Wednesday 21 March 2012

Monique van de Ree
(image credit: 1t41)

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

Sunday 18 March 2012

Small victory at Classica Cita di Padova

Carmen Small
(image credit: Optum ProCycling)
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 Dames when 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).

Other races
Ronde Van Woensdre
Omloop Van Strijen

Saturday 10 March 2012

Pijnenborg takes first win for Dolmans-Boels



Mascha Pijnenborg
(image credit: Dolmans-Boels)
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.

Ronde van Drenthe Women's Road World Cup

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.

2011 Cup winner Annemiek Van Vleuten
(image credit: K.J. Schilstra CC BY 3.0)
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,)

Thursday 8 March 2012

Hosking surprise winner at Dwingeloo

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 Kasper 00:11 
  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 Sanchis ST
  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 


Women's Drentse 8 Van Dwingeloo

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.

Tuesday 6 March 2012

Women's Gent-Wevelgem 25.03.12

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.

Starters (incomplete)

MIX TEAM KLEO LADIES - ABUS NUTRIXXION
1 ARYS  Evelyn
2
3
4
5
6
7
8


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


TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN - RIDLEY 2012
17 BRULEE Latoya
18 BEYEN Ine
19 POLSPOEL Maaike
20 VANDEN BRANDE  Edith
21 VEKEMANS Anisha
22 CROKET Gilke
23 D`HOORE Jolien
24 DRUYTS Kelly


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


DURA VERMEER CYCLING TEAM
137 DE MOYER Tessa
138 KLEP Inge
139 VERDONCK Sofie
140 SIMONS Suzan
141 KLOPPENBURG Margriet
142 CEULEMANS Dunja
143 VERSTRATEN Chantal
144 BONGAARDS Amanda


MOVINGLADIES - NWVG - BIKE4AIR
145 RINGLEVER Linda
146 PEETOOM Kirsten
147 VAN PINXTEN Danielle
148 WOUTERS Kim
149 DONKERS Djoeke
150 SMITS Jessica
151 LENTING Charlotte
152 VAN KESSEL Femke


RESTORE CYCLING
153 BAZUIN Dirkje
154 BLOEM Judith
155 GOOSSENS Veerle
156 VAN HOEK Lotte
157 KLOMP Manon
158 NIESSEN Kirsten
159 ROBERTI Chiara
160 STEGINK Ymke


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


WV NOORD-WESTHOEK
169 JELSMA Judith
170 TESINK Irene
171 KREUZE Ingeborg
172 DIJKMAN Aagtje
173 VAN STEENIS Samantha
174 STOKMAN Marjan
175 JOLINK Nathalie
176


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

Sunday 4 March 2012

Weekend News Roundup

Lizzie Armitstead
(image credit: johnthescone CC BY 2.0)
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.

Saturday 3 March 2012

Marina Romoli to manage Diadora-Pasta Zara.

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.

Friday 2 March 2012

Sara Mustonen in training accident

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' :-)

The new season begins for Johansson and Vos

Emma Johansson sustained two
broken collarbones on the 14th of January
(image credit: Eriohm CC 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.