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Two Americans Ride to Top-Five Finishes at Women's Road World Cup in Belgium
By Andy Lee // U.S. Cycling // April 25, 2007
Huy, Belgium (April 25, 2007)—The fourth round of the 2007 UCI Women’s Road World Cup took place in Belgium on Wednesday as two Americans turned in top-five results at La Fleche Wallone. Riding for her Belgium-based Team Flexpoint squad, Amber Neben (Irvine, Calif.) placed fourth, 15 seconds off the pace of winner and reigning world champion Marianne Vos of the Netherlands, while Kristin Armstrong (Boise, Idaho) led the U.S. National Team with a fifth-place finish, 19 seconds down.
The 104-kilometer race featured eight categorized climbs including the final and decisive ascent up the Mur de Huy, a steep 1.3-kilometer rise to the finish line. After several early-race breakaways, the majority of the peloton was intact at the foot of the last climb, but the attack-filled final kilometer ended with the 19-year-old Vos taking the win by four seconds ahead of current World Cup leader Nicole Cook (GBR) and Judith Arndt (GER).
Early race moves by Katheryn Curi (Mountain View, Calif./Webcor) and Alison Powers (Boulder, Colo./Colavita-Sutter Home-Cooking Light) of the U.S. National Team kept most of the other teams on the defensive and set Armstrong up for a chance at the win late in the race.
The women’s U.S. National Team will conclude its first European trip of the season with the Giro di San Marino in Italy, May 4-6 and the Magi Pache Time Trial in Switzerland on May 6.
2007 UCI Women’s Road World Cup
La Fleche Wallone
Belgium
April 25
1. Marianne Vos (NED) 2:48:05
2. Nicole Cooke (GBR) +0:04
3. Judith Arndt (GER) +0:07
4. Amber Neben (Irvine, Calif.) +0:15
5. Kristin Armstrong (Boise, Idaho) +0:19
47. Kim Anderson (Boulder, Colo.) +2:30
49. Alison Powers (Boulder, Colo.) +7:09
50. Katheryn Curi (Mountain View, Calif.) +8:01
DNF. Lauren Franges (Ashville, N.C.)
DNF. Rebecca Larson (Gainesville, Fla.)
DNF. Brooke Miller (Los Altos, Calif.)
Overall World Cup Standings
Individual
1. Nicole Cooke (GBR) 221
2. Marianne Vos (NED) 145
3. Adrie Visser (NED) 75
4. Ina Teutenberg (GER) 60
5. Trixi Worrack (GER) 51
12. Amber Neben (Irvine, Calif.) 32
14. Kristin Armstrong (Boise, Idaho) 27
36. Tina Pic (Dahlonega, Ga.) 10
43. Laura Van Gilder (Pocono Pines, Pa.) 8
46. Brooke Miller (Los Altos, Calif.) 7
Team
1. Raleigh Lifeforce Creation Pro Cycling Team (SUI) 301
2. Team DSB Bank (NED) 235
3. T-Mobile (GER) 172
4. Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung (GER) 114
5. Menikini-Selle Italia-Gysko (ITA) 102
11. U.S. National Team (USA) 34
17. Cheerwine (USA) 12
18. Colavita/Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light (USA) 10
About USA Cycling
Recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee and the Union Cycliste Internationale, USA Cycling promotes American cycling through its 58,000 members and 2,000 annual events. USA Cycling associations include the BMX Association (BMX), National Off-Road Bicycle Association (mountain bike), U.S. Cycling Federation (road/track), the National Collegiate Cycling Association and the U.S. Professional Racing Organization (professional men’s road). For more information, visit www.usacycling.org or contact USA Cycling Director of Communications, Andy Lee at 719-866-4867.
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