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2nd Wellington World Cup - CDM
New Zealand, March 5, 2006
Main Page Results World Cup standings
Powerful attack delivers Ulmer's first World Cup win
By Nick Warren in Wellington
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It couldn’t have panned out better for New Zealand’s round of the Women’s World Cup as Sarah Ulmer (New Zealand National Team) produced a terrific solo win in Wellington.
Ulmer attacked just six laps into a 20 lap 6.5km race and quickly built up a huge lead of nearly five minutes which proved too much for the chasing pack to overhaul. She cruised across the finish line with plenty of time for celebration in front of an ecstatic local crowd.
Oenone Wood (Equipe Nurnberger) out-sprinted Ina Teutenberg (T-Mobile) and Jo Kiesanowski (Univega) for second place 4min 24sec later.
“I thought it was a suicidal move really,” Ulmer said. “I wanted at least one of the other girls from another team to come with me, but my team did a wicked job stopping any chases. I think that was one of the most enjoyable races of my career.”
Clear skies and a brisk breeze greeted competitors for the 124km outing. A large number of spectators lined the course which wound its way around Wellington’s central business district, stopping and starting in front of New Zealand’s Beehive parliament building. It was a tight, multi-cornered course with two tough climbs up Boulcott and Bowen streets, providing plenty of prime positions for spectators to watch the racing.
120 riders took the start and attacks came thick and fast in the opening five laps, although none gained more than about 20 seconds over the pack. There was plenty of action at the rear however, as large chunks of riders were regularly ejected from the peloton. British national champion Nicole Cooke (Univega) saw her chances disintegrate as she crashed at speed coming out of a corner on lap six. While not seriously hurt she withdrew from the race.
Ulmer’s burst off the front that same lap, surprisingly did not provoke a reaction from her rivals despite her reputation and the good form she had shown during the previous week’s Trust House Tour. Her lead rapidly grew as she settled into time-trial mode and two laps into her effort she held a two minute lead, rising to 4min 38sec with eight circuits remaining at which point a small chasing group had formed.
Natalie Bates (Chase Smart-Mercedes Benz), Sarah Duester (Univega) and Barbel Jungmeier (Elk Haus NO) gained a maximum of 40 seconds over the peloton but failed to make serious inroads on Ulmer. Jungmeier was soon dropped but Bates and Duester pushed on, only to be caught in the final two laps.
Ulmer was slowing, but she maintained her steady, high cadence riding style she is so well known for. Entering the final lap she had it in the bag, although the commentator insisted on tempting fate saying, “She has won this race, ladies and gentlemen. Only a terrible crash or misfortune can stop her now…” Luckily no such mishap occurred and Ulmer was all smiles as she crossed the line for the last time.
“Thank you!” she told the crowd after collecting her winner’s bouquet. “It’s great to race in New Zealand. So often we have to go to race overseas, so it’s great that everyone comes here to race in our home country.”
In finishing third, Teutenberg retains her World Cup leader’s jersey. “That was quite a hard bike race,” she said. “The first five laps were really hard and towards the end I was just holding onto the group. I am happy with the result. Once Sarah got ahead we knew she was strong and were really just racing for second place.”
It’s difficult to quantify Ulmer’s place in Kiwi society. Not only is she a highly successful athlete but is also incredibly personable and therefore wildly popular with the fans, always spending time to talk to them and signing autographs. She carries a large amount of public expectation on her shoulders but still manages to pull off spectacular victories when it matters; Wellington expected an Ulmer win, and that’s what she gave them.
T-Mobile’s Amy Moore said coming to New Zealand and witnessing the Ulmer phenomenon was quite incredible. “The fact she is such a successful person and so nice is very cool. It’s always great to have a winner like that and she’s so humble about it all too.”
The next round of the Women’s world cup will be the Tour of Flanders on April 2 in Belgium. Ulmer’s next big challenge however, is the Commonwealth Games time trial in Melbourne on March 21.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Mike Heydon/www.jetphotography.co.nz
- World Cup leader Ina Teutenberg before the start of the Wellington Round of the Womens World Cup.
- New Zealander Mellisa Holt before the start of the Wellington Round of the Womens World Cup.
- The main bunch riding through the city during the Wellington Round of the Womens World Cup.
- The main bunch riding through the city during the Wellington Round of the Womens World Cup.
- The main bunch rides through the start-finish gate otside parliamant during the Wellington Round of the Womens World Cup.
- Three riders attempted to chase down Sarah Ulmer in the closing laps of the Wellington Round of the Womens World Cup.
- Sarah Ulmer riding to victory in the Wellington Round of the Womens World Cup.
- Sarah Ulmer crosses the line to win the Wellington Round of the Womens World Cup.
- The podium - Ina Teutenberg, Sarah Ulmer and Oenone Wood.
- Sarah Ulmer was all smiles after winning the Wellington Round of the Womens World Cup.
Images by Jeff Lyall
- The field toils up Boulcott St
- Baerbell Jungmeier (Elk Haus Noe) gives chase
- Up close and personal with the peloton
- Antoschina Tatiana (Russia) with the bunch as they crest Boulcott St
- Toyooka Ayako (Japan) on one of the climbs.
- Tamara Boyd (New Zealand) tries for an early break
- Sarah Ulmer (New Zealand) breaks away
- Sarah Ulmer gives full gas.
- Michelle Hyland (New Zealand) was one of Ulmer's team-mates policing the bunch
- Sarah Ulmer crests Boulcott St
- The chasing trio
- with 1 to go, Sarah Ulmer knows she has the race in the bag
- Sarah Ulmer grins as she comes in to the finish in front of an ecstatic home crowd
- Oenone Wood (Nurnberger) hammers home for second place
Images by Paul Millin
- Sarah Ulmer (New Zealand)
- Ina Teutenberg (T-Mobile)
- Oenone Wood (Nurnberger)
- Susie Wood (New Zealand)
- Sarah Ulmer (New Zealand)
- Sarah Ulmer (New Zealand)
- Sarah Ulmer (New Zealand)
- Sigrid Corneo (Nobili Rubinetterie - Menikini Cogeas)
- The chasers
- Race action
- Robyn Wong (Wholly Bagels)
- There was nothing cautious about the way Ulmer attacked and stayed away.
- Okuda Youko (Jpn) and Marta Villatosana (Nobili Rubinetterie)
- New Zealand riders police the bunch to protect Ulmer's escape.
- Sarah Ulmer (New Zealand) - not parking.
- Sarah Ulmer (New Zealand) - on the way to her first World Cup win.
- Sarah Ulmer (New Zealand) - celebrates as she crosses the line.
- Sarah Ulmer (New Zealand) - understandably delighted to have won.
- Sarah Ulmer (New Zealand) - will probably be grinning for a month.
- Oenone Wood (Nurnberger) winds up in the finale
- Oenone Wood (Nurnberger) wins the sprint for second
Images by CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net
- The race is ready to go, in the grounds of New Zealand's Parliament
- World Cup leader Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (T-Mobile)
- Sarah Ulmer rolls out in the bunch in front of the building which is famously known as "The Beehive"
- The podium - Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (T-Mobile), Sarah Ulmer (NZ), Oenone Wood (Équipe Nürnberger)
- I think it suits me
- The gardens of Parliament provide a foreground to the start / finish area
- Miho Oki (Nobili Rubinetterie) was lying second overall going into the Wellington race
- Toni Bradshaw (NZ) made an early attempt to get away, but was reeled back in
- Susie Wood (NZ) was to have been a player in the New Zealand team's plans, but was involved in a crash early on
- Kate Bates (Équipe Nürnberger) ahead of Ina-Yoko Teutenberg and Kimberly Bruckner Baldwin (T-Mobile)
- Judith Arndt 'polices' Kate Bates as she tries to go ahead of the bunch with a handful of laps to go
- Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (T-Mobile) and 2005 World Cup winner, Oenone Wood (Équipe Nürnberger)
- A very happy Sarah Ulmer approaches the finish line
- Ulmer - a brilliant victory
- Oenone Wood keeps some young fans happy
Images by Craig Wadsworth
- Katie Bates showing solidarity with the AIS riders
- Speed! The peloton takes the corner at the bottom of The Terrace.
- The start of the first selection – Cooke, Wood and Ulmer break the peloton
- Nicole Cooke tests the peloton’s legs – and Melissa Holt marks her for New Zealand
- Sarah Ulmer looking relaxed on the Bowen St climb – next lap she broke away from the bunch, not to be caught again
- The peloton on the Bowen St climb
- A group of three chasers formed between Ulmer and the peloton – including Nathalie Bates and Baerbell Jungmeir
- The only time in the race that Sarah Ulmer gave any hint of the mammoth effort that she was putting in …
- Amy Mosen with a different sort of race face …
- Local fans cheered Sarah Ulmer all the way round the course
- Oenone Wood attacked on the climb, hoping to bridge to the chasers …
- … but the main pack wasn’t going to let another top rider get away today
- Sarah Ulmer - focused on the Boulcott St hill
- The two chasers kept fighting till the end, and were caught on the last lap through Parliament grounds
- The loneliness of the long distance bike rider … Marta Villatosana with two laps to go
- The epitome of professionalism – despite having a 5 minute lead, Sarah Ulmer changes up for the run to the line with 200m to go
- The bunch winds up for the final sprint – Wood, Kiesanowski and Teutenberg fighting it out
Results
1 Sarah Ulmer (NZl) New Zealand national team 3.16.45 2 Oenone Wood (Aus) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 4.24 3 Ina Teutenberg (Ger) T-Mobile Professional Cycling 4.25 4 Joanne Kiesanowski (NZl) Univega Pro Cycling Team 5 Tina Mayolo Pic (USA) 6 Annette Beutler (Swi) Elk Haus Nö 7 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) 8 Svetlana Bubnenkova (Rus) Russian national team 9 Miho Oki (Jpn) Nobili Rubinetterie Menikini Cogeas 4.29 10 Tamara Boyd (NZl) New Zealand national team 11 Lang Meng (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling 4.31 12 Olga Slyusareva (Rus) Russian national team 13 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Univega Pro Cycling Team 14 Olivia Gollan (Aus) Nobili Rubinetterie Menikini Cogeas 4.33 15 Sarah Düster (Ger) Univega Pro Cycling Team 4.34 16 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 17 Toni Bradshaw (NZl) New Zealand national team 18 Edwige Pitel (Fra) 19 Melissa Holt (NZl) New Zealand national team 4.38 20 Nikki Egyed (Aus) 21 Michelle Hyland (NZl) New Zealand national team 4.40 22 Nathalie Bates (Aus) 4.42 23 Meifang Li (Chn) Chinese national team 4.43 24 Claudia Stumpf (Ger) German national team 4.50 25 Judith Arndt (Ger) T-Mobile Professional Cycling 4.59 26 Kate Nichols (Aus) Chase Sydney - Smart - Mercedes Benz 5.19 27 Katherine Bates (Aus) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 6.48 28 Yoko Okuda (Jpn) Japan national team 8.04 29 Charlotte Goldsmith (GBr) 30 Helen Kelly (Aus) 31 Amy Hunt (GBr) 32 Natalia Boyarskaya (Rus) Russian national team 33 Akemi Morimoto (Jpn) Japan national team 8.07 34 Bärbel Jungmeier (Aut) Elk Haus Nö 35 Josie Loane (Aus) 36 Amy Moore (Can) T-Mobile Professional Cycling 8.10 37 Kimberly Bruckner Baldwin (USA) T-Mobile Professional Cycling 38 Magali Le Floch (Fra) T-Mobile Professional Cycling 39 Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) A.S. Team F.R.W 40 Elodie Tuoffet (Fra) Nobili Rubinetterie Menikini Cogeas 41 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Nobili Rubinetterie Menikini Cogeas 8.13 OTL Yongli Liu (Chn) Chinese national team DNF Marta Vilajosana Andreu (Spa) Nobili Rubinetterie Menikini Cogeas DNF Robin Wong (NZl) DNF Emma Rickards (Aus) Univega Pro Cycling Team DNF Emma Mackie (Aus) Australian national team DNF Serena Sheridan (NZl) DNF Alexis Rhodes (Aus) Australian national team DNF Kara Northcott (NZl) DNF Marina Duvnjak (NZl) DNF Elke Gebhardt (Ger) German national team DNF Masami Mashimo (Jpn) Japan national team DNF Amy Mosen (NZl) DNF Carly Hibberd (Aus) DNF Yanxia Jiang (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling DNF Patricia Schwager (Swi) Elk Haus Nö DNF Isabella Wieser (Aut) Elk Haus Nö DNF Brei Gudsell (NZl) DNF Na Zhao (Chn) Chinese national team DNF Frith Brown (NZl) DNF Antoshina Anna (Rus) Russian national team DNF Kanako Nishi (Jpn) Japan national team DNF Min Gao (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling DNF Daniela Pintarelli (Aut) DNF Xiong Ying Ruan (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling DNF Gina Waibl (NZl) DNF Donna Sibley (NZl) DNF Emma James (Aus) Chase Sydney - Smart - Mercedes Benz DNF Libo Ma (Chn) Chinese national team DNF Karina Wilkinson (NZl) DNF Silvia Valsecchi (Ita) Nobili Rubinetterie Menikini Cogeas DNF Amanda Spratt (Aus) Australian national team DNF Pu Xiang Zheng (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling DNF Emma Hutchings (NZl) DNF Martina Corazza (Ita) A.S. Team F.R.W DNF Larissa Kleinmann (Ger) German national team DNF Eva Lutz (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung DNF Nicole Cooke (GBr) Univega Pro Cycling Team DNF Tye Dale (NZl) DNF Anke Wichmann (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung DNF Kate Mercer (Aus) DNF Hayley Brown (Aus) Chase Sydney - Smart - Mercedes Benz DNF Jennie Stenerhag (Swe) DNF Robin Farina (USA) DNF Kelly Benjamin (USA) DNF Jing Chen (Chn) Chinese national team DNF Johanna Buick (NZl) DNF Rosy McCall (NZl) DNF Irina Zemlyanskaya (Rus) Russian national team DNF Jessie Maclean (Aus) DNF Jenny Trew (Can) DNF Marlen Johrend (Ger) German national team DNF Nicola Johnson (NZl) DNF Ayako Toyooka (Jpn) Japan national team DNF Susie Wood (NZl) New Zealand national team DNF Stacy Sims (NZl) DNF Carolyn Jenkings (NZl) DNF Kettj Manfrin (Ita) A.S. Team F.R.W DNF Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) DNF Vickie Burr (NZl) DNF Laura Pisaneschi (Ita) A.S. Team F.R.W DNF Ombretta Ugolini (Ita) A.S. Team F.R.W DNF Karen Fulton (NZl) DNF Bernadette Schober (Aut) DNF Lisa Haynes (NZl) DNF Erin Chamberlen (Aus) Chase Sydney - Smart - Mercedes Benz DNF Jenny Macpherson (Aus) Australian national team DNF Candice Sullivan (Aus) Australian national team DNF Nicola Cox (NZl) DNF Lauren Koedyk (NZl) DNF Melissa Pilla (NZl) DNF Dorette Prinsloo (NZl)
World Cup standings after two rounds
1 Ina Teutenberg (Ger) T-Mobile Professional Cycling 110 pts 2 Sarah Ulmer (NZl) 75 3 Miho Oki (Jpn) Nobili Rubinetterie Menikini Cogeas 65 4 Tina Mayolo Pic (USA) 57 5 Oenone Wood (Aus) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 50 6 Annette Beutler (Swi) Elk Haus Nö 45 7 Joanne Kiesanowski (NZl) Univega Pro Cycling Team 41 8 Katherine Bates (Aus) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 35 9 Svetlana Bubnenkova (Rus) Fenixs-Colnago 27 10 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan 27 11 Tamara Boyd (NZl) Les Pruneaux d'Agen 26 12 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team 25 13 Gina Grain (Can) Giant Pro Cycling 24 14 Nicole Cooke (GBr) Univega Pro Cycling Team 18 15 Lang Meng (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling 10 16 Monia Baccaille (Ita) Saccarelli Emu Marsciano 10 17 Olga Slyusareva (Rus) 9 18 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Univega Pro Cycling Team 8 19 Hayley Brown (Aus) Chase Sydney - Smart - Mercedes Benz 8 20 Olivia Gollan (Aus) Nobili Rubinetterie Menikini Cogeas 7 21 Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) A.S. Team F.R.W 7 22 Sarah Düster (Ger) Univega Pro Cycling Team 6 23 Emma Rickards (Aus) Univega Pro Cycling Team 6 24 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 5 25 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Nobili Rubinetterie Menikini Cogeas 5 26 Toni Bradshaw (NZl) Les Pruneaux d'Agen 4 27 Edwige Pitel (Fra) Bianchi Aliverti Kookai 3 28 Larissa Kleinmann (Ger) 3 29 Melissa Holt (NZl) 2 30 Kate Nichols (Aus)Chase Sydney - Smart - Mercedes Benz 2 31 Nikki Egyed (Aus) 1 32 Catherine Sell (NZl) 1 Team standings 1 T-Mobile Professional Cycling 110 pts 2 New Zealand 107 3 Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 90 4 Univega Pro Cycling Team 79 5 Nobili Rubinetterie Menikini Cogeas 77 6 Elk Haus Nö 45 7 Russian Federation 36 8 Giant Pro Cycling 34 9 United States Of America 30 10 Italy 10 11 A.S. Team F.R.W. 7 12 Germany 3
