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Photo ©: Bettini

11th Women's Flèche Wallonne - CDM

Belgium, April 23, 2008

Main Page    Results    World Cup standings

Vos is the Boss in Huy again

By Ben Atkins in Huy

Marianne Vos (DSB Bank)
Photo ©: AFP
(Click for larger image)

Marianne Vos (DSB Bank) has won her second successive edition of La Flèche Wallone for women with another devastating display on the Mur de Huy. In a closer-than-usual finish the former world champion defeated the current holder of the rainbow jersey, Marta Bastianelli of the Italian National Team, by a single second and Judith Arndt by another.

The race was controlled by the big teams, and very few attacks managed to succeed in escaping a rapid peloton in the early stages. A powerful move by Fabiana Luperini (Menikini-Selle Italia) on the Côte de Bohissau, at just over 30 kilometres to go, saw the three-time winner open up a gap of just over a minute, but she was reeled in by the peloton as it accelerated towards the finish.

Vos' expected battle with last year's second place finisher Nicole Cooke (Great Britain National Team) was fought out on the lower slopes of the climb, as the Welshwoman attacked first to force a selection. Vos managed to overpower her, though, and Cooke eventually came in eighth, seventeen seconds down and two places behind her team-mate Emma Pooley.

"I think sweeter!" Vos told Cyclingnews after the finish when asked how this year's win compared to her victory 12 months ago. Despite the fact that the single-second victory over Bastianelli was considerably closer than last year's four seconds over Cooke, she denied that it was as tight as it looked. "I had enough space in the end," she proclaimed confidently.

"Of course, it was a little bit stressy [sic] before the finish because it was hard and there are a lot of climbs," continued the Dutch wunderkind, "and then a whole bunch came back and I was too far back at the beginning of the climb. I could manage it to [get up to] the wheel of Nicole [Cooke] and Judith Arndt; then I knew I had a chance and I felt good. But everybody is in pain on the last climb. It was hard!"

Marta Bastianelli (Italian National Team)
Photo ©: Ben Atkins
(Click for larger image)

Concerned by the attack of Nicole Cooke on the bottom part of the final climb of the Mur, Vos was nevertheless confident of her own ability to bring her back: "I was quite near her so I knew I had a chance," said Vos, "but it was hard from the bottom to the top!"

"I'm happy with the result today," said world champion Marta Bastianelli of her second place. "It was my first time at Flèche Wallonne and I didn't know the course at all. Le Mur de Huy is terrible but fantastic – I like this kind of arrival; but unfortunately, Marianne was stronger than me. I hope to finish first another time soon..."

"I was involved in a fall at 60 kilometres to go, but it was okay," la Campionessa continued – in fact she was left to chase back alone for a while. "I was feeling good during the race and I knew that I could do something at the end. When Cooke started the Mur so strong I decided not to follow her immediately, so I waited till the last 300 metres." Bastianelli timed her acceleration so well in fact that she managed to overtake Judith Arndt in the final metres as the German faded.

Despite finishing only two seconds behind Vos in third place – much closer than the seven-second deficit of last year – Arndt was philosophical about her latest defeat to Vos on the Mur de Huy, and her second consecutive third place. "I don't think it was close," the German winner of the Ronde Van Vlaanderen told Cyclingnews. "She was far better."

Podium (L-R): Judith Arndt (High Road), Marianne Vos (Team DSB Bank),
Photo ©: WomensCycling.net
(Click for larger image)

Asked if she thought it was possible to beat Vos on a course that finished on such a hard climb, she remained positive, however. "It's possible of course, you just have to make her tired before. You can't just bring her to the last kilometre, because she's going to win. But we tried, we had also a little bit [of bad] luck because we got a puncture with five kilometres to go."

The usual High Road tactic of breaking up the race and forcing the selection early that has proved so devastating in the World Cup's earlier rounds failed to materialise. "We wanted to be aggressive and attack, but somehow it didn't happen," shrugged Arndt.

"It was pretty quiet in the beginning, but once the climbs started it was pretty aggressive, actually; it was hard. It was always hard here because: left, right, left, right. You have to be in the front and I was not really good in [my] positioning today and the team had to work a lot to bring me up."

In fact, rather than High Road getting the upper hand, as has been so common this season, the plans of Vos' DSB Bank team were the ones that proved the most successful. "Yeah, the plan worked, you saw it!" Vos' team-mate Andrea Bosman told Cyclingnews. "It was a hard race, but there were not so many attacks, because the speed was high. Then of course in the end Luperini attacked and we wanted to close it of course."

Emma Pooley (Great Britain National Team) rode well
Photo ©: WomensCycling.net
(Click for larger image)

"Hard again," sixth-placed Emma Pooley (Great Britain National Team) and winner of the Trofeo Alfredo Binda – the World Cup's second round – told Cyclingnews immediately after the finish. "I never thought I could suffer so much in an uphill finish."

Ever self-effacing, Pooley commented on the Great Britain team's strategy: to escort team captain Cooke to the base of the Mur, then to launch her towards victory. "The plan was to lead her [Cooke] out at the bottom of the hill and I don't think I did it very well!" The fact that Pooley finished ahead of Cooke is probably more to do with either woman's current race condition, though, than any apparent failure in tactics. The former has been in winning form, and the latter deliberately delaying until Beijing.

With this victory, Vos also takes the World Cup leaders jersey from her compatriot Suzanne De Goede (Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung) who finished in sixteenth place, 37 seconds back. Despite gaining the lead in the competition that she won last year, with Beijing on the horizon it is unlikely that Vos will try to defend it. "It's difficult to do al the World Cups and have your main goal in August with the Olympics, but I'm glad I have it," she told Cyclingnews.

The next round of the World Cup will be the Berner-Rundfahrt (Tour de Berne) in Switzerland on May 4.

How it unfolded

The bunch takes a corner
Photo ©: Ben Atkins
(Click for larger image)

146 riders from 25 teams took the start at the top of the Mur de Huy – where the race would finish 103.5 kilometres later – just after midday. Despite many forecasters predicting heavy showers, the women rolled off under almost unblemished blue skies and in warm temperatures.

The first kilometres were covered with the peloton all together, as the big teams vigilantly prevented anybody from escaping their clutches. The only riders to leave the peloton over the first two climbs were those dropping off the back.

After around 45 kilometres World champion Marta Bastianelli (Italian National Team) was involved in a small crash, and was forced to chase back alone for a while before quickly rejoining the peloton.

On the climb of the côte de Bonneville with 42 kilometres remainig Noemi Cantele (Bigla Cycling Team) managed to finally escape the peloton and pulled out a gap of a few seconds. It was to no avail, though, and she was quickly reeled in just after the summit.

...Sarah Düster and Christiane Soeder,
Photo ©: Ben Atkins
(Click for larger image)

The peloton was still seventy riders strong as it approached the côte de Bohisseau – the fifth of the day's seven climbs. On the descent into the Town of Andenne Alison Powers (USA National Team) attacked and managed to get a gap of ten seconds.

As they approached the climb, Powers was joined by Christiane Soeder (Cervelo Lifeforce) and the pair tried to consolidate their advantage. The bunch was in no mood to allow an escape here, though, and they were recaptured soon after.

At this point, both of the race's three-time winners – Nicole Cooke (Great Britian National Team) and Fabiana Luperini (Menikini-Selle Italia) – were moving forward, and just before the côte de Boisseau Luperini accelerated and escaped in a solo break.

By the top of the climb, Luperini had pulled out 55 seconds, and with 25 kilometres remaining she had managed to extend this to over a minute, but once again the strong teams in the peloton reacted and by the foot of the côte d'Ahin – the penultimate climb – it was cut to just 18 seconds.

Marianne Vos (DSB) looks behind
Photo ©: WomensCycling.net
(Click for larger image)

On the approach to the climb, Cooke accelerated, causing a group of thirty riders to detach from the front of the peloton. Within this group was a long list of favourites, including Marianne Vos (DSB Bank), Judith Arndt (High Road) and Marta Bastianelli.

As the bunch attacked the lower slopes of the Mur de Huy on the final kilometre of the race, many riders were jettisoned from the back of the group of favourites.

Vos and Arndt attacked at the same time, with Bastianelli not far behind and the three women were together with 500 metres to go.

At 200m, Vos accelerated again and although the other two both responded, neither was able to match the Dutchwoman's speed and Vos finished clear ahead of the others, to take her second consecutive victory.

In the final metres Bastianelli managed to overhaul a fading Arndt and condemn her to a second consecutive third place, but she couldn't catch Vos.

Canada's Alex Wrubleski managed to escape the rest to take fourth place, ahead of American Amber Neben (Team Flexpoint).

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by AFP Photo

Images by Ben Atkins/Cyclingnews.com

Images by WomensCycling.net

Images by Dion Kerckhoffs/www.wielerfotos.web-log.nl

Images by Niels De Wit/www.nielsdewit.be

Results

1 Marianne Vos (Ned) Team DSB Bank                              2.46.42
2 Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Italian National Team                    0.01
3 Judith Arndt (Ger) Team High Road Women                          0.02
4 Alex Wrubleski (Can) Canadian National Team                      0.09
5 Amber Neben (USA) Team Flexpoint                                 0.13
6 Emma Pooley (GBr) Great Britain National Team                    0.17
7 Nicole Brändli (Swi) Bigla Cycling Team                              
8 Nicole Cooke (GBr) Great Britain National Team                       
9 Sofie Goor (Bel) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam                        0.20
10 Lieselot Decroix (Bel) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam                 0.22
11 Grete Treier (Est) Gauss RDZ Ormu                               0.25
12 Emma Johansson (Swe) AA-Drink Cycling Team                          
13 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung          0.28
14 Christiane Soeder (Aut) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team      0.33
15 Tatiana Stiajkina (Ukr) USC Chirio Forno d'Asolo                0.35
16 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung           0.37
17 Monika Schachl (Aut) Austrian National Team                     0.41
18 Regina Bruins (Ned) Dutch National Team                         0.45
19 Jolanta Polikeviciute (Ltu) USC Chirio Forno d'Asolo                
20 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team            
21 Irene Van Den Broek (Ned) AA-Drink Cycling Team                 0.48
22 Julia Martisova (Rus) Gauss RDZ Ormu                                
23 Grace Verbeke (Bel) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam                        
24 Lorian Graham (Aus) Vrienden Van Het Platteland                     
25 Anne Samplonius (Can) Canadian National Team                    0.54
26 Eva Lutz (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung                   0.57
27 Fabiana Luperini (Ita) Menikini - Selle Italia                  0.58
28 Daiva Tuslaite (Ltu) Lithuanian National Team                       
29 An Van Rie (Bel) Vrienden Van Het Platteland                        
30 Noemi Cantele (Ita) Bigla Cycling Team                          1.02
31 Sharon Laws (GBr) Great Britain National Team                       
32 Oenone Wood (Aus) Team High Road Women                          1.08
33 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung              1.11
34 Kristin Armstrong (USA) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team      1.14
35 Anita Valen De Vries (Nor) Team Flexpoint                       1.25
36 Nikki Egyed (Aus) Vrienden Van Het Platteland                       
37 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam                    1.26
38 Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) German National Team                    1.36
39 Paulina Brzezna (Pol) AA-Drink Cycling Team                     1.40
40 Mirjam Melchers-Van Poppel (Ned) Team Flexpoint                 1.41
41 Christine Thorburn (USA) USA National Team                      1.45
42 Andrea Bosman (Ned) Team DSB Bank                               1.48
43 Andrea Grauss (Aut) Bigla Cycling Team                              
44 Silvia Parietti (Ita) Gauss RDZ Ormu                            1.49
45 Diana Ziliute (Ltu) Lithuanian National Team                    1.50
46 Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Italian National Team                    1.53
47 Jennifer Hohl (Swi) Bigla Cycling Team                              
48 Kori Kelley Seehafer (USA) Menikini - Selle Italia                  
49 Bianca Knoepfle (Ger) Team Flexpoint                                
50 Loes Gunnewijk (Ned) Team Flexpoint                             1.56
51 Kirsten Wild (Ned) AA-Drink Cycling Team                            
52 Kimberly Anderson (USA) Team High Road Women                        
53 Liesbeth De Vocht (Bel) Vrienden Van Het Platteland                 
54 Loes Sels (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen Thompson Ladies Team        2.02
55 Chantal Beltman (Ned) Team High Road Women                      2.08
56 Luise Keller (Ger) Team High Road Women                         2.27
57 Zulfiya Zabirova (Kaz) Bigla Cycling Team                       2.38
58 Claudia Häusler (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung            3.32
59 Katharine Carroll (USA) USA National Team                       3.33
60 Tina Liebig (Ger) Team DSB Bank                                 3.34
61 Oxana Kozonchuk (Rus) Menikini - Selle Italia                   3.36
62 Linda Villumsen Serup (Den) Team High Road Women                3.38
63 Erika Vilunaite (Ltu) Lithuanian National Team                      
64 Leigh Hobson (Can) Canadian National Team                           
65 Erinne Willock (Can) Canadian National Team                     3.42
66 Marta Vila Josana Andreu (Spa) Spanish National Team            3.49
67 Felicia Greer (Can) Canadian National Team                      3.53
68 Catherine Delfosse (Bel) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam               3.56
69 Sanne Van Paassen (Ned) Dutch National Team                     3.58
70 Rasa Leleivyte (Ltu) Lithuanian National Team                   4.00
71 Sophie Creux (Fra) French National Team                             
72 Karin Thürig (Swi) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team               
73 Suzanne Van Veen (Ned) Team Flexpoint                               
74 Laure Werner (Bel) AA-Drink Cycling Team                        4.08
75 Maryline Salvetat (Fra) French National Team                    4.15
76 Marina Jaunatre (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope                        4.21
77 Sharon Van Essen (Ned) Team DSB Bank                            7.13
78 Modesta Vzesniauskaite (Ltu) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung     8.10
DNF Francesca Tognali (Ita) Italian National Team                      
DNF Alice Donadoni (Ita) Italian National Team                         
DNF Alessandra D’Ettorre (Ita) Italian National Team                   
DNF Sjoukje Dufoer (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen Thompson Ladies Team      
DNF Katrien Van Looy (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen Thompson Ladies Team    
DNF Karen Steurs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen Thompson Ladies Team        
DNF Tine Ghyselinck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen Thompson Ladies Team     
DNF Kelly Druyts (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen Thompson Ladies Team        
DNF Kathryn Watt (Aus) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam                        
DNF Ausrine Trebaite (Ltu) Lithuanian National Team                    
DNF Silvia Tirado Marquez (Spa) Spanish National Team                  
DNF Rosario Rodriguez Gomez (Spa) Spanish National Team                
DNF Patricia Perez Jimenez (Spa) Spanish National Team                 
DNF Maribel Moreno Allue (Spa) Spanish National Team                   
DNF Eneritz Iturriagaechevarria Mazaga (Spa) Spanish National Team     
DNF Audrey Cordon (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope                             
DNF Emmanuelle Merlot (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope                         
DNF Nathalie Jeuland (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope                          
DNF Corine Hierckens (Bel) Vienne Futuroscope                          
DNF Karine Gautard (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope                            
DNF Rasa Polikeviciute (Ltu) USC Chirio Forno d'Asolo                  
DNF Uenia Fernandes Da Souza (Bra) USC Chirio Forno d'Asolo            
DNF Clemilda Fernandes Silva (Bra) USC Chirio Forno d'Asolo            
DNF Alona Andruk (Ukr) USC Chirio Forno d'Asolo                        
DNF Sissy Van Alebeek (Ned) Dutch National Team                        
DNF Judith Helmink (Ned) Dutch National Team                           
DNF Arenda Grimberg (Ned) Dutch National Team                          
DNF Veronica Andreasson (Swe) Bigla Cycling Team                       
DNF Béatrice Thomas (Fra) French National Team                         
DNF Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Fra) French National Team                
DNF Mélanie Bravard (Fra) French National Team                         
DNF Stéphanie Baud (Fra) French National Team                          
DNF Marit Huisman (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland                    
DNF Martine Bras (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland                     
DNF Betina Hold (Can) Canadian National Team                           
DNF Ludivine Henrion (Bel) AA-Drink Cycling Team                       
DNF Bernadette Schober (Aut) Austrian National Team                    
DNF Daniela Pintarelli (Aut) Austrian National Team                    
DNF Karin Pekovits (Aut) Austrian National Team                        
DNF Corinna Kreidl (Aut) Austrian National Team                        
DNF Manuela Grünzwell (Aut) Austrian National Team                     
DNF Marlen Jöhrend (Ger) German National Team                          
DNF Corinna Thumm (Ger) German National Team                           
DNF Romy Kasper (Ger) German National Team                             
DNF Virginia Hennig (Ger) German National Team                         
DNF Elke Gebhardt (Ger) German National Team                           
DNF Emma Rickards (Aus) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team             
DNF Sarah Düster (Ger) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team              
DNF Marina Romoli (Ita) Menikini - Selle Italia                        
DNF Miho Oki (Jpn) Menikini - Selle Italia                             
DNF Nathalie Bates (Aus) Menikini - Selle Italia                       
DNF Hannah Verhaeghe (Bel) Belgian National Team                       
DNF Annick Van Leuven (Bel) Belgian National Team                      
DNF Mieke Declercq (Bel) Belgian National Team                         
DNF Lien Beyen (Bel) Belgian National Team                             
DNF Ine Beyen (Bel) Belgian National Team                              
DNF Anne Arnouts (Bel) Belgian National Team                           
DNF Elodie Touffet (Fra) Gauss RDZ Ormu                                
DNF Verónica Leal Balderas (Mex) Gauss RDZ Ormu                        
DNF Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) Gauss RDZ Ormu                               
DNF Carmen McNellis (USA) USA National Team                            
DNF Alison Powers (USA) USA National Team                              
DNF Lauren Franges (USA) USA National Team                             
DNF Katheryn Curi (USA) USA National Team                              
DNF Catherine Hare (GBr) Great Britain National Team                   
DNF Jessica Allen (GBr) Great Britain National Team                    
DNF Adrie Visser (Ned) Team DSB Bank                                   
DNF Noortje Tabak (Ned) Team DSB Bank                                  

World Cup standings

Individual
 
1 Marianne Vos (Ned) Team DSB Bank                              152 pts
2 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung         133
3 Judith Arndt (Ger) Team High Road Women                       117
4 Emma Pooley (GBr) Team Specialized Designs For Women           99
5 Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Safi - Pasta Zara Manhattan            86
6 Chantal Beltman (Ned) Team High Road Women                     81
7 Katheryn Curi Mattis (USA) Webcor Builders Cycling Team        75
8 Ina Teutenberg (Ger) Team High Road Women                      70
9 Kristin Armstrong (USA) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team     61
10 Oenone Wood (Aus) Team High Road Women                        61
11 Julia Martisova (Rus) Gauss RDZ Ormu                          60
12 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Menikini - Selle Italia                57
13 Alex Wrubleski (Can) Webcor Builders Cycling Team             54
14 Emma Rickards (Aus) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team        53
15 Kirsten Wild (Ned) AA-Drink Cycling Team                      53
16 Emma Johansson (Swe) AA-Drink Cycling Team                    45
17 Miho Oki (Jpn) Menikini - Selle Italia                        40
18 Nicole Brndli (Swi) Bigla Cycling Team                        40
19 Diana Ziliute (Ltu) Safi - Pasta Zara Manhattan               35
20 Amber Neben (USA) Team Flexpoint                              27
21 Regina Schleicher (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung        27
22 Nicole Cooke (GBr) Team Halfords Bikehut                      24
23 Liesbeth De Vocht (Bel) Vrienden Van Het Platteland           21
24 Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Australian National Team               21
25 Grete Treier (Est) Gauss RDZ Ormu                             20
26 Charlotte Becker (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung         18
27 Christiane Soeder (Aut) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team    18
28 Sarah Dster (Ger) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team          18
29 Sofie Goor (Bel) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam                     17
30 Noemi Cantele (Ita) Bigla Cycling Team                        17
31 Regina Bruins (Ned) Dutch National Team                       17
32 Lorian Graham (Aus) Vrienden Van Het Platteland               15
33 Gina Grain (Can) Webcor Builders Cycling Team                 15
34 Angela Brodtka (Ger) Team DSB Bank                            13
35 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team      13
36 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung        12
37 Lieselot Decroix (Bel) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam               11
38 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung            11
39 Jolanta Polikeviciute (Ltu) USC Chirio Forno d'Asolo          10
40 Sophie Creux (Fra) French National Team                        9
41 Joanne Kiesanowski (NZl) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team    9
42 Peta Mullens (Aus) Australian National Team                    9
43 Carly Hibberd (Aus)                                            8
44 Tatiana Stiajkina (Ukr) USC Chirio Forno d'Asolo               6
45 Anita Valen De Vries (Nor) Team Flexpoint                      6
46 Vicki Whitelaw (Aus)                                           6
47 Linda Villumsen Serup (Den) Team High Road Women               5
48 Alison Powers (USA) USA National Team                          5
49 Lang Meng (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling                              5
50 Monika Schachl (Aut) Team Uniqa                                4
51 Monica Holler (Swe) Bigla Cycling Team                         4
52 Carissa Wilkes (NZl) New Zealand National Team                 4
53 Carlee Taylor (Aus)                                            3
54 Tina Mayolo Pic (USA) Vrienden Van Het Platteland              2
55 Oxana Kozonchuk (Rus) Menikini - Selle Italia                  1
56 Martine Bras (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland                 1
57 Yong Li Liu (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling                            1
 
Teams
 
1 Team High Road Women                                          330 pts
2 Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung                                201
3 Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team                            172
4 Team DSB Bank                                                 165
5 AA-Drink Cycling Team                                          98
6 Menikini - Selle Italia                                        98
7 Webcor Builders Cycling Team                                   90
8 Gauss RDZ Ormu                                                 80
9 Team Specialized Designs For Women                             75
10 Italy                                                         68
11 Bigla Cycling Team                                            61
12 Canada                                                        54
13 Safi - Pasta Zara Manhattan                                   53
14 Great Britain                                                 42
15 Vrienden Van Het Platteland                                   39
16 Team Flexpoint                                                33
17 Australia                                                     30
18 Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam                                      28
19 Netherlands                                                   17
20 Usc Chirio Forno d'Asolo                                      16
21 France                                                         9
22 Giant Pro Cycling                                              6
23 Team Halfords Bikehut                                          6
24 United States Of America                                       5
25 New Zealand                                                    4
26 Austria                                                        4