March 29, 2015 (Cittiglio, Italy) – Liz Armitstead (Gbr) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team won the finishing sprint at the 123.7km Trofeo Alfredo Binda Women’s Road World Cup #2 in Cittiglio, Italy over Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Fra) Rabo-Liv Woman Cycling Team in second and her teammate Anna Van Der Breggen (Ned).

A total of 138 riders were on the start line in Cittiglio, under the northern Italian sunshine and it was UCI World Champion  Ferrand-Prévot’s first road race in 2015, and wearing her brand new rainbow jersey meant she was going to be marked from the start.

Simona Frapporti (Ale Cipollini) initiated the first attack of the day. She built up a 42 second gap before being reeled back in by the peloton at the start of the first climb.

The field started lining out on the 4-km Cunardo climb, dropping riders at the back. This was the first real test of the day for the field, with a 6% average gradient. Lizzie Armitstead (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team) was determined to ride the climb at the front, winning the first QOM of the day.

As suspected, the ascent of the Cunardo split the bunch and created a lead group of 20 riders. This was the moment which Katrin Garfoot (Orica AIS) chose to attack on the downhill creating a 1 minute gap on the chasing leaders.

The chasing front group was soon caught up by the next chasing groups on the road to create a big peloton once again.

Although the Boels Dolmans Cycling Team were pushing the pace at the front, Garfoot was able to maintain her gap as the race entered the local 17km circuit. But staying away for the four ascents of the Orino was not going to be easy.

As the peloton started the second ascent of the Orino, the speed picked up. Attack after attack from the bunch meant Garfoot was reeled back in after her fantastic 25-km solo effort.

The Boels Dolmans Cycling Team were clearly dominating today and Lizzie Armitstead was first up the second Orino ascent. Her attack was sufficient to create a 20 rider lead group at the start of the second last 17-km lap.

Lucinda Brand (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team) attempted to escape out of the front group, but Boels Dolmans Cycling Team counter attacked on the third ascent of the Orino.

It was Anna van der Breggen’s turn to lead the group uphill. Her effort created a 6-leader group including all the favourites: Ferrand-Prévot (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team), van der Breggen (Rabo Liv), Longo Borghini (Wiggle Honda), Lizzie Armitstead, Neff (Swiss National Team) and Amialiusik (Velocio-Sram).

After several attempts, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot was able to distance herself from her 5 breakaway mates. She was caught on the last ascent of the Orino by Armitstead, Longo Borghini and van der Breggen. Amialiusik and Neff soon caught back up.

At this stage, it was clear that today’s winner was going to be decided in a 6-up sprint. It was Ferrand-Prévot who initiated the sprint with teammate van der Breggen in her wheel, but Armitstead was not goingto let her chance go.

Lizzie Armitstead won Trofeo Afredo Binda-Comune di Cittiglio and now leads the UCI Women Road World Cup standings.

Results

1. Elizabeth Armitstead (Gbr) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team 3:08:13
2. Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
3. Anna Van Der Breggen (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
4. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Wiggle Honda
5. Alena Amialiusik (Blr) Velocio – SRAM
6. Jolanda Neff (Sui) Switzerland 0:03
7. Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Bigla Pro Cycling Team 01:31
8. Eleonora Van Dijk (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
9. Elena Cecchini (Ita) Lotto Soudal Ladies
10. Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (RSA) Bigla Pro Cycling Team
11. Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Velocio – SRAM
12. Carmen Small (USA) Twenty 16 p/b Sho-Air
13. Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
14. Valentina Scandolara (Ita) Orica – Ais
15. Lucinda Brand (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
16. Eugenia Bujak (Pol) BTC City Ljubljana
17. Oxana Kozonchuk (Rus) Russia
18. Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Wiggle Honda
19. Rossella Ratto (Ita) INPA Sottoli Giusfredi
20. Lisa Brennauer (Ger) Velocio – SRAM
21. Trixi Worrack (Ger) Velocio – SRAM
22. Lauren Hall (USA) Twenty 16 p/b Sho-Air
23. Anna Plichta (Pol) Poland
24. Amélie Rivat (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
25. Anabelle Dreville (Fra) France
26. Megan Guarnier (USA) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
27. Lara Vieceli (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Rox
28. Francesca Cauz (Ita) Ale CiPolandlini
29. Svetlana Vasilieva (Rus) Russia
30. Elena Berlato (Ita) Ale CiPolandlini 01:36
31. Karol-Ann Canuel (Can) Velocio – SRAM
32. Chantal Blaak (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
33. Shara Gillow (Aus) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
34. Carlee Taylor (Aus) Lotto Soudal Ladies
35. Andrea Dvorak (USA) Twenty 16 p/b Sho-Air
36. Tetiana Riabchenko (Ukr) INPA Sottoli Giusfredi
37. Evelyn Stevens (USA) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
38. Edwige Pitel (Fra) S.C. Michela Fanini Rox
39. Mara Abbott (USA) Wiggle Honda 01:39
40. Christine Majerus (Lux) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team 06:35
41. Anna Potokina (Rus) Servetto Footon 06:43
42. Milda Jankauskaite (Ltu) Astana – Acca Due O 06:46
43. Linda Indergand (Sui) Switzerland
44. Daiva Tuslaite (Ltu) INPA Sottoli Giusfredi
45. Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Aromitalia Vaiano
46. Anisha Vekemans (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies
47. Alexandra Chekina (Rus) Russia
48. Marta Tagliaferro (Ita) Ale CiPolandlini
49. Rasa Leleivyte (Ltu) Aromitalia Vaiano
50. Kseniya Tuhai (Blr) Bepink Laclassica
51. Manon Souyris (Fra) France
52. Lizzie Williams (Aus) Orica – Ais
53. Monika Brzezna (Pol) Poland
54. Chiara Pierobon (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
55. Sari Saarelainen (Fin) Servetto Footon
56. Anastasiia Iakovenko (Rus) Russia
57. Elena Kuchinskaya (Rus) Servetto Footon
58. _pela Kern (Slo) BTC City Ljubljana
59. Sharon Laws (Gbr) Bigla Pro Cycling Team
60. Doris Schweizer (Sui) Bigla Pro Cycling Team
61. Ursa Pintar (Slo) BTC City Ljubljana
62. Malgorzta Jasinska (Pol) Ale CiPolandlini
63. Ane Santesteban Gonzalez (Esp) INPA Sottoli Giusfredi
64. Paulina Brzezna (Pol) Poland
65. Simona Frapporti (Ita) Ale CiPolandlini
66. Marion Sicot (Fra) France
67. Katrin Garfoot (Aus) Orica – Ais
68. Melodie Lesueur (Fra) Lointek Team
69. Fanny Leleu (Fra) France
70. Alice Maria Arzuffi (Ita) INPA Sottoli Giusfredi
71. Lauren Komanski (USA) Twenty 16 p/b Sho-Air
72. Anna Zita Maria Stricker (Ita) INPA Sottoli Giusfredi
73. Martina Ritter (Aut) BTC City Ljubljana
74. Charlotte Bravard (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
75. Natalia Boyarskaya (Rus) Russia
76. Ana Maria Covrig (Rom) Bepink Laclassica
77. Dalia Muccioli (Ita) Ale CiPolandlini
78. Amanda Spratt (Aus) Orica – Ais
79. Joelle Numainville (Can) Bigla Pro Cycling Team
80. Tayler Wiles (USA) Velocio – SRAM
81. Tatiana Antoshina (Rus) Servetto Footon
82. Mayuko Hagiwara (Jpn) Wiggle Honda
83. Asja Paladin (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo 06:58
DNF Rachel Neylan (Aus) Orica – Ais
DNF Gracie Elvin (Aus) Orica – Ais
DNF Anna Sanchis Chafer (Esp) Wiggle Honda
DNF Audrey Cordon (Fra) Wiggle Honda
DNF Clara Koppenburg (Ger) Bigla Pro Cycling Team
DNF Sarah Rijkes (Aut) Lotto Soudal Ladies
DNF Molly Meyvisch (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies
DNF Olena Demydova (Ukr) Astana – Acca Due O
DNF Kseniia Dobrynina (Rus) Astana – Acca Due O
DNF Larisa Pankova (Rus) Astana – Acca Due O
DNF Marika Campagnaro (Ita) Astana – Acca Due O
DNF Aizhan Zhaparova (Rus) Astana – Acca Due O
DNF Eva Lechner (Ita) BTC City Ljubljana
DNF Polona Batagelj (Slo) BTC City Ljubljana
DNF Elena Franchi (Ita) Servetto Footon
DNF Riccarda Mazzotta (Sui) Servetto Footon
DNF Greta Richioud (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
DNF Lucie Pader (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
DNF Nina Gulino (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Rox
DNF Michela Balducci (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Rox
DNF Eyerusalem Kelil (Eth) S.C. Michela Fanini Rox
DNF Azzurra D’intino (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Rox
DNF Ruby Livingstone (Nzl) Bepink Laclassica
DNF Georgia Williams (Nzl) Bepink Laclassica
DNF Jaime Nielsen (Nzl) Bepink Laclassica
DNF Simona Bortolotti (Ita) Bepink Laclassica
DNF Martina Biolo (Ita) Aromitalia Vaiano
DNF Alessia Martini (Ita) Aromitalia Vaiano
DNF Lija Laizane (Lat) Aromitalia Vaiano
DNF Allison Elizabeth Linnell (USA) Aromitalia Vaiano
DNF Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Den) Team Rytger
DNF Chloe Fraser (Gbr) Team Rytger
DNF Amy Hill (Gbr) Team Rytger
DNF Ellinor Huusko (Swe) Team Rytger
DNF Olivia Overskov Jakobsen (Den) Team Rytger
DNF Nina Krebs Ovesen (Den) Team Rytger
DNF Irene Bitto (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
DNF Elena Leonardi (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
DNF Jennifer Fiori (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
DNF Soraya Paladin (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
DNF Christina Perchtold (Aut) No Radunion Vitalogic
DNF Laura _imenc (Slo) No Radunion Vitalogic
DNF Julia Deuerlein (Ger) No Radunion Vitalogic
DNF Elisabeth Riegler (Aut) No Radunion Vitalogic
DNF Sandra Reisenhofer (Aut) No Radunion Vitalogic
DNF Laura Jorgensen (USA) Pepper Palace Pro Cycling p/b The Happy Tooth
DNF Heather Fischer (USA) United States
DNF Marjolaine Bazin (Fra) France
DNF Tatiana Shamanova (Rus) Russia
DNF Katarzyna Wilkos (Pol) Poland
DNF Aleksandra Kardas (Pol) Poland
DNF Anna Skalniak (Pol) Poland
DNF Mirjam Gysling (Sui) Switzerland
DNF Jutta Stienen (Sui) Switzerland
DNF Sandra Weiss (Sui) Switzerland