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2nd Women's Ronde van Vlaanderen - CDM
Belgium, April 3, 2005
Melchers-Van Poppel and Ljungskog give 'em the 1-2
Fight for third a farce as peloton sent wrong way
By Jeff Jones in Ninove-Meerbeke
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There was no doubt about who were the strongest two women in today's 2nd Ronde van Vlaanderen voor Dames, as Mirjam Melchers-Van Poppel accelerated away from her Buitenpoort-Flexpoint teammate and breakaway companion Susanne Ljungskog with 200m to go to win one of the toughest women's races on the calendar. These two had come together just after the Muur van Geraardsbergen with 16 km to go, and naturally cooperated perfectly to the finish as the chasing bunch of 20 couldn't get closer than 40 seconds.
"It's the Ronde van Vlaanderen and it's one of the most beautiful world cups to win," said a happy Melchers-Van Poppel. "But the best thing is that it was the team that won today. They rode a great race.
It was Melchers who made the first move, attacking with approximately 25 km to go on the run into Geraardsbergen, and the feared Muur. She had 15 seconds lead when her teammate and two time World Champion Susanne Ljungskog attacked in pursuit. "When Mirjam got a gap, it was super because Nürnberger had to work and I was just on the wheel," Ljungskog explained to Cyclingnews post-race. "On the Muur I attacked and caught Mirjam 200 metres after the hill. Then we just went together and we had 35 seconds, so it was good. In the end...of course [Mirjam] had to win because she's almost from here. So she took the victory and I'm very happy with that.
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"There were a lot of attacks from my team. Amber Neben was doing a great job today and all of my teammates were really strong. It was a hard race. There were a lot of small climbs and it hurt. The Muur is the hardest. But I had good legs today so for me it was OK."
Melchers added that Buitenpoort-Flexpoint took everyone a bit by surprise with the two-up attack. "I don't think anyone expected it," she said. "I think we controlled the race well, we always had someone up there. We made the race."
Unfortunately, the race for third ended in farcical circumstances, as the big chase group was sent the wrong way in the final two kilometres to cross the finish line in the opposite direction! That group contained the 'best of the rest', including World Cup leader Oenone Wood (Nürnberger), who was furious with what happened.
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"There were two out the front and they sent the bunch the wrong way," Wood told Cyclingnews afterwards. "It was in the last two kilometres, and we were following the car. There were about 20 girls in that bunch and we all came up here! I don't know what they'll do with the placings, but that's all the [World Cup] points. It's totally shit. It's not fair to give anyone points today."
Every rider in Wood's group was given a DNF, meaning that Italian national team rider Monia Baccaille finished third, after winning the bunch sprint from group 3 that came in a 1'23. But despite protests, it was decided to award World Cup points, meaning that Wood lost the jersey to Melchers.
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"It was a really hard race," Wood explained. "Especially because they put the new sections in this year; we had two extra sections of cobbles...The conditions were better today [than last year]. They were beautiful conditions, but it was pretty tough still. It's pretty disappointing though, a big stuff up."
The next round of the women's cup is La Flèche Wallonne on April 20, and hopefully the women will be able to finish off the race properly this time.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us
- Nicole Cooke (SAFI) suffering on the Boigneberg
- Judith Arndt (Nurnberger) at the front on the Boigneberg
- Sara Carrigan (Van Bemmelen-AA Drink) on the Boigneberg
- Hanka Kupferngael (Jacques-T Interim) on the Boigneberg
Images by Jeff Jones/Cyclingnews.com
- Mirjam Melchers (Buitenpoort-Flexpoint) was delighted with her victory in the women's Ronde van Vlaanderen
- A happy Susanne Ljungskog (Buitenpoort-Flexpoint) after crossing the line for second
- Oenone Wood (Nurnberger) stayed in the World Cup jersey, but was not happy Jan
- A large chunk of the women's peloton found themselves heading to the finish the wrong way, and chaos ensued.
- Chantal Beltman (Vr. van het Platteland) was annoyed at the finish, as she was in the chase group that was sent the wrong way
- Buitenpoort director Jean-Paul van Poppel (L) and Susanne Ljungskog get filled in on what happened to the chase group
- Third placed Monia Baccaille (Italy) wonders what she's doing here
- Winner Mirjam Melchers accepts her trophy
- The women's podium (L to R): Susanne Ljungskog (2nd), Mirjam Melchers (1st) and Monia Baccaille (3rd)
- The women's podium (L to R): Susanne Ljungskog (2nd), Mirjam Melchers (1st) and Monia Baccaille (3rd)
Images by John Pierce/Photosport International
- Mirjam Melchers (Buitenpoort-Flexpoint) leads on the Muur
- Susanne Ljungskog (Buitenpoort-Flexpoint) chases her teammate Melchers on the Muur
Results - 112 km
1 Mirjam Melchers-Van Poppel (Ned) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team 3.13.00 (34.819 km/h) 2 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team 0.07 3 Monia Baccaille (Ita) Italian National Team 1.23 4 Monica Holler (Swe) Elk Haus-Tirol Noe 5 Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Mixed 2 Chirio Forno D Asolo - Turbo 6 Magali Le Floch (Fra) French National Team 7 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Van Bemmelen-AA Drink 8 Sabrina Emmasi (Ita) Team Bigla 9 Elisabeth Chevanne-Brunel (Fra) Team Pruneaux D'agen 10 Barbara Lancioni (Ita) Ss Lazio Ciclismo Team Ladispoli 11 Tatiana Shishkova (Rus) P.M.B. Fenixs 12 Sarah Grab (Swi) Mixed 1Univega / Arbö Askö Graz 13 Luisa Tamanini (Ita) Team Bianchi-Aliverti 14 Veerle Ingels (Bel) Vlaanderen-Capri Sonne-T Interim 15 Dorte Lohse Rasmussen (Den) Team S.A.T.S 16 Lada Kozlikova (Cze) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team 17 Alessandra D Ettorre (Ita) Italian National Team 18 Josephine Groenveld (Ned) Van Bemmelen-AA Drink 19 Andrea Graus (Aut) Elk Haus-Tirol Noe 20 Sofie Creux (Fra) French National Team 21 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Van Bemmelen-AA Drink 22 Silvia Parietti (Ita) Ss Lazio Ciclismo Team Ladispoli 23 Meredith Miller (USA) Team S.A.T.S 24 Linda Serup (Den) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team 25 Sandrine Marcuz (Fra) Team S.A.T.S 26 Amber Neben (USA) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team 27 Elodie Touffet (Fra) French National Team 28 Magalie Finot-Laivier (Fra) French National Team 29 Clemilda Fernandes Silva (Bra) Mixed 2 Chirio Forno D Asolo - Turbo 2.56 30 Kirsten Wild (Ned) @Work Cycling Team 31 Anna Gusmini (Ita) Nobili Rubinetterie-Menikini Cogeas 5.02 32 Alessandra Grassi (Ita) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan 33 Daniela Fusar Poli (Ita) Nobili Rubinetterie-Menikini Cogeas 34 Beatrice Thomas (Fra) French National Team 35 Arenda Grimberg (Ned) Therme Skin Care 36 Tanja Schmidt-Hennes (Ger) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team 37 Judith Arndt (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 38 Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) Italian National Team 5.30 39 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Nobili Rubinetterie-Menikini Cogeas 40 Modesta Vzesniauskaite (Ltu) Nobili Rubinetterie-Menikini Cogeas 41 Miho Oki (Jpn) Mixed 2 Chirio Forno D Asolo - Turbo 42 Karin Thürig (Swi) Mixed 1Univega / Arbö Askö Graz 43 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Nobili Rubinetterie-Menikini Cogeas 44 Anna Zugno (Ita) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan 6.00 45 Christiane Soeder (Aut) Mixed 1Univega / Arbö Askö Graz 6.08 46 Ine Wannijn (Bel) Vlaanderen-Capri Sonne-T Interim 6.25 47 Sara Peeters (Bel) WC Oostende Noordzee 9.23 48 Monika Schachl (Aut) Elk Haus-Tirol Noe 49 Miyoko Karami (Jpn) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan 50 Sarah Düster (Ger) Therme Skin Care 51 Minke Van Dongen (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland 52 Laura Bozzolo (Ita) Italian National Team 53 Alessandra Borchi (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox 54 Janneke Vos (Ned) Therme Skin Care Outside time limit (hors delai) HD Nathalie Bates (Aus) Van Bemmelen-AA Drink 10.37 HD Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan HD Mette Andersen (Den) Team S.A.T.S 10.54 HD Sabine Fischer (Ger) German National Team HD Tiina Nieminen (Fin) Team Pruneaux D'agen 13.26 HD Liesbet De Vocht (Bel) KSV Deerlijk Gaverzicht 13.45 HD Ann Van Rie (Bel) Belgian National Team 13.48 HD Costanza Martinelli (Ita) Ss Lazio Ciclismo Team Ladispoli 14.00 HD Bianca Knöpfle (Ger) German National Team HD Lorenza Morfin (Mex) Mixed 2 Chirio Forno D Asolo - Turbo HD Katleen Vermeiren (Bel) Belgian National Team 14.52 HD Ilse Temmerman (Bel) KSV Deerlijk Gaverzicht HD Karen Steurs (Bel) Belgian National Team HD Claudia Häusler (Ger) Elk Haus-Tirol Noe HD Inga Cilvinaite (Ltu) Team Bianchi-Aliverti HD Svetlana Pauliukaite (Ltu) Team Bianchi-Aliverti HD Lien Verhaeghe (Bel) Belgian National Team HD Natacha Maes (Bel) WC Oostende Noordzee HD Kathy Ingels (Bel) Belgian National Team HD Kristy Miggels (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland HD Zita Urbonaite (Ltu) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan HD Aukje De Koning (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland HD Letizia Giardinelli (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox HD Iris Slappendel (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland HD Iosune Murillo Elkano (Spa) Bizkaia-Panda Software-Durango HD Jaccolien Wallaard (Ned) @Work Cycling Team HD Debby Mansveld (Ned) Vlaanderen-Capri Sonne-T Interim HD Tania Belvederesi (Ita) Italian National Team HD Luise Keller (Ger) German National Team HD Corine Hierckens (Bel) Therme Skin Care HD Anke Wichmann (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung HD Olivia Gollan (Aus) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung HD Loes Markerink (Ned) @Work Cycling Team HD Regina Schleicher (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung HD Ghita Beltman (Ned) @Work Cycling Team DNF Nicole Brändli (Swi) Team Bigla DNF Lidia Arcangeli (Ita) Team Bigla DNF Janildes Fernandes Silva (Bra) Team Bigla DNF Melanie Tunesi (Swi) Team Bigla DNF Oenone Wood (Aus) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung DNF Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung DNF Joanne Kiesanowski (NZl) Nobili Rubinetterie-Menikini Cogeas DNF Theresa Senff (Ger) Van Bemmelen-AA Drink DNF Katherine Bates (Aus) Van Bemmelen-AA Drink DNF Priska Doppmann (Swi) Mixed 1Univega / Arbö Askö Graz DNF Edwige Pitel (Fra) Mixed 1Univega / Arbö Askö Graz DNF Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) Vlaanderen-Capri Sonne-T Interim DNF Anita Valen (Nor) Vlaanderen-Capri Sonne-T Interim DNF Evy Van Damme (Bel) Vlaanderen-Capri Sonne-T Interim DNF Nicole Cooke (GBr) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan DNF Cristina Alcalde Huertanos (Spa) Bizkaia-Panda Software-Durango DNF Naiara Telletxea Lopez (Spa) Bizkaia-Panda Software-Durango DNF Maitane Telletxea Lopez (Spa) Bizkaia-Panda Software-Durango DNF Agurtzane Elorriaga (Spa) Bizkaia-Panda Software-Durango DNF Chantal Beltman (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland DNF Loes Gunnewijk (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland DNF Christine Müller (Ger) Elk Haus-Tirol Noe DNF Karin Wieser (Aut) Elk Haus-Tirol Noe DNF Alexandra Nohles (Ger) P.M.B. Fenixs DNF Vanessa Saccomani (Ita) P.M.B. Fenixs DNF Julia Martissova (Rus) P.M.B. Fenixs DNF Sonia Rocca (Ita) P.M.B. Fenixs DNF Veronika Andreasson (Swe) Team Bianchi-Aliverti DNF Ramune Lipinskaite (Ltu) Team Bianchi-Aliverti DNF Maja Adamsen (Den) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox DNF Katia Longhin (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox DNF Kelly Campbell Rook (USA) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox DNF Elena Guerri (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox DNF Trine Hansen (Den) Team S.A.T.S DNF Christina Mos (Ned) Therme Skin Care DNF Irene Van Den Broek (Ned) Therme Skin Care DNF Areke Hassink (Ned) @Work Cycling Team DNF Brigit Mulder (Ned) @Work Cycling Team DNF Marta Vilajosana Andreu (Spa) Ss Lazio Ciclismo Team Ladispoli DNF Emanuela Citracca (Ita) Ss Lazio Ciclismo Team Ladispoli DNF Alexandra Le Henaff (Fra) Team Pruneaux D'agen DNF Vicky Fournial (Fra) Team Pruneaux D'agen DNF Aude Pollet (Fra) Team Pruneaux D'agen DNF Madeleine Sandig (Ger) German National Team DNF Claudia Hecht (Ger) German National Team DNF Oxana Kostenko (Rus) Russian National Team DNF Irina Zemlyanskaya (Rus) Russian National Team DNF Apollinaria Bakova (Rus) Russian National Team DNF Elena Andreeva (Rus) Russian National Team DNF Noemi Cantele (Ita) Italian National Team DNF Sonja Huguet (Fra) French National Team DNF Katleen Sterckx (Bel) Belgian National Team DNF Lilliane Leenknegt (Bel) KSV Deerlijk Gaverzicht DNF Grace Verbeke (Bel) KSV Deerlijk Gaverzicht DNF Charlot Verhaeghe (Bel) KSV Deerlijk Gaverzicht DNF Hilde De Meulemeester (Bel) KSV Deerlijk Gaverzicht DNF Natacha Cordy (Bel) WC Oostende Noordzee DNF Natacha Nobels (Bel) WC Oostende Noordzee DNF Ilse Fiers (Bel) WC Oostende Noordzee DNF Lien Beyen (Bel) WC Oostende Noordzee DNF Francesca Castrucci (Ita) Mixed 2 Chirio Forno D Asolo - Turbo DNS Nadia Triquet-Claude (Fra) Team Pruneaux D'agen Starters: 150 Classified: 54
World Cup standings after round 4
1 Mirjam Melchers-Van Poppel (Ned) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team
