Marianne Vos convincingly won the Trofeo Alfredo Binda, the opening round of the women's World Cup series in Italy, to prove yet again she is currently the best female athlete in cycling.
Riding for the Netherlands national team just a few weeks after she won the women's cyclo-cross world title, Vos beat a group of nine riders that included some of the biggest names and strongest riders in the female peloton. Her win makes her the big favourite for next Sunday's women's Tour of Flanders.
Martine Bras gave the Netherlands a one-two, although she was riding for her Gauss-Rdz-Ormu trade team, with Emma Johansson (Redsun Cycling Team) third. In the same time but beaten in the sprint were Ruth Corset (Australia), Noemi Cantele (HTc-Columbia), Nicole Cooke (Great Britain) and Elena Berlato (Top Girls Fassa Bortolo – Ghezzi), Judith Arndt (HTC-Columbia) and Tatiana Guderzo (Valdarno).
Olga Zabelinskaya (Russia) finished five seconds down, in tenth place, after making a lone attack in the final kilometre. She was caught by the front group, before Vos blasted to the line to take her second consecutive victory in the tough Italian race held between Lake Maggiore and the tough hills west of Varese.
As expected, it was the testing Brinzio climb that caused the first real split in the race, with 20 riders going clear. However they were caught before the summit and stronger 16-rider group formed over the top that included Vos and the riders who would go on to fight for victory.
Andrea Bosman (Netherlands), Gloria Presti (Top Girls-Fassa Bortolo), Sinead Miller (USA), Grace Verbeke (Lotto Ladies), Ludovine Henrion (RedSun Cycling Team) and Rachel Neylan (Australia) also managed to get across further strengthening the move.
Some riders were dropped on the finishing circuit that included the Orino climb and was covered four times as the race tested the rider's early season form.
Zabelinskaya attacked with two laps to go and got a slight gap but it was too early to go on her own. She was caught on the last time up the Orino climb, as others, including Cantele tried to go away.
However with so many of the best women in the world in the move and so many teams represented, nobody was going to get away before the finish. The poorer sprinters such as Berlato, Guderzo, Pooley and Verbeke all tried, but were pulled back each time.
Zabelinskaya bravely tried again and got a hundred metre gap with a kilometre to go but she faded on the slight climb to the finish. Vos, clinical as ever, timed her effort perfectly and hit the front just at the right moment, to take her second successive victory in the Italian women's Classic.
1 | Marianne Vos (Ned) Netherlands | 3:27:37 | |
2 | Martine Bras (Ned) Gauss RDZ Ormu | ||
3 | Emma Johansson (Swe) Redsun Cycling Team | ||
4 | Ruth Corset (Aus) Australia | ||
5 | Noemi Cantele (Ita) HTC Columbia Women | ||
6 | Nicole Cooke (GBr) Great Britain | ||
7 | Elena Berlato (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo - Ghezzi | ||
8 | Judith Arndt (Ger) HTC Columbia Women | ||
9 | Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) Team Valdarno | ||
10 | Olga Zabelinskaya (Rus) Russia | 0:00:05 | |
11 | Andrea Bosman (Ned) Netherlands | 0:00:14 | |
12 | Grace Verbeke (Bel) Lotto Ladies Team | 0:00:32 | |
13 | Rachel Neylan (Aus) Australia | 0:01:06 | |
14 | Emma Pooley (GBr) Cervelo Test Team | ||
15 | Irina Molicheva (Rus) Fenixs - Petrogradets | 0:02:04 | |
16 | Amanda Spratt (Aus) Australia | 0:04:25 | |
17 | Ludivine Henrion (Bel) Redsun Cycling Team | ||
18 | Sinead Miller (USA) United States of America | ||
19 | Eleonora Patuzzo (Ita) Safi - Pasta Zara | ||
20 | Regina Bruins (Ned) Cervelo Test Team | 0:04:34 | |
21 | Loes Gunnewijk (Ned) Netherlands | 0:06:10 | |
22 | Edwige Pitel (Fra) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox | ||
23 | Inga Cilvinaite (Ltu) Safi - Pasta Zara | ||
24 | Valentina Carretta (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo - Ghezzi | ||
25 | Linda Melanie Villumsen (NZl) HTC Columbia Women | ||
26 | Eva Lechner (Ita) Italy | 0:08:20 | |
27 | Gloria Presti (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo - Ghezzi | 0:08:57 | |
28 | Kirsten Wild (Ned) Cervelo Test Team | 0:10:20 | |
29 | Adrie Visser (Ned) HTC Columbia Women | ||
30 | Carla Swart (RSA) MTN | ||
31 | Valentina Scandolara (Ita) Vaiano Solaristech | ||
32 | Alessandra D'ettorre (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo - Ghezzi | ||
33 | Vicki Whitelaw (Aus) Lotto Ladies Team | ||
34 | Rossella Callovi (Ita) Italy | ||
35 | Alice Marmorini (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox | ||
36 | Oxana Kozonchuk (Rus) Safi - Pasta Zara | ||
37 | Marina Romoli (Ita) Safi - Pasta Zara | ||
38 | Eneritz Iturriagaechevarria Mazaga (Spa) Safi - Pasta Zara | ||
39 | Mascha Pijnenborg (Ned) Redsun Cycling Team | ||
40 | Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Netherlands | ||
41 | Julia Martisova (Rus) Gauss RDZ Ormu | ||
42 | Petra Dijkman (Ned) Redsun Cycling Team | ||
43 | Fröydis Waerstad (Nor) Hitec Products Uck | ||
44 | Olena Oliinyk (Ukr) Acs Chirio - Forno D'Asolo | ||
45 | Luise Keller (Ger) HTC Columbia Women | ||
46 | Elena Kuchinskaya (Rus) Gauss RDZ Ormu | ||
47 | Daniela Pintarelli (Aut) Kuota Speed Kueens | ||
48 | Nina Ovcharenko (Ukr) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox | ||
49 | Polona Batagelj (Slo) Slovenia | ||
50 | Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Gauss RDZ Ormu | ||
51 | Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Australia | ||
52 | Bianca Purath (Ger) Noris Cycling | ||
53 | Robyn De Groot (RSA) MTN | ||
54 | Olena Sharga (Ukr) Ukraine | ||
55 | Alona Andruk (Ukr) Safi - Pasta Zara | ||
56 | Sharon Laws (GBr) Cervelo Test Team | ||
57 | Catherine Delfosse (Bel) Lotto Ladies Team | ||
58 | Martina Ruzickova (Cze) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox | ||
59 | Chantal Blaak (Ned) Netherlands | ||
60 | Paulina Brzezna (Pol) Redsun Cycling Team | ||
61 | Verónica Leal Balderas (Mex) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox | ||
62 | Emma Trott (GBr) Great Britain | ||
63 | Laura Bozzolo (Ita) Team Valdarno | ||
64 | Oksana Kashchishina (Ukr) Ukraine | ||
65 | Patricia Schwager (Swi) Cervelo Test Team | ||
66 | Tania Belvederesi (Ita) Team Valdarno | ||
67 | Monia Baccaille (Ita) Team Valdarno | ||
68 | Veronica Andreasson (Swe) Lotto Ladies Team | ||
69 | Sigrid Corneo (Slo) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo - Ghezzi | ||
70 | Trixi Worrack (Ger) Noris Cycling | ||
71 | Sara Mustonen (Swe) Hitec Products Uck | ||
72 | Sara Mustonen (Swe) Hitec Products Uck | ||
DNF | Viktoriya Vologdina (Ukr) Acs Chirio - Forno D'Asolo | ||
DNF | Edita Unguryte (Ltu) Acs Chirio - Forno D'Asolo | ||
DNF | Rosane Kirch (Bra) Acs Chirio - Forno D'Asolo | ||
DNF | Tetyana Riabchenko (Ukr) Acs Chirio - Forno D'Asolo | ||
DNF | Francesca Faustini (Ita) Acs Chirio - Forno D'Asolo | ||
DNF | Kirsty Broun (Aus) Australia | ||
DNF | Lauren Kitchen (Aus) Australia | ||
DNF | Iris Slappendel (Ned) Cervelo Test Team | ||
DNF | Melanie Bravard (Fra) Esgl 93 - Gsd Gestion | ||
DNF | Melodie Lesueur (Fra) Esgl 93 - Gsd Gestion | ||
DNF | Christine Majerus (Lux) Esgl 93 - Gsd Gestion | ||
DNF | Eugenie Mermillod (Fra) Esgl 93 - Gsd Gestion | ||
DNF | Elodie Hegoburu (Fra) Esgl 93 - Gsd Gestion | ||
DNF | Aurore Verhoeven (Fra) Esgl 93 - Gsd Gestion | ||
DNF | Corine Hierckens (Bel) Fenixs - Petrogradets | ||
DNF | Monica Holler (Swe) Fenixs - Petrogradets | ||
DNF | Karin Aune (Swe) Fenixs - Petrogradets | ||
DNF | Urte Juodvalkyte (Ltu) Fenixs - Petrogradets | ||
DNF | Erika Vilunaite (Ltu) Fenixs - Petrogradets | ||
DNF | Eleonora Suelotto (Ita) Gauss RDZ Ormu | ||
DNF | Alessandra Borchi (Ita) Gauss RDZ Ormu | ||
DNF | Hannah Mayho (GBr) Great Britain | ||
DNF | Lucy Martin (GBr) Great Britain | ||
DNF | Katie Colclough (GBr) Great Britain | ||
DNF | Isabelle Soderberg (Swe) Hitec Products Uck | ||
DNF | Line Foss (Nor) Hitec Products Uck | ||
DNF | Jacqueline Hahn (Aut) Hitec Products Uck | ||
DNF | Kristine Saastad (Nor) Hitec Products Uck | ||
DNF | Rossella Gobbo (Ita) Italy | ||
DNF | Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Italy | ||
DNF | Bernadette Schober (Aut) Kuota Speed Kueens | ||
DNF | Anna Maria Gurtler (Aut) Kuota Speed Kueens | ||
DNF | Barbara Tesar Bettina (Aut) Kuota Speed Kueens | ||
DNF | Elisabeth Reiner (Aut) Kuota Speed Kueens | ||
DNF | Leticia Gil Parra (Spa) Lointek | ||
DNF | Rosario Rodriguez Gomez (Spa) Lointek | ||
DNF | Silvia Tirado Marquez (Spa) Lointek | ||
DNF | Mireia Epelde Bikendi (Spa) Lointek | ||
DNF | Judit Masdeu Cort (Spa) Lointek | ||
DNF | Anne Marie Schmitt (Lux) Lointek | ||
DNF | Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Lotto Ladies Team | ||
DNF | Kim Schoonbaert (Bel) Lotto Ladies Team | ||
DNF | Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) MTN | ||
DNF | Trine Schmidt (Den) MTN | ||
DNF | Marissa Van Der Merwe (RSA) MTN | ||
DNF | Carla Swart (RSA) MTN | ||
DNF | Lylanie Lauwrens (RSA) MTN | ||
DNF | Monique Van der Ree (Ned) Netherlands | ||
DNF | Angela Hennig (Ger) Noris Cycling | ||
DNF | Jennifer Hohl (Swi) Noris Cycling | ||
DNF | Marlen Johrend (Ger) Noris Cycling | ||
DNF | Romy Kasper (Ger) Noris Cycling | ||
DNF | Laure Werner (Bel) Redsun Cycling Team | ||
DNF | Olga Zabelinskaya (Rus) Russia | ||
DNF | Yulia Blindyuk (Rus) Russia | ||
DNF | Larisa Pankova (Rus) Russia | ||
DNF | Anna Potokina (Rus) Russia | ||
DNF | Giulia Lazzerini (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox | ||
DNF | Urska Pintar (Slo) Slovenia | ||
DNF | Alenka Novak (Slo) Slovenia | ||
DNF | Ziva Verbic (Slo) Slovenia | ||
DNF | Ajda Opeka (Slo) Slovenia | ||
DNF | Tjasa Rutar (Slo) Slovenia | ||
DNF | Martina Corazza (Ita) Team Valdarno | ||
DNF | Marta Vilajosana Andreu (Spa) Team Valdarno | ||
DNF | Silvia Valsecchi (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo - Ghezzi | ||
DNF | Anna Nahirna (Ukr) Ukraine | ||
DNF | Olena Pavlukina (Ukr) Ukraine | ||
DNF | Valerya Velichko (Ukr) Ukraine | ||
DNF | Andrea Dvorak (USA) United States of America | ||
DNF | Janel Holcomb (USA) United States of America | ||
DNF | Lauren Tamayo (USA) United States of America | ||
DNF | Alisha Welsh (USA) United States of America | ||
DNF | Simona Frapporti (Ita) Vaiano Solaristech | ||
DNF | Alena Sitsko (Blr) Vaiano Solaristech | ||
DNF | Eleonora Spaliviero (Ita) Vaiano Solaristech | ||
DNF | Katarzyna Sosna (Ltu) Vaiano Solaristech | ||
DNF | Chiara Vanni (Ita) Vaiano Solaristech |
1 | Marianne Vos (Ned) Netherlands | 75 | pts |
2 | Martine Bras (Ned) Gauss RDZ Ormu | 50 | |
3 | Emma Johansson (Swe) Redsun Cycling Team | 35 | |
4 | Ruth Corset (Aus) Australia | 30 | |
5 | Noemi Cantele (Ita) HTC Columbia Women | 27 | |
6 | Nicole Cooke (GBr) Great Britain | 24 | |
7 | Elena Berlato (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo - Ghezzi | 21 | |
8 | Judith Arndt (Ger) HTC Columbia Women | 18 | |
9 | Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) Team Valdarno | 15 | |
10 | Olga Zabelinskaya (Rus) Russia | 11 | |
11 | Andrea Bosman (Ned) Netherlands | 10 | |
12 | Grace Verbeke (Bel) Lotto Ladies Team | 9 | |
13 | Rachel Neylan (Aus) Australia | 8 | |
14 | Emma Pooley (GBr) Cervelo Test Team | 7 | |
15 | Irina Molicheva (Rus) Fenixs - Petrogradets | 6 | |
16 | Amanda Spratt (Aus) Australia | 5 | |
17 | Ludivine Henrion (Bel) Redsun Cycling Team | 4 | |
18 | Sinead Miller (USA) United States of America | 3 | |
19 | Eleonora Patuzzo (Ita) Safi - Pasta Zara | 2 | |
20 | Regina Bruins (Ned) Cervelo Test Team | 1 |