care 14.10 112 Arantzazu Azpiroz (Spa) Spanish National Team 14.14 113 Kelly Campbell Rook (USA) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox 14.18 114 Apollinaria Bakova (Rus) Russian National Team 14.43 115 Iris Zwahlen (Swi) Swiss National Team 15.16 116 Bettina Kuhn (Swi) Swiss National Team 15.54 117 Katie Brown (Aus) Australian National Team 16.41
World Cup standings
1 Oenone Wood (Aus) Nurnberger Versicherung 165 pts 2 Mirjam Melchers-Van Poppel (Ned) Buitenpoort - Flexpoint Team 156 3 Nicole Cooke (GBr) Safi - Pasta Zara Manhattan 125 4 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Buitenpoort - Flexpoint Team 121 5 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Van Bemmelen - Aa Drink 99 6 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Nurnberger Versicherung 89 7 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Safi - Pasta Zara Manhattan 75 8 Linda Serup (Den) Buitenpoort - Flexpoint Team 52 9 Miho Oki (Jpn) Usc 50 10 Joanne Kiesanowski (NZl) Nobili Rubinetterie - Menikini Cogeas 49 11 Katherine Bates (Aus) Van Bemmelen - Aa Drink 46 12 Nicole Brändli (Swi) Team Bigla 42 13 Tina Mayolo Pic (USA) 41 14 Judith Arndt (Ger) Nurnberger Versicherung 38 15 Andréa Graus (Aut) Elk Haus - Tirol Noe 36 16 Monia Baccaille (Ita) 35 17 Monica Holler (Swe) Elk Haus - Tirol Noe 30 18 Regina Schleicher (Ger) Nurnberger Versicherung 30 19 Modesta Vzesniauskaite (Ltu) Nobili Rubinetterie - Menikini Cogeas 29 20 Theresa Senff (Ger) Van Bemmelen - Aa Drink 27 21 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Van Bemmelen - Aa Drink 27 22 Jenny Macpherson (Aus) Australie 27 23 Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) 27 24 Magali Le Floch (Fra) France 24 25 Melissa Holt (NZl) Team Sats 24 26 Luisa Tamanini (Ita) Team Bianchi - Aliverti 23 27 Madeleine Sandig (Ger) Allemagne 19 28 Sabrina Emmasi (Swi) Team Bigla 18 29 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Nobili Rubinetterie - Menikini Cogeas 18 30 Anita Valen (Nor) Vlaanderen - Capri Sonne - T Interim 18 31 Barbara Lancioni (Ita) Lct 17 32 Amber Neben (USA) Buitenpoort - Flexpoint Team 15 33 Elisabeth Chevanne-Brunel (Fra) Team Pruneaux D'agen 15 34 Tanja Schmidt-Hennes (Ger) Buitenpoort - Flexpoint Team 15 35 Katie Brown (Aus) Australie 13 36 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Nobili Rubinetterie - Menikini Cogeas 11 37 Gunn-Rita Dahle (Nor) Safi - Pasta Zara Manhattan 10 38 Edwige Pitel (Fra) Univega Pro Cycling Team 10 39 Tatiana Shishkova (Mda) P.M.B. Fenixs 10 40 Kate Nichols (Aus) 10 41 Dorte Lohse Rasmussen (Den) Team Sats 9 42 Sarah Grab (Swi) Univega Pro Cycling Team 9 43 Verena Joos (Ger) 9 44 Trine Hansen (Den) Team Sats 8 45 Tammara Boyd (NZl) 8 46 Lynn Gaggioli (USA) 8 47 Loes Gunnewijk (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland 7 48 Veerle Ingels (Bel) Vlaanderen - Capri Sonne - T Interim 7 49 Sarah Düster (Ger) Therme Skin Care 7 50 Fabiana Luperini (Ita) A.S Team F.R.W. 6 51 Anna Zugno (Ita) Safi - Pasta Zara Manhattan 6 52 Evy Van Damme (Bel) Vlaanderen - Capri Sonne - T Interim 5 53 Lada Kozlikova (Cze) Buitenpoort - Flexpoint Team 5 54 Olga Slyussareva (Rus) Nobili Rubinetterie - Menikini Cogeas 5 55 Nathalie Bates (Aus) Van Bemmelen - Aa Drink 4 56 Alessandra D'ettorre (Ita) 4 57 Marianna Lorenzoni (Ita) A.S Team F.R.W. 3 58 Josephine Groenveld (Ned) Van Bemmelen - Aa Drink 3 59 Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo 2 60 Emma Rickards (Aus) Australie 1 61 Sofie Creux (Fra) 1 62 Natalyna Kachalka (Ukr) A.S Team F.R.W. 1 63 Helen Kelly (Aus) 1
