Belgian spring season continues
After last month’s European season opener at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, racing has continued in Belgium; Omloop victor Emma Johansson (RedSun Cycling) has hung on to her winning form to take both races.
Saturday saw the Flèche Wanzoise in Wanze, just north of Huy – the home of la Flèche Wallonne. Johansson attacked alone and managed to stay away to the finish, despite a hot pursuit from Dutchwoman Martine Bras (Gauss-RDZ-Ormu). 22-year-old Sjoukje Dufoer (Topsport Vlaanderen-Thompson) won the sprint for third.
In Sunday’s first round of the Wielertrofee Vlaanderen in Tielt-Winge, to the east of Brussels, Johansson found herself winning from a breakaway once again. This time she had Bras and Grace Verbeke (Lotto Ladies) for company, but was too strong for both at the finish.
Result Flèche Wanzoise
1. Emma Johansson (RedSun Cycling)
2. Martine Bras (Gauss-RDZ-Ormu)
3. Sjoukje Dufoer (Topsport Vlaanderen-Thompson)
Result Wielertrofee Vlaanderen R1
1. Emma Johansson (RedSun Cycling)
2. Martine Bras (Gauss-RDZ-Ormu)
3. Grace Verbeke (Lotto Ladies)
Italian season begins
Another rider managing to hang onto her early season form is Rasa Leleivyte of Safi-Pasta Zara. The Lithuanian champion, winner of stage one of the Tour of Qatar, took her second win of the season at the 2.1 ranked GP Comune di Cornaredo, just west of Milano. 18-year-old prodigy Rosella Cavolli (SC Vecchia Fontana) took second and Leleivyte’s teammate Alona Andruk was third.
The race finished in a bunch sprint after a long sixteen rider breakaway that included Alessandra D’Ettorre and Silvia Valsecchi (both Top Girls-Ghezzi-Fassa Bortolo), Eneritz Iturriaga (Safi-Pasta Zara), Edita Pucinskaite (Gauss-RDZ-Ormu), Monica Holler (Team Fenixs) and Noemi Cantele (HTC-Columbia).
The break held a lead of 2 minutes at the 120km race’s halfway point, but was caught with 10km to go.
Result GP Comune di Cornaredo
1. Rasa Leleivyte (Safi-Pasta Zara)
2. Rossella Callovi (Vecchia Fontana)
3. Alona Andruk (Safi-Pasta Zara)
4. Alice Marmorini (SC Michela Fanini-Record-Rox)
5. Giada Borgato (Gauss-RDZ-Ormu)
HTC-Columbia and Teutenberg own US season openers
Tour of New Zealand winner Shelley Evans (Peanut Butter & Co-TWENTY12) is another rider with hot form, but came up against the irresistible force that is HTC-Columbia’s Ina Teutenberg in Merced, California. Queen Tut was all but unbeatable in 2009 and, as she prepares for yet another dominant season in Europe, it looks as though 2010 might run along similar lines.
Both the Merco Downtown Grand Prix and Merco Classic Foothills Road Race saw Teutenberg and Evans battle for victory, with the German coming out on top both times. Chloe Hosking, Teutenberg’s lead out, took third in the Downtown Grand Prix and Kelly Benjamin (Colavita-Baci/Cooking Light) was third in the Footlhills road race. Former US champion Brooke Miller (Team TIBCO-To The Top) was fourth in both races.
Prior to Teutenberg’s sprint dominance, the HTC-Columbia team had shown why it is one of the top teams in the World with an overpowering victory in the Merco Classic Team Time Trial. The winning team was made up of Teutenberg, Hosking, Kim Anderson and Evelyn Stevens.
Result Merco Classic Team Time Trial
1. HTC-Columbia
Result Merco Downtown Grand Prix
1. Ina Teutenberg (HTC-Columbia)
2. Shelley Evans (Peanut Butter & Co-TWENTY12)
3. Chloe Hosking (HTC-Columbia)
4. Brooke Miller (Team TIBCO-To The Top)
5. Coryn Rivera (Peanut Butter & Co-TWENTY12)
Result Merco Classic Foothills Road Race
1. Ina Teutenberg (HTC-Columbia)
2. Shelley Evans (Peanut Butter & Co-TWENTY12)
3. Kelly Benjamin (Colavita-Baci/Cooking Light)
4. Brooke Miller (Team TIBCO-To The Top)
5. Mary Maroon (Touchstone)
Marianne Vos’ Nederland Bloeit team presented
This week saw the official team presentation of the Nederland Bloeit team of Dutch road race and World Cyclocross champion Marianne Vos. The 2009 team’s secondary sponsor, which promotes agriculture in the Netherlands, has stepped up to take over from DSB Bank which fell victim to the World banking crisis.
New riders for 2010 are former Dutch champion Suzanne De Goede, from Nürnberger Versicherung, and Loes Gunnewijk and Loes Markerink, both from the now defunct Team Flexpoint.
Also new in 2010 is legendary Dutch sprinter Jeroen Blijlevens, who becomes the team’s director sportif.
According to Wielerflits, Vos is to spend less time in the mud and more time on the boards this summer as she prepares her bid for a second Olympic gold on the track. She will be unable to defend her Points Race title, as the event has been removed from the programme for London 2012, but could potentially medal in both the Team Pursuit and the Omnium.
Italian cycling celebrates International Women’s Day
Riders past and present were honoured by Trofeo Binda World Cup organiser Cycling Sport Promotions in the second annual evening of “Bici & Mimosa”. The event, named after the flowers traditionlly given to women in Italy on International Women’s Day, took place at the prestigious Palazzo Verbania in Luino, on the banks of the Lago Maggiore.
Current riders present were Rossella Callovi (Vecchia Fontana), Noemi Cantele (HTC-Columbia), Eleonora Patuzzo (Safi-Pasta Zara), Edita Pucinskaite (Gauss-RDZ-Ormu), Diana Ziliute (recently retired from Safi-Pasta Zara). Luisa Pegoraro, Gauss-RDZ-Ormu team manager, was also present.
Leontien announces 2010 Ladies’ Rides
Multiple World and Olympic champion, and head of team Leontien.nl, Leontien Zijlaard-Van Moorsel has announced the dates of her 2010 Ladies Rides. The rides are designed to encourage women of all ages and abilities to et on their bikes, with the emphasis very much on fun.
2010 Leontien Ladies Ride Dates
May 2nd – Amsterdam
May 30th – Zwolle
June 20th – Rotterdam Alexander
September 19th – s’Hertogenbosch