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February 3/15 10:37 am - Tour of Qatar: Stage 1


Posted by Editoress on 02/3/15
 

Stage 1 of the 2015 Ladies Tour of Qatar was decided in a bunch sprint by the beach in Dukhan. Assisted by her Ale Cipollini team mates, Annalisa Cucinotta powered to her first ever success in Qatar. The Italian beat to the line, Giorgia Bronzini (Wiggle Honda) and Marta Tagliaferro (Ale Cipollini), on her way to the overall lead and a well deserved Golden Jersey.

 

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Annalisa Cucinotta wins stage 1 - (©ASO/B.Bade)

Ideal conditions and almost no wind, a rarity in Qatar, welcomed the 87 riders at the start of the stage, just in front of the splendid Museum of Islamic Art in the centre of Doha. While Canada’s Annie Ewart (OPW) failed to start due to illness, the pack took off just before 2:00, heading west.

Without the slightest breakaway attempt, the pack remained bunched all the way to the first intermediate sprint (km 28) won by Shelley Olds (Bigla Cycling Team) ahead of Chloe Hosking (Wiggle Honda) and Elizabeth Armitstead (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team). At km 37.5, Xiu Jie Jiang (China Chongming-Liv-Champion System)  was the first to try her luck on her own. Her avantage went from 45’’ at km 42 to a maximum 1’20 at km 61 while the pack was hit by several crashes, one even forcing USA’s Maura Kinsella (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit) to retire.

 

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Leah Kirchmann and Optum p/b Kelly Benefit

PHOTO

 

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Photos (©ASO/B.Bade)

 

Stage leader Jiang went on to make it to the second bonus sprint (km 68.5) clear from the pack, before eventually being caught. Meanwhile Olds had again outsprinted her peloton rivals, beating Armitstead for precious extra seconds that could count a great deal in the GC.

The bunched up pack stayed that way until the final moments of the race. On the last straight by the beach in Dukhan, Annalisa Cucinotta was perfectly led out by her team mates and claimed her first stage win in Qatar. Present in the peninsula to prepare for the track World Championships in France, the Italian starts her road season in style with a first win at her first race of the year. Despite being caught in a crash earlier on, there was no stoping Cucinotta who beat two-time World Champion Giorgia Bronzini and her team mate Marta Tagliaferro.

Courtesy ASO

 

Results from the first stage of the Tour of Qatar

Stage 1: Museum of Islamic Art to Dukhan Beach, 98 km
1 Annalisa Cucinotta (Ita) Ale Cipollini 2:28:36
2 Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Wiggle Honda
3 Marta Tagliaferro (Ita) Ale Cipollini
4 Lucinda Brand (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
5 Shelley Olds (USA) Bigla Cycling Team
6 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Velocio - SRAM
7 Arianna Fidanza (Ita) Ale Cipollini
8 Jolien D'hoore (Bel) Wiggle Honda
9 Kelly Druyts (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Pro-Duo
10 Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Velocio - SRAM
11 Elena Cecchini (Ita) Team Italy
12 Elizabeth Armitstead (GBr) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
13 Emma Johansson (Swe) Orica - AIS
14 Lucy Garner (GBr) Team Liv - Plantur
15 Emilie Moberg (Nor) Hitec Products
16 Romy Kasper (Ger) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
17 Roxane Fournier (Fra) Team France
18 Leah Kirchmann (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
19 Lotta Lepistö (Fin) Bigla Cycling Team
20 Eugénie Duval (Fra) Team France
21 Brianna Walle (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
22 Lauren Kitchen (Aus) Hitec Products
23 Sara Mustonen (Swe) Team Liv - Plantur
24 Gracie Elvin (Aus) Orica - AIS
25 Soline Lamboley (Fra) Team France
26 Fanny Riberot (Fra) Team France
27 Julia Soek (Ned) Team Liv - Plantur
28 Moniek Tenniglo (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
29 Amalie Dideriksen (Den) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
30 Xi Sha Zhao (Chn) China Chongming-Liv-Champion System
31 Barbara Guarischi (Ita) Velocio - SRAM
32 Kelly Van Den Steen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Pro-Duo
33 Wan Tong Wang (Chn) China Chongming-Liv-Champion System
34 Claudia Cretti (Ita) Team Italy
35 Eleonora Van Dijk (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
36 Yue Bai (Chn) China Chongming-Liv-Champion System
37 Shara Gillow (Aus) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
38 Amy Pieters (Ned) Team Liv - Plantur
39 Chantal Blaak (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
40 Pascale Jeuland (Fra) Team France
41 Georgia Baker (Aus) Team Australia
42 Lisa Brennauer (Ger) Velocio - SRAM
43 Julie Leth (Den) Hitec Products
44 Kimberley Wells (Aus) Team Australia
45 Chloe Hosking (Aus) Wiggle Honda
46 Jessica Mundy (Aus) Team Australia
47 Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) Hitec Products
48 Christine Majerus (Lux) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
49 Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Ita) Ale Cipollini all s.t.
50 Martina Alzini (Ita) Team Italy 0:06
51 Anouska Koster (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
52 Alena Amialiusik (Blr) Velocio - SRAM
53 Doris Schweizer (Sui) Bigla Cycling Team all s.t.
54 Steffy Van Den Haute (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Pro-Duo 0:08
55 Rossella Ratto (Ita) Team Italy
56 Gilke Croket (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Pro-Duo
57 Jiaqi Li (Chn) China Chongming-Liv-Champion System
58 Coralie Demay (Fra) Team France
59 Loren Rowney (Aus) Velocio - SRAM
60 Floortje Mackaij (Ned) Team Liv - Plantur
61 Kaat Hannes (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Pro-Duo
62 Amanda Spratt (Aus) Orica - AIS
63 Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Wiggle Honda
64 Alison Tetrick (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
65 Loes Gunnewijk (Ned) Orica - AIS
66 Francesca Pattaro (Ita) Team Italy
67 Valentina Scandolara (Ita) Orica - AIS
68 Kendelle Hodges (Aus) Team Australia
69 Silvia Valsecchi (Ita) Team Italy
70 Roxanne Knetemann (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
71 Nel De Crits (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Pro-Duo
72 Xiu Jie Jiang (Chn) China Chongming-Liv-Champion System
73 Janel Holcomb (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
74 Miriam Bjørnsrud (Nor) Hitec Products
75 Vera Koedooder (Ned) Bigla Cycling Team
76 Willeke Knol (Ned) Team Liv - Plantur
77 Alexandria Nicholls (Aus) Team Australia
78 Jenelle Crooks (Aus) Team Australia
79 Tone Hatteland Lima (Nor) Hitec Products
80 Sharon Laws (GBr) Bigla Cycling Team
81 Béatrice Bartelloni (Ita) Ale Cipollini
82 Elena Berlato (Ita) Ale Cipollini
83 Joëlle Numainville (Can) Bigla Cycling Team
84 Ya Nan Liu (Chn) China Chongming-Liv-Champion System
85 Audrey Cordon (Fra) Wiggle Honda
86 Emilia Fahlin (Swe) Wiggle Honda all s.t.
DNF Maura Kinsella (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
DNS Annie Ewart (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit

 

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