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UCI Road World Cup 2012

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Ronde van Vlaanderen 2012 - Arndt wins for GreenEDGE-AIS

Ronde van Vlaanderen / Tour of Flanders, 127km

Race Writeup

Judith Arndt (GreenEDGE-AIS) moved herself up the world cup standings with a strong win over the cobbles. An attacking race, played out on the cold, but sunny Flanders cobbles and climbs produced an emphatic win for the 2008 winner. Kirstin Armstrong (USA) rolled over the line just behind Arndt with Joelle Numainville (Canada) winning the bunch sprint for 3rd.

The rollout from Oudenaarde and the first third of the race were relatively calm. The peloton was perhaps preparing itself for the tests to come. When the race reached the Paddestraat, the first cobbled section, the peloton became a long line and some splits occurred. Notably, 2011 winner, Annemieke van Vleuten (Rabobank Women) was caught behind and despite a long, strong and desperate chase, the Dutchwoman who is only just returning to racing after surgery during the off-season was unable to rejoin the main bunch.

The climbs which followed saw the bunch thinned out further, until a group of just 60 remained. It was in this middle section that attack and counterattack were attempted. Eventually Evelyn Stevens (Specialized-lululemon) and Andrea Dvorak (USA) managed to gain a small advantage on the bunch. They led on the approach to the Oude Kwaremont, but were swallowed by the chasers at the beginning of the climb.

Former and current  World time trial champions and Olympic time trial champion respectively, Arndt and Armstrong used their considerable strength to pull away from the remaining peloton, generating over 1 minute advantage. By the time the race reached the Patterberg a handful of kilometres later, Judith Arndt and Kristin Armstrong (USA National Team) were seven seconds ahead of a small group of chasers and the bunch another ten seconds behind that. The lead pair extended their lead over the final climb and on the fast run-in to Oudenaarde. 

As the pair approached the final kilometre the cat and mouse tactics started. Armstrong launched her sprint first, but as they approached the finish, Arndt clearly had the advantage, she was lengths clear of Armstrong and savoured her victory with a long, double handed victory salute. Armstrong crossed the line with her head bowed in defeat. Joelle Numainville (Canada National Team) took the bunch sprint for third place.

Despite Marianne Vos’ (Rabobank Women) absence (through illness) in this third round of the 2012 UCI, World Cup series she still leads overall and will wear the series leader jersey at Fleche Wallone on April 18^th.

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