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Open de Suède Vargarda - CDM
Sweden, July 30, 2008
Main Page Results Live report ProTour standings
Seehafer conquers Sweden in US 1-2
Second World Cup for US and for Menikini; Arndt consolidates lead
By Ben Atkins
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Kori Kelley-Seehafer (Menkini-Selle Italia-Master Colors) has taken the biggest victory of her career by beating American compatriot Kim Anderson (Team Columbia) in a two-up sprint. The pair broke away from a six-woman group at the beginning of the penultimate lap of 12 and successfully built a lead to finish more than a minute clear. This is the second World Cup race taken by a US rider after Katheryn Kuri-Mattis won in Geelong, and the second for the Menikini-Selle Italia-Master Colors team after Susanne Ljungskog (who has since retuned to Flexpoint) won the Tour de Berne.
Behind the American duo, the remains of the breakaway was led home by Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung sprinter Charlotte Becker from Karin Thürig (Cervelo-Lifeforce), Erinne Willock (Webcor Builders). Andrea Thürig(Bigla) - the younger sister of Karin - followed a few seconds back. Another minute and a half later, the main peloton was led home by Angela Henning (DSB Bank).
"I am so happy," said a delighted Seehafer - who adds this victory to the Tour of Prince Edward Island in June - after the race, " we were going quite slowly coming into the finish and Kim was in the front with 500m to go and in the past I have had a good sprint but it hasn't been that good lately. I just wanted to believe in myself and I waited until the 250m mark to jump. I went and did not look back."
"Actually, that wasn't my focus," second-placed Anderson told Cyclingnews after the race, "I was just trying to stay ahead of that group that we'd dropped; so I was just keeping it going all the way to the line. It was kind of Petra's orders: 'Keep going! Keep going! Keep going!' because we just had such a small gap and so I just went all the way to the line as hard as I could. We were both working.
"Actually," said Anderson of Team Columbia's tactics for the race, "the plan was to either save it for Ina: maybe later she could get into a break, or maybe if it came down to a sprint the I would work for her, or maybe Judith could get off into a break because we wanted to get as many World Cup points as we could before the next two World Cups."
Luckily for Anderson, the break that she was marking turned out to be the on that was successful, but team orders prevented her from contributing fully until the moment was right. "I was just covering moves," she explained, "I felt real good today and just happened to be in a couple of breaks and was just following. Then all of a sudden this one was the move that went and so I sat on for a little while, then Kori attacked on a climb and I went across the her and I told her 'let's go' and I think we worked together for two or maybe three laps, I can't remember."
Once the pair had established themselves off the front of the race they worked together well to gradually increase their lead over a determined but disorganised chase behind. "Definitely," said Anderson, in answer to a question about how good it was to heave her compatriot with her in the escape, "because I've known Kori for a long time and she's really strong and it was really fun! When was the last time two Americans have been off the front in a World Cup? It was awesome!
"I knew she was an awesome sprinter," she said of the final stages of the race, "so you just hope that you have enough legs, but no, it didn't happen."
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"It was my attack," Karin Thürig said. "After that attack we had this break, and then we were working very well - except Kimberly was not working. Then a little bit later [Seehafer] attacked and Kimberly followed and we other four: nobody acted, so that was very bad. The those two got away and then we started working together - we four - and we were not always working very good together so there were a few attacks and at the end we just sprinted for the third place."
Despite riding for different teams (Cervelo-Lifeforce and Bigla), the Thürig sisters are both still based in Switzerland. Nevertheless it is relatively rare for them to be in a small group together. "It's always special to be in a breakaway with your sister because…" she laughed, "you don't want to beat her somehow, but you have to look for yourself. It happened also in Thuringen… you have to look for yourself, but sometimes it's hard, yeah."
The recent tough German stage race - won by World Cup leader Judith Arndt (Team Columbia) was still in the legs of a number of riders: "I'm still a little bit tired," explained Thürig, "but a lot of the others also raced Thuringen, so it's just the last preparation for Beijing, so I think it was a good race today. Also we had a good teamwork and we could race our Olympic [Cervelo] bikes so that was a very good opportunity."
"It was definitely a hard race from the get go," fifth placed Erinne Willock said. "It was pretty unselective - it was fairly flat - but it was technical. It was definitely the course for a breakaway. Our goal was to cover the breaks and we did that really well and the one I covered worked!
"It was funny," she continued, "because half a lap before they got away, Kori and I ended up being the only two that were working in the group of six. Kim Anderson was sitting on in the first bit and then everybody kind of started not working. There were attacks on the climb that lap and no one got away, and Kori just kind of rolled off with Kim on her wheel.
"Everybody gave it a shot to attack to try and bridge up to Kori and Kim and no one succeeded, but we're happy with the ride and coming in fifth in a World Cup."
That fifth place should stand the Canadian in good stead as she now heads to Beijing for the Olympic Games road race. "Definitely," she agreed, "it's a great confidence booster."
"The race was petty fast," confirmed Andrea Thürig's Bigla team-mate Noemi Cantele. "But there were a lot of attacks. Then we had only one team-mate in the breakaway; it was better to have maybe two, but okay we couldn't make it," she laughed.
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Finishing in 13th place, the Italian echoed a number of other riders, citing tiredness after a hard week in Germany as an explanation for her own personal race. "Today I was not so very good because I have done Thuringen," she said, "and I need a little bit of recovery."
Good news for both the Bigla and Switzerland teams is that Nicole Brändli seems to have fully recovered from the thigh injury that forced her to abandon in Turingen last week. She finished in the main pack in 29th place.
World Cup leader Arndt finished 8th, picking up 18 points in the overall standings; she now leads Marianne Vos (DSB Bank) by 108 points. Suzanne De Goede (Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung) finished one place behind Arndt in 9th meaning that while her deficit to the German increased slightly he has closed the gap to Vos to 4 points.
How it unfolded
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A number of attacks were launched at the peloton during the first half of the 132km race, but none were successful until a concerted move by Karin Thürig (Cervelo-Lifeforce) pulled a group of fifteen riders clear.
With around three and a half of the twelve 11km laps remaining pressure from Thurig and Erinne Willock (Webcor Builders) caused this breakaway group to split again, leaving just six riders at the head of the race.
The breakaway now consisted of: Kim Anderson (Team Columbia), Kori Kelley-Seehafer (Menikini-Selle Italia-Master Colors), Erinne Willock (Webcor Builders), Karin Thürig (Cervelo-Lifeforce), Charlotte Becker (Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung) and Andrea Thürig (Bigla).
With just less than two laps to go, Seehafer launched herself off the font of the group with Anderson in tow. Between them the pair managed to hold a lead of just over 20 seconds for a while before gradually increasing it over the closing stages.
As the chasing foursome began to attack one another, the two ahead managed to pull their lead to over a minute as they approached the finish.
Anderson led into the final few hundred metres, but was ultimately unable to match the sprint of her compatriot and Seehafer took the victory.
Becker led the remaining group home 1' 10" later from Karin Thürig, Willock and Andreea Thürig. Angela Henning won the peloton sprint for 7th from Judith Arndt (Team Columbia), who increases her lead in the overall World Cup over her nearest rivals.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by WomensCycling.net/WomensCycling.net
- Team Columbia lines up for the start with a variety of jerseys - Teutenberg, Arndt (WC leader), Keller (German Champion), Villumsen (Danish Champion), Fahlin (Swedish Champion), Anderson.
- Linda Villumsen (Team Columbia) has a look over her shoulder on the climb at Hagrunga.
- Karin Thurig (Cervelo Lifeforce) in the bunch on the climb.
- The hay bales were decorated especially for the race around Vargarrda.
- Swede, Emma Johansson (AA Drink) leads early in the race.
- Judith Arndt (Team Columbia) chases down a breakaway attempt.
- Noemi Cantele (Team Bigla) broke away with Sarah Duester (Cervelo Lifeforce) and a couple of others at about half distance.
- Charlotte Becker (Equipe Nurnberger) and breakaway companions Willock, A Thürig and K Thurig decide whether to chase Anderson and Seehafer, who have just jumped with 20km to go.
- The bunch passes through Tanga Head in the closing stages of the take.
- Kim Anderson (Team Columbia) leads eventual winner, Kori Seehafer (Menikini Selle Italia) with 11 km to go.
- Erinne Willock (Webcor) leads the chasers as they pass through Vargaarda for the last time.
- The Menikini Selle Italia team and team President, Walter Ricci - all smiles after their success in the Open de Suede, courtesy of Seehaer.
- The race podium - Anderson, Seehafer, Becker in the late evening sun.
- Judith Arndt (Team Columbia) retained the World Cup leader jersey after round 8.
- The bunch waits to start in the pretty Vargaarda centre.
- Andrea Thurig (Team Bigla).
- World Cup leader, Judith Arndt (Team Columbia) rode a team Giant with a custom paint job.
- Swedish RR Champion, Emilia Fahlin (Team Columbia) in her home country World Cup.
- The break works together Erinne Willock (Webcor) leads.
- Kori Seehafer (Menikini Selle Italia) sprints to victory ahead of Kim Anderson (Team Columbia).
- Seehafer has time for a victory salute as she takes her biggest win to date.
Results
1 Kori Kelley Seehafer (USA) Menikini - Selle Italia 3.21.12 (43.5 km/h) 2 Kim Anderson (USA) Team Columbia Women 3 Charlotte Becker (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 1.10 4 Karin Thürig (Swi) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 5 Erinne Willock (Can) Webcor Builders Cycling Team 6 Andrea Thürig (Swi) Bigla Cycling Team 1.13 7 Angela Henning (Ger) Team DSB Bank 2.43 8 Judith Arndt (Ger) Team Columbia Women 9 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 10 Martine Bras (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland 11 Loes Markerink (Ned) Team Flexpoint 12 Andrea Bosman (Ned) Team DSB Bank 13 Noemi Cantele (Ita) Bigla Cycling Team 14 Monica Holler (Swe) Bigla Cycling Team 15 Kirsten Wild (Ned) AA-Drink Cycling Team 16 Sarah Düster (Ger) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 17 Emma Johansson (Swe) AA-Drink Cycling Team 18 Liesbet De Vocht (Bel) Vrienden Van Het Platteland 19 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 20 Marie Lindberg (Swe) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 21 Karin Aune (Swe) Sweden 22 Grete Treier (Est) Estonia 23 Eleonora Van Dijk (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland 24 Sara Mustonen (Swe) Sweden 25 Oxana Kozonchuk (Rus) Menikini - Selle Italia 26 Irene Van Den Broek (Ned) AA-Drink Cycling Team 27 Alex Wrubleski (Can) Webcor Builders Cycling Team 28 Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland 29 Nicole Brändli (Swi) Bigla Cycling Team 30 Laure Werner (Bel) AA-Drink Cycling Team 31 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 32 Carla Ryan (Aus) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 33 An Van Rie (Bel) Vrienden Van Het Platteland 34 Loes Gunnewijk (Ned) Team Flexpoint 35 Iris Slappendel (Ned) Team Flexpoint 2.52 36 Laura Lepasalu (Est) Estonia 37 Bianca Knöpfle (Ger) Team Flexpoint 38 Christine Thorburn (USA) Webcor Builders Cycling Team 39 Christiane Soeder (Aut) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 40 Tina Liebig (Ger) Team DSB Bank 41 Adrie Visser (Ned) Team DSB Bank 42 Fabiana Luperini (Ita) Menikini - Selle Italia 43 Katheryn Mattis (USA) Webcor Builders Cycling Team 44 Luise Keller (Ger) Team Columbia Women 45 Linda Villumsen (Den) Team Columbia Women 46 Veronica Andréasson (Swe) Bigla Cycling Team 9.25 DNF Ina Teutenberg (Ger) Team Columbia Women DNF Emilia Fahlin (Swe) Team Columbia Women DNF Liisa Ehrberg (Est) Estonia DNF Maris Nurm (Est) Estonia DNF Elise Van Hage (Ned) Team Flexpoint DNF Trine Schmidt (Den) Team Flexpoint DNF Serena Danesi (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo Raxy Line DNF Sara Muccioli (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo Raxy Line DNF Laura Pisaneschi (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo Raxy Line DNF Francesca Tognali (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo Raxy Line DNF Anna Zugno (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo Raxy Line DNF Marlijn Binnendijk (Ned) AA-Drink Cycling Team DNF Chantal Blaak (Ned) AA-Drink Cycling Team DNF Giada Borgato (Ita) Menikini - Selle Italia DNF Marina Romoli (Ita) Menikini - Selle Italia DNF Silvia Valsecchi (Ita) Menikini - Selle Italia DNF Liesbeth Bakker (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland DNF Kristine Saastad (Nor) Norway DNF Elin Fylkesnes (Nor) Norway DNF Frøydis Meen Wærsted (Nor) Norway DNF Tone Temtemoen (Nor) Norway DNF Caroline Wöien (Nor) Norway DNF Janel Holcomb (USA) Webcor Builders Cycling Team DNF Rebecca Much (USA) Webcor Builders Cycling Team DNF Pascale Schnider (Swi) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team DNF Sharon Van Essen (Ned) Team DSB Bank DNF Linda Van Rijen (Ned) Team DSB Bank DNF Regina Schleicher (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung DNF Edita Pucinscaite (Ltu) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung DNF Bettina Kuhn (Swi) Bigla Cycling Team DNF Catrine Josefsson (Swe) Sweden DNF Isabelle Söderberg (Swe) Sweden DNF Jennie Stenerhag (Swe) Sweden DNF Avalo Lyngbaek (Swe) Sweden DNF Heini Ilmarinen (Fin) Finland DNF Heljä Korhonen (Fin) Finland DNF Lotta Lepistö (Fin) Finland DNF Riina Miettinen (Fin) Finland DNF Anne Rautio (Fin) Finland
ProTour standings
1 Judith Arndt (Ger) Team Columbia Women 260 pts 2 Marianne Vos (Ned) Team DSB Bank 152 3 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 148 4 Emma Pooley (GBr) Team Specialized Designs For Women 117 5 Chantal Beltman (Ned) Team Columbia Women 114 6 Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Safi - Pasta Zara Manhattan 101 7 Kristin Armstrong (USA) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 88 8 Alex Wrubleski (Can) Webcor Builders Cycling Team 85 9 Kori Kelley Seehafer (USA) Menikini - Selle Italia 75 10 Katheryn Curi Mattis (USA) Webcor Builders Cycling Team 75 11 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Menikini - Selle Italia 75 12 Ina Teutenberg (Ger) Team Columbia Women 70 13 Oenone Wood (Aus) Team Columbia Women 61 14 Julia Martisova (Rus) Gauss RDZ Ormu 60 15 Emma Johansson (Swe) AA-Drink Cycling Team 60 16 Kirsten Wild (Ned) AA-Drink Cycling Team 59 17 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Australian National Team 57 18 Kimberly Anderson (USA) Team Columbia Women 53 19 Emma Rickards (Aus) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 53 20 Charlotte Becker (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 53 21 Fabiana Luperini (Ita) Menikini - Selle Italia 50 22 Erinne Willock (Can) Webcor Builders Cycling Team 48 23 Nicole Brändli (Swi) Bigla Cycling Team 46 24 Miho Oki (Jpn) Menikini - Selle Italia 40 25 Leigh Hobson (Can) Canada 35 26 Mirjam Melchers-Van Poppel (Ned) Team Flexpoint 35 27 Diana Ziliute (Ltu) Safi - Pasta Zara Manhattan 35 28 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 35 29 Jolanta Polikeviciute (Ltu) USC Chirio Forno d'Asolo 34 30 Karin Thürig (Swi) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 30 31 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam 30 32 Nikki Egyed (Aus) Vrienden Van Het Platteland 29 33 Amber Neben (USA) Team Flexpoint 28 34 Regina Schleicher (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 27 35 Noemi Cantele (Ita) Bigla Cycling Team 25 36 Andrea Thürig (Swi) Bigla Cycling Team 24 37 Anne Samplonius (Can) Canada 24 38 Liesbeth De Vocht (Bel) Vrienden Van Het Platteland 24 39 Nicole Cooke (GBr) Team Halfords Bikehut 24 40 Sarah Düster (Ger) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 23 41 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 22 42 Angela Henning (Ger) Team DSB Bank 21 43 Sara Mustonen (Swe) Team Cmax Dila 21 44 Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Australia 21 45 Grete Treier (Est) Gauss RDZ Ormu 20 46 Christiane Soeder (Aut) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 18 47 Sofie Goor (Bel) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam 17 48 Joanne Kiesanowski (NZl) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 17 49 Regina Bruins (Ned) Netherlands 17 50 Lorian Graham (Aus) Vrienden Van Het Platteland 15 51 Gina Grain (Can) Webcor Builders Cycling Team 15 52 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 13 53 Angela Brodtka (Ger) Team DSB Bank 13 54 Martine Bras (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland 12 55 Edwige Pitel (Fra) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz 12 56 Lang Meng (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling 12 57 Lieselot Decroix (Bel) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam 11 58 Monica Holler (Swe) Bigla Cycling Team 11 59 Loes Markerink (Ned) Team Flexpoint 10 60 Andrea Bosman (Ned) Team DSB Bank 9 61 Lauren Franges (USA) United States Of America 9 62 Zulfiya Zabirova (Kaz) Bigla Cycling Team 9 63 Sophie Creux (Fra) France 9 64 Peta Mullens (Aus) Australia 9 65 Claudia Häusler (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 8 66 Carly Hibberd (Aus) Australian National Team 8 67 Vicki Whitelaw (Aus) Australian National Team 6 68 Anita Valen De Vries (Nor) Team Flexpoint 6 69 Tatiana Stiajkina (Ukr) USC Chirio Forno d'Asolo 6 70 Linda Villumsen Serup (Den) Team Columbia Women 5 71 Modesta Vzesniauskaite (Ltu) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 5 72 Maryline Salvetat (Fra) France 5 73 Alison Powers (USA) United States Of America 5 74 Carla Ryan (Aus) Australia 4 75 Felicia Gomez (Can) Canada 4 76 Monika Schachl (Aut) Team Uniqa 4 77 Carissa Wilkes (NZl) New Zealand 4 78 Monia Baccaille (Ita) Fenixs 3 79 Carlee Taylor (Aus) Australian National Team 3 80 Giuseppina Grassi Herrera (Mex) Mexico 2 81 Tina Mayolo Pic (USA) Vrienden Van Het Platteland 2 82 Marie Lindberg (Swe) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 1 83 Oxana Kozonchuk (Rus) Menikini - Selle Italia 1 84 Yong Li Liu (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling 1
