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Teutenberg first World Cup Leader, 2006

World Cup Round 1 - Geelong results

Race date - 26th February 2006

Geelong World Cup website

135 riders rolled out to start the first World Cup of the season. The expectations for some riders were high, given the performances in the Geelong Tour in the previous week. The pressure was also on for the New Zealand riders, with 12 of the top New Zealanders in the race, all of whom were in possible contention for a spots on the yet to be named Commonwealth Games team.  However there were some “form unknowns”, with strong riders like Nicole Cooke (Univega and British Road Champion) and Olympic Champion Sara Carrigan (Australia and Queensland Academy of Sport) choosing not to ride the Geelong Tour.

Over 8 laps of a 14.9km circuit, the 119.2km race was similar to previous World Cup races in Geelong with attacks, counter attacks and a final bunch sprint.

Unfortunately a crash involving a few riders in the first lap could have raised serious concerns for Australia with the up coming Commonwealth Games, as it included Sara Carrigan. Thankfully for Carrigan, but unfortunate for one rider Bernadette Schober (ACR-2ZU), she was able to get back on her bike and rejoin the race.

  It seemed that the place to attack for the whole race was at the back of the circuit, on Aberdeen St, as the Chinese rider Pux Lang Zaheng (Giant Pro Cycling) made the first of many attacks. She quickly managed to get a 30m gap on the peleton. However she was caught at the base of the climb up Hyland St before she attacked again and gained a 100m gap. Instrumental in pulling her back in was Emma Rickards (Univega) and Natalie Boyarskaya (Russian National Team). The experienced pro-teams of T-Mobile, Univega, the New Zealand National Team and the Russian National Team controlled the peleton for the remainder of the first lap.

Continuous attacks from the New Zealanders: Melissa Holt, Marian Duvnjak and Sarah Ulmer, Univega riders Priska Doppmann, Sarah Duester and Christine Soeder and some of the Australia riders, Emma James (Chase Sydney- Smart-Mercedes Benz) and Helen Kelly (Team Cheerwine/Bicisport) were quickly closed down by the experience teams of T-Mobile, Nobili Rubinetterie Menikini Cogeas and Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung. Notable of these attacks were when Ulmer attacked. She was closed down by the experienced T-Mobile power rider Judith Arndt.

At the half way point, a decisive attack from Marina Duvnjak (New Zealand), just before the feed zone stretched out to 55 seconds before Australia Kate Bates (Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung) and Australian Road Race Champion) showed her impressive form by pulling the peleton up close the lone rider. This enabled team mate Oenone Wood, Christine Soeder (Univega), Kate Nichols (NSW Institute of Sport) and Miho Oki (Nobili Rubinetterie Menikini Cogeas) and Japanese Champion) to join the New Zealander in the attack. The group of six riders managed to get a 15 second gap before the T-Mobile team took control at the front of the peleton and caught the group just before the start/finish area. Unfortunately for T-Mobile, Lynn Bassette had to retire from the race, apparently suffering from headaches after her fall during the final stages of the Geelong Tour last Thursday.

The speed for completion of the laps increased considerably with two laps to go. The bunch had been covering each lap in around 24 minutes; the penultimate laps was covered in just over 22 minutes. The speed of coverage was as a direct result of the number of attacks, which came from all of the key riders and teams including Oliva Gollan (Nobili Rubinetterie Menikini Cogeas), Priska Doppman (Univega),and NSWIS riders Natalie Bates and Sara Carrigan (QAS).  

At the bell, the bunch had split into two large groups with the top riders all well positioned in the lead group. Again at the back of the course the attacks came strong and fast with Susie Wood (New Zealand), Sara Carrigan (NSWIS) and Trixi Worrack (Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung) gaining a small advantage over the peleton. This did not last long as the (Nobili Rubinetterie Menikini Cogeas) riders again closed the gap.

At the base of the climb for the final time, Oenone Wood attacked, closely followed by Nicole Cooke and Ina Tuetenberg. Cooke and Tuetenberg could not hold the wheel of the strong Australian rider as she quickly gained an advantage over the bunch. Wood looked strong and for a while it seemed she might succeed. She could not hold her solo attack in the strong headwinds along the Western Beach as the teams organized themselves behind her to make the catch 2km out from the finish. Sarah Ulmer (New Zealand), T-Mobile's Judith Arndt (T-Mobile) working for Teutenberg and the Univega team, who were trying to set up 2003 World Cup Champion, Nicole Cooke for the final sprint, reeled in Wood with two kilometers to go to the finish.

Teutenberg proved too powerful over the final 200 meters holding off Japan's Miho Oki (Nobili Rubinetterie) and 2006 Australian road champion, Kate Bates ((Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung)) who collected the minor placings just ahead of Tina Pic (USA), Rochelle Gilmore (SAFI- Pasta Zara Manhattan), and Gina Grain the Canadian rider racing for the Chinese (Giant Pro Cycling) team in 3 hours 8 minutes 51 sec  

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