Recently on Cyclingnews.com |
 Giro finale Photo ©: Bettini |
22nd Tour de l'Aude - 2.1
France, May 12-21, 2006
Main Page Results Overall standings Stage Details Next Stage
Stage 1 - May 12: Gruissan – Gruissan TTT, 28 km
By Kristy Scrymgeour
 |
Team Buitenpoort Flexpoint, fielding last year's winner of Tour de L'Aude Amber Neben, took out the opening stage of this years ten-day race, winning the 28km team time trial in the coastal town of Gruissan. With a 19 second lead now over T-Mobile and another 18 seconds on Nurnberger, Buitenpoort has set itself up as the team to beat again this year.
Starting and finishing in Gruissan, the time trial started with a false flat that gradually gained elevation all the way to the start of the climb at the 9.5km mark. About five kilometers in length, the climb is a tough one for a team time trial and this is where many of the teams lost a rider or two. After peaking the climb, the descent is fast and technical and winds its way back down to sea level before turning right and heading back to Gruissan for a very flat final ten kilometers.
Conditions were good for a team time trial. It was overcast and looked like rain but it stayed dry and the wind was strong but steady with a headwind on the climb. Buitenpoort finished with a full team on the line riding a strong final ten kilometers, whilst T-Mobile lost three riders along the way, finishing with three. The Nurnberger team lost sprinter Régina Schleicher almost immediately and rode with five.
Crossing the line first for Buitenpoort was Loes Gunnewijk, who will take the official race lead. Buitenpoort will now have to protect the yellow jersey going into the second stage, which heads straight in to the hills with a category one climb up Col de Jouys and a Hors Cat climb up Col de la Croix de Sous within the 103.5km stage.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net
- Edita Puckinskaite checks on her Nobili Rubinetterie team-mates as they start
- T-Mobile accelerates away
- The Univega Pro Team sets off
- Équipe Nürnberger quickly lines up in formation
- Svetlana Bubnenkova leads the Colnago Fenixs team to the line
- AA Drink finishes - Suzanne De Goede gets a rare chance to wear the Dutch TT Champion colours
- The German National Team finished tenth
- Loes Gunnewijk will be race leader on Stage 2 - she was first of the Buitenpoort-Flexpoint team over the finish line
- The New Zealand National Team warming up
- Giant Pro Team - the first team to start the race
- The Australian National Team prepare themselves
- Amanda Spratt leads the Aussies away from the start
- Regina Schleicher (Équipe Nürnberger) prepares to start
Images by Philippe Volle/velopalmares.free.fr
- The old town of Gruissan with the famous Barberousse tower.
- Sofie Goor at the warm up
- The French national team at the start
- Australian national team
- Kimberly Baldwin (T-Mobile) is ready to go
- Oenone Wood at the start with the bracelet of the Amy Gillett fundation
- The Buitenpoort team
- AA Drink sprint for the finish
- T-Mobile is led home by Ina Teutenberg
- Oenone Wood in the blue mountains jersey
- Suzanne De Goede in red
- Loes Gunnewijk in yellow
Results
1 Buitenpoort Flexpoint 37.11.54 2 T-Mobile 0.18.98 3 Nürnberg Versicherung 0.37.45 4 AA-Drink CT 0.49.40 5 Univega 1.19.23 6 French National Team 1.31.98 7 Bianchi Aliverti Kookai 1.35.76 8 Fénix Colnago 1.47.80 9 Nobili Rubinetterie 2.19.20 10 German National Team 2.27.29 11 Australian National Team 2.58.83 12 Dutch National Team 2.59.72 13 Belgian National Team 3.09.14 14 USA National Team 3.49.80 15 New Zealand National Team 3.56.95 16 Colombian National Team 4.00.66 17 Lotto Belisol 4.08.80 18 Les Pruneaux d'Agen 4.19.76 19 Giant PC 4.40.86 Individuals 1 Loes Gunnewijk (Ned) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team 37.11.54 2 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team 3 Amber Neben (USA) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team 4 Madeleine Sandig (Ger) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team 5 Sandra Rombouts (Ned) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team 0.03.31 6 Ina Teutenberg (Ger) T-Mobile Professional Cycling 0.18.98 7 Judith Arndt (Ger) T-Mobile Professional Cycling 8 Kimberly Anderson (USA) T-Mobile Professional Cycling 9 Oenone Wood (Aus) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 0.30.45 10 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 11 Anke Wichmann (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 12 Eva Lutz (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 13 Claudia Hausler (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 14 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) AA-Drink Cycling Team 0.35.40 15 Adrie Visser (Ned) AA-Drink Cycling Team 16 Théresa Senff (Ger) AA-Drink Cycling Team 17 Angela Brodtka (Ger) AA-Drink Cycling Team 18 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Univega Pro Cycling Team 0.40.23 19 Sarah Grab (Swi) Univega Pro Cycling Team 20 Sarah Duster (Ger) Univega Pro Cycling Team 21 Emma Rickards (Aus) Univega Pro Cycling Team 22 Béatrice Thomas (Fra) French National Team 0.44.98 23 Marina Jaunatre (Fra) French National Team 24 Maryline Salvetat (Fra) French National Team 25 Magalie Finot Lavier (Fra) French National Team 26 Karine Gautard (Fra) French National Team 27 Edwige Pitel (Fra) Bianchi Aliverti Kookai 0.49.76 28 Trine Hansen (Den) Bianchi Aliverti Kookai 29 Dorte Rasmussen (Den) Bianchi Aliverti Kookai 30 Svetlana Bubnenkova (Rus) Fenixs-Colnago 0.54.80 31 Olga Zabelinskaya (Rus) Fenixs-Colnago 32 Eléna Stramoysova (Rus) Fenixs-Colnago 33 Johanna Buick (NZl) Fenixs-Colnago 34 Maja Adamsen (Den) Fenixs-Colnago 35 Edita Puncinskaite (Ltu) Nobili Rubinetterie Menikini Cogeas 1.00.20 36 Olivia Gollan (Aus) Nobili Rubinetterie Menikini Cogeas 37 Evelyn Garcia (ESa) Nobili Rubinetterie Menikini Cogeas 38 Elodie Touffet (Fra) Nobili Rubinetterie Menikini Cogeas 39 Bianca Knöpfle (Ger) German National Team 1.05.29 40 Alexandra Sontheimer (Ger) German National Team 41 Charlotte Becker (Ger) German National Team 42 Lisa Brennauer (Ger) German National Team 43 Sabine Fischer (Ger) German National Team 44 Kimberly Baldwin (USA) T-Mobile Professional Cycling 1.07.66 45 Amanda Spratt (Aus) Australian National Team 1.09.83 46 Alexis Rhodes (Aus) Australian National Team 47 Candice Sullivan (Aus) Australian National Team 48 Jenny Mac Pherson (Aus) Australian National Team 49 Sally Ann Cowman (Aus) Australian National Team 50 Debby Mansveld (Ned) Dutch National Team 1.14.72 51 Chantal Beltman (Ned) Dutch National Team 52 Irène Van Den Broeck (Ned) Dutch National Team 53 Sharon Van Essen (Ned) Dutch National Team 54 Sofie Goor (Bel) Belgian National Team 1.20.14 55 Laure Werner (Bel) Belgian National Team 56 Sharon Vandromme (Bel) Belgian National Team 57 Cindy Pieters (Bel) Belgian National Team 58 Josephine Groenveld (Ned) AA-Drink Cycling Team 1.20.81 59 Kateryn Curi (USA) USA National Team 1.24.80 60 Lauren Franges (USA) USA National Team 61 Grace Fleury (USA) USA National Team 62 Carissa Wilkes (NZl) New Zealand National Team 1.29.95 63 Alison Shanks (NZl) New Zealand National Team 64 Amy Mosen (NZl) New Zealand National Team 65 Marina Duvnjak (NZl) New Zealand National Team 66 Michelle Kiesanowski (NZl) New Zealand National Team 67 Dale Tye (NZl) New Zealand National Team 68 Maria Calle (Col) Colombian National Team 1.34.66 69 Monica Mendes (Col) Colombian National Team 70 Magdali Trujillo (Col) Colombian National Team 71 Millerlandy Agudelo (Col) Colombian National Team 72 Natalie Bates (Aus) AA-Drink Cycling Team 1.39.37 73 An Van Rie (Bel) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam 1.39.80 74 Inge Van Den Broeck (Bel) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam 75 Siobhan Dervan (Irl) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam 76 Katryn Watt (Aus) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam 77 Marielle Aunave (Fra) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam 78 Alexandra Le Henaff (Fra) Les Pruneaux d'Agen 1.44.76 79 Tony Bradshaw (NZl) Les Pruneaux d'Agen 80 Elisabeth Chavanne Brunel (Fra) Les Pruneaux d'Agen 81 Nathalie Mousques (Fra) Les Pruneaux d'Agen 82 Tamara Boyd (NZl) Les Pruneaux d'Agen 83 Sylvie Riedle (Fra) Les Pruneaux d'Agen 84 Yanxia Jiang (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling 1.49.86 85 Min Gao (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling 86 Lang Meng (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling 87 Wan Yiu Wong (HKg) Giant Pro Cycling 88 Xiong Yng Ruan (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling 89 Yan Mei Wu (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling 90 Lyne Bessette (Can) T-Mobile Professional Cycling 2.16.09 91 Amy Moore (Can) T-Mobile Professional Cycling 92 Sara Peeters (Bel) Belgian National Team 3.22.36 93 Hannah Banks (Aus) Australian National Team 3.27.26 94 Volha Hayeva (Blr) Bianchi Aliverti Kookai 3.36.64 95 Lise Christensen (Den) Bianchi Aliverti Kookai 96 Janne Brok (Ned) Dutch National Team 3.59.37 97 Marta Vilajosana (Spa) Nobili Rubinetterie Menikini Cogeas 4.53.61 98 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team 4.55.90 99 Régina Schleicher (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 5.00.00 100 Sarah Grab (Swi) Univega Pro Cycling Team 5.00.02 101 Fanny Riberot (Fra) French National Team 5.13.68 102 Iris Slappendel (Ned) Dutch National Team 5.41.16 103 Christina Ruiter (USA) USA National Team 5.49.86 104 Karen Steurs (Bel) Belgian National Team 6.14.57 105 Alessandra Borghi (Ita) Nobili Rubinetterie Menikini Cogeas 6.18.65 106 Katherine Lambden (USA) USA National Team 6.45.75 107 Lava Kroepsch (USA) USA National Team 108 Mette Andreasen (Den) Bianchi Aliverti Kookai 7.05.76 109 Marlen Jöhrend (Ger) German National Team 7.06.81 110 Eléna Eifler (Ger) Fenixs-Colnago 7.44.98 111 Marielle Aunave (Fra) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam 9.46.40 U23 riders 1 Madeleine Sandig (Ger) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team 37.11 2 Claudia Hausler (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 0.30 3 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) AA-Drink Cycling Team 0.35 4 Adrie Visser (Ned) AA-Drink Cycling Team 5 Karine Gautard (Fra) French National Team 0.45 6 Eléna Stramoysova (Rus) Fenixs-Colnago 0.55 7 Bianca Knöpfle (Ger) German National Team 1.05 8 Alexandra Sontheimer (Ger) German National Team 9 Charlotte Becker (Ger) German National Team 10 Lisa Brennauer (Ger) German National Team 11 Sabine Fischer (Ger) German National Team 12 Amanda Spratt (Aus) Australian National Team 1.10 13 Alexis Rhodes (Aus) Australian National Team 14 Candice Sullivan (Aus) Australian National Team 15 Sally Ann Cowman (Aus) Australian National Team 16 Sharon Vandromme (Bel) Belgian National Team 1.20 17 Lauren Franges (USA) USA National Team 1.25 18 Carissa Wilkes (NZl) New Zealand National Team 1.30 19 Amy Mosen (NZl) New Zealand National Team 20 Monica Mendes (Col) Colombian National Team 1.35 21 Magdali Trujillo (Col) Colombian National Team 22 Nathalie Mousques (Fra) Les Pruneaux d'Agen 1.45 23 Lang Meng (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling 1.50 24 Wan Yiu Wong (HKg) Giant Pro Cycling 25 Xiong Yng Ruan (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling 26 Yan Mei Wu (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling 27 Sara Peeters (Bel) Belgian National Team 3.22 28 Hannah Banks (Aus) Australian National Team 3.27 29 Iris Slappendel (Ned) Dutch National Team 5.41 30 Alessandra Borghi (Ita) Nobili Rubinetterie Menikini Cogeas 6.19 31 Marlen Jöhrend (Ger) German National Team 7.07 Teams 1 Buitenpoort Flexpoint 1.51.33.54 2 T-Mobile 0.56.98 3 Nürnberg Versicherung 1.51.45 4 AA-Drink CT 2.27.40 5 Univega 3.57.23 6 French National Team 4.35.98 7 Bianchi Aliverti Kookai 4.47.76 8 Fénix Colnago 5.23.80 9 Nobili Rubinetterie 6.57.20 10 German National Team 7.21.29 11 Australian National Team 8.56.83 12 Dutch National Team 8.59.72 13 Belgian National Team 9.27.14 14 USA National Team 11.29.80 15 New Zealand National Team 11.50.95 16 Colombian National Team 12.02.66 17 Lotto Belisol 12.26.80 18 Les Pruneaux d'Agen 12.59.76 19 Giant PC 14.02.86
