By Marianne Werz Obrien

The 2004 Women’s World Cup

Last year's series winner, Nicole Cooke, courtesy of her website.

In 2004 the women’s World Cup series will gain one new race, The Ronde van Vlaanderen in Belgium and, unfortunately, lose one as well - the Amstel Gold.  Nine races comprise the Women’s World Cup competition this year. These are Geelong, Primavera Rosa, Castilla y Leon, Ronde va Vlaanderen, Fleche Wallonne, Montreal, GP Ouest France-Plouay, Lowland International Rotterdam, and Rund um die Nurnberger Altstadt.

Petra Rossner courtesy of her website.

In addition to winning individual races, the riders vie for the overall World Cup, which is based on points. The women’s point structure differs from the men’s. For the women points are awarded to the first 20 riders in each race. The point structure is 75 for first place, 50 for second, 35 for third, and then 30, 27, 24, 21, 18, 15, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 for the remaining 17 riders.

Unlike the men’s World Cup series, which has been in existence for 15 years, the women’s World Cup series is only going into it’s 7th year.  The longest running races in the series are Australian WC, Montreal, & Plouay – all of which started in 1998.

Some World Cup “Fun Facts”

• 25 different women have won the 53 World Cup races since 1998
• Number of different winners in a season: Most - 8, 1999; Least - 5, 1998
• Most World Cup wins: Petra Rossner (GER), 7 wins. Diana Ziliute (LTU) has 6
• Most World Cup wins in one year:  Believe it or not - a 4-way tie!  3 wins each for: Ziliute (1998), Millward (2001), Rossner (2002), & Cooke (2003)
• Most World Cup wins in same race: Petra Rossner, 4 wins in Liberty Cup (1998-2001)
• Youngest Overall winner: Nicole Cooke (GBR), 20 years old, 2003
• World Cup Overall win without any World Cup race wins: None. Unlike the men’s competition – every woman who has won the overall WC has also won at least one race that year.
• German domination:
  • Germans have won 22% of all World Cup races since 1998 and five out of the nine races in 2002.
  • The Liberty Cup should be renamed “Petra Rossner’s Cup”, because she won it all four years that the race was in existence!

Most Wins by Country

• Germans have won 12 of the 53 races
• Australians have won 9, Lithuanians 6, Italians 5
• Russia & the Netherlands are tied with 4 wins each
• Lithuania & Australia have each taken the overall WC twice
• Germany & Great Britain have each taken the overall WC once

Home Field Advantage?

• Australians have won 4 of the 6 World Cups on their native soil
• Home field advantage pays off in the Netherlands also. Locals win 50% of the races
• None for the Spanish, Americans or French, who have yet to win a single race at home

2004 Women’s Road World Cup

WC #1 – February 29: Geelong, Australia

First run in 1998, this is one of the oldest events in the women’s World Cup. The 119 km course consists of 17 laps around a seven kilometer circuit that winds its way along the picturesque Geelong Waterfront. Please visit the official website.

WC #2 - March 20: Primavera Rosa, Italy

The course is approximately 118 km long, and flat until the last 40 km. This race joined the women’s WC series in 1999. The last kilometres of this race and Milano-San Remo (men's World Cup) are the same.  Below is the profile from last years race. The official website can be found here.

WC #3 - March 28: Gran Premio Castilla y Leon, Spain

Castilla y Leon is a relatively new event, having had its inaugural run in 2002. The 108.5 km course is flat on the whole, however there is a climb in the middle of the circuit. The race takes place around the village of Villarcayo (Burgos), on a 15,5 kilometer circuit to be ridden in 7 laps.  The climb in the middle of each lap is 1km long at 5% grade with a stretch up to 8%. The official wesite is located here.

WC #4 – April 4: Ronde van Vlaanderen, Belgium

This will be the Tour of Flanders inaugural run.

WC #5 – April 21: La Fleche Wallonne, Belgium

Accepted as a WC event in 1999, the course is a 93,5 km circuit broken up by six nice hills. The final climb is Mur de Huy, a 1 km climb with an average 15% gradient which pitches up to 20% for a bit.

WC #6 – May 29: Montreal, Canada 

One of the three longest running events in the women’s World Cup, this race premiered in 1998.  The 100 km course is run in 12 laps of approximately 8,3 kilometers each. The most notable section is Mont Royal where the riders will have to climb a 1,2 km steep rise during each lap.

WC #7 – August 28: GP Ouest France-Plouay, France 

This race has been run yearly since 1998, on a circuit course around the quaint town of Plouay. There are eight 14 kilometer laps for a total of 113 kilometers with two challenging climbs per lap.  To see the route and profile click on the following link. The official website is here.

WC #8 - September 5: Lowland International Rotterdam Tour, Netherlands 

The Rotterdam Tour, which began in 2000, is a 140km race that will take place on flat, even roads going through the polders outside the city. Unlike last year the race starts and finishes at the "Boompjes," a scenic location on the river Maas which divides the city in half. Once again the course traverses the Erasmusbrug and the Willemsbrug bridges, and goes through the Heinenoord tunnel. Were it not for the bridges and tunnel this route would essentially be pancake flat. The official website for the race is here.

WC #9 - September 12: Rund um die Nürnberger Altstadt, Germany 

This event has been run for 14 years, but was accepted into the World Cup series only last year.  The 117 kilometer course consists of nine 13 km laps around the town of Nuremburg. The official website is here. 

Results from Previous Years' World Cup Races

Australian Round results summary

Year - Location - First - Second - Third
1998 Sydney WC Dede DEMET (USA) Pam Schuster (USA) Elizabeth Tadich (AUS)
1999 Canberra WC  Anna WILSON (AUS) Hanka Kupfernagel (GER) Sarah Symington (GBR)
2000  Canberra WC Anna WILSON (AUS) Mirella Van Melis (NED)  Mirjam Melchers (NED)
2001  Canberra WC Anna MILLWARD (AUS) Mirjam Melchers (NED) Rochelle Gilmore (AUS)
2002  Thredbo WC Petra ROSSNER (GER) Rochelle Gilmore (AUS)  Mirjam Melchers (NED)
2003  Geelong WC  Sara CARRIGAN (AUS) Katie MACTIER (AUS)  Judith ARNDT (GER)

Primavera Rosa, Italy

Year - First - Second - Third
1999 Sara FELLONI (ITA) Gabriella PREGNOLATO (ITA) Chantal BELTMAN (NED)
2000 Diana ZILIUTE (LTU) Ina TEUTENBERG (GER) Giovanna TROLDI (ITA)
2001 Susanne LJUNGSKOG (SWE) Mirjam MELCHERS (NED) Sara FELLONI (ITA)
2002 Mirjam MELCHERS (NED) Diana ZILIUTE (LTU) Chantal BELTMAN (NED)
2003 Zoulfia ZABIROVA (RUS) Regina SCHLEICHER (GER) Rochelle GILMORE (AUS)

Castilla y Leon, Spain

Year - First - Second - Third
2002 Regina SCHLEICHER (GER) Petra ROSSNER (GER) Mirjam MELCHERS (NED)
2003 Mirjam MELCHERS (NED) Anita VALEN (NOR) Sara CARRIGAN (AUS)

La Flèche Wallonne, Belgium

Year - First - Second - Third
1999 Hanka KUPFERNAGEL(GER) Edita PUCINSKAITE(LTU) Cindy PEITERS (BEL)
2000 Genevieve JEANSON (CAN) Pia SUNSTEDT (FIN)  Fany LECOUTOIS (FRA)
2001 Fabiana LUPERINI (ITA)  Anna MILLWARD (AUS)  Trixi WORRACK (GER)
2002 Fabiana LUPERINI (ITA)  Lyne BESSETTE (CAN) Priska DOPPMANN (SUI)
2003 Nicole COOKE (GBR)  Susan PALMER-KOMAR (CAN) Oenone WOOD (AUS)

Montreal, Canada

Year - First - Second - Third
1998 Diana ZILIUTE (LTU)  Jeannie LONGO-CIPRELLI (FRA) Barbara HEEB (SUI)
1999 Tracy GAUDRY (AUS)  Lyne BESSETTE (CAN) Anna WILSON (AUS)
2000 Pia SUNSTEDT (FIN)  Fabiana LUPERINI (ITA) Diana ZILIUTE (LTU)
2001 Genevieve JEANSON (CAN)  Susanne LJUNGSKOG (SWE) Lyne BESSETTE (CAN)
2002 Dede DEMET-BARRY (USA)  Anna MILLWARD (AUS) Genevieve JEANSON (CAN)
2003 Genevieve JEANSON (CAN)  Nicole COOKE (GBR) Judith ARNDT (GER)

Plouay, France

Year - First - Second - Third
1998  Diana ZILIUTE (LTU) Allessandra CAPPELLOTTO (ITA) Dede DEMET (USA)
1999  Anna MILLWARD (AUS) Hanka KUPFERNAGEL (GER)  Tracy GAUDRY (AUS)
2000  Diana ZILIUTE (LTU)  Pia SUNSTEDT (FIN) Mirjam MELCHERS (NED)
2001  Anna MILLWARD (AUS)  Mirjam MELCHERS (NED)  Susanne LJUNGSKOG (SWE)
2002  Regina SCHLEICHER (GER)  Petra ROSSNER (GER) Susanne LJUNGSKOG (SWE)
2003  Nicole COOKE (GBR)  Judith ARNDT (GER)  Mirjam MELCHERS (NED)

Lowland Rotterdam, Netherlands

Year - First - Second - Third
2000 Chantal BELTMAN (NED) Leontien VAN MOORSEL (NED) Goulnara IVANOVA (RUS)
2001 Judith ARNDT (GER) Debby MANSVELD (NED) Monica VALEN (NOR)
2002 Petra ROSSNER (GER) Regina SCHLEICHER (GER) Debby MANSVELD (NED)
2003  Chantal BELTMAN (NED) Diana ZILIUTE (LTU) Susanne LJUNGSKOG (SWE)

Rund um die Nürnberger Altstadt, Germany

Year - First - Second - Third
2003 Diana ZILIUTE (LTU) Regina SCHLEICHER (GER) Arenda GRIMBERG (NED)

Liberty Cup, USA

Year - First - Second - Third
1998  Petra ROSSNER (GER) Diana ZILIUTE (LTU) Gabriella PREGNOLATO (ITA)
1999  Petra ROSSNER (GER) Karen DUNNE (USA)  Hanka KUPFERNAGEL (GER)
2000  Petra ROSSNER (GER) Diana ZILIUTE (LTU) Vera HOHLFELD (GER)
2001  Petra ROSSNER (GER) Anna MILLWARD (AUS)  Debbie MANSVELD (NED)

Trophee International, France

Year - First - Second - Third
1998 Allessandra CAPPELLOTTO (ITA)  Catherine MARSAL (FRA ) Diana ZILIUTE (LTU)
1999 Vania VONCKX (BEL) Judith ARNDT (GER)  Tracy GAUDRY (AUS)
2000 Event was cancelled    
2001 Olga SLIOUSSAREVA (RUS)  Regina SCHLEICHER (GER)  Anna MILLWARD (AUS)

Ladies Tour of Beneden-Maas

Year - First - Second - Third
1998  Diana ZILIUTE (LTU)  Ina TEUTENBERG (GER) Viola MULLER-PAULITZ (GER)
1999  Petra ROSSNER (GER)  Leontien VAN-MOORSEL (NED)  Anna WILSON (AUS)

Women’s World Cup, Suisse

Year - First - Second - Third
1998 Zoulfia ZABIROVA (RUS) Elisabeth VINK (NED) Zita URBONAITE (LTU)
1999 Anna WILSON (AUS) Hanka KUPFERNAGEL (GER) Arenda GRIMBERG (NED)
2000 Pia SUNSTEDT (FIN) Fabiana LUPERINI (ITA) Mirjam MELCHERS (NED)
2001 Susanne LJUNGSKOG (SWE) Fabiana LUPERINI (ITA) Edita PUCINSKAITE (LTU)
2002 Svetlana BOUBNENKOVA (RUS) Simona PARENTE (ITA) Priska DOPPMANN (SUI)

Hamilton World Cup, New Zealand

Year - First - Second - Third
1999  Roberta BONANOMI (ITA)  Gunn-Rita DAHLE (NOR)  Tracy GAUDRY (AUS)
2000  Event did not run    
2001  Anna MILLWARD (AUS) Mirjam MELCHERS (NED)  Zinaida STAHURSKAIA (BLR)
2002  Petra ROSSNER (GER)  Rochelle GILMORE (AUS)  Hanka KUPFERNAGEL (GER)

Amstel Gold

Year - First - Second - Third
2003 Nicole COOKE (GBR)  Olivia GOLLAN (AUS)  Edita PUCINSKAITE (LTU)

Unfortunately the Amstel Gold race has been discontinued in 2004.