Nicole Cooke wins fifth stage in 2011 Giro d’ltalia Internazionale Femminile
SC MCipollini Giordana team’s Nicole Cooke won the fifth stage and took her first victory of the season in 2011 Giro d’ltalia Internazionale Femminile on Tuesday, July 5. Marianne Vos maintained her overall leader’s yellow jersey.
The race started in Altedo and ended in Verona. The 28-year-old Welsh professional cyclist took a total of 3 hours, 7 minutes and 15 seconds to cover the distance of 129 kilometres.
After winning the stage, Nicole was very happy and told the media, "I realized the attack from Düster was the race-winning move, and I immediately got on her wheel. I wanted so much to win this stage, which is in our MCipollini Giambenini Giordana team's
home base. I gave it everything I had, and didn't look back."
The race leader’s Marianne Vos was the runner-up with a difference of 4 seconds, while Ina Teutenberg of HTC Highroad women grabbed the third place.
Sharon Laws (Garmin – Cervelo), Monia Baccaille (SC MCipollini Giordana) and Davina Summers (Bizkaia-Durango) were in eighth, ninth and tenth places, respectively.
With 10 kilometres to go, a group of ten cyclists made their first breakaway including Cooke, Sarah Duster, Nortje Tabak, Valentina Scandolara, Marijn De Vrijes, Tiffany Cromwell, Emilia Fahlin, Gloria Presti, Alessandra d'Ettore, Andrea Graus and Liesbeth
de Vocht.
All the riders worked together and build a lead of 40 seconds over the peloton, but Scandolara attacked and broke the cooperation. However, Scandolara was caught by the peloton and Cooke took the benefit of four seconds. Vos and Teutenberg tried their best
to catch her, but failed and Cooke crossed the finish-line first ahead of other cyclists.
Marianne Vos took the overall Mountain Classification with 21 points ahead of Emma Pooley. Vaiano Solaristech team’s Rasa Leleivyte took the title of young rider classification ahead of Elena Berlato.
Marianne Vos (Nederland Bloeit) took the overall classification with a total time of 12 hours, 49 minutes and 49 seconds. Sylwia Kapusta (Gauss) was in the second spot with 14 seconds behind Vos. Emma Pooley grabbed the third place with a difference of 42
seconds.
The next stage will start in Fontanellato and end in Piacenza. All the riders will cover the distance of 128 kilometres.
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