Women's News Roundup #8 - 9 July 2008
Marta Bastianelli, Team Flexpoint, Carla Ryan, Dorte Rasmussen, Sofie Goor, Dutch Olympic Team, other teams for Olympics, World Championships MTB, Profile Ladies Tour and Ster Zeeuwsche Eilanden……

World Champion Marta Bastianelli joins Team Cmax
World Champion Marta Bastianelli has changed teams in the mid season transfer period. Bastianelli (Safi-Pasta Zara) is going to ride the rest of the season for Team Cmax of manager Max Bonanomi.

Her first race for her new team was the Giro del Trentino (from June 20-22). The reason for the change was that Marta would ride the Giro D’Italia Femminile which was not possible with Safi-Pasta Zara due to the problems with Safi-Pasta Zara and Titanedi Frezzo. These two teams have the same structure and the same financier/manager. The UCI doesn’t allow both teams to start in the same races due to a numeric dominance which can lead to race falsification. The only race in which this is allowed are the National Championships.

Susanne Ljungskog and Trine Schmidt
Return to Team Flexpoint
Susanne Ljungskog and Trine Schmidt both returned to Team Flexpoint during the mid-season transfer period. Both women switched at the end of the 2007 season from Flexpoint to the Italian Menikini-Selle Italia team but decided to return with an eye on the coming Olympic Games in Beijing. Ljungskog will ride both the road race and the time-trial in Beijing while Trine Schmidt will participate on the track.

Both women made their comeback in the kit of Team Flexpoint during their own national championships. Both women will also participate in the Giro D’Italia Femminile.

Rochelle Gilmore (Menikini) was also on the list to join Team Flexpoint during the mid-season transfer period but this transfer will not go through. Gilmore will fulfill her contract with the Italian team until the end of the season. It’s not sure (yet) if Gilmore will join Team Flexpoint for the 2009 season.

Dorte Lohse Rasmussen joins Swift Racing Team
Dorte Lohse Rasmussen (Team Cmax) has signed with the British Swift Racing team in the mid-season transfer period. She rewarded her team quickly, finishing fifth in the Omloop door Middag-Humsterland.

Carla Ryan joins Cervelo-Lifeforce
The Australian time trial champion of 2007, Carla Ryan has joined the Cervélo-Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team in the mid-season transfer period. The 22-year-old cyclist from Brisbane (AUS) started for the Australian National Team and has made her debut with Cervelo at the “Grande Boucle Féminine International” . The strengths of Ryan are the longer time trials and climbing.

"We are happy that Carla is joining our team. I’m convinced that she is a great enrichment for all of us and that she can make also a good personal development in the professional ranks with us." said Thomas Campana, Team Manager of the Cervélo-Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team.

Sofie Goor quits with cycling
Sofie Goor (Lotto-Belisol) has decided to quit with immediate effect with professional cycling. The 31 year old announced before the season that 2008 would be her final season as a professional cyclist and that a spot on the Belgium team for the Olympic Games in Beijing would be the crown on her career. But as Belgium is only allowed to send one woman to Beijing; Goor's team mate Lieselot Decroix was chosen with no berth for Goor. Goor's best result in 2008 was 9th in the Fleche Wallonne.

Dutch team announced for Olympic Games in Beijing
Dutch National selector Johan Lammerts has announced (In early June) the Dutch women's team for the Olympic Games in Beijing. The team for the road race consists of Marianne Vos (Team DSB Bank), Mirjam Melchers-van Poppel (Team Flexpoint) and Chantal Beltman (Columbia).

Melchers and Vos will also compete in the time-trial. In first instance Vos was not selected for the time-trial because the national selector of the track wants to have her fit for the points race. But Vos didn’t agree with this and tried to enforce a start sport for her in the TT. A few weeks later after winning the time-trial in the Emakumeen Bira the Dutch selector decided to give her the second spot in the TT along with Melchers.

Vos will compete in three disciplines in Beijing; the road race, the time-trial and the points race (track).

Olympic Games: countries announces teams
Several countries have announced their teams for the upcoming Olympic Games in Beijing. The riders who are selected for the road race and the time-trial are:

France
Jeannie Longo (+TT)
Maryline Salvetat (+TT)
Christel Ferrier Bruneau

Germany
Judith Arndt (+TT)
Hanka Kupfernagel (+TT)
Trixi Worrack

Switzerland
Nicole Brändli
Jennifer Hohl
Priska Doppman (+TT)
Karin Thürig (TT + track)

Sweden
Emma Johansson (+TT)
Susanne Ljungskog (+TT)
Sara Mustonen

Australia
Katherine Bates
Sara Carrigan
Oenone Wood

Canada
Leigh Hobson
Erinne Willock
Alex Wrubleski

Belgium
Lieselot Decroix

New Zealand
Joanne Kiesanowski

World Championships MTB
Dahle (Marathon) and Fullana (Cross Country) reigns
Margarita Fullana (Spain) has become for the third time in her career World Champion Cross Country Mountainbike. On June 22 in Val di Sole (Italy) she was outstanding by beating German Sabine Spitz and defending champion Irina Kalentieva.

World Mtn. Bike Cross Country Championships
1 Margarita Fullana (Spain) 1.39.01
2 Sabine Spitz (Germany) 1.43
3 Irina Kalentieva (Russian Federation) 2.20
4 Mariehelene Premont (Canada) 2.52
5 Maja Wloszczowska (Poland) 3.46
6 Catherine Pendrel (Canada) 4.51
7 Gunnrita Dahle Flesjaa (Norway) 5.16
8 Elisabeth Osl (Austria) 5.29
9 Georgia Gould (United States Of America) 6.18
10 Blaza Klemencic (Slovenia) 6.38

Norwegian Gunn-Rita Dahle reclaimed the Marathon World title in Mountainbike. On July 6 in Villabassa she was 1.44 faster than Sabine Spitz and 3.39 than Pia Sundstedt. In the race over 100 km Dahle led from start to finish. For Dahle it’s her eighth career World Championship title and fourth in the marathon discipline.

For Sabine Spitz it’s a pity as she finished twice in second at a world championships event.

World Mtn. Bike Marathon Championships
1 Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Norway) 4.09.56
2 Sabine Spitz (Germany) 1.44
3 Pia Sundstedt (Finland) 3.39
4 Esther Süss (Switzerland) 11.53
5 Erika Dicht (Switzerland) 13.35
6 Elena Gaddoni (Italy) 16.34
7 Anna Ferrari (Italy) 18.34
8 Marielle Saner-Guinchard (Switzerland) 19.21
9 Antonia Wipfli (Switzerland) 21.42
10 Katrin Schwing (Germany) 24.20

Profile Holland Ladies Tour: stages announced
The stages of the 2008 Profile Holland Ladies Tour have been announced. The stages are:

2 September: Stage 1 - Nijverdal / Nijverdal
3 September: Stage 2 - ITT - Nijverdal (16km)
4 September: Stage 4 - Roden – Leek
5 September: Stage 5 - Dedemsvaart – Hardenberg
6 September: Stage 6 - Boxtel – Boxtel
7 September: Stage 7 - Valkenburg - Berg en Terblijt (Geulhem)

Last year the Ladies Tour was won by Kristin Armstrong ahead of Judith Arndt and Linda Villumsen.

Rabobank Ster Zeeuwsche Eilanden
Ina Teutenberg Wins
The Rabobank Ster Zeeuwsche Eilanden from June 19th to 21st was won by Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (High Road/Columbia). The German sprinter won two stages which was enough for the final win. Kirsten Wild who won the openings stage finished second at only 2 seconds, while Ellen van Dijk completed the podium.

Stage 1: Vlissingen - Vlissingen (ITT), 7.1km Result
1 Kirsten Wild (Ned) AA-Drink Cycling Team 9.07.4
2 Eleonora Van Dijk (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland 0.01.7
3 Regina Bruins (Ned) RT Ton v Bemmelen/Odysis 0.03.9
4 Ina Teutenberg (Ger) Team High Road Women 0.10.7
5 Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland 0.23.5
6 Alexis Rhodes (Aus) Team High Road Women 0.23.9
7 Katherine Bates (Aus) Team High Road Women 0.24.2
8 Iris Slappendel (Ned) Team Flexpoint 0.25.0
9 Vera Koedooder (Ned) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam 0.25.5
10 Anke Wichmann (Ger) Team High Road Women 0.27.5

Stage 2: Middelburg - Vlissingen, 109.7km Result
1 Ina Teutenberg (Ger) Team High Road Women 2.40.25
2 Kirsten Wild (Ned) AA-Drink Cycling Team
3 Angela Brodtka (Ger) Team DSB Bank
4 Monique van de Ree (Ned) RSC De Zuidwesthoek
5 Martine Bras (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland
6 Elise Van Hage (Ned) Team Flexpoint
7 Moniek Rotmensen (Ned) RT Ton v Bemmelen/Odysis
8 Andrea Bosman (Ned) Team DSB Bank
9 Emma Mackie (Aus) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam
10 Liesbeth De Vocht (Bel) Vrienden Van Het Platteland

Stage 3: Kamperland - Renesse, 111.4km Result
1 Ina Teutenberg (Ger) Team High Road Women 2.37.53
2 Kirsten Wild (Ned) AA-Drink Cycling Team
3 Angela Brodtka (Ger) Team DSB Bank
4 Eleonora Van Dijk (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland
5 Martine Bras (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland
6 Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland
7 Elise Van Hage (Ned) Team Flexpoint 0.04
8 Andrea Bosman (Ned) Team DSB Bank
9 Jaccolien Wallaard (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland
10 Liesbeth De Vocht (Bel) Vrienden Van Het Platteland

Final Ranking
1 Ina Teutenberg (Ger) Team High Road Women 5.27.07
2 Kirsten Wild (Ned) AA-Drink Cycling Team 0.02
3 Eleonora Van Dijk (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland 0.18
4 Regina Bruins (Ned) RT Ton v Bemmelen/Odysis 0.26
5 Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Vrienden Van Het Platteland 0.41
6 Katherine Bates (Aus) Team High Road Women 0.43
7 Vera Koedooder (Ned) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam 0.44
8 Alexis Rhodes (Aus) Team High Road Women 0.46
9 Iris Slappendel (Ned) Team Flexpoint
10 Angela Brodtka (Ger) Team DSB Bank

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