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UCI Road World Cup 2012

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Round 8 - Unbeaten Vos and Rabo Women secure 2012 Team World Cup title

Plouay, 132km

Race Writeup

Marianne Vos (Rabo Women) sealed the World Cup series 2012 with a superb victory in the final round at the GP de Plouay, in France. Although the Dutchwoman started the day with enough points greater than nearest rival, Judith Arndt (Orica-AIS presented by GreenEDGE) to already have won the 2012 competition overall, the Olympic Champion was competitive to the end.

A relatively slow start to the 132 kilometre race allowed the peloton to test out the extra 7 kilometres which have been added to the circuit since previous editions. The main change was the addition of a steep, narrow, treelined hill at around 6 kilometres from the finish in the 27 kilometre circuit.

After 50 kilometres of sedentary riding, the race exploded. An acceleration caused the peloton to split into groups. Initially, five or six riders broke away, but that was quickly covered and then a group of 35 riders formed at the front of the peloton and broke away. The damage was done for the chasers behind and it quickly became clear that this was the definitive selection for the day.

A puncture for Vos with 54 kilometres remaining delayed the inevitable, she was forced to hold on a little longer to catch her breath before attacking. Then, it came. With around 35 kilometres remaining, a group of three broke away from the leaders, Marianne Vos (Rabo Women), Tiffany Cromwell (Orica-AIS presented by GreenEDGE) and Elisa Longo Borghini (Hitec Products). The trio worked well together and quickly built a gap approaching 40 seconds. When they passed the finish line with 27 kilometres to go, it seemed obvious that they would not be caught such was their collective strength.

The narrow climb of the additional section proved decisive; it was the point at which Marianne Vos lingered at the back of the group after a turn at the front. She bade her time and then accelerated with such pace that the other two were helpless to react. Five kilometres later, Vos crossed the line alone, surrounded by a floatilla of race vehicles and celebrated her victory in front of a packed grandstand. Tiffany Cromwell (Orica-AIS presented by GreenEDGE) took a career-best World Cup second-place by outpsrinting and leaving Elisa Longo Borghini (HitecProducts) on the long, slightly uphill finshing straight 35 seconds later.

The World Cup podium situation did not change in this final race. Judith Arndt (Orica-AIS presented by GreenEDGE) finished tenth, towards the front of the bunch and held on to second place ahead of Evelyn Stevens (Specialized-lululemon).

Rabo Women took the team competition in the World Cup.

Comments

Marianne Vos (Rabo Women) was asked if she had planned to win today “Its always the team plan to go for the win, but it was not THE plan”, Vos responded, “I had the World Cup jersey on my shoulders already, so it was pretty nice to win this race. I tried to attack earlier, but I had some problems, so I had to recover a bit and then in the last lap, I was recovered and I was happy to be in the break,” she continued “Immedtiately we had a good gap and it was great to do it. After I attacked I was little tired, but I thought, ‘it’s the World Cup, everyone’s tired’ and I just went for it,” she smiled whilst recalling the final kilomtres which took her to the win.

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