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Kirsten Wild (Cervelo Test Team) sprinted to victory in the 8th round of the World Cup ahead of Adrie Visser (HTC Columbia) and Swedish Road Champion, Emma Johansson (Red Sun Cycling).

The course around Vårgåda was technical, challenging and initially the conditions were very poor. Just before the start and during the first lap rain fell then it stopped and the sun started to shine. 

Initially, the bunch were keen to try and shake up the race. In the first lap, three riders managed to get away. Emma Pooley (Cervelo Test Team), Mascha Pijnenborg (Red Sun Cycling) and Silva Valsecchi (Top Girls Fassa Bortolo-Ghezzi). The trio, managed to gain a 30 second lead on the peloton. 

Just before the second lap had started, Pooley attacked the leaders and rode solo, quickly gaining an advantage over the two chasers. After 15.8km of racing, Pooley had 1 minute 10 second lead on the peloton and the two lone other escapees were caught by the peloton.

After three laps of the 11km circuit, Pooleys lead was starting to come down. This was due to a number of counter attacks being launched from the peloton. The first to attempt a break, was Ellen van Dijk (HTC Columbia). She managed a small gap before being caught by the chase from Cervelo Test Team, Red Sun and Lotto Ladies.

At the start of lap 4, Pooley held a 40 second lead to three chasing riders, who were just off the front of the peloton, Marijn de Vries (Leontine.NL), Grace Verbeke (Lotto) and Petra Dijkman (Red Sun). 

Pooley increased her lead a little to 55 seconds the fourth time up the climb at Heerlunga but it did not last. By the time she reached the start finish line, to start the fifth lap the bunch had closed the gap and were all together. 

On the climb Shara Gillow (Australian National Team) attacked and managed to get a 1 minute 15 second lead. She maintained the gap until the run into town. At 3km to go on the lap. Verbeke attacked the bunch and managed to join Gillow. 

After 68km the two leaders had a 24 second lead but it was coming down rapidly. Verbeke decided to attack on her own over the tricky technical section of the course, a narrow bridge over the river. Verbeke rode solo for two kilometres before a reaction from Johansson at the front of the bunch, created a chase and the gap closed to Verbeke and caught Gillow. 

After two hours of racing the bunch were all back together. With 5 laps to go, the attacks were coming thick and fast. First, Iris Slappendal (Cervelo Test Team) tried to go but Annemiek van Vleuten (Nederland Bloeit) closed the gap to her. On the climb, Vos tried to go but Wild closed the gap this time. 

All together as the crossed the line with four laps to go, Linda Villumsen (HTC Columbia) tried to attack. It was Nederland Bloeit's Liesbet de Vocht who chased to make sure she did not get away. 

After 105km of racing a break finally formed. The group included; de Vocht, Marie Lindberg (Red Sun), Sarah Duester (Cervelo Test Team), van Dijk (HTC Columbia), Verbeke and Irene van den Broek (Leontien.NL). This group got a maximum gap of 28 seconds lead of the chasing peloton.

Just before the climb, the whole peloton came back together. Duester tried to attack with Judith Arndt (HTC Columbia), Chantal Blaak (Leontien.NL), Johansson and van Dijk and nine other riders. The group of fourteen got a small 22 second gap before the peloton chased hard to close it. 

With one lap to go the peloton were all together again. Arndt tried to attack through the technical turns in Vårgåda but could not get away. Vos launched a suicide attack attack on the climb. Wild could not stay with her and Vos managed to gain a gap of 15 seconds. On the decent, the Cervelo Test Team moved to the front to chase Vos. At 1km to go, Vos had a 5 second lead. By the time she reached the final turn to the finish line, Cervelo Test Team and HTC Columbia were on her wheel. 

In the sprint, Wild and Visser had the perfect lead outs from their teams. It was Wild who had the stronger legs, enjoying a little time to celebrate across the line ahead of Visser and Johansson.

Vos finished safely in the bunch to secure her place as World Cup leader albeit only 18 points ahead of Wild and 46 points ahead of Johansson.

Egon van Kessel (Sport Director Cervelo Test Team) was very happy with the effort of the team, "I always expected an attack from Vos, she was so strong and we had to chase so hard to catch her. It wasn't easy. We gave it everything to bring her back and when you win, it makes it all worth while, it was perfect, we had to fight but it was worth it" said van Kessel.

Rene Wenzel (Team Director HTC Columbia) was a little disappointed with second but his team gave it everything, "We worked so hard all day trying to create the breaks and do something about the sprint of Kirsten Wild. In trying to make it hard, you also run the risk of making yourself soft," said Wenzel.

The second place for Visser was an important consolation for the efforts of the team, "Adrie [Visser] was the protected sprinter here. She did some of the work, but we tried to protect her when we could to give her a chance in if it came to a sprint. In the end I am glad we did because she managed to get second. It isn't a win but I am happy, " added Wenzel.