Megan Guarnier strengthens hold on race lead with third place
Trixi Worrack (Germany) soloed to victory in stage five of the Giro della Toscana between Segromigno in Piano and Capannori. The 29-year-old, who rides for the AA Drink-Leontien.nl team, escaped from the rest of the lead group on the final climb of the 101km stage and rode alone to the finish. Svetlana Bubnenkova (Russia) beat race leader Megan Guarnier (United States) in the race for second place, 52 seconds behind Worrack.
Worrack’s victory was the first in the race not to be taken by a rider from HTC-Highroad; both of the team’s individual stage winners, Ina Teutenberg and Judith Arndt, had quit the race though, and were making their way to Copenhagen, Denmark, to prepare for the World championships.
The penultimate stage began after the race paid its customary respects at the memorial to Michela Fanini, to whom the race was created as a tribute, led by race director, the late riders father Brunello. The race has also been remembering Carly Hibberd this year who, like Fanini, was killed after being hit by a car while out training in July this year. The Australian rode for the Michela Fanini-Record-Rox team in 2009/10 and her face is featured on the ‘generosita’ jersey, which is awarded each day to the most sporting rider.
On the second of the four 18.6km laps, based on the climb to Segromigno in Monte, Monia Baccaille (MCipollini-Giambenini), Amanada Miller (HTC-Highroad), Flavia Oliveira (Vaiano-Solaristech) and Bubnenkova escaped. The four riders were only able to get 20 seconds clear though, and as they were caught by the peloton shortly after they crossed the line to start the third lap.
At that stage’s mid point, with 50km still to race, the larger group of Valentina Scandolara (Gauss-RDZ-Ormu), Valentina Bastianelli (Vaiano-Solaristech), Simona Frapporti (Top Girls-Fassa Bortolo), Petra Dijkman (Dolmans Landscaping), Romy Kasper (Kuota Speed Kueens) and Worrack got away.
This break was more successful than the first, and managed to build a lead of almost a minute over the peloton by the finish line. Having missed the move, Amber Pierce (Diadora-Pasta Zara) was leading a chasing group, 45 seconds behind.
On the longer final lap, the two groups came together with 20km to go, only for Worrack to escape a few kilometres later as the 1st category climb to Valgiano began. Over the top of the climb with 11km to go, the German led a group led by Guarnier by 40 seconds, and managed to increase the gap on the descent and flat run to the finish, to finish 52 seconds clear of Bubnenkova and the American race leader.
Second place overall Claudia Häusler (Diadora-Pasta Zara) crossed the line in fourth place, some 19 seconds behind Guarnier, and so the American increases her lead over the German to 36 seconds with one stage to go.
Result stage 5
1. Trixi Worrack (Ger) German National Team
2. Svetlana Bubnenkova (Rus) Russian National Team @ 52s
3. Megan Guarnier (USA) United States National Team
4. Claudia Häusler (Ger) Diadora-Pasta Zara @ 1’11”
5. Valentina Scandolara (Ita) Gauss-RDZ-Ormu @ 1’20”
Standings after stage 5
1. Megan Guarnier (USA) United States National Team
2. Claudia Häusler (Ger) Diadora-Pasta Zara @ 36s
3. Rasa Leleivyte (Ltu) Vaiano-Solaristech @ 1’25”
4. Sylwia Kapusta (Pol) Gauss-RDZ-Ormu @ 1’34”
5. Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) MCipollini-Giambenini @ 1’51”