June 03, 2012 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) – Two Canadian teammates, Leah Kirchmann and Joelle Numainville (Optum) were in the top five as Ina Teutenberg (Ger) Specialized-lululemon reigned supreme again landing her 5th win at the 98kmLiberty Classic on Sunday. Kirchmann placed 4th and Numainville was 5th as Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Faren Honda Team came second behind Teutenberg followed by Italy’s Giorgia Bronzini (Diadora – Pasta Zara), the reigning world road champ, in third.

Teutenberg Wins Her Fifth Liberty Classic Title
German Ina Teutenberg, racing for the Specialized-lululemon team, easily won her fifth Liberty Classic in a fast field sprint. Her win brings her close to the event’s all-time top winner, fellow German Petra Rossner.

“The first time was the most special but it is nearly as great to win every other year!” Teutenberg said comparing her first win in 2005 to today. Though everyone knows she is the pre-race favorite, the other teams seemed content to let the race come down to a field sprint and have their sprinters take their chances with the German champion. This could have been a consequence of the stronger than usual headwind for the trips out towards Manayunk.

“I think the wind made it slower because going out to the wall it was hard to do anything,” said Teutenberg. “But I think all the riders were instructed not to do anything because of me being here for the sprint. But if they would have tried a break, it might have worked out.”

Second place went to former Australian champion Alexis Rhodes (Orica-GreenEDGE) and third place was defending Liberty Classic winner and current world champion Giorgia Bronzini (Diadora – Pasta Zara) of Italy. While normally a potent sprint rival to the likes of Teutenberg, several recent crashes in field sprints have taken their toll on her.

“It was a nervous race for me because all the sprinters felt good in the race and all the teams were working for the sprinters,” said Bronzini. “So the race was not so hard and there was a good chance for someone to attack.”

“I am coming off an unlucky period for me with many crashes and I came to the sprint but unsure so I didn’t take the right wheel. The right wheel was of Ina and I know it but there were many [riders] fighting for it. So I started my sprint so long and I was too tired at the finish line. But I am happy to come to this race here in Philly because I like this race so much.”

The westerly winds also affected the final sprint as the racers came around the Logan Square circle for the final 800 meter dash to the line. Trying to throw a wrench into the sprinters’ plans was Aussie Tiffany Cromwell (Orica-GreenEDGE) taking a solo flyer in the final kilometers.

“It’s always so dangerous after Logan Circle because the speed stops but the Optum train was in front of me and then Trixi [Worrack] just started to launch our own lead out and I had a free shot after that to the finish. At the end I knew it would be hard for people to pass me because I closed the door on the left so they would have to be in the wind too. From 150 meters to the end everyone was in the wind [with me].”

This year’s Queen of the Mountain went to Kristin McGrath (USA) of Team Exergy Twenty12.

The Liberty Classic, more than 150 of the world’s top pro women cyclists, got underway at 10:55 a.m. on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway just 10 minutes after the pro men took off to contest the 124-mile TD Bank Philadelphia International Cycling Championship.  The women raced 57.6 miles.

Results

1. Ina Teutenberg (Ger) Team Specialized-lululemon 2:29:08
2. Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Faren Honda Team
3. Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Diadora-Pasta Zara
4. Leah Kirchmann (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
5. Joelle Numainville (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
6. Joanne Kiesanowski (Nzl) TIBCO-To The Top
7. Theresa Cliff-Ryan (USA) Exergy Twenty12
8. Laura Van Gilder (USA) Mellow Mushroom
9. Lenore Pipes (Gum) Pure Energy Cycling ProAri-HFA
10. Alessandra D’ettorre (Ita) Diadora-Pasta Zara
11. Emily Collins (Nzl) Vanderkitten-Focus
12. Jessie MacLean (Aus) Greenedge-AIS
13. Trixi Worrack (Ger) Team Specialized-lululemon
14. Debbie Milne (USA) Mellow Mushroom
15. Kate Chilcott (Nzl) Vanderkitten-Focus
16. Jennifer Purcell (USA) TIBCO-To The Top
17. Lauren Stephens (USA) FCS|Rouse p/b Mr. Restore
18. Veronique Labonte (Can) Real Deal Racing/Labicicletta
19. Carmen McNellis Small (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
20. Shara Gillow (Aus) Greenedge-AIS
21. Loren Rowney (Aus) Team Specialized-lululemon
22. Inga Cilvinaite (Ltu) Diadora-Pasta Zara
23. Jacquelyn Crowell (USA) Exergy Twenty12
24. Amber Neben (USA) Team Specialized-lululemon
25. Lindsay Myers (USA) TIBCO-To The Top
26. Lauren Hall (USA) TIBCO-To The Top
27. Kathleen Billington (USA) Vanderkitten-Focus 0:00:21
28. Janel Holcomb (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
29. Denise Ramsden (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
30. Kristen Lasasso (USA) Mellow Mushroom
31. Lindsay Bayer (USA) Mellow Mushroom 0:00:32
32. Anna Sanders (USA) FCS|Rouse p/b Mr. Restore
33. Nik Vogler (Can) Pro-Team Specialized-Mazda-SGC
34. Martha Buckley (USA) FCS|Rouse p/b Mr. Restore
35. Jessica Chong (USA) Pure Energy Cycling ProAri-HFA
36. Myriam Gaudreault (Can) Real Deal Racing/Labicicletta
37. Evelyn Stevens (USA) Team Specialized-lululemon
38. Laura Medley (Aus) MVP Health Care Cycling
39. Mary Zider (USA) Colavita-ESPNw
40. Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Greenedge-AIS
41. Andrea Dvorak (USA) Exergy Twenty12
42. Mindy Simmons (USA) Mellow Mushroom
43. Jade Wilcoxson (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
44. Alexis Rhodes (Aus) Greenedge-AIS 0:00:49
45. Jasmin Hurikino (Aus) Vanderkitten-Focus
46. Amanda Miller (USA) TIBCO-To The Top
47. Kristin Mcgrath (USA) Exergy Twenty12
48. Leah Guloien (Can) Colavita-ESPN
49. Amy McGuire (USA) FCS|Rouse p/b Mr. Restore 0:01:15
50. Ally Stacher (USA) Team Specialized-lululemon
51. Tayler Wiles (USA) Exergy Twenty12
52. Polona Batagelj (Slo) Diadora-Pasta Zara
53. Liza Rachetto (USA) Forno d’Asolo Colavita
54. Erin Silliman (USA) MVP Health Care Cycling
55. Kathleen Lysakowski (USA) Farm Team Elite Women’s Racing
56. Carolyn Cartmill (Can) Stevens Racing p/b the Cyclery
57. Samantha Schneider (USA) TIBCO-To The Top
58. Amanda Watson (USA) Tradewinds Racing
59. Jenny Ives (USA) Farm Team Elite Women’s Racing 0:02:10
60. Jamie Dinkins (USA) Colavita-ESPNw
61. Melissa Ross (USA) Team Kenda p/b Geargrider
62. Elizabeth Bonilla (USA) Peanut Butter & Co Human Zoom
63. Ainhoa Perez (USA) Annapolis Bicycle Racing Team 0:02:28
64. Cheri Fager (USA) Pure Energy Cycling ProAri-HFA
65. Jennifer Triplett (USA) CAWES/iFRACTAL p/b Specialized 0:04:39
66. Anne-Marie B. Morin (Can) Pro-Team Specialized-Mazda-SGC
67. Dana Walton (USA) Annapolis Bicycle Racing Team
68. Julie Lafrenière (Can) Stevens Racing p/b the Cyclery
69. Kate Veronneau (USA) Pure Energy Cycling ProAri-HFA
70. Sue McQuiston (USA) Annapolis Bicycle Racing Team
71. Bridie O’Donnell (Aus) Vanderkitten-Focus
72. Stephanie Swan (USA) Tradewinds Racing
73. Chiara Nadalutti (Ita) Faren Honda Team
74. Amber Pierce (USA) Diadora-Pasta Zara
75. Kelly Benjamin (USA) Farm Team Elite Women’s Racing
76. Rachel Warner (USA) FCS|Rouse p/b Mr. Restore
77. Audrey Friedrichsen (USA) Farm Team Elite Women’s Racing 0:05:12
78. Myfanwy Galloway (Aus) Faren Honda Team
79. Véronique Drapeau-Zgoralski (Can) Pro-Team Specialized-Mazda-SGC 0:06:32
80. Amity Elliot (USA) Team Kenda p/b Geargrider
81. Allison Beveridge (Can) Pro-Team Specialized-Mazda-SGC
82. Florence Laplante-Lamarche (Can) Stevens Racing p/b the Cyclery
83. Kristine Wander (USA) Farm Team Elite Women’s Racing
84. Anne Racioppi (USA) CAWES/iFRACTAL p/b Specialized
85. Arley Kemmerer (USA) MVP Health Care Cycling
86. Emily Thurston (USA) Tradewinds Racing
87. Virginie Gauthier (Can) Pro-Team Specialized-Mazda-SGC
88. Nicole Raspa (USA) CAWES/iFRACTAL p/b Specialized
89. Victoria Hanks (USA) Peanut Butter & Co Human Zoom
90. Heather Shearer (Can) Infinit Nutrition/Cyclepower
91. Alizée Brien (Can) Stevens Racing p/b the Cyclery
92. Nicole Thiemann (USA) Tradewinds Racing
93. Kristine Church (USA) Peanut Butter & Co Human Zoom 0:08:11
94. Sara Clafferty (USA) Annapolis Bicycle Racing Team
95. Mary Costelloe (Irl) Real Deal Racing/Labicicletta