Women's Reading Classic - Photo Journal
Ina Yoko Teutenberg doubles! Aims to repeat 2007 victory in the triple crown.

The Commerce Bank Reading Classic is the second leg of the 2008 Commerce Bank Triple Crown of Cycling. Over a 7.4 mile course with steep hills from

Ina-Yoko Teutenberg continued her dominating run at the Commerce Bank Triple Crown of Cycling, taking her fifth straight win with a commanding performance at the Commerce Bank Reading Classic women’s criterium on Thursday. Teutenberg looks on track to double her win of last year with a hat trick of wins in the race series two years in a row, only Sunday's Liberty Classic stands in her way.

Joanne Kiesanowski (Team Tibco) leads the break with Teutenberg on her wheel. Photo © 2008 Action Images

Teutenberg was part of a five-rider group that broke away from the field about halfway through the 25-mile race that traced a 1.8-mile circuit through downtown Reading. On the last lap the German High Road rider punched the accelerator with 200 meters to go, easily out-gunning Team Tibco’s Joanne Kiesanowski. Cheerwine’s Laura Van Gilder was third in the race that lasted one hour, one minute and 23 seconds.

“No way,” answered Teutenberg when asked if winning ever gets old. “Each one is a little different, so you appreciate them all.”

Cervelo Lifeforce rider leads the chase. Photo © 2008 Action Images

Unlike on Tuesday when Teutenberg had to bury herself to make a solo bridge across to the decisive breakaway, this time she was part of the key selection that was initiated by Kristin Armstrong, team leader of the Swiss-based Cervelo-Lifeforce squad and a U.S. Olympic hopeful. Only Teutenberg, Kiesanowski, Van Gilder and Alison Powers (Colavita-Sutter Home) could respond  to the 2006 world time trial champion’s move, making the race a five-rider affair.

“Kristin went with Ina on her wheel,” explain Kiesanowski, who is married to former Tour de France rider Jeff Pierce. “It was clear that was going to be the big break of the day.”

Teutenberg leads the break with two laps to go. Photo © 2008 Action Images

What wasn’t clear is how to beat Teutenberg. Despite doing the lion’s share of the work in the break, the two time Liberty Classic winner had little problem taking the sprint at the end.  

“No one was really working that hard in the break so the time came down a lot on the last lap,” explained Teutenberg of a gap that was cropped from 60 seconds to just 13 by the finish. “I came into the final straightaway on Alison Power’s wheel and then just had a go. It was a bit of an uphill to the finish so it was better to start my sprint from a ways out because there’s less of a draft.”

The gap goes down as the Teutenberg puts pressure on the front.
Photo © 2008 Action Images

Once again Teutenberg managed her feat minus the assistance of teammates. The rest of the High Road women were in Quebec where Judith Arndt won her third stage of the Tour of Montreal today giving her the overall tour win. The win was Arndt's fourth victory in six days including her amazing ride the the Montreal World Cup on Saturday. After the race the team packed up to make the trip to Philadelphia to race Sunday’s Liberty Classic. The 56.7-mile event is run on the same circuit as the men’s Philadelphia International Championship.

Cervelo Lifeforce's Kristin Armstrong (5th) should fare better in the Liberty Classic on Sunday. - Alison Powers of Colavita/Sutter Home finished 4th. Photo © 2008 Action Images

The final race of the series begins and ends on Philadelphia’s famed Benjamin Franklin Parkway. In between, the world’s fastest women cyclists will scratch and claw their way around four laps of the grueling 14.4-mile circuit that includes the infamous Manayunk Wall at 17 percent. At stake in the three-race series is a $27,200 prize purse that includes $5000 for the overall winner – a title Teutenberg looks destined to win in her current form.

Podium: Joanne Kiesanowski (Team Tibco), Ina Teutenberg (Team High Road), and Laura Van Gilder (Cheerwine) Photo © 2008 Action Images

Reading Classic
Womens Pro Race Results
25 miles - 1:23
1 TEUTENBERG, Ina-Yoko Team High Road 01:23.0
2 KIESANOWSKI, Joanne Team TIBCO 672 01:23.0
3 VAN GILDER, Laura Cheerwine Cycling 625 01:23.0
4 POWERS, Alison Colavita/Sutter Home 629 01:23.0
5 ARMSTRONG, Kristin Cervelo-Lifeforce 614 01:23.0

High Road's Ina Yoko Teutenberg - pre race face, on a mission to repeat he 2007 victory in all three races in the Triple Crown. Photo © 2008 Action Images

6 BENJAMIN, Kelly Cheerwine Cycling 621 01:36.0
7 RAIS, Amber Team TIBCO 673 01:36.0
8 GAUTHIER, Shontell Colavita/Sutter Home 627 01:36.0
9 MANDERFIELD, Kacey Verducci/Breakaway R 689 01:36.0
10 KROEPSCH, Lara ValueAct Capital Cyc 677 01:36.0

Amber Rais - Team TIBCO

11 ALLAR, Erica Aaron's Professional 602 01:36.0
12 RICKARDS, Emma Cervelo-Lifeforce 617 01:36.0
13 SANBORN, Melissa Vanderkitten Racing 683 01:36.0
14 LARSON, Rebecca Aaron's Professional 604 01:36.0
15 CROWELL, Jacquelyn Team Kenda Tire 665 01:36.0
16 OLIVEIRA, Flavia Vanderkitten Racing 682 01:36.0
17 CHEATLEY, Catherine Cheerwine Cycling 622 01:36.0
18 DUSTER, Sarah Cervelo-Lifeforce 616 01:36.0
19 WILSON, Jennifer Vanderkitten Racing 684 01:42.0
20 ROORDA, Steph Juice Plus/NC cyclin 657 01:45.0
21 MURDIN, Kele Verducci/Breakaway R 690 01:45.0
22 POWERS, Catherine Aaron's Professional 605 01:45.0
23 DOPPMANN, Priska Cervelo-Lifeforce 615 01:45.0
24 NAKAMURA, Yukie Team Kenda Tire 668 01:45.0
25 PRYDE, Susy Jazz Apple 652 01:45.0
26 SCHNIDER, Pascale Cervelo-Lifeforce 618 01:45.0
27 BAMBERGER, Sarah Cheerwine Cycling 620 01:58.0
28 STACY, Marple Cheerwine Cycling 624 02:02.0
29 HAMBLETON, Marni ValueAct Capital Cyc 676 02:08.0
30 PATELLA, Martina ValueAct Capital Cyc 678 02:16.0
31 RUITER, Christina ValueAct Capital Cyc 679 02:34.0
32 HATCH, Liz Vanderkitten Racing 681 02:34.0
33 FARINA, Robin Cheerwine Cycling 623 04:27.0

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