Ina-Yoko Teutenberg retains lead in 2nd stage of 2011 Internationale Thuringen Rundfahrt der Frauen
HTC-Highroad Women team’s Ina-Yoko Teutenberg maintains her stage victory and overall lead in the second stage of 2011 Internationale Thuringen Rundfahrt der Frauen in Gera on Tuesday, July 19.
The 36-year-old German cyclist took a total of 3 hours, 9 minutes and 18 seconds to cover the distance of 120 kilometres. Monia Baccaille of SC MCipollini Giordana was the runner-up with 1 second behind the German.
The three cyclists, Elizabeth Armitstead (Garmin-Cervelo), Kirsten Wild (AA Drink - Leontien.nl Cycling Team) and Emma Johansson (Hitec Products – UCK) crossed the finished line with the same timing of German.
Hanka Kupfernagel of Horizon Fitness RT - Prendas Ciclismo showed her good effort, but failed to gain a lead and grabbed the sixth place with a difference of 3 seconds.
A total of six cyclists which included Venera Absaliyamova (Russian National Team), Samantha Galassi (SC MCipollini Giordana) and Aurore Verhoeven (Gauss) were disqualified from the race.
A group of three cyclists made their first breakaway which included Judith Arndt (HTC Highroad Women), Elizabeth Armitstead (Garmin-Cervelo) and Chloe Hosking (HTC Highroad Women).
All of them managed to gain a lead of few seconds over the peloton, while Elizabeth launched the attack but failed and Judith Arndt won the first sprint.
With a few kilometres to go, three breakaway riders were caught by the peloton and a new group was formed. Nicole Cooke increased her pace and was followed by Helen Wyman and Eike Gebhardt, but Helen attacked and took the second intermediate sprint.
Helen maintained her lead and also took the third sprint ahead of Judith and Elizabeth. In the mountain standing of the stage, Svetlana Boubnenkova (Russian National team) took the lead.
Teutenberg also took a overall standing with a timing of 3 hours, 13 minutes and 42 seconds, while Judith Arndt was a runner-up with a difference of 8 seconds.
Elizabeth Armitstead finished at the third spot with a difference of 11 seconds ahead of Amanda Miller and Amber Neben.
Amy Pieters (Skil-Koga Cycling Team) took the title of young rider's classification, ahead of Wildt Anne De and Denise Ramsden.
After finishing the stage, Sports Director, Thomas Liese, told the media, "I've said from the outset, that is a route for Ina, when Marianne Vos is not there, then they won the stage, she’s like a good red wine, it gets better from year to year."
The next stage will start in Greiz and all the cyclists will cover the distance of 110 kilometres.
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