11th GP Etrusca, March 24-25

Martina Corazza and Nicole Cooke are the winners of the two races in the GP Etrusca. Mirjam Melchers (Team Flexpoint) made her comeback after her rehabilitation.

By Bart Hazen

This weekend was the 11th edition of the GP Etrusca. This Italian race consisted of two separate races. The first event in the GP Costa Etrusca was a race over 112 kilometer from Riparbella to Motescudaio in the province of Pisa. On the following day the woman had to do a race over 102 kilometer from Santa Luce to Castellina Marittima.

In these two races the woman had to do several climbs, on Saturday they had to do the climb to Castellina and the climb to Montescudaio while on Sunday they did the Castellina Marittima and the six kilometer finishing climb that will carry the woman from Pomaia up the opposite side of the Castellina Marittima.

Mirjam Melchers (Team Flexpoint) made her comeback in these races after her rehabilitation. She was out for several months after she broke her pelvis, jaw and hip in a crash during the Euregio Ladies Tour 2006.

March 24: Riparbella - Monetscudaio, 112km

The first race in the GP Etrusca, was the one over 112km from Riparbella to Monetscudaio. On the final climb we got a small group in front and the winner was one of these girls. The race ended up in a sprint uphill and it was Martina Corazza (FRW-Gauss) who won it ahead of Monia Baccaile (Saccarelli Emu Marsciano) and Susanne Ljungskog (Team Flexpoint).

Results

1 Martina Corazza (Ita) FRW - Gauss 3.05.55 (36.14 km/h)
2 Monia Baccaille (Ita) Saccarelli Emu Marsciano
3 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Team Flexpoint
4 Noemi Cantele (Ita) Bigla Cycling Team
5 Nicole Cooke (GBr) Raleigh Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team
6 Fabiana Luperini (Ita) Menikini - Gysko
7 Andrea Graus (Aut) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung
8 Annette Beutler (Swi) Team Flexpoint
9 Emma Johansson (Swe) Vlaanderen - Capri Sonne - T Interim
10 Julia Martissova (Rus) FRW - Gauss

March 25: Santa Luce - Castellina Marittima, 102km

The second race in the GP Etrusca was one over 102 km between Santa Luca and Castellina Marittima. Nicole Cooke (Raleigh Lifeforce) took an impressive win at the second race in the GP Costa Etrusca with finish on top of the Castellina Marittima.

On the Castellina Marittima, Nicole was 7 seconds faster than Fabiana Luperini (Menikini Gysko) and 8 sec. faster than Nicole Brändli.

A decisive move came after 30 kilometer, which had split the field in two parts. After that we got a formation of an eight woman break with Fabiana Luperini (Menikini Gysko), Veronica Leal Balderas (FRW-Gauss), Nicole Brandli, Noemi Cantele (both Team Bigla), Susanne Ljungskog (Team Flexpoint), Nicole Cooke (Raleigh Lifeforce), Trixi Worrack and Eva Lutz (both Equipe Nurnberger).
The bunch didn't see the break anymore and on the final climb it was Cooke who out climbed the others.

For Cooke it's another win after her wins in the Geelong Tour and the World Cup of Geelong.

Results

1 Nicole Cooke (GBr) Raleigh Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 2.48.53 (36.2 km/h)
2 Fabiana Luperini (Ita) Menikini - Gysko 0.07
3 Nicole Brändli (Swi) Bigla Cycling Team 0.08
4 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 0.12
5 Noemi Cantele (Ita) Bigla Cycling Team 0.13
6 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Team Flexpoint 0.15
7 Eva Lutz (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 1.25
8 Verónica Leal Balderas (Mex) FRW - Gauss 1.39
9 Monia Baccaille (Ita) Saccarelli Emu Marsciano 3.55
10 Loes Gunnewijk (Ned) Team Flexpoint