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Trofeo Alfredo Binda – Comune di Cittiglio Women’s WorldTour#3 Report, Results, Photos – Armitstead Wins Kirchmann 13th

by pedalmag.com

March 21, 2016 (Cittiglio, ITA) – World champion Lizzie Armitstead climbed to the top step of the podium in Cittiglio on Sunday. The Briton turned a late race attack meant to set teammate Megan Guarnier up for victory into a race-winning move. For Armitstead, it’s back-to-back victories at Trofeo Alfredo Binda, a third win in the rainbow jersey and a jump back to the top of the UCI Women’s WorldTour classification.

Elizabeth Armitstead (GBR) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team  ©  Cor Vos

For Boels-Dolmans, it’s continued dominance of the inaugural UCI Women’s WorldTour series and another 1-2 punch as Guarnier, like Chantal Blaak at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad last month, won the chase group sprint for second. Three rounds into the inaugural Women’s WolrdTour series, and only Boels-Dolmans riders have managed to climb to the top step of the podium with Armitstead at Trofeo Binda and Strade Bianche and Chantal Blaak at Ronde van Drenthe last weekend.

“It’s all down to teamwork,” said Armitstead. “Absolutely.”

Armitstead and Guarnier were full of praise for the work done by their teammates to propel them onto the podium in Cittiglio. Boels-Dolmans was forced to start with five riders as Evie Stevens came down with the flu on Friday, delaying her 2016 road debut. “Chantal, Kasia [Pawlowska] and Karol-Ann [Canuel] were incredible,” said Armitstead. “Every time they were dropped, they came straight back to the front of the race asking what they could do. We have five today, and that makes a big difference, but it didn’t matter today because everyone was so good.”

Leah Kirchmann  ©  Cor Vos

“I barely recognised that we were five,” said Guarnier. “They were just so amazing and always there. It kept me calm all day knowing the girls were so, so strong.” Sunday’s race winning move went on the third of four local laps over the hilly 123.3 kilometre Italian race.

Each local lap included a single GPM climb, the Orino, but the entire circuit is rolling, which typically makes Trofeo Binda a race of attrition. The Cuvio, a steep kilometre-long unclassified climb at the start of each loop, set the scene for the race’s decisive move. “The same selection kept happening on every climb,” said Guarnier. “It was just that nothing had stuck yet.”

“This one stuck because of fatigue,” noted Armistead. Guarnier proved lucky to make the selection. The American champion crashed at the start of the penultimate lap. “I was on the finishing straight in the middle of the pack, and a girl fell in front of me,” she explained. “My front wheel got taken out, and I got plowed into from behind. I landed on my knee. It hurts a lot now, but in the race, I had enough adrenaline, and my legs were good. I had to not think about it.”

Guarnier chased calmly and steadily back to the reduced peloton. Her teammates were at the back of the bunch, waiting to bring her back to the front of the group. Guarnier had made it back in the nick of time. Within minutes of making contact, Guarnier was in the race-winning selection.

With Armistead, Guarnier and Neff, Emma Johansson (Wiggle-High5), Alena Amialiusik (CANYON//SRAM), Annemiek van Vleuten (ORICA-AIS) and Rabo-Liv pair Anna van der Breggen and Kasia Niewiadom the group contained most of the pre-race favourites and nearly every major team.  By the time the eight leaders crossed the finish line for the start of the final local lap, they had a one-minute advantage over the main bunch.

W podium  ©  Cor Vos

Neff attacked on the Cuvio and quickly gained an advantage.

“I had in my ear our director telling me it wasn’t our responsibility to chase,” said Armitstead. “He said to stay calm and wait, but I was a little frustrated because I knew the peloton was not that far behind us. [Giorgia] Bronzini was still there. She was riding really strong today, and, of course, in her home WorldTour race, she’s going to be motivated. I didn’t want the peloton coming back.”

The work done by the world champion ensured the group’s success and her own.

“I did a little more work than what I was told to do on the radio,” said Armitstead. “On the final climb, Rabobank attacked, and because I had done a lot of work to keep the break going, I was dropped. I could see them, and I knew I had to come back.”

Armitstead clawed her way across the gap and reached the leaders on the summit of the Ornio. With six kilometres still to race Neff had around a half-minute advantage, and Armitstead knew it was now or never.

“I came directly back on the top of the climb,” said Armistead. “I attacked directly. It was my last move. Today we were working for Megan, and I was just being a teammate and doing a stupid attack. But nobody saw me coming from behind, and I had a lot of speed.”

Just beyond the three kilometre mark, Armitstead caught Neff. The duo had a five-second advantage over the chase group as they hit the finishing stretch.  “I jumped,” Armitstead explained. “I was sprinting for the line, and Neff couldn’t match my speed.”

“I only caught Jolanda just before the line,” said Guarnier. “We had already opened the sprint, and that’s how overtook her.”

The UCI Women’s WorldTour continues next weekend with Gent Wevelgem on Easter Sunday.

Results

1. Elizabeth Armitstead (Gbr) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team 3:11:10
2. Megan Guarnier (USA) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team 0:01
3. Jolanda Neff (Sui) Servetto Footon 0:04
4. Emma Johansson (Swe) Wiggle High5
5. Alena Amialiusik (Blr) Canyon-SRAM
6. Anna Van Der Breggen (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
7. Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team 0:11
8. Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Orica-AIS 0:39
9. Lauren Kitchen (Aus) Hitec Products 1:06
10. Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Wiggle High5
11. Coryn Rivera (USA) UnitedHealthcare Women
12. Chantal Blaak (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
13. Leah Kirchmann (Can) Team Liv-Plantur
14. Elena Cecchini (Ita) Canyon-SRAM
15. Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Ita) Lensworld-Zannata
16. Elizabeth Williams (Aus) Orica-AIS
17. Malgorzata Jasinska (Pol) Alé Cipollini
18. Sofie De Vuyst (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies
19. Lisa Brennauer (Ger) Canyon-SRAM
20. Danielle King (Gbr) Wiggle High5
21. Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Canyon-SRAM
22. Rasa Leleivyte (Ltu) Aromitalia Vaiano
23. Rossella Ratto (Ita) Cylance Pro Cycling
24. Sarah Roy (Aus) Orica-AIS
25. Katrin Garfoot (Aus) Orica-AIS
26. Jessie Daams (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies
27. Eugenia Bujak (Pol) BTC City Ljubljana
28. Katie Hall (USA) UnitedHealthcare Women
29. Olga Zabelinskaya (Blr) BePink Pro Cycling
30. Ane Santesteban Gonzalez (Esp) Alé Cipollini
31. Vita Heine (Nor) Hitec Products
32. Irene Bitto (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
33. Flavia Oliveira (Bra) Lensworld-Zannata
34. Polona Batagelj (Slo) BTC City Ljubljana
35. Amelie Rivat (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
36. Lara Vieceli (Ita) INPA-Bianchi
37. Nicole Brandli (Sui) Servetto Footon
38. Anna Plichta (Pol) BTC City Ljubljana
39. Lauren Komanski (USA) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
40. Ursa Pintar (Slo) BTC City Ljubljana
41. Edwige Pitel (Fra) S.C. Michela Fanini
42. Laura Lozano (Col) S.C. Michela Fanini
43. Karol-Ann Canuel (Can) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team 1:13
44. Doris Schweizer (Sui) Cylance Pro Cycling
45. Mara Abbott (USA) Wiggle High5 1:15
46. Alison Jackson (Can) Twenty16-Ridebiker 1:42
47. Sofia Arreola Navarro (Mex) Twenty16-Ridebiker 1:43
48. Lauren Stephens (USA) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 1:52
49. Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (Rsa) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team 2:27
50. Oxana Kozonchuk (Rus) Lensworld-Zannata 6:51
51. Jip Van Den Bos (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team
52. Rozanne Slik (Ned) Team Liv-Plantur
53. Anna Solovey (Ukr) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team
54. Kelly Van Den Steen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Etixx-Guill D’Or
55. Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Alé Cipollini
56. Elena Franchi (Ita) Aromitalia Vaiano
57. Anna Zita Maria Stricker (Ita) INPA-Bianchi
58. Tetiana Riabchenko (Ukr) INPA-Bianchi
59. Sofia Bertizzolo (Ita) Astana Pro Team
60. Sina Frei (Sui) SUI
61. Thalita De Jong (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
62. Emily Collins (Nzl) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
63. Iris Slappendel (Ned) UnitedHealthcare Women
64. Leah Thomas (USA) Twenty16-Ridebiker
65. Eva Lechner (Ita) Servetto Footon
66. Ana Maria Covrig (Rom) INPA-Bianchi
67. Kaitlin Antonneau (USA) Twenty16-Ridebiker
68. Carlee Taylor (Aus) Team Liv-Plantur
69. Lucinda Brand (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
70. Linda Indergand (Sui) SUI
71. Monika Kiraly (Hun) S.C. Michela Fanini
72. Claudia Lichtenberg (Ger) Lotto Soudal Ladies
73. Anouska Koster (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
74. Mayuko Hagiwara (Jpn) Wiggle High5
75. Clara Koppenburg (Ger) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team
76. Emilia Fahlin (Swe) Alé Cipollini
77. Anna Potokina (Rus) Servetto Footon
78. Dalia Muccioli (Ita) Alé Cipollini 6:56
79. Asja Paladin (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
80. Rachel Neylan (Aus) Orica-AIS 7:05
81. Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) Hitec Products
NA Katarzyna Pawlowska (Pol) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
NA Anna Sanchis Chafer (Esp) Wiggle High5
NA Roxane Knetemann (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
NA Trixi Worrack (Ger) Canyon-SRAM
NA Alexis Ryan (USA) Canyon-SRAM
NA Carmen Small (USA) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team
NA Lotta Lepisto (Fin) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team
NA Joelle Numainville (Can) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team
NA Gabrielle Pilote-Fortin (Can) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team
NA Loren Rowney (Aus) Orica-AIS
NA Simona Frapporti (Ita) Hitec Products
NA Ingrid Lorvik (Nor) Hitec Products
NA Miriam Bjornsrud (Nor) Hitec Products
NA Shelley Olds (USA) Cylance Pro Cycling
NA Rachele Barberi (Ita) Cylance Pro Cycling
NA Sheyla Gutierrez Ruiz (Esp) Cylance Pro Cycling
NA Alison Tetrick (USA) Cylance Pro Cycling
NA Lauren Hall (USA) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
NA Kathrin Hammes (Ger) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
NA Brianna Walle (USA) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
NA Floortje Mackaij (Ned) Team Liv-Plantur
NA Molly Weaver (Gbr) Team Liv-Plantur
NA Abigail Mickey (USA) UnitedHealthcare Women
NA Diana Penuela (Col) UnitedHealthcare Women
NA Annie Ewart (Can) UnitedHealthcare Women
NA Aude Biannic (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
NA Severine Eraud (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
NA Victorie Guilman (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
NA Greta Richioud (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
NA Charlotte Bravard (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
NA Spela Kern (Slo) BTC City Ljubljana
NA Jelena Eric (Srb) BTC City Ljubljana
NA Lex Albrecht (Can) BePink Pro Cycling
NA Silvia Valsecchi (Ita) BePink Pro Cycling
NA Simona Bortolotti (Ita) BePink Pro Cycling
NA Kseniya Tuhai (Blr) BePink Pro Cycling
NA Lenore Pipes (Gum) BePink Pro Cycling
NA Tatiana Antoshina (Rus) Astana Pro Team
NA Arianna Fidanza (Ita) Astana Pro Team
NA Natalya Saifutdinova (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
NA Sofia Beggin (Ita) Astana Pro Team
NA Svetlana Vasilieva (Rus) Astana Pro Team
NA Ellen Skerritt (Aus) Alé Cipollini
NA Anisha Vekemans (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies
NA Susanna Zorzi (Ita) Lotto Soudal Ladies
NA Willeke Knoll (Ned) Lotto Soudal Ladies
NA Janneke Ensing (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team
NA Jermaine Post (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team
NA Esra Tromp (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team
NA Pauliena Rooijakkers (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team
NA Annelies Dom (Bel) Lensworld-Zannata
NA Kaat Hannes (Bel) Lensworld-Zannata
NA Kelly Druyts (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Etixx-Guill D’Or
NA Jessy Druyts (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Etixx-Guill D’Or
NA Ann-Sophie Duyck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Etixx-Guill D’Or
NA Valerie Demey (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Etixx-Guill D’Or
NA Demmy Druyts (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Etixx-Guill D’Or
NA Alice Gasparini (Ita) Servetto Footon
NA Katia Ragusa (Ita) Servetto Footon
NA Michela Pavin (Ita) INPA-Bianchi
NA Bethany Ann Allen (USA) INPA-Bianchi
NA Allie Dragoo (USA) Twenty16-Ridebiker
NA Jessica Cerra (USA) Twenty16-Ridebiker
NA Sari Saarelainen (Fin) S.C. Michela Fanini
NA Nina Gulino (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini
NA Manuela De Iulis (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini
NA Beatrice Bartelloni (Ita) Aromitalia Vaiano
NA Monia Baccaille (Ita) Aromitalia Vaiano
NA Nicole Nesti (Ita) Aromitalia Vaiano
NA Silvja Latozaite (Ltu) Aromitalia Vaiano
NA Nicole Dal Santo (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
NA Sara Mariotto (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
NA Elena Leonardi (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
NA Soraya Paladin (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
NA Sandrine Bideau (Fra) FRA
NA Soline Lamboley (Fra) FRA
NA Fanny Leleu (Fra) FRA
NA Emilie Rochedy (Fra) FRA
NA Manon Souyris (Fra) FRA
NA Marine Strappazzon (Fra) FRA
NA Riccarda Mazzotta (Sui) SUI
NA Aline Seitz (Sui) SUI
NA Andrea Waldis (Sui) SUI
NS Evelyn Stevens (USA) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team





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