Pooley and Häusler among favourites for Giro Donne

[Ross]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/21st-g ... -1/preview

Pooley and Häusler among favourites for Giro Donne

Tough route awaits contenders in Italy
By:
Barry Ryan


British champion Emma Pooley (Cervélo) is among the favourites for the Giro Donne, which gets under way with a short stage around the historic city of Trieste on Friday. This year’s edition is felt to be one of the toughest in the race’s twenty-one year history, with a gruelling stage to the top of the Stelvio awaiting the riders on the penultimate day.

Pooley was 4th overall in last year’s race, but appears to have stepped up a level this season. She has been in fantastic form thus far in the campaign, clocking up victories in the Flèche Wallonne, Tour de l’Aude and the Giro del Trentino.

Pooley is enthusiastic about the route, telling Cycling Weekly that “it's pretty exciting, it's a really tough course this year. It suits the strength of the team really well”. She will be favoured to feature strongly on the Stelvio, and should be in the hunt for the maglia rosa from the stage three time-trial at Biadene onwards.

The biggest challenger to Pooley's pink jersey aspirations may well come from within her own Cervélo team. Last year’s Giro Donne winner Claudia Häusler will start as the nominal leader of the squad. The German impressed in taking a Tour de l’Aude and Giro Donne double in 2009.

However, if Cervélo choose to let the road decide the leadership of the team, she may just find herself serving as a super-domestique for Pooley. In any case, it is clear that Cervélo have considerable depth, with a roster that includes Britain’s Sharon Laws and Australia’s Carla Ryan, as well as sprint ace Kirsten Wild for th.

HTC-Columbia is also sending a strong contingent to Italy. Evie Stevens is a natural climber and impressed in the Tour de l’Aude before crashing. That was her first ever ten-day stage race however, and it might be the case that the experienced Judith Arndt will lead the team. Arndt arrives into the race in decent form after winning the German time trial championship and taking silver in the road race last week. The course may once more prevent sprinter Ina Teutenberg from repeating her four stage wins of 2008, however.

Mara Abbott will lead the USA team in the event and will be looking to go one step further than last year’s second place finish. A strong climber, she will seek to limit her losses in the 16.9km time-trial and if she is still in contention come the Stelvio, anything is possible.

A number of young riders will also be aiming to make an impact on the race. Rasa Leleivyte (Safi-Pasta Zara) will be back in action after her surprise sprint victories in the Tour of Qatar earlier this season. Annemiek Van Vleuten (Netherlands) put in strong performances in the Emakumeen Bira, as did Safi-Pasta's Elandora Petuzzo.

The demanding race this year travels east-west across northern Italy. The hilly stage five around the picturesque Lago d’Orta will be a highlight of an attractive route, and the climbing rachets up a notch from there on in. Stage seven sees the climb of the Giro di Lombardia’s storied Madonna di Ghisallo, before back to back stages in the high mountains to Livigno and to the top of the Stelvio round off the race. The Giro Donne finishes with a 115km stage on the famous Monza racetrack.



Emma Pooley (Cervelo) celebrates her victory

Photo: © Gerry McManus/www.splitsecondimages.co.uk



The Giro Donne gets pink balloons, just like the men's event

Photo: © Tricarico Davide



Claudia Hausler (Cervelo Test Team) concentrates with 20km to go

Photo: © CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net



The competition winners line up for photos : Mara Abbott (Team Columbia) (mountains), Claudia Hausler (Cervelo Test Team) (overall) and Lizzie Armitstead (Lotto Belisol) (young rider)

Photo: © CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net

[Missy24]

Ina yoko of htc went two for two... Currently in the leads

Australian kirsty broun has had a top 10 finish on day 1 think it was

[Missy24]

Ina had 3 wins in a row from what I understand and Marianne Vos as well.

A publication called She PEdals: The Journal of Women in Cycling is actually doing a really great job of coverage

[Missy24]

1. Mara Abbot (USA) US National Team, in 25:15:54
2. Judith Arndt (Ger) HTC Columbia Women, at 0:02:05
3. Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) Team Valdarno, at 0:03:05
4. Claudia Häusler (Ger) Cervelo TestTeam, at 0:05:26
5. Emma Pooley (GBr) Cervelo TestTeam, at 0:07:29
6. Eivgenia Vysotska (Ukr) Team Valdarno, at 0:08:23
7. Marianne Vos (Ned) Netherlands National Team, at 0:09:24
8. Tatiana Antoshina (Rus) Team Valdarno, at 0:12:08
9. Olga Zabelinskaya (Rus) Safi – Pasta Zara, at 0:23:03
10. Elena Berlato (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo – Ghezzi, at 0:25:50
11. Edwige Pitel (Fra) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox, at 0:28:45
12. Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Gauss RDZ Ormu, at 0:30:47
13. Grete Treier (Est) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox, at 0:31:40
14. Linda Villumsen (NZl) HTC Columbia Women, at 0:32:32
15. Evelyn Stevens (USA) HTC Columbia Women, at 0:41:16
16. Shara Gillon (Aus) Australia National Team, at 0:42:02
17. Ashleigh Moolman (RSA) Lotto Ladies Team, at 0:42:52
18. Natalia Boyarskaya (Rus) Fenixs – Petrogradets, at 0:43:37
19. Marta Vilajosana Andreu (Spa) Fenixs – Petrogradets, at 0:50:36
20. Carla Ryan (Aus) Cervelo TestTeam, at 0:50:48
21. Nina Ovcharenko (Ukr) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox, at 0:51:42
22. Vicki Whitelaw (Aus) Lotto Ladies Team, at 0:55:48
23. Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Australia National Team, at 0:57:40
24. Polona Batagelj (Slo) Bizkaia – Durango, at 0:58:35
25. Valentina Carretta (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo – Ghezzi, at 1:00:23
26. Katarzyna Sosna (Ltu) Vaiano Solaristech, at 1:01:20
27. Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Netherlands National Team, at 1:04:05
28. Olena Oliinyk (Ukr) Acs Chirio – Forno D’Asolo, at 1:05:49
29. Carlee Taylor (Aus) Australia National Team, at 1:06:37
30. Veronica Leal Balderas (Mex) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox, at 1:10:25
31. Karin Aune (Swe) Fenixs – Petrogradets, at 1:15:41
32. Elena Kuchinskaya (Rus) Gauss RDZ Ormu, at 1:18:15
33. Kimberley Anderson (USA) HTC Columbia Women, at 1:21:49
34. Martine Bras (Ned) Gauss RDZ Ormu, at 1:23:50
35. Lucinda Brand (Ned) Netherlands National Team, at 1:24:39
36. Sigrid Corneo (Slo) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo – Ghezzi, at 1:25:21
37. Patricia Schwager (Swi) Cervelo TestTeam, at 1:25:58
38. Laura Bozzolo (Ita) Team Valdarno, at 1:26:52
39. Monia Baccaille (Ita) Team Valdarno, at 1:30:24
40. Shelley Evans (USA) US National Team, at 1:32:57
41. Catherine Delfosse (Bel) Lotto Ladies Team, at 1:33:16
42. Lorena Foresi (Ita) Safi – Pasta Zara, at 1:36:47
43. Anna Van Der Breggen (Ned) Netherlands National Team, at 1:36:50
44. Julia Martisova (Rus) Gauss RDZ Ormu, at 1:40:44
45. Silvia Valsecchi (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo – Ghezzi, at 1:41:15
46. Noemi Cantele (Ita) HTC Columbia Women, at 1:41:43
47. Martina Corazza (Ita) Team Valdarno, at 1:45:19
48. Ana Garcia Antequera (Spa) Bizkaia – Durango, at 1:45:55
49. Cristina Alcalde Huertanos (Spa) Bizkaia – Durango, at 1:46:05
50. Martina Ruzickova (Cze) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox, at 1:46:14
51. Sinead Miller (USA) US National Team, at 1:48:46
52. Vilija Sereikaite (Ltu) Safi – Pasta Zara, at 1:52:45
53. Lisa Jacobs (Aus) Australia National Team, at 1:58:07
54. Ane Santesteban Gonzalez (Spa) Debabarrena – Kirolgi, at 1:58:36
55. Svetlana Bubnenkova (Rus) Fenixs – Petrogradets, at 2:00:37
56. Jennifer Fiori (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo – Ghezzi, at 2:02:21
57. Viktoria Vologdina (Ukr) Acs Chirio – Forno D’Asolo, at 2:03:04
58. Ariadna Tudel Cuberes (And) Bizkaia – Durango, at 2:03:09
59. Gloria Presti (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo – Ghezzi, at 2:04:31
60. Theresa Cliff-Ryan (USA) US National Team, at 2:05:05
61. Eleonora Patuzzo (Ita) Safi – Pasta Zara, at 2:05:09
62. Chantal Blaak (Ned) Netherlands National Team, at 2:05:52
63. Alison Starnes (USA) US National Team, at 2:06:32
64. Rasa Leleivyte (Ltu) Safi – Pasta Zara, at 2:11:11
65. Ina Yoko Teutenberg (Ger) HTC Columbia Women, at 2:11:20
66. Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Gauss RDZ Ormu, at 2:14:20
67. Luisa Tamanini (Ita) Acs Chirio – Forno D’Asolo, at 2:17:04
68. Iris Slappendel (Ned) Cervelo TestTeam, at 2:18:34
69. Kirsten Wild (Ned) Cervelo TestTeam, at 2:19:43
70. Tetyana Riabchenko (Ukr) Acs Chirio – Forno D’Asolo, at 2:20:53
71. Alessandra D’Ettorre (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo – Ghezzi, at 2:21:03
72. Carmen Small (USA) US National Team, at 2:23:45
73. Alona Andruk (Ukr) Safi – Pasta Zara, at 2:26:46
74. Giada Borgato (Ita) Gauss RDZ Ormu, at 2:27:06
75. Sanne Van Passen (Ned) Netherlands National Team, at 2:29:50
76. Simona Frapporti (Ita) Vaiano Solaristech, at 2:30:31
77. Marta Tagliaferro (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo – Ghezzi, at 2:30:47
78. Emma Mackie (Aus) Australia National Team, at 2:31:07
79. Inmaculada Pereiro (Spa) Debabarrena – Kirolgi, at 2:31:09
80. Alessandra Borchi (Ita) Gauss RDZ Ormu, at 2:32:33
81. Uenia Fernandes Da Souza (Bra) Acs Chirio – Forno D’Asolo, at 2:32:38
82. Kim Schoonbaert (Bel) Lotto Ladies Team, at 2:36:36
83. Lauren Kitchen (Aus) Australia National Team, at 2:40:49
84. Tania Belvederesi (Ita) Team Valdarno, at 2:42:02
85. Alice Marmorini (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox, at 2:42:15
86. Rosane Kirch (Bra) Acs Chirio – Forno D’Asolo, at 2:50:35
87. Francesca Tognali (Ita) Vaiano Solaristech, at 2:52:48
88. Eleonora Spaliviero (Ita) Vaiano Solaristech, at 2:53:04
89. Bridie O’Donnel (Aus) Team Valdarno, at 2:53:27
90. Simona Martini (Ita) Vaiano Solaristech, at 2:54:40
91. Dorleta Zorrilla Braceras (Spa) Bizkaia – Durango, at 2:55:26
92. Irene Falorni (Ita) Vaiano Solaristech, at 2:58:31
93. Nimesha Smith (NZl) Lotto Ladies Team, at 3:00:56
94. Marit Huisman (Ned) Netherlands National Team, at 3:02:21