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Giro Donne, 2009

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Stage 4 Stage 4 Full Stage 5 Stage 5 Full Stage 6 Stage 6 Full Stage 7 Stage 7 Full

Stage 8 Stage 8 Full Stage 9 Stage 9 Full

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Stage 1

San Piero a Sieve - Pratolini di Vaglia (FI) 99.9 Km

Race Writeup

Edita Pucinskaite (Gauss) wins first stage of Girodonne; and will now wear the coveted pink jersey as the race heads for the second stage in the province of Pisa , where there is the individual time trial of 13.5 km from Pontedera in Santa Maria a Monte.
Edita Pucinskaite, who lives in Tuscany celebrated with a splash of sparkling wine and was very happywith her win, jumping on the podium. Pucinskaite finished just ahead of Fabianna Luperini (Selle Italia Ghezz) and Judith Arndt and Mara Abbott (Team Columbia HTC).

The race was affected by the heat, which ensured that the peloton was splintered into several group across the route. The first attack of the day at San Piero a Sieve was made by Nadejda Vlasova (Fennix) it did not last as the peloton closed up. American Megan Guarnieri, attacked after 16km and managed to hold out to 52km before she was reeled in. The next attack came from Brazilian Clemilda Fernandez Silva, who managed to get a break at the 62 km point and held off until 9km to go.

At this point the team of Cervelo knew that it could not defend the pink jersey on the shoulders of Kristen Wild and as the final climb approached at Pratolino Vaglia, the big names attacked and did not disappoint the expectations. The attack was motivated by Luperini, who was born locally and was supported by crowds of supporters.

Luperini managed to get a lead of two hundred meters, where the road narrowed and it became much harder. It was at this time Pucinskaite closed the gap. The Lithuanian flew up the mountain like a train and just had time to raise her arms with smile as she crossed the line ahead of Luperini. Pucinskaite’s attack had brought Arndt and Abbott, and close on their wheels the Bigla duo of Naomi Cantele and Nicole Brändli. Wild was off the pace a few minutes behind the winner.

In general classification Pucinskaite was now, back in pink after exactly two years (she won the 2006 and 2007 editions). She has one second on Arndt and 9 seconds on Italian Cantele and Luperini.

Pink jersey dila ': Edita Pucinskaite (Gauss RDZ Ormu Colnago)
Cyclamen jersey Sayerlack: Edita Pucinskaite (Gauss RDZ Ormu Colnago)
Green jersey Polyedra: Edita Pucinskaite (Gauss RDZ Ormu Colnago)
White jersey and Lombardy Region: Alona Andruk (Safi Pasta Zara)

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Post Race Comments

Edita Pucinskaite (Guass) was realistic that there was a long way to go in the tour and that she may not hold it to the finish, "I know that I am soon lose the jersey,” says Edita smiling, “but it is great to have it again after two seasons, in which I have a difficult time. I am an optimist by nature and psychologically it was a tough period. Fabiana started her attack and I thought I have to give everything I have. I felt good and I had the right legs. I passed without problems. I dedicate all this joy to Abruzzo and Zinaida Starhuskaya." who died tragically last week.

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Results - Top 10 - click here to see full result

Position	Name	Team	Time	Gap
1	PUCINSKAITE EDITA	Gauss Rdz Ormu Colnago	2:46'21
2	LUPERINI FABIANA	Selle Italia Ghezzi	2:46'21
3	ARNDT JUDITH	Team Columbia Highroad Woman	2:46'21
4	ABBOTT MARA	Team Columbia Highroad Woman	2:46'21
5	CANTELE NOEMI	Bigla Cycling Team	2:46'24	3
6	BRANDLI NICOLE	Bigla Cycling Team	2:46'24	3
7	NEBEN AMBER	Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung	2:46'24	3
8	ZILIUTE DIANA	Safi Pasta Zara Titanedi	2:46'26	5
9	POOLEY EMMA	Cervelo Test Team	2:46'26	5
10	GUDERZO TATIANA	S. C. Michela Fanini Record Rox	2:46'30	9

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General Classification Top 10 - click here to see full GC

Position	Name	Team	Time	Gap

1	PUCINSKAITE EDITA	Gauss Rdz Ormu Colnago	2:49'28
2	ARNDT JUDITH	Team Columbia Highroad Woman	2:49'29	1
3	CANTELE NOEMI	Bigla Cycling Team	2:49'37	9
4	LUPERINI FABIANA	Selle Italia Ghezzi	2:49'37	9
5	NEBEN AMBER	Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung	2:49'39	11
6	POOLEY EMMA	Cervelo Test Team	2:49'40	12
7	ZILIUTE DIANA	Safi Pasta Zara Titanedi	2:49'41	13
8	BRANDLI NICOLE	Bigla Cycling Team	2:49'42	14
9	BUBNENKOVA SVETLANA	Fenixs Edilsavino	2:49'46	18
10	ARMSTRONG KRISTIN	Cervelo Test Team	2:49'47	19

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Photos Click on any image to enlarge >>

01_Giro_015	01_Giro_016	01_Giro_020	01_Giro_022	01_Giro_046
01_Giro_066	01_Giro_072	01_Giro_103	01_Giro_147	01_Giro_153
01_Giro_174	01_Giro_196	01_Giro_213

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