May 20/02 10:31 am - Tour d L'Aude: Stage 4

Posted by Editoress on 05/20/02
 

Tour de L'Aude
Report courtesy Saturn

In what has become an outstanding Tour for the Saturn Cycling Team, the Yellow Jersey, Saturn's Ina Teutenberg won her second stage of the race in Rieux Minervois today. Making this the second consecutive win and the third of the four days of racing for Saturn, the Team managed to further secure Teutenberg's lead on Russian Zabellinskaia.

After the wind and the heat took its toll on the peloton, only 92 riders stood at the start line of stage four of the 18th Tour de L'Aude. The group rode the first 20 kilometers conservatively, respecting the heat that began to saturate the region this weekend. Things began to heat up after the first bonus sprint, and the race for the win began in earnest. Teutenberg won the second time bonus, gaining three precious seconds in the overall standings.

Under the pressure of a very strong Polikavitchute (Lithuania) at kilometer 61 for the QOM sprint, the bunch broke in two. Several attacks followed, with all teams trying to rid themselves of the Saturn sprinters who tenaciously hung on over the climb. But it was a battle of wills, and the Saturn Team was determined to gain as many seconds possible in the finish for the race leader Teutenberg.

At four kilometers to go, Saturn's Judith Arndt made a timely solo move, but with the effort of the Nurnberger, the German National Team, and the Itera Team the group was able to catch her with two kilometers to go. Using the momentum of the group, the Saturn Team poured on more speed, delivering Teutenberg to the line for her second win of the Tour, and a ten-second bonus. Germany's Angela Broedtke was second over Itera's Samokvalova. Saturn's Teutenberg leads the tour by 27 seconds on Itera's Zabellinskaia.

However, with the arrival of the mountains in tomorrow, and two hard stages facing the five women Saturn squad, the climbers will most certainly come to the fore to challenge Teutenberg to keep the much sought after Yellow Jersey. The morning's 45 kilometers between Tuchan and Duilhac Peyrepertuse have two-second category climbs as well as a third category climb thrown in for good measure. The afternoon's 45 kilometers from Duilhac to Tuchan has a first category climb only nine kilometers from the finish.


Stage 4: Rieux Minervois to Rieux Minervois, 114 km