Posted by Editoress on 08/27/11
Annemiek van Vleuten (Nederland Bloeit) cemented her position at the top of the World Cup table with a win in fine style at the final round in Plouay, France. On a warm day, with a strong wind which blew across the riders' faces on the long climb, it was always going to be a hard race.
Annemiek van Vleuten (Nederland Bloeit) wins
Twice winner in Plouay (2009, 2010), Emma Pooley (Garmin-Cervelo) opened the aggressions with an attack which caused a break on the fourth of six laps of a 19.1 kilometre circuit. With her went World Cup leader, Annemiek van Vleuten (Nederland -Bloeit), Evelyn Stevens (HTC HighRoad), Chantal Blaak (AA Drink) and Erinne Willock (Tibco). The quartet quickly gained a gap of over one minute 40 seconds. Behind, the peloton was slowly diminished until the main chase group was just eleven riders, with the large peloton three minutes in arrears.
Erinne Willock at the front of the break
On the fifth lap, Pooley attacked again and managed to get away solo. She built a lead of around a minute. At the same time that she attacked the leaders, Marianne Vos (Nederland Bloeit) accelerated fiercely from the chase group and began to bridge across the gap of over one minute to the front of the race. She took less than ten kilometres to get to the group behind Pooley and when she did, she kept going. The group went with her, which meant that Pooley's advantage began to fall. For the closing kilometres, the Briton hung on at 15 seconds, but Vos persisted and Pooley was caught with three kilometres to go. Van Vleuten was attentive for a counterattack, which she was anticipating. Sure enough, Evelyn Stevens accelerated, but got nowhere alone, van Vleuten went with her and the pair entered the final kilometre together.
Annemiek van Vleuten had the strongest legs and she managed to open a gap on the American in the finishing straight. The Dutchwoman celebrated yet another World Cup win in 2011 and became World Cup Champion for the first time with 362 points. Vos was second on 315 points and Emma Johansson (Hitec Products) third with 223 points after finishing in the peloton.
Van Vleuten was naturally pleased with her win. She admitted that it had not been the plan that she would win the final round, but gave nothing away: “No, it was not the plan that I would win today, that's a secret, what our plan was, but no, not today….”, she was clearly relieved that Vos had crossed the gap on the penultimate lap though, “I was thinking 'ah, I'm alone', so when she came, it was fun to be together and we could 'play' together, she did a great job today“ van Vleuten smiled, “She (Vos) was strong chasing Pooley and then I was expecting an attack in the final kilometres and (Evelyn) Stevens attacked and I was on her wheel and I felt good. I was just going to enjoy the day, but I got 75 points too.”
Van Vleuten admitted that she had not yet thought about being World Cup Champion, “I thought about it a bit after Sweden, that it was possible, but I have been focussed this year on wins in the World Cup, so it worked out well for me and Marianne with so many wins between us this year.”
The day was rounded off nicely for Nederland Bloeit, the team also won the World Cup classification for teams.
Report by CJ Farquharson
114.6 km | |
1 Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Nederland Bloeit | 3:12:28 |
2 Evelyn Stevens (USA) HTC-Highroad Women | at 0:03 |
3 Marianne Vos (Ned) Nederland Bloeit | 0:46 |
4 Chantal Blaak (Ned) AA Drink - Leontien.nl | s.t |
5 Erinne Willock (Can) TIBCO - To The Top | 0:49 |
6 Emma Pooley (GBr) Garmin - Cervelo | 1:06 |
7 Judith Arndt (Ger) HTC-Highroad Women | 5:45 |
8 Joelle Numainville (Can) TIBCO - To The Top | |
9 Rasa Leleivyte (Ltu) Vaiano Solaristech | |
10 Emma Johansson (Swe) Hitec Products UCK | |
11 Ashleigh Moolman (RSA) Lotto Honda Team | |
12 Claudia Häusler (Ger) Diadora - Pasta Zara | |
13 Lucinda Brand (Ned) AA Drink - Leontien.nl | |
14 Grace Verbeke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 2012 - Ridley Team | |
15 Tatiana Antoshina (Rus) GAUSS | |
16 Flavia Oliveira (Bra) Vaiano Solaristech | |
17 Trixi Worrack (Ger) AA Drink - Leontien.nl | |
18 Megan Guarnier (USA) TIBCO - To The Top | |
19 Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo | all s.t. |
20 Tetyana Riabchienko (Ukr) Colavita Forno D'asolo | 6:12 |
21 Vera Koedooder (Ned) Dutch National Team | 6:24 |
22 Shelley Olds (USA) Diadora - Pasta Zara | 9:35 |
23 Christine Majerus (Lux) Gsd Gestion | |
24 Kirsten Wild (Ned) AA Drink - Leontien.nl | |
25 Julie Krasniak (Fra) French National Team | |
26 Martine Bras (Ned) Dolmans Landscaping Team | |
27 Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Fra) GAUSS | |
28 Audrey Cordon (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope | |
29 Lise Nöstvold (Nor) Hitec Products UCK | |
30 Sofie De Vuyst (Bel) Lotto Honda Team | |
31 Loes Gunnewijk (Ned) Nederland Bloeit | |
32 Alexandra Burchenkova (Rus) Russian National Team | |
33 Magdalena De Saint Jean (Fra) French National Team | |
34 Aude Biannic (Fra) French National Team | |
35 Maaike Polspoel (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 2012 - Ridley Team | |
36 Robyn De Groot (RSA) Lotto Honda Team | |
37 Mascha Pijnenborg (Ned) Dolmans Landscaping Team | |
38 Julia Martisova (Rus) GAUSS | |
39 Régina Bruins (Ned) Dutch National Team | |
40 Polona Batageli (Slo) Bizkaia - Durango | |
41 Joanna Van De Winkel (RSA) Lotto Honda Team | |
42 Anna Potokina (Rus) Russian National Team | |
43 Amélie Rivat (Fra) French National Team | |
44 Marion Rousse (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope | |
45 Mélodie Leseur (Fra) French National Team | |
46 Liesbet De Vocht (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 2012 - Ridley Team | |
47 Petra Dijkman (Ned) Dolmans Landscaping Team | |
48 Sylwia Kapusta (Pol) GAUSS | |
49 Rossella Callovi (Ita) SC Mcipollini Giordana | |
50 Belen Lopez Morales (Esp) Spanish National Team | |
51 Eneritz Iturriaga Etxebarria (Esp) Spanish National Team | |
52 Ludivine Henrion (Bel) Lotto Honda Team | |
53 Anna Sanchis Chafer (Esp) Bizkaia - Durango | |
54 Sharon Laws (GBr) Garmin - Cervelo | |
55 Monia Baccaille (Ita) SC Mcipollini Giordana | |
56 Giada Borgato (Ita) Colavita Forno D'asolo | |
57 Irene Van Den Broek (Ned) AA Drink - Leontien.nl | |
58 Charlotte Becker (Ger) HTC-Highroad Women | |
59 Olga Zabelinskaya (Rus) Diadora - Pasta Zara | |
60 Anne Van Der Breggen (Ned) Dutch National Team | |
61 Valentina Scandolara (Ita) GAUSS | |
62 Iris Slappendel (Ned) Garmin - Cervelo | |
63 Karol-Ann Canuel (Can) Vienne Futuroscope | |
64 Inga Cilvinaite (Ltu) Diadora - Pasta Zara | |
65 Jennifer Hohl (Sui) SC Mcipollini Giordana | |
66 Elena Berlato (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo | |
67 Marijn De Vries (Ned) AA Drink - Leontien.nl | |
68 Susanna Zorzi (Ita) GAUSS | |
69 Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Colavita Forno D'asolo | |
70 Nicole Cooke (GBr) SC Mcipollini Giordana | |
71 Elizabeth Armitstead (GBr) Garmin - Cervelo | |
72 Amber Neben (USA) HTC-Highroad Women | |
73 Fabiana Luperini (Ita) SC Mcipollini Giordana | |
74 Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) SC Mcipollini Giordana | all s.t. |
OTL Marieke Van Wanroij (Ned) Nederland Bloeit | 14:40 |
OTL Annelies Van Doorslaer (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 2012 - Ridley Team | |
OTL Irene San Sebastian (Esp) Spanish National Team | |
OTL Svetlana Pauliukaite (Ltu) Colavita Forno D'asolo | |
OTL Lucy Martin (GBr) Garmin - Cervelo | |
OTL Marina Likhanova (Rus) Russina National Team | |
OTL Oxana Kozonchuk (Rus) Diadora - Pasta Zara | |
OTL Janneke Kanis (Ned) Nederland Bloeit | |
OTL Siobhan Horgan (Irl) Team Gsd Gestion | |
OTL Elodie Hegoburu (Fra) French National Team | |
OTL Sarah Düster (Ned) Nederland Bloeit | |
OTL Alessandra D'ettorre (Ita) Colavita Forno D'asolo | |
OTL Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Hitec Products UCK | |
OTL Mélanie Bravard (Fra) Team Gsd Gestion | all s.t. |
OTL Roxane Knetemann (Ned) Dutch National Team | 15:52 |
OTL Janneke Ensing (Ned) Dolmans Landscaping Team | 24:58 |
OTL Laure Werner (Nor) Hitec Products UCK | 25:01 |
OTL Fröydis Waerstad (Nor) Hitec Products UCK | |
OTL Serena Sheridan (NZl) TIBCO/To The Top | |
OTL Emilie Moberg (Nor) Hitec Products UCK | |
OTL Birgit Lavrijssen (Ned) Dolmans Landscaping Team | |
OTL Yulia Iliynykh (Rus) Russina National Team | |
OTL Lisa Brennauer (Nor) Hitec Products UCK | all s.t. |
OTL Lotte. Van Hoek (Ned) Dutch National Team | 29:37 |
DNF Noemi Cantele | |
DNF Winanda Spoor | |
DNF Eugenie Mermillod | |
DNF Fabienne Schaus | |
DNF Charlotte Bravard | |
DNF Jenifère Letue | |
DNF Marion Azam | |
DNF Emmanuelle Merlot | |
DNF Cristina Alcalde Huertanos | |
DNF Ruth Corset | |
DNF Davina Summers | |
DNF Barbara Guarischi | |
DNF Béatrice Thomas | |
DNF Joanne Duval | |
DNF Margot Ortega | |
DNF Roxane Fournier | |
DNF Lieselot Decroix | |
DNF Ine Beyen | |
DNF Eleonora Patuzzo | |
DNF Ally Stacher | |
DNF Amanda Miller | |
DNF Airzhan Zhaparova | |
DNF Elena Utrobina | |
DNF Katarzyna Sosna | |
DNF Valentina Bastianelli | |
DNF Chiara Vanni | |
DNF Eleonora Spaliviero | |
DNF Leire Olaberria | |
DNF Dorleta Eskamendi | |
DNF Ane Santesteban | |
DNF Emma Mackie | |
DNF Giulia Ronchi | |
DNF Jennifer Fiori | |
DNF Gloria Presti | |
DNF Silvia Valsecchi |
Final Standings
1 Annemiek van Vleuten (Ned) Nederland Bloeit, 362
2 Marianne Vos (Ned) Nederland Bloeit, 315
3 Emma Johansson (Swe) Hitec Products UCK, 223