Back-to-back weekends in Cypress

This past weekend, racers participated in the Afxentia 2007 stage race in Cyprus, which consisted of two UCI class 1 races plus a time trial only counting in the general classification. The two UCI-races were the Sunshine Cups #2 and #3, also part of the Sunshine Cup series.

Roel Paulissen (Cannondale-Vredestein) placed in the top three in all events and took the overall general classification on the men's side while his Swiss teammate Fredrik Kessiakoff won both the Sunshine Cup #2 and the time trial. Italian rider Yader Zoli (Italian National Team) won the final stage.

The women's race was won overall by Dutch rider Elsbeth Van Rooij-Vink, who took a third place and two firsts in the women's events. The only event she didn't win was taken by Polish racer Maja Wloszczowska.

Meanwhile, racing continues in Cyprus this weekend with the Race under the Sun on March 11. The UCI Hors Classe category race will award top racers with UCI points. More than 50 international elite riders are expected at the start line. Last year, German Karl Platt won the men's category, and Vink-van Rooy was the first women to finish the race on the 6.1 km track, with 245m of climbing per lap in the Yermasogia hills.

This year's women's race is shaping up to be a highly contested one. Former world champion, Sabine Spitz from Germany will lead the women's peloton along with worlds medallist Petra Henzi (Sui) and U23 racer Elisabeth Osl (Aut).