August 19, 2012 (Vargarda, Sweden) – An exciting race, which was illuminated by Iris Slappendel (Rabobank Women), was played out in Vargarda on Sunday. The Dutchwoman, who has never won a World Cup road race before, was delighted with her victory, which was truly deserved after her constant attacking throughout the 12 lap, 132 kilometre race. For her own part, Marianne Vos rode a tactically brilliant race and has already sealed the 2012 World Cup series, despite one round remaining.
Slappendel attacked again and made a solo break with 3 laps to go which split the leading group. Although she gained 28 seconds and stayed away for about 8 kilometres, she could not hold off a counterattack by Linda Villumsen, which was covered by Slappendel’s team-mate, Marianne Vos. The leaders then raced a fast lap, with attack after attack, each of which failed. At last, with 13 kilometres left in the race, Slappendel attacked again and was covered only by Hanka Kupfernagel. The pair battled out the final lap, with the pace taken out of the legs of the chasers by the distance already covered, the repetition of the draining climb and the fact that Marianne Vos had no reason to chase.
Coming into the finishing straight, Kupfernagel put up a brave fight, but Slappendel led from the front and crossed the line a couple of bike lengths ahead of the German. Marianne Vos won the small group sprint one minute, ten seconds later and with it, took enough points to win the World Cup 2012 overall.
Victor, Iris Slappendel, was a little stuck for words, ““Nice! Amazing! I can’t believe it!”, she commented about her win, adding “When we had 40 seconds. I thought, Ok, they will look to each other and to Marianne [Vos], maybe I can make it. I felt so good all day.”
Olympic Champion and now World Cup winner, Vos, said afterwards that “It was not our main goal to win the World Cup today, we wanted to go for the win here in Vargarda but of course it is great to already have the win and to go next week to Plouay with some confidence and with the jersey already.”
Jeroen Blijlevens (Directeur Sportif, Rabobank Women) was very happy with the victory, “I am very happy, it is not only Marianne who is winning in our team, but also the other riders. If you play the game well, you can win with the other riders. It is a double victory, because Marianne won the World Cup for sure today.”
The final round of the World Cup 2012 is the GP de Plouay in Bretagne, France next week, 24th August.
Results
1. Iris Slappendel (Ned) Stichting Rabo Women Cycling Team 3:24:47
2. Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) Rusvelo
3. Marianne Vos (Ned) Stichting Rabo Women Cycling Team 01:10
4. Shelley Olds (USA) AA Drink- Leontien.nl Cycling Team
5. Trixi Worrack (Ger) Team Specialized- Lululemon
6. Emma Johansson (Swe) Hitec Products- Mistral Home Cycling Team
7. Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Greenedge- AIS 01:14
8. Isabelle Söderberg (Swe) AA Drink- Leontien.nl Cycling Team 02:08
9. Evelyn Stevens (USA) Team Specialized- Lululemon
10. Linda Melanie Villumsen (Nzl) Greenedge- AIS
11. Amy Pieters (Ned) Skil 1T4I 02:45
12. Nina Kessler (Ned) Dolmans- Boels Cyclingteam 03:25
13. Kirsten Wild (Ned) AA Drink- Leontien.nl Cycling Team 09:33
14. Judith Arndt (Ger) Greenedge- AIS
15. Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Faren Honda Team
16. Romy Kasper (Ger) Rusvelo
17. Roxane Knetemann (Ned) Stichting Rabo Women Cycling Team
18. Sara Mustonen (Swe) Hitec Products- Mistral Home Cycling Team
19. Thalita De Jong (Ned) Stichting Rabo Women Cycling Team
20. Jessica Kihlbom (Swe) Alriksson Go:Green
21. Nina Schultz Nielsen (Den) DEN
22. Mascha Pijnenborg (Ned) Dolmans- Boels Cyclingteam
23. Monique Van De Ree (Ned) Skil 1T4I
24. Emilie Moberg (Nor) Hitec Products- Mistral Home Cycling Team
25. Julie Leth (Den) DPD- Pakketservice
26. Kelly Markus (Ned) Skil 1T4I
27. Anouska Koster (Ned) Dolmans- Boels Cyclingteam
28. Sari Saarelainen (Fin) FIN
29. Hanna Nilsson (Swe) Alriksson Go:Green
30. Yulia Blindyuk (Rus) Faren Honda Team
31. Lise Nöstvold (Nor) Hitec Products- Mistral Home Cycling Team
32. Jessie Maclean (Aus) Greenedge- AIS
33. Loes Gunnewijk (Ned) Greenedge- AIS
34. Ceclie Gotaas Johnsen (Nor) NOR
35. Cathrine Grage (Den) DEN
36. Lucinda Brand (Ned) AA Drink- Leontien.nl Cycling Team
37. Jessie Daams (Bel) AA Drink- Leontien.nl Cycling Team
38. Claudia Häusler (Ger) Greenedge- AIS
39. Eleonora Van Dijk (Ned) Team Specialized- Lululemon
40. Liesbet De Vocht (Bel) Stichting Rabo Women Cycling Team
41. Sharon Laws (Gbr) AA Drink- Leontien.nl Cycling Team
42. Tatiana Antoshina (Rus) Stichting Rabo Women Cycling Team
43. Natalia Boyarskaya (Rus) Rusvelo
44. Janneke Kanis (Ned) Skil 1T4I
45. Hildegunn Hovdenak (Nor) NOR
46. Charlotte Becker (Ger) Team Specialized- Lululemon
47. Malin Rydlund (Swe) Alriksson Go:Green
48. Esther Olthuis (Ned) DPD- Pakketservice
49. Tina Andreassen (Nor) NOR
50. Ina Teutenberg (Ger) Team Specialized- Lululemon
51. Amber Neben (USA) Team Specialized- Lululemon
52. Aafke Eshuis (Ned) DPD- Pakketservice 10:15
53. Britt Lauenborg (Den) DEN
54. Natalie Van Gogh (Ned) DPD- Pakketservice
55. Eileen Roe (Gbr) DPD- Pakketservice
56. Janneke Ensing (Ned) Dolmans- Boels Cyclingteam 10:27
57. Irina Molicheva (Rus) Rusvelo 10:29
58. Camilla Sørgjerd (Nor) NOR 11:11
59. Linn Torp (Nor) NOR
60. Maija Rossi (Fin) FIN
61. Esra Tromp (Ned) Skil 1T4I
62. Martina Thomasson (Swe) DPD- Pakketservice 12:44
63. Laura Van Der Kamp (Ned) Dolmans- Boels Cyclingteam 13:40
64. Fie Degn Larsen (Den) DEN 14:17
65. Jutta Nieminen (Fin) FIN 15:53
66. Thea Thorsen (Nor) Hitec Products- Mistral Home Cycling Team
Standings after 7 events
1. Marianne Vos (Ned) Stichting Rabo Women Cycling Team