Gracia Cez - Ede - 2.9.1

Czech Republic, May 2-5, 2002

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Stage 4 - May 4: 130 km

Neben captures yellow

By Greg Boorer

The Cannondale/USA national team, directed by Dutch legend Jean-Paul van Poppel, attacked non-stop today in an attempt to wear out race leader, Hanka Kupfernagel and her Equipe Nürnberger "Mannschaft". These tactics helped Amber Neben win the stage and take over the race leadership.

Amber Neben smashed up the final 8 km super steep (average nearly 15%) climb alone and then managed to hold off the chase group containing race leader Kupfernagel, Priska Doppmann and Caroline Alexander of the British National team on the sharp descent and run in to the finish. She finished almost two minutes clear of this elite group.

Surprisingly, Alexander and Doppmann did not aid race leader Kupfernagel in the chase and Neben profited and managed to not only win the stage but also inherit the race leadership. Doppmann's poor tactics led to her losing one spot on GC and moving to 3rd. Behind these three was a group of ten that included Kupfernagel's teammates the Australian Champion Margaret Hemsley and Swedish time trial champion Jenny Algelid.

Tomorrow's final stage takes place on a very technical 16 km circuit which should encourage aggressive racing.

Results

1 Amber Neben (USA) Canondale USA                3.37.51
2 Priska Doppmann (Swi)                             2.47
3 Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger         2.57
4 Caroline Alexander (GBr) Mixed Team GBr-Saturn    3.35
5 Modes Vzesniauskaite (Ltu)                        6.47
6 Bogumila Matusiak (Pol) Bonda Lukowski            6.49
7 Iryna Simonova (Ukr)
8 Kimberly Anderson (USA) Canondale USA
9 Margaret Hemsley (Aus) Equipe Nurnberger
10 Lada Kozlikova(Cze)
11 Vibe Jane Kulding (Den)                          6.56
12 Karin Thurig (Swi)
13 Je Algelidbengtsson (Swe) Equipe Nurnberger      7.03
14 Corine Hierckkens (Bel) Powerplate-Bik           7.21
15 Nataliya Kachalka (Ukr)                          9.31
16 Tetya Andrushchenko (Ukr)
17 Rachel Heal (GBr)                               10.22
18 Lara Ruthven (USA) Canondale USA
19 Theresa Senff (Ger) Euregio Egrensis
20 Nicole Freedman (USA) GS Liguria Ita-USA        10.35
21 Julie Pekarkova (Cze) Konica CZ
22 Irene Hostettler (Swi) Team Next 125            10.37
23 Anke Wichmann (Ger) Team Red Bull Ger
24 Dorothy Cowden (USA) Canondale USA
25 Mari Holden (USA)
26 Lisbeth Simper (Den)                            10.50
27 Areke Hassink (Ned)                             11.17
28 Giovanna Troldi (Ita)                           11.24
29 Isabella Wieser (Aut) Unin Charly Lietzsport    13.58
30 Carolin Hildebrant (Ger) Team Red Bull Ger
31 Annette Beutler (Swi)                           13.59
32 Alexandra Bahler (Swi) Pro VA Lady's Team       14.03
33 Kerstin Scheitle (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger
34 Doris Posch (Aut) Pro VA Lady's Team
35 Elizabeth Begosh (USA) GS Liguria Ita-USA
36 Sandra Rombouts (Ned) Equipe Nurnberger
37 Pavla Havlikova (Cze)                           14.10
38 Madeleine Sandig (Ger) Euregio Egrensis Ger
39 Luise Keller (Ger)
40 Patricia Choo (USA) Canondale USA
41 Minke Van Dongen (Ned)                          14.12
42 Charlotte Becker (Ger)                          14.22
43 Claudia Stumpf (Ger)                            14.26
44 Krystyna Kras (USA) GS Liguria Ita-USA          14.29
45 Indre Janulevciute (Ltu)                        17.11
46 Rikkesandhoj Olsen (Den)                        17.14
47 Monika Tyburska (Pol) Bonda Lukowski
48 Paulina Brzezna (Pol) Bonda Lukowski
49 Petitpierre Alexandrine (Swi) Team Next 125
50 Anna Skawinska (Pol) Bonda Lukowski             17.17
51 Marion Brauen (Swi) Team Next 125               17.20
  
General classification after stage 4
 
1 Amber Neben (USA) US National Team/Cannondale
2 Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger          0.25
3 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Swiss National Team          0.45
4 Caroline Alexander (GBr) British National team     1.40
...
5 Jenny Algelid-Bengston (Swe) Equipe Nürnberger     3.39
7 Margaret Hemsley (Aus) Equipe Nürnberger           3.48