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Montreal World Cup - CDM

Canada, June 2, 2007

Main Page    Results   World Cup standings

Luperini takes stunning win in Montreal

By Kirsten Robbins in Montreal, Canada

A delighted Walter Ricci with winner Fabiana Luperini (Menikini - Selle Italia - Gysko).
Photo ©: Mitch Friedman
(Click for larger image)

Italian legend Fabiana Luperini (Menikini-Selle Italia-Gysko) and the United States' brightest young talent Mara Abbott (Webcor Builders) rode away from the peloton over Mont-Royal and entered into a mano-y-mano (one-on-one) sprint down Parc Ave to the finish. Luperini burst ahead in the final one hundred metres to claim victory from Abbott, who was happy to accept second on her World Cup debut. T-Mobile's Judith Arndt took a flyer with five kilometres to go and soloed in for third place.

The tenth annual Montreal World Cup made a remarkable change from its traditional mountain top finish to a high-speed descent headed toward a U-turn, followed by a 250 metre straight to the finish line. The circuit change had no impact on the event's attendance, with a record 140 cyclists taking to the start line.

The race may have been more aggressive than in years past due to the course change and the massive field. Melissa Holt (Expresscopy.com) and Ekaterina Malomura (Team Russia) marked the first break away of the day, with the pair splitting from the field on the first of eleven laps. The 11 kilometre circuit lends itself to speed and the field swarmed Holt by the end of the second lap. However, Malomura did not give up so easily and held a 30 second gap on the field for a further two laps.

Melissa Holt (Expresscopy.com) with a Russian
Photo ©: Andrea Brewer
(Click for larger image)

The peloton remained at bay until lap seven when the climbers sprung from the field, causing a separation of 20 riders. The attacks did not stop there and on the eighth lap Edwige Pitel (Team UNIQA), Luperini and Abbott countered an attack from Katheryn Curi (Webcor Builders) and put their climbing legs to the test, the three riders creating what would be the winning break away.

Race winner Fabiana Luperini commented on her early move as being a tactic she had planned from the beginning. "I went from 40 kilometres to go because I am more of an endurance rider and that suited my characteristics better," Luperini said. "I didn't want to wait with 10 kilometres to go because I wanted to pull out the riders early on."

The Italian has just come off of a fresh stage win in the Tour de l'Aude and plans to continue her success into 2008. "I still have a lot of passion for cycling in me and I want to make it to the next Olympic Games," Luperini added. "I feel happy training and racing."

The race descends from Mont Royal
Photo ©: CJ Farquharson
(Click for larger image)

The Italian champion had planned to draw out more riders but only one could contend her all the way to the end. "I preferred the race when it finished on the top of the hill," Luperini admitted. "I think this is the hardest World Cup in the series, next to Fleche-Wallone. But, I want to give a lot of praise to the girl [Mara Abbott] who was second because she really worked hard today."

When the trio saw three laps to go, Abbott went to the front to solidify the gap over the peloton at the Mont-Royal climb but in doing so Pitel fell off the pace and the break was reduced to two. "We all worked together on the first lap of the break but I knew that not a lot of riders knew me so I figured I could try to get a bigger gap," said Abbott. "The next time up the climb I went hard and the third girl wasn't there anymore. I didn't know what I was doing out there and I didn't know who I was riding against or how strong she [Fabiana Luperini] was."

A chase group of eleven riders formed with two laps to go that included Nicole Cooke (Raleigh Life Force Creations), Marianne Vos (DSB Bank), Judith Arndt (T-Mobile), Oenone Wood (T-Mobile), Chantel Beltman (T-Mobile), Trixi Worrack (Equipe Nurnberger), Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (UNIQA), Alex Wrubleski (Colavita/Sutter Home), Christine Thorburn (Webcor Builders), Amber Neban (Flex Point) and Kristin Armstrong (Team Lipton).

Fabiana Luperini ( Menikini - Selle Italia - Gysko)
Photo ©: Andrea Brewer
(Click for larger image)

There were several attempts made at bridging to the break away pair. As the bunch came through the start/finish straight for the final lap Longo and Beltman lead the way, followed by Armstrong and Thorburn and each pair tried desperately to close the gap.

The chase riders were reabsorbed on the final lap when Arndt took her planned attack to solo in for third place. "Our plan was to attack on the backside of the course but it was not our plan that there would be a break away already up the road," said the former world champion. "We couldn't get them back today. It was more aggressive than the years before because in the years before there is always a bunch finish so maybe the course is better now. It was always my plan to attack at the back of the course before the finish."

Abbott commented on feeling uncharacteristically excited heading into her World Cup debut today. "I came here yesterday with so much excitement," she said. "I mean I was so excited to race that I couldn't even stand it and it should have been scary for me, normally I wouldn't have been able to sleep. But I was having fun the whole time - it was really cool."

Judith Arndt (T-Mobile) was third.
Photo ©: CJ Farquharson
(Click for larger image)

After the top three places were spoken for a group of four riders stormed to the finish line, which included World Cup contenders Nicole Cooke, Marianne Vos, Oenone Wood and Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli. Vos nipped Cooke at the line to take fourth place but Cooke maintained her healthy lead in the world cup standings. "The race was good and there was a big crowd at the bottom of the hill," said World Cup leader Cooke. "It was tactical and now I am looking forward to the next half of the season. I had a good lead coming into this race and I have held that so I am happy with today."

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Mitch Friedman/www.mitchophoto.com

Images by CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net

Images by Andrea Brewer/www.andreabrewer.com

Images by Marcus Urban

Results - 110.7 km

1 Fabiana Luperini (Ita) Menikini - Selle Italia - Gysko    3.07.35 (35.504 km/h)
2 Mara Abbott (USA) Webcor Builders                            0.02
3 Judith Arndt (Ger) T-mobile                                  0.57
4 Marianne Vos (Ned) Team DSB Bank                             1.11
5 Nicole Cooke (GBr) Raleigh Lifeforce Creation HB Pro             
6 Oenone Wood (Aus) T-mobile                                       
7 Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (Fra) Team UNIQA                          
8 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Équipe Nürnberger Versicherung               
9 Amber Neben (USA) Team Flexpoint                             1.17
10 Claudia Häusler (Ger) Équipe Nürnberger Versicherung        1.22
11 Christine Thorburn (USA) Webcor Builders                        
12 Edwige Pitel (Fra) Team UNIQA                                   
13 Annette Beutler (Swi) Vinci-Specialized-Menikini            1.43
14 Andrea Graus (Aut) Équipe Nürnberger Versicherung           1.45
15 Tina Liebig (Ger) Getranke-Hoffmann                             
16 Alex Wrubleski (Can) Colavita Sutter Home                   1.57
17 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Menikini - Selle Italia - Gysko         2.03
18 Joanne Kiesanowski (NZl) Raleigh Lifeforce Creation HB Pro      
19 Kristin Armstrong (USA) Team Lipton                             
20 Monika Schachl (Aut) Team UNIQA                             2.05
21 Chantal Beltman (Ned) T-mobile                              2.55
22 Tina Mayolo Pic (USA) Colavita Sutter Home                  3.04
23 Andrea Bosman (Ned) Team DSB Bank                               
24 Yalia Arustamova (Rus) Russian Cyclist Federation               
25 Leigh Hobson (Can) Cheerwine                                    
26 Catherine Cheatley (NZl) Cheerwine                              
27 Lorian Graham (Aus) Australian National Team                    
28 Nikki Egyed (Aus) Raleigh Lifeforce Creation HB Pro             
29 Betina Hold (Can) Cheerwine                                     
30 Brooke Ourada (NZl) Cheerwine                                   
31 Toni Bradshaw (NZl) New Zealand National Team                   
32 Olivia Gollan (Aus) Menikini - Selle Italia - Gysko             
33 Vicki Whitelaw (Aus) Australian National Team                   
34 Christine Ruiter (USA) Cheerwine                                
35 Serena Sheridan (NZl) New Zealand National Team                 
36 Natalie Bates (Aus) Getranke-Hoffmann                           
37 Ekaterina Malomura (Rus) Russian Cyclist Federation             
38 Marisa Asplund (USA) Team TIBCO                                 
39 Elena Novikova (Rus) Russian Cyclist Federation             3.09
40 Karin Aune (Swe) Menikini - Selle Italia - Gysko            3.52
41 Stacy Marple (USA) Team TIBCO                                   
42 Jocelyn Loane (Aus) Australian National Team                3.54
43 Gina Waibl (NZl) New Zealand National Team                  3.55
44 Anne Samplonius (Can) Team expresscopy.com                  4.02
45 Rachel Heal (GBr) Webcor Builders                           4.08
46 Katheryn Curi (USA) Webcor Builders                             
47 Dotsie Bausch (USA) Colavita Sutter Home                    5.57
48 Alison Powers (USA) Colavita Sutter Home                    6.04
49 Kori Kelley Seehafer (USA) Team Lipton                      6.06
50 Kristen Lasasso (USA) Team Lipton                               
51 Alexandra Burchenkova (Rus) Russian Cyclist Federation      7.50
52 Carla Ryan (Aus) Australian National Team                   8.20
53 Veronika Sprugl (Aut) Team UNIQA                            8.21
54 Carissa Wilkes (NZl) New Zealand National Team             10.43
55 Marie Lindberg (Swe) Équipe Nürnberger Versicherung             
56 Vanera Absalyamova (Rus) Russian Cyclist Federation        14.58
57 Jennifer Stephenson (Can) Marinoni-Cadence                      
58 Su fen Ma (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling                          14.59
59 Suzanne Van Veen (Ned) Team Flexpoint                           
60 Yudelmis Dominguez (Cub) Cuba National Team                18.15
61 Elena Gayun (Rus) Russian Cyclist Federation               18.19
62 Elisa Gagnon (Can) Advil/Chapstick                         19.31
63 Xiong Ruan (Chn) Ying Giant Pro Cycling                         
64 Heather Lachance (USA) Advil/Chapstick                          
65 Michelle Hyland (NZl) New Zealand National Team                 
66 Johanne Cyr (Can) Cascades                                      
67 Anna Milkowski (USA) Target Training                            
68 Hiroko Shimada (Jpn) Target Training                            
69 Amanda Sin (Can) Advil/Chapstick                                
70 Victoria Bastide (Swe) Team TIBCO                               
71 Kerri Litka (USA) Terry Precision                               
72 Erinne Willock (Can) Team expresscopy.com                       
DNF Sarah Düster (Ger) Raleigh Lifeforce Creation HB Pro           
DNF Patricia Schwager (Swi) Raleigh Lifeforce Creation HB Pro      
DNF Tanja Slater (GBr) Raleigh Lifeforce Creation HB Pro           
DNF Adrie Visser (Ned) Team DSB Bank                               
DNF Tabak Noortje (Ned) Team DSB Bank                              
DNF Katherine Bates (Aus) T-mobile                                 
DNF Anke Wichmann (Ger) T-mobile                                   
DNF Kimberly Anderson (USA) T-mobile                               
DNF Regina Schleicher (Ger) Équipe Nürnberger Versicherung         
DNF Claudia Stumpf (Ger) Équipe Nürnberger Versicherung            
DNF Élodie Touffet (Fra) Menikini - Selle Italia - Gysko           
DNF Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Menikini - Selle Italia - Gysko         
DNF Loes Markerink (Ned) Team Flexpoint                            
DNF Iris Slappendel (Ned) Team Flexpoint                           
DNF Lauren Franges (USA) Team Lipton                               
DNF Lara Kroepsch (USA) Team Lipton                                
DNF Meredith Miller (USA) Team Lipton                              
DNF Karol-Ann Canuel (Can) Vinci-Specialized-Menikini              
DNF Émilie Roy (Can) Vinci-Specialized-Menikini                    
DNF Marie-Pier Bédard (Can) Vinci-Specialized-Menikini             
DNF Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Safi - Pasta Zara Manhattan             
DNF Alessandra Borchi (Ita) Safi - Pasta Zara Manhattan            
DNF Daniela Fusar Poli (Ita) Safi - Pasta Zara Manhattan           
DNF Luisa Tamanini (Ita) Safi - Pasta Zara Manhattan               
DNF Diana Ziliute (Ltu) Safi - Pasta Zara Manhattan                
DNF Bernadette Schober (Aut) Team UNIQA                            
DNF Candice Sullivan (Aus) Australian National Team                
DNF Sara Carrigan (Aus) Australian National Team                   
DNF Iona Wynter (Jam) Colavita Sutter Home                         
DNF Stacy Spencer (Can) Colavita Sutter Home                       
DNF Brooke Miller (USA) Team TIBCO                                 
DNF Katie Lambden (USA) Team TIBCO                                 
DNF Theresa Senff (Ger) Getranke-Hoffmann                          
DNF Virginia Hennig (Ger) Getranke-Hoffmann                        
DNF Elke Gebhardt (Ger) Getranke-Hoffmann                          
DNF Kathleen Billington (USA) Target Training                      
DNF Mandy Lozanno (USA) Target Training                            
DNF Andrea Meyers (USA) Target Training                            
DNF Yoanka Gonzalez (Cub) Cuba National Team                       
DNF Yumari Gonzalez (Cub) Cuba National Team                       
DNF Dalila Rodriguez (Cub) Cuba National Team                      
DNF Yeima Torres (Cub) Cuba National Team                          
DNF Amber Rais (USA) Webcor Builders                               
DNF Helen Kelly (Aus) Webcor Builders                              
DNF Tara Ross (Can) Advil/Chapstick                                
DNF Kirsten Robbins (Can) Advil/Chapstick                          
DNF Jessica Phillips (USA) Team expresscopy.com                    
DNF Melissa Holt (NZl) Team expresscopy.com                        
DNF Joelle Numainville (Can) Team expresscopy.com                  
DNF Gina Grain (Can) Team expresscopy.com                          
DNF Marina Duvnjak (NZl) New Zealand National Team                 
DNF Xiao ning Gao (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling                          
DNF Fei Wang (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling                               
DNF Jessica Burns (Can) Cascades                                   
DNF Caroline Montmigny (Can) Cascades                              
DNF Joanie Caron (Can) Cascades                                    
DNF Julie Bellerose (Can) Cascades                                 
DNF Geneviève Gagnon (Can) Cascades                                
DNF Naomi Cermak (Can) Terry Precision                             
DNF Megan Guarnier (USA) Terry Precision                           
DNF Ireen Wieditz (Can) Terry Precision                            
DNF Rosie Garlapow (USA) Terry Precision                           
DNF Ann Hansgate (USA) Terry Precision                             
DNF Julie Marceau (Can) Marinoni-Cadence                           
DNF Kathleen Villeneuve (Can) Marinoni-Cadence                     
DNF Magali Tisseyre (Can) Marinoni-Cadence                         
DNF Jennifer Wilson (USA) Marinoni-Cadence                         
DNF Jennifer Reither (USA) Marinoni-Cadence                        
DNS Liza Rachetto (USA) Team TIBCO                                 

World Cup standings

Individual

1 Nicole Cooke (GBr) Raleigh Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team           278 pts
2 Marianne Vos (Ned) Team DSB Bank                                225
3 Oenone Wood (Aus) T-Mobile Team                                 109
4 Fabiana Luperini (Ita) Menikini - Selle Italia - Gysko           90
5 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung           76
6 Adrie Visser (Ned) Team DSB Bank                                 75
7 Judith Arndt (Ger) T-Mobile Team                                 70
8 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung               69
9 Andrea Graus (Aut) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung                61
10 Ina Teutenberg (Ger) T-Mobile Team                              60
11 Nikki Egyed (Aus) Raleigh Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team            52
12 Mara Abbott (USA) Webcor Builders                               50
13 Zoulfia Zabirova (Kaz) Bigla Cycling Team                       50
14 Elodie Touffet (Fra) Menikini - Selle Italia - Gysko            50
15 Amber Neben (USA) Team Flexpoint                                47
16 Monia Baccaille (Ita) Saccarelli EMU Marsciano                  40
17 Eva Lutz (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung                   38
18 Angela Brodtka (Ger) Team Getränke-Hoffmann                     36
19 Sofie Goor (Bel) Vlaanderen-Capri Sonne-T Interim               36
20 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Menikini - Selle Italia - Gysko          35
21 Joanne Kiesanowski (NZl) Raleigh Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team     33
22 Annette Beutler (Swi) Vinci-Specialized-Menikini                32
23 Kristin Armstrong (USA) Team Lipton                             29
24 Karin Thürig (Swi) Raleigh Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team           27
25 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) T-Mobile Team                            27
26 Nicole Brändli (Swi) Bigla Cycling Team                         24
27 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Team Flexpoint                          24
28 Edwige Pitel (Fra) Team Uniqa                                   24
29 Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (Fra) Team Uniqa                         21
30 Regina Schleicher (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung          21
31 Irene Van Den Broek (Ned) AA-Drink Cycling Team                 18
32 Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan               18
33 Regina Bruins (Ned) Van Bemmelen/Odysis                         18
34 Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan                18
35 Emma Rickards (Aus) Raleigh Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team          16
36 Tanja Hennes (Ger) Bigla Cycling Team                           15
37 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Raleigh Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team        15
38 Lorian Graham (Aus) Australian National Team                    12
39 Claudia Häusler (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung            11
40 Mie Bekker Lacota (Den) Team Flexpoint                          11
41 Christine Thorburn (USA) Webcor Builders                        10
42 Pic Tina Mayolo (USA) Colavita-Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light    10
43 Olga Slyusareva (Rus) Fenixs-HPB                                10
44 Paulina Brzezna (Pol) AA-Drink Cycling Team                     10
45 Marina Jaunatre (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope                        10
46 Madeleine Sandig (Ger) Team Flexpoint                            9
47 Kirsten Wild (Ned) AA-Drink Cycling Team                         9
48 Martina Corazza (Ita) Team FRW                                   8
49 Ludivine Henrion (Bel) Team DSB Bank                             8
50 Lieselot Decroix (Bel) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam                  8
51 Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Nor) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan          8
52 Laura Vangilder (USA) Cheerwine                                  8
53 Svetlana Bubnenkova (Rus) Fenixs-HPB                             8
54 Andrea Bosman (Ned) Team DSB Bank                                7
55 Karin Aune (Swe) Menikini - Selle Italia - Gysko                 7
56 Brooke Miller (USA) Team TIBCO                                   7
57 Tina Liebig (Ger) Team Getränke-Hoffmann                         6
58 Miho Oki (Jpn) Menikini - Selle Italia - Gysko                   6
59 Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) AA-Drink Cycling Team                      6
60 Eleonora Van Dijk (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland              6
61 Alex Wrubleski (Can) Colavita-Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light      5
62 Silvia Parietti (Ita) Team FRW                                   5
63 Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Colavita-Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light    5
64 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Menikini - Selle Italia - Gysko              4
65 Catherine Cheatley (NZl) Cheerwine                               4
66 Sylvie Riedle (Fra) France                                       4
67 Grace Verbeke (Bel) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam                     4
68 Liesbeth De Vocht (Bel) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam                 4
69 Moniek Rotmensen (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland               3
70 Sarah Düster (Ger) Raleigh Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team            3
71 Monika Schachl (Aut) Team Uniqa                                  1
72 Daiva Tuslaite (Ltu) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox              1
73 Loes Markerink (Ned) Team Flexpoint                              1

Team Standings
 
1 Raleigh Lifeforce Creation Hb Pro Cycling Team       370 pts
2 Team Dsb Bank                                        315
3 Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung                       276
4 T-Mobile Women                                       266
5 Menikini - Selle Italia - Gysko                      192
6 Team Flexpoint                                       116
7 Bigla Cycling Team                                    89
8 Australia                                             63
9 Team Uniqa                                            46
10 Safi - Pasta Zara Manhattan                          44
11 AA-Drink Cycling Team                                43
12 Saccarelli Emu Sea Marsciano                         40
13 Vlaanderen - Caprisonne - T Interim                  36
14 United States Of America                             34
15 Germany                                              27
16 Netherlands                                          18
17 Fenixs - Hpb                                         18
18 Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam                             16
19 Colavita / Sutter Home Presented By Cooking Light    15
20 Italy                                                13
21 Cheerwine                                            12
22 Vienne Futuroscope                                   10
23 Team Getränke-Hoffmann                                9
24 Vrienden Van Het Platteland                           9
25 France                                                4
26 Team Lipton                                           2
27 S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox                        1