3rd Women's Women's Ronde van Vlaanderen - CDM

Belgium, April 2, 2006

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Jeff Jones/Cyclingnews.com

• Mirjam Melchers-Van Poppel (Buitenpoort-Flexpoint) after her victory
• Arndt, Ljungskog and Cooke finish
• Nicole Cooke (Univega) was sixth at 1'20
• Christiane Soeder (Univega) caught Melchers in the final 2km to finish second
• Mirjam Melchers-Van Poppel (Buitenpoort-Flexpoint) explains how it happened
• Mirjam Melchers-Van Poppel (Buitenpoort-Flexpoint) found it tough going
• Susanne Ljungskog (L) with her teammates Melchers (hidden) and Hennes
• Chantal Beltman (Vrienden Van Het Platteland) looking tired

Images by Brecht Decaluwé/Cyclingnews.com

• Mirjam Melchers-Van Poppel (Buitenpoort-Flexpoint) wins the sprint
• Mirjam Melchers-Van Poppel (Buitenpoort-Flexpoint) can't believe what she has done
• Loes Gunnewijk (Buitenpoort-Flexpoint) after winning the sprint for third
• Loes Gunnewijk (Buitenpoort-Flexpoint) was happy with third
• winner Melchers-Van Poppel (Buitenpoort-Flexpoint)

Images by CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net

• The race started under threatening skies
• Fans walk up the Eikenberg, ready to cheer on the women
• Emma Rickards (Univega Pro Team) leads Linda Serup (Buitenpoort-Flexpoint), the pair were just a few metres ahead of the bunch
• Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (T-Mobile) leads Trixi Worrack (Équipe Nürnberger) and the bunch on the Eikenberg
• Natalie Bates (AA-Drink) in the new team kit for 2006
• Mirjam Melchers van Poppel (Buitenpoort-Flexpoint) during her solo escape
• Australia's Kathy Watt is riding for Belgian women's team, Lotto, in 2006
• Christiane Soeder (Univega Pro Team) - determined in the conditions
• The race podium (l-r): Christiane Soeder (Univega), Mirjam Melchers van Poppel (Buitenpoort-Flexpoint), Loes Gunnewijk (Buitenpoort-Flexpoint)
• World Cup leader Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (T-Mobile)

Images by Ben Atkins/Cyclingnews.com

• The Pruneaux d'Agen team are wrapped up pretty warm - good regular kind of girls... (sorry)
• Koga Miyatas belonging to Natalie Bates' AA-Drink team
• The Lady herself - Commonwealth Champion Natalie Bates braves the drizzle for a warm up.
• The Michaela Fanini girls get layered up - there's no knowing what the weather's going to do today...
• Former world champ Judith Arndt (T-Mobile) looks up for it today
• Current world champion Regina Schleicher (Nurnberger) doesn't look too fussed about the rainy greeting in Brugge
• A nice line up of Nurnberger Fujis - as modelled by Claudia Hausler.
• Terrible weather! says Commonwealth TT Champion and road race silver medallist Oenone Wood (Nurnberger)
• Really popular in these parts... and with more than a smattering of Brits in the crowd, Nicole Cooke (Univega-Raleigh) gets a long interview.
• The Univega-Raleigh team in close formation
• Eventual second place finisher, Christiane Soeder (Univega-Raleigh) has something to smile about this morning...
• It's time to rug up again after the sign on presentation for Nicole Cooke
• Swedish national champion Suzanne Ljungskog (Buitenpoort-Flexpoint) looks a bit tentative for some reason.
• Oenone rolls over the wet cobbles of Oudenaarde's Markt to take the start.
• The starters are ready - but none of the riders look like they are...
• Kettje Manfrin (AS team-FRW) doesn't seem to be in much of a hurry to join the rest at the start line...
• A Bigla Team rider leads the peloton across the long Mater-Kerkgate cobbles
• The Buitenpoort Flexpoint team put pressure on on the cobbles as world cup leader Ina Teutenberg (T-Mobile) picks her way through the gutter.
• Under a brightening sky an AA-Drink rider tries to stay in contact
• Judith Arndt doesn't look quite so happy about things as she did an hour or so ago
• As the bunch disintegrates on the cobbles, a Bianchi and an @Work rider try vainly to regain contact
• Even the locals find it tough - a Vlaanderen-Caprisonne rider struggles to keep up.
• The peloton has long since split, but one of the girls from Pruneaux d'Agen keeps a regular tempo
• A rider from Lotto-Belisol grits her teeth and gets on with it.
• It's not every World Champion's day - mind you, Regina Schleicher's white shorts seem to have survived so far!
• When you're dropped in this race, you're really on your own...one of the Top Girls-Fassa Bortolo riders has a very lonely ride.
• Christy Miggels (Therme Skin Care) is not giving up yet