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Ronde van Drenthe - CDM

Netherlands, April 12, 2008

Main Page    Results    World Cup standings

Chantal Belts one out in Drenthe

High Road takes second World Cup in succession; De Goede holds lead

By Ben Atkins in Hoogeveen

Chantal Beltman (High Road) hung on to her dimishing lead
Photo ©: CJ Farquharson
(Click for larger image)

Team High Road's breakaway specialist Chantal Beltman has taken a magnificent solo victory in the Ronde van Drenthe World Cup race. She broke away with Sarah Düster (Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team) and last year's second place finisher Elodie Touffet (Gauss RDZ Ormu) at the end of the final cobbled sector with 70 kilometres still to race, and stayed away when those two faded in the final kilometres. She took a comfortable victory, six seconds ahead of what remained of the peloton, which was led home by former World Champion Marianne Vos (DSB Bank) and High Road team-mate Ina Teutenberg, who was visibly celebrating Beltman's victory.

As in the Ronde Van Vlaanderen last weekend, the race was dominated from the start by the High Road and Cervelo Lifeforce teams. They put pressure on at the first cobbled section after 38 kilometres, which had the affect of splitting the peloton and putting several favourites into difficulty. It was at this point that current World Cup leader Suzanne De Goede (Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung) punctured and her whole team was forced to work to bring her back to the front. This cost the team dear and she spent most of the rest of the race on her own.

It was another supreme display of team riding from both the High Road and Cervelo Lifeforce teams: both placing a rider in the break, allowing the rest of their riders to relax in the peloton and block the chase of other teams. As happened in Vlaanderen last week, it was High Road that managed to turn that dominance into victory. With a breakaway specialist off the front, and a sprinter waiting in the rear, they had an ideal situation in the closing kilometres.

Adrie Visser (DSB Bank) was an aggressive
Photo ©: CJ Farquharson
(Click for larger image)

"It's another victory for the team I think," said Beltman after the race, "because I just could go because I knew they were just so close after me, and all were still there. So I could go, and if they caught me I knew Ina [Teutenberg] could be ready for the sprint."

Beltman's victory was made all the sweeter by the fact it was in her home nation, in front of so many of her compatriots. "That's so cool," said the 31 year-old Dutchwoman, "so many people, so many fans along the road. It was extra motivation for me, yeah, that was good."

The three riders had worked very well together, right up to the final climb of the VAM-berg, but just a few kilometres further on, Beltman realised that the time had come to go it alone. "They got weaker and they couldn't push anymore and I thought I can't wait any longer;" she told Cyclingnews, "we have to go full on, and so I gave it all and I was away on my own. I didn't think anymore and I just [was like] 'go go go'."

Despite only holding a dozen or so seconds over the chasing bunch behind, she held no fear of being caught and the team behind her spurred her further: "No, [I was not worried]", she continued, "because we had Ina for the sprint ready and all the girls were still there, so they all shouted to me [over the radio] 'Go go go!' and I thought, 'Yeah, I go.'"

The trees form archways over the wooded tracks
Photo ©: CJ Farquharson
(Click for larger image)

Marianne Vos put her whole team to work in the middle part of the race, but they were just unable to bring back Beltman. "I think High Road did a good job from the first cobblestones, with six in the lead," she told Cyclingnews, "and we had some problems in the back." In the end though, those efforts proved to be too much for the team and they didn't have the power in the closing stages to finally reel in the lone leader. "I think 30 or 40 kilometres before the end, the bunch came back and we did a lot of work and reduced [the gap from] 2'30 to 30 seconds," she continued, "but it was too short to the finish and we had put a lot of power in the chase and we had not enough for the last few kilometres.

"Second is not really good," she said of her defeat of Beltman's team-mate Ina Teutenberg in the sprint, "but I won the sprint from the bunch and it does give me a lot of confidence for another sprint."

Teutenberg was also philosophical about her battle with Vos in the finishing straight. "I'm disappointed not to beat her," she said, "but I was in third wheel on the last corner ... we were sprinting for second place, not for the win. If we were sprinting for the win and I'd come second, I'd be really p_____d off, but it wasn't, so it was okay."

The High Road sprinter was much more upbeat about the overall team performance though, especially the way they had taken the initiative so early. "Yeah," she went on, "we decided we wanted to put some pressure on over the cobbled sections, and luckily for us Cervelo had the same idea. Luckily, Chantal was the one who could last in the break because we could just sit in the bunch and relax."

Marianne Vos (DSB Bank) concentrates
Photo ©: CJ Farquharson
(Click for larger image)

"Absolutely," concurred Beltman and Teutenberg's High Road team-mate Oenone Wood to Cyclingnews, "cobbles always split the bunch, and we came out on the other end of the cobbles with four [we counted five] in a small group of maybe fifteen riders. I think we were in control the whole race today."

The High Road team managed some supreme spoiling tactics in the later stages of the race, all of it to ensure their team-mate's victory. "It was pretty touch and go on those narrow roads," said Wood, "and yeah, we wanted Chantal to win!"

Suzanne De Goede didn't have the luckiest day, but still managed to collect fourth place and more points towards her lead in the World Cup standings. "Well, the problem was: I got a flat tyre in tenth position on the first cobbles," she explained to Cyclingnews on the way to the podium, "and one of my team-mates gave me a wheel and worked so hard today to get me back in the bunch. I think I was in group five or something – really far away – they all worked really hard to get me to the front. So this was a great result for the whole team, and good to keep the jersey still.

"So, a good result for bad luck on the first cobbles, and a really good team result I think."

The next round of the World Cup will be Flèche Wallone on April 23.

How it unfolded

Kirsten Wild (AA Drink) and Marianne Vos (Team DSB Bank)
Photo ©: Bert Geerts
(Click for larger image)

140 riders took the start under sunny, almost cloudless skies in Hoogeveen, northeast Netherlands. A cold south-westerly wind meant that most riders wore arm warmers and vests, many also wore full legwarmers.

The first 38 kilometres were ridden at a reasonable pace with the only riders leaving the peloton being those dropping off the back in the strong headwind. A crash just after the first ascent of the VAM-berg contributed to this and also caused Miek Vynke (Topsport Vlaanderen Thompson Ladies Team) to abandon. She was taken to hospital and it was later announced that she had broken her shoulder.

On the first section of cobbles the High Road team, aided by Cervelo Lifeforce, upped the pace and split the peloton. Suzanne De Goede was well positioned in tenth at this point but punctured and had to use her entire team to regain the front.

After the first cobbled sector the front group was made up of Judith Arndt, Chantal Beltman, Ina Teutenberg, Linda Villumsen Serup and Oenone Wood (all High Road), Angela Brodtka and Marianne Vos (both DSB Bank), Noemi Cantele (Bigla), Kristin Armstrong, Sarah Düster, Emma Rickards, Christaine Soeder and Priska Doppmann (all Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team), Amber Neben (Flexpoint), Kirsten Wild and Irene Van Den Broek (boh AA-Drink), Elodie Touffet and Grete Treier (both Gaus RDZ Ormu), Liesbeth De Vocht, An Van Rie and Silvia Parietti (all Vrienden Van Het Platteland) and Grace Verbeke (Lotto-Belisol) with the rest of the peloton 1'45 behind them.

Charlotte Becker (Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung)
Photo ©: Bert Geerts
(Click for larger image)

Noticably missing from the front at this point was the Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung of De Goede.

At the end of the final cobbled sector, with still more than 70 kilometres remaining, Beltman attacked with Düster and Touffet and the three of them worked well together to quickly build a lead of more than three minutes.

Approaching the second climb of the VAM-berg, the Beltman-Düster-Touffet trio still held a gap of 2'30 over a field that was beginning to come back together. As the peloton took the top of the climb it reformed, leaving just the three up front.

As the three breakaways passed the finish line for the penultimate time with 32 kilometres remaining, they still held a lead of two minutes over a bunch with Vos' DSB Bank and Wild's AA-Drink teams working hard to bring them back.

As Team Flexpoint began to mass at the front for the benefit of Mirjam Melchers-Van Poppel, the gap reduced to just over a minute. Team Bigla sent Kazakh champion Zoufila Zabirova to the front to work for Cantele, but at that point the High Road and Cervelo Lifeforce teams moved forward to block the chase's progress.

The DSB Bank and Flexpoint teams were next to add their efforts to the chase, but approaching the VAM-berg for the final time the gap had only reduced to fifty seconds, due in part to the spoiling tactics of High Road's Arndt and Teutenberg.

Podium (L-R): Marianne Vos (Team DSB Bank), Chantal Beltman
Photo ©: CJ Farquharson
(Click for larger image)

The Flexpoint team put all their forces to the front and managed to reduce the gap to a mere 19 seconds. The High Road and Cervelo Lifeforce teams continued their spoiling tactics and so when Amber Neben found herself on the front with no one willing to come past, she accelerated away and tried to catch the three riders alone.

Cantele was having none of this though, and she attacked to bridge up to Neben, but it was to come to nothing, as Emma Rickards pulled her Cervelo Lifeforce team and the bunch up to the Italian's wheel.

With around five kilometres remaining, Beltman attacked her companions and neither Düster nor Touffet could do anything to respond and she quickly pulled out a lead of eight seconds.

Düster and Touffet faded rapidly and they were swallowed up by the charging peloton just before the final-kilometre banner.

There was no catching Beltman though, and the Dutchwoman crossed the finish line alone. Six seconds later Marianne Vos took the bunch sprint from Ina Teutenberg, who was sitting up celebrating her team-mate's victory. Suzanne De Goede took fourth place to consolidate her lead in the World Cup competition, and Australian Rochelle Gilmore (Menikini-Selle Italia) took fifth.

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net

Images by DCP/Bert Geerts

Images by Ben Atkins/Cyclingnews.com

Results - 135.6 km

1 Chantal Beltman (Ned) Team High Road Women                   3.32.01 (38.770 km/h)
2 Marianne Vos (Ned) Team DSB Bank                                0.06
3 Ina Teutenberg (Ger) Team High Road Women                           
4 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung               
5 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Menikini - Selle Italia                      
6 Alex Wrubleski (Can) Canada                                         
7 Liesbeth De Vocht (Bel) Vrienden Van Het Platteland                 
8 Kirsten Wild (Ned) Aa-Drink Cycling Team                            
9 Julia Martisova (Rus) Gauss Rdz Ormu                                
10 Kristin Armstrong (USA) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team         
11 Angela Brodtka (Ger) Team DSB Bank                                 
12 Sophie Creux (Fra) France                                          
13 Grete Treier (Est) Gauss Rdz Ormu                                  
14 Judith Arndt (Ger) Team High Road Women                            
15 Anita Valen De Vries (Nor) Team Flexpoint                          
16 Linda Villumsen Serup (Den) Team High Road Women                   
17 Oenone Wood (Aus) Team High Road Women                             
18 Emma Rickards (Aus) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team             
19 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team           
20 Oxana Kozonchuk (Rus) Menikini - Selle Italia                      
21 Daiva Tuslaite (Ltu) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox                
22 Grace Verbeke (Bel) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam                       
23 Emma Johansson (Swe) Aa-Drink Cycling Team                         
24 Lorian Graham (Aus) Vrienden Van Het Platteland                    
25 Noemi Cantele (Ita) Bigla Cycling Team                             
26 Amber Neben (USA) Team Flexpoint                               0.16
27 Elodie Touffet (Fra) Gauss Rdz Ormu                            0.19
28 Mirjam Melchers-Van Poppel (Ned) Team Flexpoint                0.20
29 Sarah Düster (Ger) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team          0.22
30 Amanda Spratt (Aus) Australia                                  2.57
31 Iosune Murillo Elkano (Spa) Bizkaia - Durango                      
32 Belinda Goss (Aus) Australia                                       
33 Lauren Franges (USA) United States Of America                      
34 Iryna Shpileva (Ukr) Ukraine                                       
35 Iris Slappendel (Ned) Team Flexpoint                               
36 Sharon Van Essen (Ned) Team DSB Bank                               
37 Irene Van Den Broek (Ned) Aa-Drink Cycling Team                    
38 Loes Gunnewijk (Ned) Team Flexpoint                                
39 Verónica Leal Balderas (Mex) Gauss Rdz Ormu                        
40 Regina Bruins (Ned) Nederland                                      
41 Christiane Soeder (Aut) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team         
42 Nicole Brändli (Swi) Bigla Cycling Team                            
43 Zulfiya Zabirova (Kaz) Bigla Cycling Team                          
44 Vicki Whitelaw (Aus) Australia                                 5.45
45 Maryline Salvetat (Fra) France                                     
46 Carmen McNellis (USA) United States Of America                 6.04
47 Vera Koedooder (Ned) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam                      
48 Olena Sharga (Ukr) Ukraine                                         
49 Florence Girardet (Fra) France                                     
50 Arenda Grimberg (Ned) Nederland                                    
51 Magali Le Floch (Fra) France                                       
52 Anne Samplonius (Can) Canada                                       
53 Denise Zuckermandel (Ger) Germany / Alemagne                       
54 Pascale Schnider (Swi) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team          
55 Adrie Visser (Ned) Team DSB Bank                                   
56 Andrea Bosman (Ned) Team DSB Bank                                  
57 Elke Gebhardt (Ger) Germany / Alemagne                             
58 Katherine Bates (Aus) Team High Road Women                         
59 Chantal Blaak (Ned) Aa-Drink Cycling Team                          
60 Silvia Parietti (Ita) Gauss Rdz Ormu                               
61 Eleonora Van Dijk (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland                
62 Andrea Graus (Aut) Bigla Cycling Team                              
63 Karen Steurs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen Thompson Ladies Team    8.51
64 Monica Holler (Swe) Bigla Cycling Team                             
65 Sofie De Vuyst (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen Thompson Ladies Team      
66 Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Fra) France                              
67 Kristy Miggels (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland                   
68 Nikki Egyed (Aus) Vrienden Van Het Platteland                      
69 Tina Liebig (Ger) Team DSB Bank                                    
70 Saskia Elemans (Ned) Team Flexpoint                                
71 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam                       
72 Martina Ruzickova (Cze) Elk Haus                                   
DNF Charlotte Becker (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung             
DNF Christina Becker (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung             
DNF Eva Lutz (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung                     
DNF Regina Schleicher (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung            
DNF Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung                
DNF Silvia Valsecchi (Ita) Menikini - Selle Italia                    
DNF Kori Kelley Seehafer (USA) Menikini - Selle Italia                
DNF Trine Schmidt (Den) Menikini - Selle Italia                       
DNF Andrea Thürig (Swi) Bigla Cycling Team                            
DNF Ludivine Henrion (Bel) Aa-Drink Cycling Team                      
DNF Maxime Groenewegen (Ned) Aa-Drink Cycling Team                    
DNF Martina Corazza (Ita) Gauss Rdz Ormu                              
DNF An Van Rie (Bel) Vrienden Van Het Platteland                      
DNF Emilie Blanquefort (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope                       
DNF Corine Hierckens (Bel) Vienne Futuroscope                         
DNF Nathalie Jeuland (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope                         
DNF Pascale Jeuland (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope                          
DNF Emmanuelle Merlot (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope                        
DNF Wenxia Wang (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling                               
DNF Sufen Ma (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling                                  
DNF Fei Wang (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling                                  
DNF Xin Liu (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling                                   
DNF Emma Mackie (Aus) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam                        
DNF Emma Silversides (GBr) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam                   
DNF Linn Torp (Nor) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam                          
DNF Arantzazu Azpiroz (Spa) Bizkaia - Durango                         
DNF Mireia Epelde (Spa) Bizkaia - Durango                             
DNF Catrine Josefsson (Swe) Bizkaia - Durango                         
DNF Ana Garcia Antequera (Spa) Bizkaia - Durango                      
DNF Dorleta Zorrilla Braceras (Spa) Bizkaia - Durango                 
DNF Jana Süss (Ger) Germany / Alemagne                                
DNF Romy Kasper (Ger) Germany / Alemagne                              
DNF Virginia Hennig (Ger) Germany / Alemagne                          
DNF Marlen Jöhrend (Ger) Germany / Alemagne                           
DNF Sissy Van Alebeek (Ned) Nederland                                 
DNF Judith Helmink (Ned) Nederland                                    
DNF Anne Eversdijk (Ned) Nederland                                    
DNF Monique Van Ree (Ned) Nederland                                   
DNF Megan Gaurner (USA) United States Of America                      
DNF Alison Powers (USA) United States Of America                      
DNF Brooke Miller (USA) United States Of America                      
DNF Jocelyn Loane (Aus) Australia                                     
DNF Bridie O'Donnell (Aus) Australia                                  
DNF Louise Kerr (Aus) Australia                                       
DNF Gina Grain (Can) Canada                                           
DNF Erinne Willock (Can) Canada                                       
DNF Leigh Hobson (Can) Canada                                         
DNF Felicia Gomez (Can) Canada                                        
DNF Nina Ovchatenko (Ukr) Ukraine                                     
DNF Nataliya Fihurska (Ukr) Ukraine                                   
DNF Loes Sels (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen Thompson Ladies Team          
DNF Kelly Druyts (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen Thompson Ladies Team       
DNF Miek Vyncke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen Thompson Ladies Team        
DNF Emma Pooley (GBr) Team Specialized Designs For Women              
DNF Monika Furrer (Swi) Team Specialized Designs For Women            
DNF Kristen Lasasso (USA) Team Specialized Designs For Women          
DNF Mirjam Hauser-Senn (Swi) Team Specialized Designs For Women       
DNF Larssyn Rueegg (USA) Team Specialized Designs For Women           
DNF Yulia Blindyuk (Rus) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox               
DNF Rasa Leleivyte (Ltu) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox               
DNF Valentina Bastianelli (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox        
DNF Veronica Alessio (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox             
DNF Katharina Blum (Ger) Elk Haus                                     
DNF Pelin Cizgin (Aut) Elk Haus                                       
DNF Manuela Grunzweil (Aut) Elk Haus                                  
DNF Katarina Uhlarikova (Svk) Elk Haus                                
DNF Karin Pauer (Aut) Elk Haus                                        
DNF Magali Mocquery (Fra) France                                      

World Cup standings

Individual
 
1 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung          128 pts
2 Judith Arndt (Ger) Team High Road Women                         82
3 Chantal Beltman (Ned) Team High Road Women                      81
4 Marianne Vos (Ned) Team DSB Bank                                77
5 Emma Pooley (GBr) Team Specialized Designs For Women            75
6 Katheryn Curi Mattis (USA) Webcor Builders Cycling Team         75
7 Ina Teutenberg (Ger) Team High Road Women                       70
8 Kristin Armstrong (USA) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team      61
9 Oenone Wood (Aus) Team High Road Women                          61
10 Julia Martisova (Rus) Gauss RDZ Ormu                           60
11 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Menikini - Selle Italia                 57
12 Emma Rickards (Aus) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team         53
13 Kirsten Wild (Ned) AA-Drink Cycling Team                       53
14 Miho Oki (Jpn) Menikini - Selle Italia                         40
15 Emma Johansson (Swe) AA-Drink Cycling Team                     36
16 Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Safi - Pasta Zara Manhattan            36
17 Diana Ziliute (Ltu) Safi - Pasta Zara Manhattan                35
18 Regina Schleicher (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung         27
19 Alex Wrubleski (Can) Webcor Builders Cycling Team              24
20 Liesbeth De Vocht (Bel) Vrienden Van Het Platteland            21
21 Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Australia                               21
22 Nicole Brändli (Swi) Bigla Cycling Team                        19
23 Charlotte Becker (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung          18
24 Sarah Düster (Ger) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team          18
25 Noemi Cantele (Ita) Bigla Cycling Team                         17
26 Lorian Graham (Aus) Vrienden Van Het Platteland                15
27 Gina Grain (Can) Webcor Builders Cycling Team                  15
28 Regina Bruins (Ned) Netherlands                                14
29 Angela Brodtka (Ger) Team DSB Bank                             13
30 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team       12
31 Christiane Soeder (Aut) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team     11
32 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung             11
33 Grete Treier (Est) Gauss RDZ Ormu                              10
34 Sophie Creux (Fra) France                                       9
35 Joanne Kiesanowski (NZl) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team     9
36 Peta Mullens (Aus) Australia                                    9
37 Jolanta Polikeviciute (Ltu) USC Chirio Forno d'Asolo            8
38 Carly Hibberd (Aus)                                             8
39 Anita Valen De Vries (Nor) Team Flexpoint                       6
40 Vicki Whitelaw (Aus)                                            6
41 Nicole Cooke (GBr) Team Halfords Bikehut                        6
42 Linda Villumsen Serup (Den) Team High Road Women                5
43 Alison Powers (USA) United States of America                    5
44 Lang Meng (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling                               5
45 Monica Holler (Swe) Bigla Cycling Team                          4
46 Carissa Wilkes (NZl) New Zealand                                4
47 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung          4
48 Carlee Taylor (Aus)                                             3
49 Sofie Goor (Bel) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam                       2
50 Tina Mayolo Pic (USA) Vrienden Van Het Platteland               2
51 Oxana Kozonchuk (Rus) Menikini - Selle Italia                   1
52 Martine Bras (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland                  1
53 Yong Li Liu (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling                             1
 
Teams
 
1 Team High Road Women                                           295 pts
2 Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung                                 188
3 Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team                             164
4 Menikini - Selle Italia                                         98
5 Webcor Builders Cycling Team                                    90
6 Team DSB Bank                                                   90
7 AA-Drink Cycling Team                                           89
8 Team Specialized Designs For Women                              75
9 Gauss RDZ Ormu                                                  70
10 Safi - Pasta Zara Manhattan                                    53
11 Bigla Cycling Team                                             40
12 Vrienden Van Het Platteland                                    39
13 Australia                                                      30
14 Canada                                                         24
15 Italy                                                          18
16 Netherlands                                                    14
17 France                                                          9
18 USC Chirio Forno d'Asolo                                        8
19 Giant Pro Cycling                                               6
20 Team Halfords Bikehut                                           6
21 Team Flexpoint                                                  6
22 United States of America                                        5
23 New Zealand                                                     4
24 Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam                                        2