July 26, 2008 (Germany) – Erinne Willock (Can) Webcor placed 15th today on Stage 5, the 18.6km ITT in Rund um Schmölln, and continues to lead the charge for Canada in 15th overall. Karin Thürig (Swi) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team took the win with team mate Christiane Soeder (Aut) finishing second and Judith Arndt (Ger) Team Columbia in 3rd – Arndt takes over the leader’s jersey heading into the final stage tomorrow.

Felicia Gomez (Can) Canadian National Team is leading the KoM competition while Julie Beveridge (Can) Canadian National Team is 2nd in the Young Rider Classification.

Team Columbia Release

Columbia’s Judith Arndt placed third in Saturday’s penultimate stage of Thuringen Rundfahrt moving herself into the overall race lead with one stage remaining. Arndt finished behind Karin Thürig and Christiane Soeder of Cervelo Lifeforce in the 18.6km time trial, earning the yellow jersey by a margin of 22 seconds over Nürnberger’s Trixi Worrack.

“I’m very happy with my time trial,” explained Arndt. “I’m glad we were able to put some time into the Cervelo Time Trialists in yesterday’s stage, but I expect them to be very aggressive tomorrow so we will have a lot of work do to.”

Arndt won the 2007 edition of Thuringen by less than a second and hopes to defend title tomorrow. “It’s been very hard racing as is usual here,” said Team Director Petra Rossner. “We only have four riders and they are tired but we will fight hard tomorrow to keep the overall lead.”

The final stage is a 127.6km course around the town of Zeulenroda.

Results

1. Karin Thürig (Swi) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 27:39:84 (41.229 km/h)
2. Christiane Soeder (Aut) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 9:73
3. Judith Arndt (Ger) Team Columbia 42:15
4. Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 50:32
5. Priska Doppmann (Swi) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 59:00
6. Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) German National Team 1:08:01
7. Christine Thorburn (USA) Webcor Builders Cycling Team 1:26:56
8. Charlotte Becker (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 1:28:05
9. Grete Treier (Est) Gauss RDZ Ormu 1:35:87
10. Alison Powers (USA) USA National Team 1:40:74

15. Erinne Willock (Can) Webcor Builders Cycling Team 2:00:26
16. Felicia Gomez (Can) Canadian National Team 2:02:77
29. Leigh Hobson (Can) Canadian National Team 2:50:01
30. Julie Beveridge (Can) Canadian National Team 2:50:97
36. Alex Wrubleski (Can) Webcor Builders Cycling Team 3:19:00
62. Karol-Ann Canuel (Can) Canadian National Team 4:55:29
65. Alison Testroete (Can) Canadian National Team 5:08:82
75 Heather Logan (Can) Canadian National Team 5:58:51

GC after Stage 5

1. Judith Arndt (Ger) Team Columbia 11:19:22
2. Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 0:22
3. Grete Treier (Est) Gauss RDZ Ormu 0:51
4. Karin Thürig (Swi) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 1:59
5. Christiane Soeder (Aut) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 2:36
6. Emma Johansson (Swe) Swedish National Team 3:13
7. Noemi Cantele (Ita) Bigla Cycling Team
8. Priska Doppmann (Swi) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 3:44
9. Carla Ryan (Aus) Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team 4:03
10. Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) German National Team 4:43

15. Erinne Willock (Can) Webcor Builders Cycling Team 6:01
20. Leigh Hobson (Can) Canadian National Team 6:38
23. Julie Beveridge (Can) Canadian National Team 6:55
26. Alex Wrubleski (Can) Webcor Builders Cycling Team 7:13
33. Felicia Gomez (Can) Canadian National Team 11:13
60. Alison Testroete (Can) Canadian National Team 33:37
64. Heather Logan (Can) Canadian National Team 36:18
80. Karol-Ann Canuel (Can) Canadian National Team 1:19:27

Mountain Classification
1. Felicia Gomez (Can) Canadian National Team

Young Rider Classification

1. Stephanie Pohl (Ger) German National Team 11.25.33
2. Julie Beveridge (Can) Canadian National Team 0.44
3. Oxana Kozonchuk (Rus) Menikini – Selle Italia 1.00
4. Elena Berlato (Ita) Safi – Pasta Zara Manhattan 1.15
5. Jacobien Kanis (Ned) Team Flexpoint 19.18
6. Romy Kasper (Ger) German National Team 26.21
7. Marlen Jöhrend (Ger) Mix-Team Rothaus – Rügenfisch 28.53
8. Francesca Faustini (Ita) Safi – Pasta Zara Manhattan 36.25
9. Lisa Brennauer (Ger) German National Team 36.58
10. Marina Romoli (Ita) Menikini – Selle Italia 37.29
11. Martina Scoppa (Ita) Gauss RDZ Ormu 1.04.14
12. Virginia Henning (Ger) Mix-Team Rothaus – Rügenfisch 1.08.01
13. Karol-Ann Canuel (Can) Canadian National Team 1.13.16