June 6, 2010 (Spain) – Charlotte Becker (GER) won the 122.9km GP Ciudad da Valladolid, the sixth round of the 2010 UCI Women’s World Cup in Spain today. It was Becker’s first World Cup victory and successfully completed the team’s plan to increase their points for their World Cup ranking. Judith Arndt (GER-HTC Columbia Women) placed second, just ahead of Annemiek van Vleuten (NED-Nederland Bloeit).

“With 30 km to go, four riders attacked, and I went with them. Later on two lost contact with our group and then I was with left with Judith Arndt and Annemiek van Vleuten,” explained Charlotte Becker after the race. “The gap was getting bigger and I know that I’ve been fast in the sprints in the last couple of weeks so I was thinking positively. I knew that van Vleuten is really fast, especially since she had not been riding full gas as her teammate Marianne Vos (NED) was in the group behind us. I lead my group into the final and never gave the front position away, I went full gas as well and the two where not able to pass me.”

“I am really happy about my first World Cup win, and that I got the chance from the team to go for my own success today. The plan for us was to have somebody in the final break away and everything went according to plan.”

“At the beginning today, it was not such a hard race. Not too windy, flat and a little bit hilly,” said Egon van Kessel, Sports Director. “But after about 2 hours of racing it got a little windier, not too much but enough to make it harder. Then we had a climb and we attacked there. Then the bunch broke into several parts. But at the end before the final started there was a bunch of 50 to 60 riders and there were several attacks. On the last attack there was a break with three riders with Charlotte Becker from our team, Annemiek van Vleuten and Judith Arndt, and these three riders made it to the end of the race. There was a sprint and Charlotte won her first World Cup race, and our second World Cup win, this year.

“We were fairly happy but also surprised because it’s not that easy to win a World Cup especially when we are not here with our fastest sprinters. But in small groups I know we can win the race and it happened today. It was a very good result and we’re very happy with it.”

Results (brief)

1. Charlotte Becker (Ger) Cervelo Test Team 3:02:09
2. Judith Arndt (Ger) HTC Columbia Women
3. Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Nederland Bloeit
4. Marianne Vos (Ned) Nederland Bloeit 1:06
5. Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Gauss RDZ Ormu
6. Emma Johansson (Swe) Redsun Cycling Team
7. Monia Baccaille (Ita) Team Valdarno
8. Nicole Cooke (GBr) British National Team A
9. Oxana Kozonchuk (Rus) Safi-Pasta Zara
10. Pascale Jeuland (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope

52. Karol-Ann Canuel (Can) Vienne Futuroscope 1:20
64. Julie Beveridge (Can) Vienne Futuroscope 3:52