Women's Tour of New Zealand (2.2) - Stage 5 & 6
Kristin Armstrong of Cervelo/Lifeforce proves the fastest in the two up duel duel with High Road's Oenone Wood. Canadian Erinne Willock of Webcor Builders turns in a strong performance for third.

Today was the final day of the 2008 Women’s Tour of New Zealand. The women had two stages a time-trial in the morning and the concluding criterium in the streets of Wellington in the afternoon that would decide the final winner in this years tour with rivals Oenone Wood and Kristin Armstrong separated by only 11 seconds.

Kristing Armstrong in action in the stage 6.     Photo c. CJ Farquharson

The time-trial over 7 km from Seatoun Wharf to Wellington was won by race leader Kristin Armstrong (Cervelo-Lifeforce). Armstrong was 10 seconds faster then her team mate Karin Thürig and 12 seconds faster then her opponent for the overall win Oenone Wood. Judith Arndt and Trixi Worrack, two of the best German riders, completed the top 5.

The final stage a 40 km criterium in the streets of Wellington was animated by a break of eight riders. The eight riders Ina-Yoko Teutenberg, Suzanne de Goede, Sarah Düster, Brooke Miller, Lorian Graham, Alex Wrubleski, Katharine Carroll and Linda Villumsen worked well together and they kept there lead on the bunch until the end.

Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (High Road) won the stage after a sprint ahead of the winner of the opening stage Suzanne de Goede and Sarah Düster. The bunch rolled in 45 seconds down on the break.

For Team High Road it was the third stage win in this years stage race, the other wins went to Oenone Wood (stage 2 and 4).

Kristin Armstrong is the overall winner of the 2008 Women’s Tour of New Zealand. Oenone Wood finished 23 seconds down in second and Erinne Willock of Webcor Builders turning in a strong performance this week, finished 2.02 down Armstrong in third.

Overall if we look back to this race we can conclude that Cervelo-Lifeforce and High Road dominated the race. High Road won three stages (2x Wood and 1x Teutenberg) while Cervelo-Lifeforce won two stages and the final ranking (all wins for Armstrong).

Now the women’s scene will travel back to Europe were they will start in the GP Brissago next week (March 8).

Cervelo/Lifeforce team joins Armstrong on the podium.  Photo c. CJ Farquharson

Cervelo-Lifeforce Report
Amazing final day for the Cervélo-Lifeforce Team
Overall victory & stage victory and two podium places
With an awesome final day for the Cervélo-Lifeforce Pro Cycling team finished the Women’s Tour of New Zealand. Overall victory for the 34-year-old American Kristin Armstrong, Stage victory for Armstrong in the time trial over 7 km, as well the second position in the time trial from Karin Thürig (SUI) and also the third place for Sarah Düster (GER) in the final road race.

Kristin Armstrong showed an excellent performance in the time trial, enlarging her lead ahead of Oenone Wood (AUS) in the overall ranking and defended together with her team-mates from Cervélo Lifeforce the leader position in the 6th and last stage.

"My girls did such a great job today protecting the yellow jersey, and I couldn't have won this Tour of New Zealand without them." said Armstrong after the race.

The 24th place in the sixth and last stage was enough for Armstrong to win the overall ranking, while Ina Yoko Teutenberg (GER) claimed victory in that stage in the finish sprint ahead of Suzanne de Goede and a sensational racing Sarah Düster.

The next competition for the Cervélo-Lifeforce team will be the traditional one-day-race “Gran Premio di Brissago – Lago Maggiore” in the south of Switzerland at the 8th of March.

Results stage 5 (top 30)
Stage 5 - Seatoun Wharf - Wellington  7 km TT
1 Kristin Armstrong (USA) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 9.39
2 Karin Thürig (Swi) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 0.10
3 Oenone Wood (Aus) Team High Road Women 0.12
4 Judith Arndt (Ger) Team High Road Women 0.20
5 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 0.23
6 Erinne Willock (Can) Webcor Builders Cycling Team 0.25
7 Linda Villumsen Serup (Den) Team High Road Women 0.26
8 Alison Powers (USA) USA National Team 0.28
9 Bridie O’Donnell (Aus) Australian National Team 0.34
10 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Menikini - Selle Italia 0.35
11 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 0.38
12 Amanda Spratt (Aus) Australian National Team 0.42
13 Chrissy Ruiter (USA) USA National Team 0.45
14 Christine Thorburn (USA) Webcor Builders Cycling Team 0.47
15 Miho Oki (Jpn) Menikini - Selle Italia 0.49
16 Rachel Mercer (NZl) Mercedes Benz Team 0.50
17 Carla Ryan (Aus) Australian National Team 0.51
18 Alex Wrubleski (Can) Webcor Builders Cycling Team 0.53
19 Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Australian National Team 0.55
20 Sharon Laws (Aus) Tabak Team International 0.57
21 Chantal Beltman (Ned) Team High Road Women 0.59
22 Felicia Greer Gomez (Can) Vrienden Van Het Platteland 1.00
23 Meng Lang (Chn) China National Team 1.04
24 Jocelyn Loane (Aus) Australian National Team 1.06
25 Miyoko Karami (Jpn) Japan National Team 1.08
26 Liu Yongli (Chn) China National Team
27 Ruth Corset (Aus) Tabak Team International
28 Nathalie Bates (Aus) Menikini - Selle Italia 1.12
29 Lorian Graham (Aus) Vrienden Van Het Platteland 1.13
30 Leonie Burford (Aus) MB Cycles Women's Cycling Team

Result stage 6 (top 30)
Stage 6 - Wellington City Criterium   35 km
1 Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (Ger) Team High Road Women 1.03.00
2 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung
3 Sarah Düster (Ger) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team
4 Brooke Miller (USA) USA National Team
5 Lorian Graham (Aus) Vrienden Van Het Platteland
6 Alex Wrubleski (Can) Webcor Builders Cycling Team 0.04
7 Katharine Carroll (USA) USA National Team 0.06
8 Linda Villumsen Serup (Den) Team High Road Women
9 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Menikini - Selle Italia 0.45
10 Miho Oki (Jpn) Menikini - Selle Italia
11 Jaccolien Wallaard (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland
12 Tina Mayolo Pic (USA) Vrienden Van Het Platteland
13 Judith Arndt (Ger) Team High Road Women
14 Cherise Taylor (RSA) South Africa National Team
15 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung
16 Oenone Wood (Aus) Team High Road Women
17 Carissa Wilkes (NZl) New Zealand National Team
18 Miyoko Karami (Jpn) Japan National Team
19 Carla Ryan (Aus) Australian National Team
20 Joanne Kiesanowski (NZl) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team
21 Serena Sheridan (NZl) New Zealand National Team
22 Alison Powers (USA) USA National Team
23 Erinne Willock (Can) Webcor Builders Cycling Team
24 Kristin Armstrong (USA) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team
25 Chantal Beltman (Ned) Team High Road Women
26 Peta Mullens (Aus) Australian National Team
27 Olivia Gollan (Aus) Menikini - Selle Italia
28 Amanda Spratt (Aus) Australian National Team
29 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung
30 Jocelyn Loane (Aus) Australian National Team

Women's Tour of New Zealand 2008
General Classification after Stage 6 - Final Ranking
1 Kristin Armstrong (USA) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 12.22.16
2 Oenone Wood (Aus) Team High Road Women 0.23
3 Erinne Willock (Can) Webcor Builders Cycling Team 2.02
4 Judith Arndt (Ger) Team High Road Women 2.25
5 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung
6 Ruth Corset (Aus) Tabak Team International 2.26
7 Miho Oki (Jpn) Menikini - Selle Italia 2.53
8 Carla Ryan (Aus) Australian National Team 3.03
9 Chrissy Ruiter (USA) USA National Team 3.12
10 Sharon Laws (Aus) Tabak Team International 3.40
11 Chantal Beltman (Ned) Team High Road Women 3.58
12 Felicia Greer Gomez (Can) Vrienden Van Het Platteland 4.08
13 Lorian Graham (Aus) Vrienden Van Het Platteland 5.00
14 Marissa Van Der Merve (RSA) South Africa National Team 5.06
15 Alex Wrubleski (Can) Webcor Builders Cycling Team 5.49
16 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 6.15
17 Amanda Spratt (Aus) Australian National Team 6.58
18 Serena Sheridan (NZl) New Zealand National Team 7.29
19 Sasha Harvey (Aus) Team Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam 8.41
20 Alison Powers (USA) USA National Team 8.50
21 Linda Villumsen Serup (Den) Team High Road Women 9.18
22 Rachel Mercer (NZl) Mercedes Benz Team 9.21
23 Nathalie Bates (Aus) Menikini - Selle Italia 9.27
24 Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Australian National Team 10.26
25 Eva Lutz (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 10.36
26 Carmen McNellis (USA) USA National Team 11.30
27 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Menikini - Selle Italia 11.38
28 Lynette Burger (RSA) South Africa National Team 11.57
29 Carissa Wilkes (NZl) New Zealand National Team 12.13
30 Meng Lang (Chn) China National Team 12.35
31 Karin Thürig (Swi) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 12.45
32 Jocelyn Loane (Aus) Australian National Team 12.48
33 Robyn De Groot (RSA) South Africa National Team 12.49
34 Peta Mullens (Aus) Australian National Team 17.04
35 Kaytee Boyd (NZl) New Zealand National Team 17.13
36 Yuka Yamashima (Jpn) Japan National Team 19.07
37 Regina Schleicher (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 19.59
38 Joanne Kiesanowski (NZl) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 20.26
39 Alexis Rhodes (Aus) Team High Road Women 20.36
40 Ayako Toyooka (Jpn) Japan National Team 20.52
41 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Menikini - Selle Italia 20.55
42 Lauren Franges (USA) USA National Team 21.07
43 Katharine Carroll (USA) USA National Team 21.10
44 Christine Thorburn (USA) Webcor Builders Cycling Team 21.12
45 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 21.42
46 Charlotte Becker (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 21.47
47 Mayuko Hagiwara (Jpn) Japan National Team 21.56
48 Sarah Düster (Ger) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 22.02
49 Yolandi Du Toit (RSA) South Africa National Team 22.39
50 Cherise Taylor (RSA) South Africa National Team 22.51
51 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 22.54
52 Brooke Miller (USA) USA National Team
53 Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (Ger) Team High Road Women 23.30
54 Tina Mayolo Pic (USA) Vrienden Van Het Platteland 23.51
55 Emma Mackie (Aus) Team Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam 24.55
56 Gao Min (Chn) China National Team 26.07
57 Miyoko Karami (Jpn) Japan National Team 27.07
58 Liu Yongli (Chn) China National Team 27.57
59 Emma Crum (NZl) Mercedes Benz Team 28.16
60 Olivia Gollan (Aus) Menikini - Selle Italia 28.20
61 Sara MacDonald (NZl) Team Handy Rentals 33.05
62 Carly Hibberd (Aus) MB Cycles Women's Cycling Team 33.26
63 Donna Sibley (NZl) Team Handy Rentals 34.32
64 Wang Fei (Chn) China National Team 36.07
65 Bridie O’Donnell (Aus) Australian National Team 36.54
66 Louise Kerr (Aus) BP Team 38.08
67 Leonie Burford (Aus) MB Cycles Women's Cycling Team 39.29
68 Patricia Schwager (Swi) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 39.44
69 Amy Dombroski (USA) Webcor Builders Cycling Team 41.33
70 Marina Duvnjak (NZl) New Zealand National Team 41.42
71 Linn Torp (Nor) Vrienden Van Het Platteland 46.42
72 Jaccolien Wallaard (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland 49.00
73 Tahlia Paskin (Aus) Team Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam 51.11
74 Katherine Boyens (NZl) Mercedes Benz Team 55.32
75 Satomi Wadami (Jpn) Japan National Team 1.06.04
76 Laura Thompson (NZl) Team Handy Rentals 1.21.50