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7th Primavera Rosa - CDM

Italy, March 19, 2005

Main Page    Results    World Cup standings after round 3

Trixi tricks 'em

By Anthony Tan in San Remo

Today in San Remo, Equipe Nürnberger rider Trixi Worrack won the third round of the 2005 women's World Cup in the most audacious possible style. Initially driving a lead-out train for team sprinter Regina Schleicher, the explosive Worrack went so fast and hard around one of the final corners, she gapped what was left of field, and did just enough to hold off a fast-finishing bunch led home by Great Britain's Nicole Cooke (Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan) and Worrack's teammate Oenone Wood.

As she looked over her shoulder one last time coming onto the Via Roma, the colourful but all-powerful German screamed with delight as she crossed the line, legs akimbo, arms pumped, and fists clenched. "I knew I was in good shape, but I just wanted to help the team, we didn't care who won," said Worrack to Cyclingnews on the team's strategy for the day. "I had worked a bit in the race, so I was not sure [it would be me].

"We were trying to do a lead-out, and suddenly I was alone, with only 400 metres to go. I thought if they started to sprint [early], they would catch me for sure; the finish was a bit uphill, but it was just enough!"

Worrack attributed much of the credit to her team, who were four-strong in a select group of 15, and is only too happy to return the favour to her teammate Wood in the not too distant future, who holds onto her World Cup leader's jersey.

"I've gone to a professional team this year, and they're really focusing on all the World Cups, so that works out perfectly to try and keep the jersey," said Wood. "I love racing, and that's why I come here."

Asked if she's got a particular World Cup in mind, the venerable pocket-rocket from Down Under didn't take long to answer: "I'd really like to win Flèche Wallonne - I'd love to finish first at the top of the Mur de Huy; that hill is so awful, I'd like to beat it one year!" she declared with enthusiasm.

One rider who didn't have the benefit of an all-powerful team was Mirjam Melchers, but the experienced Dutchwoman declared to Cyclingnews she and her Buitenpoort-Flexpoint team will only get stronger.

"They also had a bit of luck," responded Melchers when asked if Nürnberger was simply too strong. "One girl [Worrack] got a little bit in front the last two corners, and the other girls let it go, of course. We were coming close, but there were not enough seconds.

"But it's the first big race, it was very nervous - this race is always like that, a lot of corners, high speed - but the atmosphere is nice, and that is why everybody comes. The whole peloton's warming up, and the Primavera is a difficult race - it's a hard finale, but you also need luck. I think the team did a good job today - there's more coming."

How it unfolded

Mild temps in Varazze combined with a frisky peloton and a flattish parcours set the scene for a fast start to La Primavera Rosa, and the outcome was just that. However, with the field following the last 118 kilometres of the 294 kilometre-long men's race, nothing was going to happen until the climbs of the Cipressa and Poggio inside the final 30 km.

Shortly before the Cipressa, World Cup leader Oenone Wood crashed at the worst possible moment, but with undying loyalty, her teammate and friend Olivia Gollan brought her back to the fold. Unsurprisingly, the Cipressa was climbed very fast indeed, although it wasn't until over the top that three riders escaped. But as the peloton upped the urgency on the descent, multiple crashes followed, including one of the riders in the leading trio, P.M.B. Fenixs rider Valentina Polkhanova.

Nürnberger's Judith Arndt and eventual winner Trixi Worrack led a controlled chase to bring the remaining duo back to the bunch before the start of the Poggio, before teammate Wood regained her position and strength to nullify any attacks on the climb, paying special attention to Mirjam Melchers (Buitenpoort-Flexpoint) and Nicole Brändli (Team Bigla).

"If it doesn't happen before the Poggio, it's too late," said Melchers to Cyclingnews when asked about her tactics on the final climb. "It's too short and not steep enough, so if you have the legs, you must try on the Cipressa. But I think everybody was a little bit scared on the downhill after the Cipressa; there were not many [riders] who wanted to take risks [on the Poggio]."

Once over Il Poggio, the remnants of the peloton appeared all set for a bunch gallop to decide the day, and Nürnberger, who were playing the numbers game with four out of 15 riders up front, began their version of the 'Blue Train' inside the final few kilometres.

But then, with just two corners remaining, Worrack found herself off the front as she caned it round the bends with 500 metres to go, and with her teammates blocking, little miss Trixi powered down the Via Roma to take one of the most prestigious victories in her career.

Results - 118 km

1 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung               3.04.00 (38.478 km/h)
2 Nicole Cooke (GBr) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan                        0.01
3 Oenone Wood (Aus) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung                        
4 Regina Schleicher (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung                  
5 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team                        
6 Modesta Vzesniauskaite (Ltu) Nobili Rubinetterie-Menikini Cogeas        
7 Nicole Brandli (Swi) Team Bigla                                         
8 Anita Valen (Nor) Vlaanderen-Caprisonne-Tinterim                        
9 Luisa Tamanini (Ita) Team Bianchi-Aliverti                              
10 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team                     
11 Andrea Graus (Aut) Elk Haus-Tirolnoe                                   
12 Madeleine Sandig (Ger) German National Team                            
13 Miho Oki (Jpn) Usc Chirio Forno D'asolo                                
14 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Nobili Rubinetterie-Menikini Cogeas                
15 Barbara Lancioni (Ita) S.S Lazio Ciclismo Team Ladispoli               
16 Evy Van Damme (Bel) Vlaanderen-Caprisonne-Tinterim                     
17 Anna Zugno (Ita) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan                             
18 Dorthe Lohse (Den) Team S.A.T.S.                                       
19 Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) Top Girl Fassa Bortolo Hausbrandt Coffe'         
20 Natalyna Kachalka (Ukr) A.S. Team F.R.W                            0.08
21 Judith Arndt (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung                  0.16
22 Loes Gunnewijk (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland                   0.21
23 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Nobili Rubinetterie-Menikini Cogeas            
24 Tatiana Shiskova (Rus) P.M.B. Feenixs                                  
25 Marta Vilajosana (Spa) S.S Lazio Ciclismo Team Ladispoli           0.45
26 Marianna Lorenzoni (Ita) A.S. Team F.R.W                               
27 Karin Thurig (Swi) Univega Pro Cycling Team                            
28 Patricia Schwager (Swi) Swiss National Team                            
29 Rachel Heal (GBr) Team S.A.T.S.                                    1.11
30 Silva Clemilda Fernandes (Bra) Usc Chirio Forno D'asolo            1.16
31 Silvia Parietti (Ita) S.S Lazio Ciclismo Team Ladispoli                
32 Nina Ovcharenco (Ukr) A.S. Team F.R.W                                  
33 Theresa Senff (Ger) Van Bemmelen-Aa Drink                              
34 Lada Kozlikova (Cze) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team                        
35 Sandrine Marcuz (Fra) Team S.A.T.S.                                    
36 Corine Hierckens (Bel) Belgian National Team                           
37 Sofie Goor (Bel) Vlaanderen-Caprisonne-Tinterim                        
38 Fabiana Luperini (Ita) A.S. Team F.R.W                                 
39 Josephine Groenveld (Ned) Van Bemmelen-Aa Drink                    1.19
40 Katia Longhin (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox                 3.17
41 Claudia Stumpf (Ger) German National Team                              
42 Anke Wichmann (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung                     
43 Kathryn Fernandez Souza (Bra) Usc Chirio Forno D'asolo                 
44 Edwige Pitel (Fra) Univega Pro Cycling Team                        3.19
45 Daniela Fusarpoli (Ita) Nobili Rubinetterie-Menikini Cogeas            
46 Eneritz Iturriaga (Spa) Spanish National Team                          
47 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Univega Pro Cycling Team                         
48 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Van Bemmelen-Aa Drink                           
49 Monia Baccaille (Ita) Saccarelli Emu Marsciano                         
50 Sarah Grab (Swi) Univega Pro Cycling Team                              
51 Chantal Beltman (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland                      
52 Trine Hansen (Den) Team S.A.T.S.                                       
53 Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Usc Chirio Forno D'asolo                        
54 Olivia Gollan (Aus) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung                     
55 Amber Neben (USA) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team                       3.44
56 Sabrina Bernardi (Ita) Top Girl Fassa Bortolo Hausbrandt Coffe'    4.45
57 Lise Christensen (Den) Team S.A.T.S.                                   
58 Bianca Knopfle (Ger) German National Team                              
59 Veronica Leal Balderas (Mex) Saccarelli Emu Marsciano                  
60 Monika Schachl (Aut) Elk Haus-Tirolnoe                                 
61 Meredith Miller Rasnussen (USA) Team S.A.T.S.                          
62 Paola Pezzo (Ita) Saccarelli Emu Marsciano                             
63 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan                   5.32
64 Monica Holler (Swe) Elk Haus-Tirolnoe                                  
65 Ludivine Henrion (Bel) Belgian National Team                           
66 Kristy Miggels (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland                       
67 Karin Wieser (Aut) Elk Haus-Tirolnoe                                   
68 Veerle Ingels (Bel) Vlaanderen-Caprisonne-Tinterim                     
69 Alessandra Grassi (Ita) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan                      
70 Bettina Kuhn (Swi) Swiss National Team                                 
71 Minke Van Dongen (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland                     
72 Kelly Campbell Rook (USA) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox               
73 Aukie De Koning (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland                      
74 Milena Pirola (Ita) Nobili Rubinetterie-Menikini Cogeas                
75 Alessandra Borchi (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox                 
76 Charlotte Goldsmith (GBr) Vlaanderen-Caprisonne-Tinterim               
77 Jennifer Hohl (Swi) Swiss National Team                                
78 Ann Katrin Hellstern (Ger) German National Team                        
79 Julia Martissova (Rus) P.M.B. Feenixs                                  
80 Anna Farina (Ita) Saccarelli Emu Marsciano                             
81 Laure Werner (Bel) Vlaanderen-Caprisonne-Tinterim                      
82 Isabella Wieser (Aut) Elk Haus-Tirolnoe                                
83 Cristina Alcalde Huertanos (Spa) Bizkaia-Panda Software-Durango        
84 Maria Lucilene Silva (Bra) Saccarelli Emu Marsciano                    
85 Iosune Murillo Elkano (Spa) Bizkaia-Panda Software-Durango             
86 Nicole Kaser (Swi) Swiss National Team                                 
87 Veronica Andrasson (Swe) Team Bianchi-Aliverti                         
88 Francesca Castrucci (Ita) Usc Chirio Forno D'asolo                     
89 Camilla Larsson (Swe) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team                       
90 Tanja Hennes (Ger) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team                          
91 Letizia Giardinelli (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox               
92 Silvia Valsecchi (Ita) Nobili Rubinetterie-Menikini Cogeas             
93 Costanza Martinelli (Ita) S.S Lazio Ciclismo Team Ladispoli            
94 Claudia Hecht (Ger) German National Team                               
95 Lidia Arcangeli (Ita) Team Bigla                                       
96 Zita Urbonaite (Ltu) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan                         
97 Silva Janildes Fernandes (Bra) Team Bigla                              
98 Sandra Missbach (Ger) Van Bemmelen-Aa Drink                            
99 Leticia Gil Parra (Spa) Spanish National Team                          
100 Kathryn Watt (Aus) Usc Chirio Forno D'asolo                           
101 Sharon Van Essen (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland                    
102 Martina Corazza (Ita) A.S. Team F.R.W                                 
103 Sissy Van Alebeek (Ned) Van Bemmelen-Aa Drink                         
104 Emanuela Citracca (Ita) S.S Lazio Ciclismo Team Ladispoli         6.13
105 Ketty Manfrin (Ita) A.S. Team F.R.W                               6.22
106 Ilse Geldhof (Bel) Belgian National Team                          6.32
107 Anna Dal Ferro (Ita) Top Girl Fassa Bortolo Hausbrandt Coffe'     7.27
108 Chiara Nadalutti (Ita) Top Girl Fassa Bortolo Hausbrandt Coffe'       
109 Malgorzata Wysocka (Pol) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox           8.36
110 Ljesbet De Vocht (Bel) Belgian National Team                          
111 Claudia Marietta (Den) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox             9.11

Outside time limit (Hors Delai)

HD Lourdes Garcia Navas (Spa) Spanish National Team                       
HD Naiara Telletxea Lopez (Spa) Bizkaia-Panda Software-Durango            
HD Patricia Perez Jimenez (Spa) Spanish National Team                     
HD Svetlana Pauliukaite (Ltu) Team Bianchi-Aliverti                       
HD Lien Verhaeghe (Bel) Belgian National Team                             
HD Natacha Maes (Bel) Belgian National Team                               
HD Vanessa Saccomani (Ita) P.M.B. Feenixs                                 
HD Francesca Tognali (Ita) Saccarelli Emu Marsciano                       
HD Sarah Duster (Ger) German National Team                                
HD Melanie Tunesi (Swi) Team Bigla                                        
HD Tania Belvederesi (Ita) Top Girl Fassa Bortolo Hausbrandt Coffe'       
HD Azucena Sancez Benito (Spa) Spanish National Team                      
HD Arantzazu Azpiroz (Spa) Spanish National Team                          
HD Agurtzane Elorrijaga (Spa) Bizkaia-Panda Software-Durango              
HD Indre Januleviciute (Ltu) Team Bianchi-Aliverti                        
HD Iris Swahlen (Swi) Swiss National Team                                 
HD Kornelia Groenveld (Ned) Van Bemmelen-Aa Drink                         
HD Patricia Henpel (Ger) Elk Haus-Tirolnoe                                
HD Lidia Visentin (Ita) Top Girl Fassa Bortolo Hausbrandt Coffe'          
HD Ramune Lipinskaite (Ltu) Team Bianchi-Aliverti                         
DNF Sabrina Emmasi (Ita) Team Bigla                                       
DNF Maitane Telletxea Lopez (Spa) Bizkaia-Panda Software-Durango          
DNF Svetlana Bubnenkova (Rus) P.M.B. Feenixs                              
DNF Gunn-Rita Dahle (Nor) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan                       
DNF Sonia Rocca (Ita) P.M.B. Feenixs                                      
DNF Hayley Rutherford (Aus) Team Bianchi-Aliverti                         
DNF Diana Rast (Swi) Univega Pro Cycling Team                             

World Cup standings after round 3

1 Oenone Wood (Aus) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung       85 pts
2 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung     80
3 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Van Bemmelen - AA Drink         78
4 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Safi - Pasta Zara Manhattan     75
5 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Buitenpoort - Flexpoint        53
6 Linda Villumsen Serup (Den) Buitenpoort - Flexpoint    52
7 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Buitenpoort - Flexpoint          51

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