1t4i's Monique van de Ree beat Gilke Croket (Top Sport Flanders-Ridley 2012) and Petra Dijkman (Kleo) in three-rider sprint to the end of Wednesday's Dwars door Vlanderen voor Vrouwen. Team mate Adrie Visser picked up the points in the intermediate sprint earlier on in the race. Best Brit was 39-year-old Claire Thomas in 26th, then Sarah Coney in 29th and Emma Silversides in 56th, while Emma Trott didn't finish. (Results)
Monique van de Ree @MoniquevdrHell yeah, I did it! Just WON Dwars door Vlaanderen!! Really happy, and also thanks to my team mates!#that's the spirit!#1t4i <3 winning ; )
Good news for women's cycling: while some fans felt that this year's women's event - the first in the Dwars' history - felt like it had been rather hurriedly put together, organisers are pleased with how it went and hope to improve it over the coming years
Carmen Small-McNellis of Optum ProCycling was the surprise winner over on the other side of Italy at the Classica Cita di Padova where she beat a very strong field including current World Champion Giorgia Bronzini, Martine Bras, Judith Arndt and Cyclopunk's top tips Chloe Hosking and Emma Johansson. The 31-year-old American put the pedal to the metal in the final 9km and raced away from a nine-rider group that had led the race since the eighth and penultimate lap, crossing the finish line alone and unchallenged leaving MCipollini's Monia Baccaille to lead the peloton home. (Results)
Audrey Cordon of Vienne Futurscope won the 9th Cholet Pays De Loire Dameswhen she crossed the finish line alone 45" ahead of a 34-women group that included her team mate Pascale Jeuland (second place) and Emilie Moberg (Hitec Products-Mistral Home, third). Claire Thomas was best-placed British women in 10th place (full results).
Mascha Pijnenborg, Lensy de Bout and Maaike Polspoel powered away from the leading group in the Omloop van Oostduinkerke today before battling one another all the way to the line. However, de Bout and Polspoel could not match the 30-year-old Dutch woman's stunning turn of speed in the last few metres and could only watch as she scored the first victory for Dolmans-Boels since it grew out of the Dolmans Landscaping Team at the end of the last season.
Marianne Vos wins the first round of the World Cup
Saturday brought us the Ronde van Drenthe, Round 1 of the 2012 Women's Road World Cup which, as such, is arguably the most important date on the Elite Women's racing calendar so far this season. The top cyclists in the world were in attendance, including World Champion Giorgia Bronzini, Martine Bras, Ellen Van Dijk, Trixi Worrack, Lizzie Armitstead, Kirsten Wild, Nicole Cooke, Janneke Kanis, Loes Guunewijk, Judith Arndt, Emma Johansson and current favourites for the Cup Marianne Vos, in her second road race of the year after a stellar cyclo cross season, and last year's winner her Rabobank team mate Annemiek Van Vleuten.
Several of the women have won on this route before: Vos last year, Gunnewijk in 2010, Johansson in 2009. Bronzini finished third in 2011 and 2010, meaning she'll be eager for success today - however, Bronzini is likely to be basing her season around a performance peak in time for the World Championships and a third consecutive win, which left the majority of fans expecting Vos - who seems to be able to peak 365 days of the year - to take this one, and as ever the 24-year-old Dutch phenomenon did not disappoint: once the group of favourites, having led for much of the race, had been whittled down by the narrow roads and testing cobbled sectors, the Rabobank team went to work for their leader and finished off the competition one by one. Chantal Blaak made a brave attack but the Rabo women let her exhaust herself, leaving Vos to demonstrate again just how good she is with a fast and furious twelve-women sprint to the finish line. Vos, despite having won more races than just about any currently-active rider of either gender, still manages to look overjoyed and thankful with each new triumph she adds. Today was no different - looking every bit as excited as a neo-pro minutes after their first victory, she told reporters how thankful she is to have such a great team supporting her.
"In the sprint, I joined Kirsten Wild’s train. When she started it, I went along with her immediately and rode blind to the finish in the hope that nobody else would get past us. I’m really pleased with this win, but particularly pleased with the fact that the team worked so well together. The communication was excellent and we now seem to be in tune with each other. Iris Slappendel, Roxane Knetemann and Sarah Dünster put in a lot of work into the pursuit." - Marianne Vos
Vos: "I'm just very glad I was able to win again!"
The 132.8km parcours was a tough one with some cobbled sections and no fewer than three ascents of the VAMberg, the green and lush 75m "mountain" that is spelled in the unusual way that it is because it's really a rubbish dump created by waste disposal company Vuil Afvoer Maatschappij. The dump has been turfed over, making what was a blight on the landscape into a very beautiful feature among the flat surrounds, and in parts it's very steep indeed - as much as 16.7% at one point, making it one of the steepest climbs in professional cycling. Emma Johansson of Hitec Products-Mistral Home, back from a double clavicle fracture sustained in a training accident earlier this year, did remarkably well therefore to take third, recording the same time as Vos; especially since her team started the race with only five riders after Lise Nøstvold became ill. Best placed Brit was Lizzie Armitstead with 17th place, 3" down on Vos. (Full results here,)
Chloe Hosking beat some very stiff
opposition indeed today (image credit: jjron GNU1.2)
Australian Chloe Hosking continued her Specialized-Lululemon team's stunning first season today when she won the Drentse 8 Van Dwingeloo, snatching victory in the final sprint from current World Road Race Champion Giorgia Bronzini and Marianne Vos, frequently rated the best cyclist in the world today. Twelve women fought to the line with the sheer talent on display making the triumph an even sweeter one for the 21-year-old. Sharon Laws of AA Drink-Leontien.nl was best-placed Brit in 18th place, 11" behind Hosking.
(video after the results)
1. Chloe Hosking 03:41:15
2. Giorgia Bronzini
3. Marianne Vos 4. Monia Baccaile 5. Emma Johansson 6. Pascale Jeuland 7. Belinda Goss 8. Giada Borgato 9. Sarah Düster 10. Megan Guarnier 11. Trixi Worrack 12. Loes Gunnewijk 13. Audrey Cordon 00:10 14. Romy Kasper00:11 15. Daniela Gass ST 16. Roxane Knetemann 17. Julia Martisova 18. Sharon Laws 19. Barbara Guarischi 20. Inga Cilvinaite 21. Emilie Moberg 22. Monique Van De Ree 23. Alessandra Dettorre 24. Alexandra Burchenkova 25. Marlen Johrend 26. Jennifer Purcell 27. Marta Tagliaferro 28. Josien Van Wingerden 29. Tiffany Cromwell 30. Lisa Brennauer 31. Martina Corazza 32. Judith Arndt 33. Bianca Van Den Hoek 00:16 34. Anna SanchisST 35. Mascha Pijnenborg 36. Willeke Knol 37. Madeleine Sandig 38. Edita Janeliunaite 39. Jennifer Hohl 40. Christelle Ferrier-Breneau 41. Julia Soek 42. Gloria Presti 43. Lise Nøstvold 44. Charlotte Becker 45. Carmen Mcnellis Small 46. Madeleine Olsson 47. Marta Bastianelli 48. Marijn De Vries 49. Kelly Markus 50. Julie Beveridge 51. Emilia Fahlin 52. Janneke Kanis 53. Iris Slappendel 54. Sandra Van Veghel 55. Elisa Longo Borghini 56. Froydis Waerstad 57. Andrea Dvorak 58. Irina Molicheva 59. Tatiana Guderzo 60. Alessandra Borchi 61. Valentina Carretta 00:36 62. Theresa Cliff-ryan 01:03 63. Samantha Schneider 04:42 64. Agne Silinyte ST 65. Ashlynn Van Baarle 66. Anouska Koster 67. Jessie Daams 68. Ymke Stegink 69. Ilona Hoeksma 70. Sione Jongstra 71. Natalie Van Gogh 72. Manon Klomp 73. Martina Ruzickova 74. Judith Bloem 75. Alina Bondarenko 76. Oxana Kozonchuk 77. Henriette Woering 78. Silke Kogelman 79. Anne De Wildt 80. Elena Utrobina 81. Robin Farina 82. Petra Dijkman 83. Elena Berlato 84. Francesca Cauz 85. Jacquelyn Crowell 86. Melanie Bravard 87. Jessie Maclean 88. Nathalie Lamborelle 89. Winanda Spoor 90. Marissa Otten 91. Rochelle Gilmore 92. Jennifer Wheeler 93. Giuseppina Grassi 94. Simona Frapporti 95. Giulia Ronchi 96. Amelie Rivat 97. Rowena Fry 98. Lina- Kristin Schink 99. Carlee Taylor 100. Lauren Hall 101. Nathaly Van Wesdonk - 102. Amanda Miller 103. Annalisa Cucinotta 104. Valentina Scandolara 105. Anne Heijkoop - 106. Martina Thomasson 107. Stephanie Pohl 108. Joanne Hogan 109. Pauliena Rooijakkers 110. Marielle Kerste 111. Marie Lindberg 112. Evgenia Romanyuta 113. Evelyn Arys 05:19 114. Juliette Wigbold ST 115. Pauline Ferrand Prevot
Today - International Women's Day, fittingly - brings the Women's Drentse 8 Van Dwingeloo, a UCI 1.1 race that will see a total of 180 riders take part in three races culminating on Saturday with the first round of the 2012 UCI Women's World Road Cup: and for many fans, that means one thing - the return of last year's winner Marianne Vos to road competition following a short break in the wake of the cyclo cross season. The official site has further details.
The start list for the Women's Gent-Wevelgem has been announced - 2012 is the first time that a women's race has been held in the 78-year history of the Classic event, which has been held annually since 1934 except for 1940-1944. Some of the greatest female riders in the world are due to take part, including Vera Koedooder, Lizzie Armitstead, Kirsten Wild, Marijn de Vries and Margriet Kloppenburg. The parcours extends between Middelkirke, just south-west of Ostende, and Wevelgem south of Kortrijk.
SENGERS LADIES CYCLING TEAM 9 SILVERSIDES Emma 10 KOEDOODER Vera 11 ROGGEMAN Inge 12 BUYL Kimberly 13 VAN DER BREGGEN Anna 14 LAVRIJSSEN Birgit 15 VAN SEVEREN Celine 16 VERHESTRAETEN Karen
LOTTO BELISOL LADIES 25 DE GROOT Robyn 26 DUYCK Ann-sophie 27 HANNES Kaat 28 NIJNS Nathalie 29 SCHOONBAERT Kim 30 CARLESS Bo 31 GOOSSENS Joline 32 VAN LOOY Katrien
HITEC PRODUCTS - MISTRAL HOME CYCLING TEAM 33 THORSEN Thea 34 VORELAND Marie 35 BERGSETH Johanna 36 HATTELAND Tone 37 NÖSTVOLD Lise 38 JOHANSEN Cecilie s. 39 MOBERG Emilie 40
ASPTT DIJON - BOURGOGNE 41 BRAMANTE Aurélie 42 CRUM Emma 43 DE SAINT Magdalena 44 DUVAL Joanne 45 THOMAS Béatrice 46 TONDEUR Alexandra 47 WHITSON Genevieve 48 NIAY Oriane
DPD - PAKKETSERVICE 49 HANDLEY Pippa 50 VAN GOGH Natalie 51 BARNES Hannah 52 OLTHUIS Esther 53 ESHUIS Aafke 54 THOMASSON Martina 55 JANSEN Britt 56 PAUS Berdienke
DOLMANS - BOELS CYCLINGTEAM 57 ELZING Karen 58 GERCAMA Alie 59 KESSLER Nina 60 SPOOR Winanda 61 ENSING Janneke 62 OTTEN Marissa 63 KOSTER Anouska 64 VAN DER KAMP Laura
AA DRINK - LEONTIEN.NL CYCLING TEAM 65 WILD Kirsten 66 ARMITSTEAD Elizabeth 67 DE VRIES Marijn 68 SÖDERBERG Isabelle 69 DAAMS Jessie 70 OLSSON Madeleine 71 RYAN Carla 72 MARTIN Lucy
SKIL 1T4i 73 PIETERS Amy 74 MARKUS Kelly 75 DE GOEDE Suzanne 76 TROMP Esra 77 VAN DE REE Monique 78 BRUINS Regina 79 VAN RIJEN Linda 80 KANIS Janneke
WIELERCLUB STEEDS VOORAAN V.Z.W. 81 DOM Annelies 82 GEOGHEAGAN Mitchelle 83 JASPART Larisa 84 DE VESTELE Adeline 85 VAN DEN BOSCH Carolien 86 CATTRYSSE Melanie 87 BREYNE Mariska 88 LOBBESTAEL Lieselot
WETTERSE DAKWERKEN-AUTOGLAS WETTEREN CT 89 COOLENS Kristina 90 ASHTON Kimberley 91 GHEERARDYN Anne-laure 92 DE BOECK Jasmien 93 BERTON Fatima 94 DE RAVET Karolien 95 DE SCHEPPER Cindy 96
WIELERCLUB DE SPRINTERS MALDEREN 97 DE CROOCK Stephanie 98 DE RIDDER Amy 99 HOFFMANN Chantal 100 LEENKNEGT Liliane 101 THONON Marie-pierre 102 VAN DEN HAUTE Steffy 103 VAN DEN STEEN Goedele 104 WERNER Laure
WIMI-GAMES - ST MARTINUS CT - KERKSKEN 105 DE BAAT Kim 106 VANDERMASSEN Helène 107 BEKE Davina 108 VERHAEGHE Hannah 109 VERSTICHELEN Femke 110 VAN DE PONTSEELE Ilse 111 BRACKE Cynthia 112 BAMELIS Sanne
KEUKENS REDANT CYCLING TEAM 113 DEBBOUDT Lensy 114 DEBBOUDT Sylvia 115 ROBERT Valerie 116 VAN GLABEKE Shana 117 VERBEECK Liesbeth 118 VERCAMER Elien 119 VERCAMMEN Ine 120
RUITER DAKKAPELLEN WIELERTEAM 121 VISSER Annelies 122 HEIJKOOP Anne 123 TABAK Noortje 124 WELTER Hannah 125 JOCHEMS Britt 126 SOEK Julia 127 BOSKAMP Joan 128 WOERING Melanie
GRC JAN VAN ARCKEL 129 WILDEMAN Jet 130 FRANCKE Agnieta 131 DEN OTTER Marieke 132 KUIZENGA Sigrid 133 JONGSTRA Sione 134 TWIST Nelleke 135 KOGELMAN Silke 136 SCHOLTEN Ester
TEAM SRAM 161 VAN WINGERDEN Josien 162 GLASBERGEN Jessica 163 VAN DEN HOEK Bianca 164 VAN VEGHEL Sandra 165 KOSTER Olivia 166 TURPIJN Laura 167 WIGBOLD Juliette 168
SWABO LADIES CYCLING TEAM 177 VAN WESDONK Nathaly 178 POST Jermaine 179 SPRINGER Ruth 180 VAN SANTEN Domenique 181 LAUDY Jeanine 182 DE RUIJTER Sophie 183 VAN TOL Nina 184 SOEPENBERG Rylana
TEAM NUTSWERK 185 GINS Tara 186 CORTHOUT Shauni 187 LEEMANS Els 188 BOGAERT Lisa 189 VAN DER STELT Iris 190 DOEDEE Baukje 191 BRAAM Joukje 192 VERSLUIS Wend
23-year-old British star Lizzie Armitstead, one of several riders to have joined AA Drink-Leontien.nl following the demise of the Garmin-Cervelo Women's Team, scored a major victory with first place at the Omloop het van Hageland today after breaking away from the peloton in the latter part of the race accompanied by Hitec Products-Mistral Home's Elisa Longo-Borghini and Rabobank's Pauline Ferrand-Prevot. In the final sprint, she demonstrated the sheer power that has seen her as respected in the women's peloton as Cavendish is in the men's, beating Ferrabd-Prevot by 2" and Longo-Borghini by 4". Lucy Martin, also riding with AA Drink, took ninth place, Emma Silversides of Sengers was the next best Brit in 47th.
It wasn't all great from a British point of view, however: Emma Trott, riding with Dolmans-Boels this season, crashed and broke her collar bone. The 22-year-old announced her misfortune via Twitter...
@EmmaTrott1989
Shit happens, 2nd race and I end in hospital with broken collarbone! Fantastic!
Best wishes for a very speedy recovery, Emma.
Having already enjoyed a successful career in rugby (she played with the national women's team) and bobsleigh (she won an Olympic gold medal), Canada's Heather Moyse decided it was time to go looking for another sport - and chose track cycling. This weekend, she represented her nation at the PanAmerican Championships in Argentina, where she competed in the 500m TT and Sprint. (Vancouver Sun)
Emma Johansson made her return to racing at the Omloop het van Hageland, having recovered from twin broken collar bones sustained in a training ride accident back in January. She finished in 27th place - no surprise to the Swedish rider, who seems happy just to be back, but expect a rapid return to race-winning form.
Team Diadora-Pasta Zara-Manhattan has announced that it has taken on Marina Romoli as manager. 23-year-old Romoli, who was National Points Junior Champion in 2006, looked set for a glittering Elite career when she was involved in an horrific accident on the 1st of June 2010 during which she was catapulted through a car window. She sustained facial injuries that required 500 stitches, a punctured lung and - worst of all - spinal injuries that left her confined to a wheelchair. As one of the most colourful and gifted characters in the sport, her return to professional cycling will be very welcome.
Hitec Products-Mistral Home's 31-year-old rider Sara Mustonen was hit by a car during a training ride today, team manager Karl Lima has said via his Twitter account.
Swedish Sara, who won the Tour de Pologne Feminin in 2008, is understood to be unhurt.
Karl Lima @Karl_Lima_Hitec
Car hit Sara Mustonen on training today. Girl ok. Rumours say car total wreck and driver still running after Sara gave him 'the look' :-)
Emma Johansson sustained two broken collarbones on the 14th of January (image credit: EriohmCC BY 3.0)
Emma Johansson - the 28-year-old rider who sustained two broken collar bones during a training ride when she was involved in a collision with a car a month and a half ago - has recovered in time to compete in the upcoming Omloop van 't Hageland, her Hitec Products-Mistral Home team has confirmed. She had hoped to be able to ride in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, originally planned as the start of her season, but was aware doing so would be unlikely. The race takes place this Sunday the 4th of March at Tielt-Winge.
Marianne Vos
Meanwhile, following a short break after the cyclo cross season (which saw her yet again become World Champion) the Dutch superstar Marianne Vos will begin her season at the Acht van Dwingeloo on the 8th of March, which she won last year at the beginning of a spectacular season which confirmed her status as one of the most successful professional cyclists of all time. Now backed by a Rabobank team constructed around her and with the intention of driving her towards even more victories, her opponents will be keeping close watch to see just what they're up against this year.
