May 17/02 5:28 am - Tour de L'Aude: Stage 1

Posted by Editoress on 05/17/02
 

Tour de L'Aude
Courtesy Team Saturn

Saturn's Ina Teutenberg moved into the Yellow Jersey at the Tour de L'Aude today by winning the 109 kilometer stage in Lézignan-Corbières. Held on a course with a lot of open fields that made the race very technical and dangerous because of the strong cross winds and narrow roads, Teutenberg and her Saturn Team used the wind and their strong tactical skills to their benefit to claim the Yellow Leader's Jersey.

After the first mountain sprint, at kilometer 30, on the descent of the Col D'Alaric, a group of 19 riders went away from the bunch. Within this group were all riders who would be in contention for the overall after the upcoming ten days of racing including Saturn's Judith Arndt, Susanne Lungskog (Vlaanderen), Heidi Van de Veiver, Hanka Kupfernagel (Nuremberg), Polkanova, the two Lithuanian twins, Punshiskaite (Figurella), Zabelinskaia (RUS), Mirjam Melchers (Farm Frites), and Melcher's Farm Frites teammate Kirsty Robb. Teutenberg played it cool in the break, letting the wind take its toll, and the General Classification riders be concerned with themselves.

However, at 10 kilometers to go, Teutenberg seized an opportunity to counter attack a move, escaping with Russian Olga Zabelinskaia. Teutenberg handily beat Zabelinskaia for the win and the Yellow Jersey. Robb finished in third some 50 seconds back from Teutenberg. Arndt currently sits 1 min 30 behind Teutenberg.

Tomorrow's stage is a team time trial in the Gruissan. The "TTT" will offer 10, 6 and 4 second bonus to the first three teams. These bonuses will count the individual GC, but the classification of this TTT will only count for the team GC.

Stage 1: Lézignan-Corbières to Lézignan-Corbières, 109 km

1. Ina Yoko Teutenberg (Ger) Saturn 2:47:43
2. Olga Zabelinskaia (Rus) Itera at 0:02
3. Kirsty Robb (NZL) Farm-Frites Hartol 0:50
4. Jenny Algelid Bengtsson (Swe) Equipe Nurnberger 0:51
5. Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger 1:26
6. Alessandra Cappellotto (Ita) Power Plate-Bik
7. Heidi Van de Vijver (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim
8. Judith Arndt (Ger) Saturn
9. Jolanta Polikeviciute (Ltu) Acca Due O
10. Miho Oki (Jpn) CA Mantes La Ville all s.t.