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This race was part of the Ronde van Drenthe 2010 links to coverage below

WCN quicklink >>  Race 1  - Drenste 8 Dwingeloo     Race 2 -  Ronde van Drenthe World Cup   Race 3 - Novilon Eurocup

On this page >>  Write-up      Comments     Results      Standings     Photos

Loes Gunnewijk (Netherland Bloeit) sprinted to victory from the breakaway group, to win her first home World Cup. Gunnewjik beat team mate, Annemiek van Vlueten to the line ahead of Giorgia Bronzini (Gauss).

The consistency of Marianne Vos (Netherland Bloeit) who finished in the top 15, meant that she continued to lead in the World Cup standings ahead of Grace Verbeke (Lotto Ladies). Vos has a 47 point lead going into the next round.

Gunnewijk, riding for a Dutch team, the relatively local rider [Zwolle 45km away], was a popular winner on a cool but sunny afternoon.

The Ronde van Drenthe is considered to be a tough test for the women, often referred to as their Paris-Roubaix and interestingly fell on the same weekend as the famous race. The three stretches of cobblestones through wooded farmland offer a test of stamina, bike handling and equipment. The cobbles are in the first half of the race and, as in previous years, created breaks in the peloton which gave the leading groups the opportunity to shape the race through the narrow Drenthe lanes and on to the Col du VAM (or VAM berg), which is a short but steep lung opener. The Col du VAM, was covered in reverse direction on the way out to the cobbles and twice in the final 50 kilometres, as the parcours take the riders in a procession through the finish line in Hoogeveen once before the finale. On the fist decent a crash involving Australia, MTN and Netherland Bloeit disrupted the race for a short while.

The bunch recovered and the riders were visibly nervous about the passages on the cobbles. The bunch was all together in the five kilometers before the first section and was led by Kim Anderson (HTC Columbia] and Lauren Tamayo (USA). The pace served to splinter the peloton, which split the bunch before the first set of cobbles did their worst. The leading contenders were safely towards the front through the first and second small sections of cobbles, many with team-mates for company. The current World Cup leader, Marianne Vos (Netherland Bloeit) had team mates for company, Loes Gunnewijk and Annemiek van Vlueten. Emma Johansson and Marie Lindberg (Red Sun Cycling), Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (Team Columbia Women) was with team-mates Ellen van Dijk, Adrie Visser and Noemi Cantele were all there. Cervelo had Mirjam Melchers van Poppel, Sarah Duester, Charlotte Becker and Iris Slappendel. Brooke Miller (Tibco), Martine Bras had Giorgia Bronzini (Gauss) for company and Chantal Blaak (Team Leontien) was on her own at the front. .

As the race entered the third and longest section of cobbles. An attack went and a lead group of eleven riders formed. The lead group was a strong representation of teams. Cervelo had three riders, Sarah Duester, Charlott Becker and Iris Slappendel, HTC Columbia had two, Adrie Visser and Noemi Cantele, Netherland Bloeit, had , Loes Gunnewijk and Annemiek van Vlueten.  Marie Lindberg (Red Sun Cycling) made the break with Giorgia Bronzini (Gauss) Brooke Miller (Tibco) and Chantal Blaak (Team Leontien) 

The lead group managed to gain an advantage of 1 minute 34 seconds over the peloton. As the race drove through the Drenthe villages to the final section around Hoogeveen and over the VAM, two riders counter attacked and closed the gap to the break. Tiffany Cromwell (Australia) and Carla Swart (MTN) bridged the gap and caught the leaders with 15km to go. The main peloton was led by Lucy Martin and Nicole Cook (GBR), in an attempt to try to close to the leaders. They had no help from the main teams, who all had riders in the break and could not close to the leaders.. 

Sarah Duester (Cervelo Test Team) and her team mates tried hard to attack the leading group but they were constantly chased down by HTC Columbia's Cantele and Visser. With 5km to go, Van Vlueten attacked and Visser chased her. Blaak and Bronzini chased to keep the break together. At 3km the leading bunch were all together. After the final corner, with 500 metres to go, Gunnewijk came off the wheel of Van Vlueten and had a clear lead on the line. In the sprint for second, Van Vlueten held off Bronzini. Cervelo who had been led to 300m by Duester could not get Becker past the leading three and she had to settle for fourth. 

Kirsten Wild (Cervelo Test Team) was first across the line in the bunch sprint.

The World Cup series next heads to Fleche Wallone Femmes in the distinctive jersey on April 21st in Huy, Belgium. Vos and Belgian Verbeke will be fighting out the top spot, although Johansson and Gunnewijk are close on points. 

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