Flèche Wallonne 22/04/2007

Titelverteidigung misslang

Nicole Cooke - welche die Flèche Wallonne bereits dreimal gewinnen konnte - wollte dies ein viertes Mal tun. Das Team stand ihr während des Rennens zur Verfügung und so kontrollierten sie das Rennen, konterten Attacken und führten Nicole in optimaler Position zum Fuss der Mur de Huy (1.3 Kilometer lang, mit durchschnittlicher Steigung von 11 Prozent, steilste Stelle: 19 Prozent!). Leider war die amtierende Weltmeisterin Marianne Vos die Stärkste an diesem Tag und gewann den traditionsträchtige Klassiker vor massenhaften Zuschauern, die den Weg hoch bis ins Ziel säumten. Das Raleigh Team konnte die Position in der Weltcupführung sowohl in der Einzelwertung als auch in der Teamwertung erfolgreich verteidigen.

Flèche Wallonne 22/04/2007

Title defense failed

Marianne Vos (DSB Bank) raced to victory in the Fleche Wallone Femmes with a last-corner acceleration on the famous Mur de Huy, in translation, the ‘Wall of Huy’. “The Mur”, as it is known, is 1.3 kilometres in length and provides the finale to the 104 kilometre race. The average gradient is 11%, which is deceptive, since the narrow climb gets steeper and steeper throughout the ascent. Sections exceed 19%. Despite some brave attempts by the T-Mobile and the USA National teams to create breaks with their riders throughout the race, it came down to a test of strength on the Mur. Suzanne De Goede (T-Mobile) broke away briefly early in the race, then the Americans attacked on the late-race climbs; first Katherine Curi and then, in a counterattack when Curi’s thirty seconds lead was swallowed by the bunch, Alison Powers tried her luck to no avail. Finally, Chantal Beltman (T-Mobile) and Sara Carrigan (Belisol Lotto) managed a small advantage of 10 seconds as the race headed back in to Huy. Because the Raleigh Team forced the pace they too were swept back up by the bunch. Raleigh Team made an excellent lead out her leader Nicole Cooke so she could enter the Mur up the very front. On her wheel were Marianne Vos, Judith Arndt (T-Mobile) and Trixi Worrack (Équipe Nürnberger) as they began the climb of the Mur de Huy towards the finish. Cooke attacked early, but Vos bided her time, accelerating only at the final corner. She managed to create a gap of a few metres which she maintained in the final couple of hundred metres to the finish. Nicole Cooke started the fourth round of the 2007 World Cup knowing that she would still be in the leader’s jersey at the end. Her nearest rival, Adrie Visser (DSB Bank), could not catch the Welshwoman in the overall standings. The Fleche Wallone is a race which Nicole Cooke likes. She has won three times previously to 2007 – in 2003, 2005 and 2006. She revealed that her team’s tactics in the race had been geared towards a fourth victory. “We rode today for the win, its nice to keep the Leader’s jersey,” but Cooke seemed disappointed with second place. “It was a great team effort again today. Every single one of them did their job, it was incredible. They did a perfect lead-out going into the climb, Priska did the last bit and launched me perfectly.” Cooke remains in the World Cup lead overall with 221 points, as the series heads to the fifth round of the World Cup in Berne on May 13th. Marianne Vos (DSB Bank) moves into second place (145 points), ahead of her team-mate, Adrie Visser who slipped to third. .

Results:

	1	16	NED19870513	VOS Marianne	DSB	2:48:05
	2	1	GBR19830413	COOKE Nicole	RLT	+ 00:04
	3	21	GER19760723	ARNDT Judith	TMP	+ 00:07
	4	145	USA19750218	NEBEN Amber	FLX	+ 00:15
	5	87	USA19730811	ARMSTRONG Kristin	USA	+ 00:19
	6	53	SUI19790618	BRÄNDLI Nicole	BCT	+ 00:23
	7	72	AUT19791113	GRAUS Andrea	NUR
	8	171	NED19861007	BRUINS Regina	NED	+ 00:27
	9	41	ITA19740114	LUPERINI Fabiana	MSG	+ 00:29
	10	74	GER19790528	LUTZ Eva	NUR	+ 00:31

17

2

SUI19710510

DOPPMANN Priska

RLT

+ 00:50

31

6

SUI19720704

THÜRIG Karin

RLT

+ 01:14