Gulpen Hills Classic – Women's UCI 1.2
The final race in the Top Competition series Marianne Vos wins the Classic and the series. Bart Hazen Photo Journal, Report and Results.

Bart Hazen

August 12th was the final race of the "Top Competition Series" for Woman, the Gulpen Hills Classic. This is a 1.2 race on the UCI woman’s calendar.

The favorite for the race was World Champion Marianne Vos (DSB Bank), who was already certain to win the final ranking of the top series. Others to watch today included: Susanne Ljungskog (Team Flexpoint), Chantal Beltman (T-Mobile), Regina Bruins (Van Bemmelen), Andrea Graus (Equipe Nürnberger) and a few others.

The peloton climbs the Bronkweg. Photo © Bart Hazen

At 12.30 the woman started the hilly course over 127.5 km. The riders had to do 4 laps of 27 km and 1 lap over 19.5 km. During the circuit they had to climb the Bronkweg and the Schweiberg while in the shorter lap they had to do the Bronkweg and the Gulpenerberg, which makes the race very tough one for the women.

Early break Carrigan and Braam Photo © Bart Hazen

After the riders completed the first lap Sara Carrigan (Lotto-Belisol) attacked and was joined by Elizabeth Braam (Therme Skin Care). The duo worked well together and at the second passage at the finish they had a gap of 52 seconds on the bunch. An van Rie (AA Drink), Loes Markerink (Team Flexpoint) and Eva Lutz (Equipe Nürnberger) tried to bridge across but without success.

Vos' derailleur appears to have fallen off as the peloton passes her.
Photo © Bart Hazen

In the second lap favorite Marianne Vos (DSB Bank) had a mechanical and had to wait as the peloton passed by. Vos had a malfunctioning derailleur. But she had no problems chasing back on after a bike change, and regained her position in the group.

Marianne looks back for the team car as the last of the group passes.
Photo © Bart Hazen

The maximum gap of the two leaders in front grew to 1.30 but when 23 riders went on a counter attack the gap came down quite fast and just before crossing the finish line turning into another lap the leaders where caught by the chasers.

The break of 24 climb the Bronkweg. Photo © Bart Hazen

The now 24 leaders, as Carrigan was dropped, where Anita Valen (Vrienden van het Platteland), Andrea Bosman (DSB Bank), Marianne Vos (DSB Bank), Regina Bruins (Van Bemmelen/Odysis), Irene van de Broek, Tatiana Guderzo, Karen Steurs, An van Rie and Inge van den Broeck all of AA Drink, Elisabeth Braam (Therme Skin Care). Lotto-Belisol's trio: Martine Bras, Liesbeth de Vocht and Lieselot Decroix, Flexpoint duo: Loes Gunnewijk and Susanne Ljunskog. T-Mobile had a strong presence of three: Chantal Beltman, Susanne de Goede, and Aussie Oenone Wood, Andrea Graus (Equipe Nürnberger), Eva Lutz (Equipe Nürnberger), Sofie Goor (Vlaanderen-Caprisonne), Laure Werner (Vlaanderen-Caprisonne), Emma Johansson (Vlaanderen-Caprisonne) and Lorian Graham (Australia).

An van Rie and Andrea Graus on the attack with one lap to go.
Photo © Bart Hazen

In the fourth lap, the last lap of 27 km, An van Rie (AA Drink) and Andrea Graus (Equipe Nürnberger) attacked. There were some counter attacks but without success as the two rode away from the peloton. At the fourth finish passage going into the final lap, van Rie and Graus had a gap of about 10 seconds on the first bunch which had increased to about 40 riders. Trine Schmidt (Team Flexpoint) bridged across to the two in front.

The next one to attack was Dutch Champion Marlijn Binnendijk (AA Drink) and Suzanne de Goede (T-Mobile). They where later joined by Trine Schmidt (Team Flexpoint) and another rider. On the Gulpenerberg within 5 km the break was caught.

On the Gulpenerberg it was Marianne Vos (DSB Bank) who attacked and only van den Broek, Beltman, Graus, Goor and Ljungskog could follow. With 2 km it was Ljungskog who attacked while Vos and Beltman bridged across. The trio raced to the finish.

Marianne Vos triumphant! Susanne Ljungskog second. Andrea Graus third, a recovered Chantal Beltman sprints for fourth, Irene Broek fifth and Sofie Goor sixth. Photo © Bart Hazen

As the three riders turned into the final km and it looked as one of the riders is going to win this race; but Chantal Beltman missed a turn and luckily avoided a crash but her chances for a podium rank were gone as Arndrea Garus passed her. The two remaining riders in front sprinted for the victory and it was World Champion, Marianne Vos (DSB Bank), who won the race going away as she out sprinted Susanne Ljungskog (Team Flexpoint). At a few seconds it was Andrea Garus (Equipe Nürnberger) who won the sprint for third. Chantal Beltman and Irene van den Broek completed the top 5.

Gulpen Hills Classic Podium: Ljungskog, Vos and Graus Photo © Bart Hazen

The top competition series for women was won with a commanding lead by Marianne Vos. Regina Bruins was second and Kirsten Wild third. In the youth ranking it was again Vos who won ahead of Bruins and Markerink third. Team DSB Bank was as team the best in this competition.

Top U-23 riders: Bruins and Vos Photo © Bart Hazen

Top Competition Series Podium: Regina Bruins, Marianne Vos and Kirstin Wilds. Photo © Bart Hazen

Gulpen Hill Classic Gallery

Gulpen Hills Classic Result
1 71 Vos, Marianne Team DSB-Bank 3:27:24
2 115 Ljunskog, Susanne Team Flexpoint z.t.
3 146 Graus, Andrea Team Nurnberg 3:27:29 0:05
4 138 Beltman, Chantal T-Mobile Team Women z.t.
5 91 v.d. Broek, Irene AA-Drink Cycling Team z.t.
6 153 Goor, Sofie Vlaanderen/Caprisonne z.t.

DSB Bank Top Team of the race series. Photo © Bart Hazen

7 94 Steurs, Karen AA-Drink Cycling Team 3:27:49 0:25
8 161 Graham, Lorian Australie z.t.
9 139 de Goede, Suzanne T-Mobile Team Women 3:27:54 0:30
10 65 Bosman, Andrea Team DSB-Bank z.t.
11 105 Bras, Martine Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam z.t.
12 159 Johansson, Emma Vlaanderen/Caprisonne z.t.
13 36 Valen, Anita Vrienden vh Platteland z.t.
14 108 Delcroix, Leselot Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam z.t.
15 83 Bruins, Regina Ton van Bemmelen/Odysis z.t.
16 144 Wood, Oenone T-Mobile Team Women z.t.
17 107 de Vocht, Liesbeth Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam z.t.
18 158 Werner, Laure Vlaanderen/Caprisonne z.t.
19 129 Wyman, Helen Global Racing Team z.t.
20 66 van Essen, Sharon Team DSB-Bank z.t.
21 148 Lutz, Eva Team Nurnberg z.t.
22 93 Guderzo, Tatiana AA-Drink Cycling Team z.t.
23 113 Gunnewijk, Loes Team Flexpoint z.t.
24 118 Melchers, Mirjam Team Flexpoint z.t.
25 137 Anderson, Kim T-Mobile Team Women z.t.
26 95 Van Rie, An AA-Drink Cycling Team z.t.
27 96 Van den Broeck, Inge AA-Drink Cycling Team z.t.
28 164 Ryan, Carla Australie z.t.
29 10 Eije, Hege Linn HWV De Tubanters z.t.

30 79 van Vleuten, Annemiek Team Regio Oost 3:28:27 1:03
31 72 van Wanroij, Marieke Team DSB-Bank z.t.
32 9 Olthuis, Esther HWV De Tubanters z.t.
33 90 Binnendijk, Marlijn AA-Drink Cycling Team z.t.
34 172 Zamolska, Magdalena Pol - Aqua z.t.
35 24 Cox, Leda RSC De Zuidwesthoek z.t.
36 170 Jasinska, Malgorzata Pol - Aqua z.t.
37 143 Wichmann, Anke T-Mobile Team Women 3:28:56 1:32
38 40 Wallaard, Jaccolien Vrienden vh Platteland z.t.
39 120 van Veen, Suzanne Team Flexpoint z.t.
40 70 Visser, Adrie Team DSB-Bank z.t.
41 89 Wild, Kirsten AA-Drink Cycling Team z.t.
42 68 van Paassen, Sanne Team DSB-Bank z.t.
43 141 Rhodes, Alexis T-Mobile Team Women z.t.
44 149 Stumpf, Claudia Team Nurnberg z.t.
45 178 Danesi, Serena Top Girls Fassa Bortolo 3:29:12 1:48
46 82 Grimberg, Arenda Ton van Bemmelen/Odysis 3:29:47 2:23
47 117 Schmidt, Trine Team Flexpoint 3:31:58 4:34
48 64 Hormes, Reza Barrhopoort MovingLadies 3:37:19 9:55
49 130 Ringlever, Linda Global Racing Team z.t.
50 1 Pijnenborg, Mascha TWC Het Snelle Wiel z.t.
51 151 Thumm, Corrina Team Nurnberg z.t.
52 34 Brok, Janne Vrienden vh Platteland z.t.
53 33 Bakker, Liesbeth Vrienden vh Platteland z.t.
54 179 Farina, Anna Top Girls Fassa Bortolo z.t.
55 140 Fahlin, Emilia T-Mobile Team Women z.t.
56 147 Lindberg, Marie Team Nurnberg z.t.
57 99 Braam, Elisabeth Therme Skin Care z.t.
58 67 Tabak, Noortje Team DSB-Bank z.t.
59 162 Kelly, Helen Australie z.t.
60 81 van Alebeek, Sissy Ton van Bemmelen/Odysis z.t.

61 152 Zuckermandel, Denise Team Nurnberg 3:41:29 14:05
62 30 van der Vaart, Nicoline Restore Cycling Team 3:41:36 14:12
63 101 Profijt, Marije Therme Skin Care z.t.
64 26 Klep, Inge Restore Cycling Team z.t.
65 59 Cullen, Kate Barrhopoort MovingLadies z.t.
66 111 Torsius, Arien Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam z.t.
67 171 Wysocka, Malgorzata Pol - Aqua z.t.
68 135 Silversides, Emma Global Racing Team z.t.
69 180 Pisaneschi, Laura Top Girls Fassa Bortolo z.t.
70 109 de Poorter, Elise Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam z.t.
71 100 Helmink, Judith Therme Skin Care z.t.
72 122 Hulshorst, Ellis Merida Ladies-WV Eemland 3:41:44 14:20
73 181 Tognali, Francesca Top Girls Fassa Bortolo 3:41:46 14:22
74 124 Glasbergen, Jessica Merida Ladies-WV Eemland 3:41:52 14:28