March 05, 2016 (Siena, Italy) – After a strong showing at the past weekend at Omloop het Hangelend, Leah Kirchmann had another positive performance as she raced to 10th at the end of a tough and tactical race at Strade Bianche. Elizabeth Armitstead (Gbr) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team was once again the strongest.

The dirt roads and the rolling hills of Strade Bianche provided a testing race for Team Liv-Plantur riders today. The 121.km one day race started and finished in Siena and the seven sectors of gravel roads played a significant role in the challenging course in Italy. Elizabeth Armitstead dominated the final podium as she won the first-ever UCI Women s World Tour. Leah Kirchmann was the first to cross the finish line for the team as she finished in 10th place.

The first major attack of the day came from Nikki Harris (DLT) with 50km to go. She created a gap and managed to open a lead of 45 3 on the first chase group after the 3rd gravel section. However, the riders all came back together With 25 km remaining, with a total of 35 riders in the front group. Leah Kirchmann was part of the select group after tackling well the first sections of gravel roads and climbs.

With less than 20km to go, around 15 riders were left including many favorites at the front of the race. After the last section of gravel road, three riders jumped away from the bunch Elizabeth Armistead, Emma Johansson (Wriggle High5) and Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Rabobank-Liv). The trio quickly created a significant gap over the reduced group. In the sprint, the victory went to World champion Elizabeth Armistead. The British will be the first to wear the leader s jersey of the ranking of the Women s World Tour on the next race.

After a positive performance, Leah Kirchmann took 10th and it was a strong showing of what shape Leah is in at present at the end of a tough day in the saddle. Coach Hans Timmermans said: Our plan today was to stay with Leah for as long as possible and help her save energy for the decisive moments of the race. The pace of the race was very fast from the start and the team focused on getting Leah in a good position in the bunch. The plan worked out very well and Leah was able to stay in contact with the best riders.

Leah did a very good ride today and she was very strong in the final, she managed to finish in an impressive 10th place. 

Results
1. Elizabeth Armitstead (Gbr) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam 3:30:13
2. Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team 00:03
3. Emma Johansson (Swe) Wiggle High5 00:13
4. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Wiggle High5 01:04
5. Anna Van Der Breggen (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team 01:07
6. Megan Guarnier (USA) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam
7. Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Orica-AIS 01:13
8. Claudia Lichtenberg (Ger) Lotto Soudal Ladies 01:17
9. Lauren Kitchen (Aus) Hitec Products 01:21
10. Leah Kirchmann (Can) Team Liv-Plantur
11. Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team 01:23
12. Jolanda Neff (Sui) Servetto Footon
13. Malgorzta Jasinska (Pol) Ale’ Cipollini 01:29
14. Danielle King (Gbr) Wiggle High5
15. Shara Gillow (Aus) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team 01:32
16. Amanda Spratt (Aus) Orica-AIS 01:36
17. Shelley Olds (USA) Cylance Pro Cycling 01:45
18. Christine Majerus (Lux) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam 03:19
19. Roxane Knetemann (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
20. Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Canyon SRAM Racing
21. Flavia Oliveira (Bra) Lensworld-Zannata 03:29
22. Carmen Small (USA) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team
23. Nikki Harris (Gbr) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam
24. Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Ale’ Cipollini 03:33
25. Rossella Ratto (Ita) Cylance Pro Cycling 03:35
26. Elizabeth Williams (Aus) Orica-AIS 03:37
27. Lauren Komanski (USA) Team Tibco – Silicon Valley Bank
28. Lauren Stephens (USA) Team Tibco – Silicon Valley Bank
29. Edwige Pitel (Fra) S.C. Michela Fanini 03:41
30. Tayler Wiles (USA) Orica-AIS
31. Rasa Leleivyte (Ltu) Aromitalia Vaiano
32. Sofia Beggin (Ita) Astana Women’s Team 03:44
33. Trixi Worrack (Ger) Canyon SRAM Racing 03:45
34. Gracie Elvin (Aus) Orica-AIS 03:51
35. Karol-Ann Canuel (Can) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam 04:07
36. Lotta Lepistö (Fin) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team 04:16
37. Joelle Numainville (Can) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team 04:38
38. Arianna Fidanza (Ita) Astana Women’s Team 05:37
39. Alena Amialiusik (Blr) Canyon SRAM Racing
40. Polona Batagelj (Slo) BTC City Ljubljana 05:40
41. Rozanne Slik (Ned) Team Liv-Plantur 06:17
42. Lucinda Brand (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
43. Alexis Ryan (USA) Canyon SRAM Racing
44. Sheyla Gutierrez Ruiz (Esp) Cylance Pro Cycling
45. Amy Pieters (Ned) Wiggle High5 08:15
46. Ingrid Drexel (Mex) Astana Women’s Team 08:30
47. Amélie Rivat (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86 13:38
48. Eugénie Duval (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86 14:00
49. Jermaine Post (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team
50. Charlotte Bravard (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
51. Rachel Neylan (Aus) Orica-AIS 14:03
52. Miriam Bjørnsrud (Nor) Hitec Products
53. Brianna Walle (USA) Team Tibco – Silicon Valley Bank
54. Anisha Vekemans (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies
55. Cecilie Gotaas Johnsen (Nor) Hitec Products 14:09
56. Julie Leth (Den) Hitec Products
57. Elena Franchi (Ita) Aromitalia Vaiano 14:12
58. Soraya Paladin (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo 14:14
59. Irene Bitto (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
DNF Romy Kasper (Ger) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam
DNF Ane Santesteban Gonzalez (Esp) Ale’ Cipollini
DNF Marta Tagliaferro (Ita) Ale’ Cipollini
DNF Anna Trevisi (Ita) Ale’ Cipollini
DNF Monia Baccaille (Ita) Aromitalia Vaiano
DNF Alessia Bulleri (Ita) Aromitalia Vaiano
DNF Alessia Martini (Ita) Aromitalia Vaiano
DNF Nicole Nesti (Ita) Aromitalia Vaiano
DNF Kseniya Dobrynina (Rus) Astana Women’s Team
DNF Carolina Rodriguez Gutierrez (Mex) Astana Women’s Team
DNF Svetlana Vasilieva (Rus) Astana Women’s Team
DNF Lex Albrecht (Can) Bepink
DNF Simona Bortolotti (Ita) Bepink
DNF Tereza Medvedova (Svk) Bepink
DNF Leonora Pipes (Gum) Bepink
DNF Ilaria Sanguineti (Ita) Bepink
DNF Mia Radotic (Cro) BTC City Ljubljana
DNF Ursa Pintar (Slo) BTC City Ljubljana
DNF Jelena Eric (Srb) BTC City Ljubljana
DNF Lisa Brennauer (Ger) Canyon SRAM Racing
DNF Clara Koppenburg (Ger) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team
DNF Gabrielle Pilote-Fortin (Can) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team
DNF Valentina Scandolara (Ita) Cylance Pro Cycling
DNF Kristabel Doebel-Hickok (USA) Cylance Pro Cycling
DNF Rachele Barbiere (Ita) Cylance Pro Cycling
DNF Janicke Gunvaldsen (Nor) Hitec Products
DNF Thea Thorsen (Nor) Hitec Products
DNF Bethany Ann Allen (USA) INPA – Bianchi
DNF Michela Pavin (Ita) INPA – Bianchi
DNF Sara Olsson (Swe) INPA – Bianchi
DNF Lara Vieceli (Ita) INPA – Bianchi
DNF Oxana Kozonchuk (Rus) Lensworld-Zannata
DNF Maaike Polspoel (Bel) Lensworld-Zannata
DNF Kaat Van Der Meulen (Bel) Lensworld-Zannata
DNF Lieselot Decroix (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies
DNF Sofie De Vuyst (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies
DNF Susanna Zorzi (Ita) Lotto Soudal Ladies
DNF Pauliena Rooijakkers (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team
DNF Anabelle Dreville (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
DNF Séverine Eraud (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
DNF Greta Richioud (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
DNF Michela Balducci (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini
DNF Monika Kiraly (Hun) S.C. Michela Fanini
DNF Laura Camila Lozano Ramirez (Col) S.C. Michela Fanini
DNF Nina Gulino (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini
DNF Sari Saarelainen (Fin) S.C. Michela Fanini
DNF Nicole Brändli (Sui) Servetto Footon
DNF Lija Laizane (Lat) Servetto Footon
DNF Anna Potokina (Rus) Servetto Footon
DNF Jessie Walker (Gbr) Servetto Footon
DNF Riejanne Markus (Ned) Team Liv-Plantur
DNF Sara Mustonen (Swe) Team Liv-Plantur
DNF Carlee Taylor (Aus) Team Liv-Plantur
DNF Lauren Hall (USA) Team Tibco – Silicon Valley Bank
DNF Kendall Ryan (USA) Team Tibco – Silicon Valley Bank
DNF Nicole Dal Santo (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
DNF Nadia Quagliotto (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
DNF Elena Leonardi (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
DNF Asja Paladin (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
DNF Mayuko Hagiwara (Jpn) Wiggle High5
DSQ Emilia Fahlin (Swe) Ale’ Cipollini
DSQ Kseniya Tuhai (Blr) Bepink
DSQ Eugenia Bujak (Pol) BTC City Ljubljana
DSQ Anna Plichta (Pol) BTC City Ljubljana
DSQ Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (RSA) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team
DSQ Anna Zita Maria Stricker (Ita) INPA – Bianchi
DSQ Ana Maria Covrig (Rom) INPA – Bianchi
DSQ Jessie Daams (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies
DSQ Eva Buurman (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team
DSQ Ilona Hoeksma (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team
DSQ Jip Van Den Bos (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team
DSQ Katia Ragusa (Ita) Servetto Footon
DSQ Molly Weaver (Gbr) Team Liv-Plantur
DSQ Emily Collins (Nzl) Team Tibco – Silicon Valley Bank
DSQ Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Wiggle High5