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Tour of Chongming Island 2011

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Stage 2 - Ina-Yoko Teutenberg sprints to victory and secures strong overall lead.

Chongming Industrial Zone Cup, Chongxi,118.4km

Race Writeup

HTC Highroad's Ina-Yoko Teutenberg, was delivered perfectly to the line by her team-mates at the end of the 118.4km stage, the longest in this year's Tour of Chongming Island. The team was aggressive throughout the stage and incredibly managed to get all six into the break which lasted for the last third of the stage. The closing action of their dominant day was a lead out which brought the sprinter and race leader to the final metres, assisting her to win the sprint ahead of Annemiek van Vleuten (Nederland Bloeit). Such was the strength of the effort, Teutenberg's team-mate, Charlotte Becker, took third ahead of some fast competition: Emma Johansson, Monia Baccaille and Giorgia Bronzini.

HTC Highroad, rode an exemplary team race on this second stage. They controlled the pace and ensured that the overall leader after Stage 1, Teutenberg, just had to ensure she was in the right place in the sprint to take the finale and give some 'payback' for her day spent conserving effort at the rear of her group of comrades. 

The peloton stayed together for the first 35km, as they navigated the narrow roads that stretch along the coast. Yanjiang Dyke Road presented the riders with some of the best views from the island and of the local vegetation and landscape. Although narrow with steep sides the dyke was lined with lush vegetation and agricultural land on the right and the Yangtze River on the left. 

There were a few early punctures due to the debris on the roads from yesterday's downpour. All riders managed to get themselves back in the race before the first of the sprints. After the peloton navigated the narrow roads round the lake, the pace was on for two kilometres to the first sprint. 

The MCipollini Giambenini team moved to the front, with 2009 World Champion Tatiana Guderzo driving the pace in the countdown to the 'hotspot' point. At this first sprint Swedish road Champion, Emma Johansson (Hitec), jumped off the wheel of Teutenberg to take maximum points ahead of Teutenberg and Australian, Rochelle Gilmore (Lotto).  The group bunched up again as the roads widened and the pace dropped. It stayed like that until around 75km of racing had been completed. 

With 8km to go to the second sprint at 83.2km, the complete team of HTC Highroad moved to the front ands stretched out the peloton. Behind them, as a result of their interjection of pace, the bunch splintered into three groups.

At the second sprint, Teutenberg secured maximum points ahead of Johansson and Stage 1 winner, Lizzie Armitstead (Garmin Cervelo).

The momentum from the sprint and consequent chase created a leading group of 18 riders. This included, still, the entirety of the HTC Highroad team, Sarah Duester and Annemiek van Vleuten (Nederland Bloeit), Trine Schmidt and the two British riders from Garmin Cervelo, Lucy Martin and Armitstead. Johansson and Sara Mustonen (Hitec) made the break alongside Italian road Champion, Monia Baccailli (MCipollini Giambenini). 2010 World Champion, Giorgia Bronzini also managed to get across with Italian team mate, Giada Borato. The only other two riders to make the break were Romy Kasper (Germany) and Lauren Tamayo (USA).

The lead group's gap quickly increased to one minute. When the chase finally started with 35km to go, it was the teams of MCipollini, Vaiano Solaristech and Alriksson Go Green who were doing the chasing. With 25km to go, the gap had come down to 35 seconds. With 12km to go, Armitstead punctured and instead of taking a wheel from the Neutral Services team, she waited for the team car. This cost her valuable time; it was delayed in arriving behind some of the other convoy vehicles. 

A little disorganised, the chase lost momentum. With 10km to go the gap had increased to 40 seconds. By the time the leaders hit 3km to go, the chase was lost and the gap was 1 minute 30 seconds. 

HTC Highroad made the perfect lead out for Teutenberg. She hit the front with 50m to go and just had time to celebrate as she crossed the line. 

After two stages, Teutenberg leads the GC and Sprint competitions. HTC Highroad have jumped into the lead in the Team competition. In the best Asian rider, Thailands Maneephan Jutatip leads. China Chongming - Giant now lead the Asian Team competition.

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Post Race Comments

Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (HTC Highroad) dominated the final sprint on stage 2. “The girls worked on the front for 50km. It was perfect team work today. I just had to finish it off,” said Teutenberg.

“We started to speed things up 10km before the second sprint. With the wind link this we put everyone in the gutter. We just kept riding and more and more riders dropped off. That is how we wanted to race today. The team did everything for me. I really didn’t have to put my nose in the wind that much. I had the easiest job really,” added Teutenberg.

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