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Giro Donne (Giro D'Italia) 2007
www.girodonne.it
All photos
here by kind permission of
CJ Farquarson,
www.womenscycling.net
I
was looking forward to this years Giro D'Italia, especially as I
did not finish my last one in 2005 when I fractured 2 ribs in
a crash during the prologue! How I managed to complete 7 more
stages like that before retiring I don't know as it was all a
bit of a blur of cracking ribs and unending pain! This years
Giro is still fresh in my mind having just finished with no
broken bones! We were told this years giro was supposed to be
a lot harder than in previous years! So I was prepared for the
worst!
At
Team Saccarelli we went with a team of 8 girls with 3
youngsters going for experience. Last year, our Team Leader,
Monia Baccaille came 8th overall in the Giro so our goal as a
team was to improve on this and try to win some stages!
Unfortunately Monia has been poorly in the run up to the Giro so
we were not sure how our plans would go! I also came down with
a cold a few days before it which was probably due to the
English weather that I had the misfortune the experience on a
rare and all too brief trip home just before the Giro!!! So I
felt crap for the first few days but I was determined to do my
domestique duties and get over the cold asap so I could come
good in the later stages.
Prologue - July 6: Cocetta del Montello, 3 km
Winner: Edita Pucinskiate- Nurnburger - The course was flat out
a back with a few corners to contend with. I wanted to get
around them without crashing this time which I managed but
unfortunately it was Marianne Vos who crashed this time but
thankfully was not badly hurt and able to finish. Edita took the
Winners Jerseys after the first stage. I was not too happy with
my result and took a very early night with some cold remedies as
my head was spinning like a yo- yo!! I hoped to feel better for
stage 1!! Giovanne and Monia finished well today on their TT
bikes.....
Stage 1 - July 7: Riese Pio X - Pontecchio Polesine, 150.6
km (172!!)
Winner: Giorgia Bronzini. Today was an opportunity for the team
to get into a break if possible. So myself and Alessandra
D’Ettore where instructed to try and get away. So we did just
that I tried a few times at getting away Alessandra attacked and
Miho Oki from Menikini went with her and they stayed away for
about 70k. It looked like they would stay away until the finish!
But the race took an unexpected turn as it was supposed to be
120k but we had another 25k to go it seemed so instead of being
150k it was 172! . The Nurnberger team took advantage of this
and pulled in the escapees and the sprinters lined up for the
finish which was fast and furious!! With T- Mobile working for
Teutenberg and Menikini for Gilmore. We took Monia up to the
front ready for the sprint and she blasted away to come 8th.
Bronzini took the win and Edita
Pucinskaite still in the pink.
Me: 24th. Same time as winner. (138 riders started
the race)
Stage 2 - July 8: Correggio/Rio - Correggio, 125 km
Winner: Marrione Vos team DSB Bank. Today was a fast circuit
race of 9 laps. My job was to keep up front and get in any potential
breaks and for the team to help Monia in the final 5k for the
sprint. It was an active race today with team DSB Bank and T-
mobile trying there luck on several occasional but there where
to many fresh legs in the peleton to go anywhere today! The
final sprint was very acive with T-Mobile lining the peloton out
for Wood who came 2nd and Marrione Vos taking the win
in the sprint. Monia got boxed in a bit in the final metres of
the sprint and I finished in e top 25. My head was spinning
like a Yo- Yo today I was beginning to think I had some strange
virus instead of a head cold! I continue to take my vitamin C
and another very early night in the hope it would pass.
Me: 25th 8 secs down.
Stage 3 - July 9: Buti - Prato a Calci, 10.2 km
Winne:
Edita Pucinskaite
Well what more can i say about a 10k hill Time Trial!? well
now I have done one I can say it was not as bad as I thought it
was going to be!! A lot of it was about mental approach and
finding a good rhythm and once you find them both it is okay!
well relatively anyway! our coach advice us to ride efficiently
and not to tire ourselves for the rest of the stages. it was
tough 10k but we all got through it! I don't remember much just
counting my pedals strokes to get started then I went through a
bad patch so I had to refocus again! it was a relief to see the
2k to go sign and I was trying to forget that the last 2k where
the hardest part of the climb! For some strange reason it the
final part was not so bad! I think I was enjoying myself to
much!! We all finished within 35 -38 Minutes, and the winning
time by Edita was 30.06! an amazing ride…
Me: 95th
Stage 4 - July 10: Novara - Novara, 129 km
Winner:
Ina Teutenberg
. I woke feeling worse than yesterday! So I had to
re-focus and just think about finishing today's stage. Monia
had 7 other girls to help her so the pressure was not only on me
thankfully. My coach said to just get around today and
hopefully the cold will pass soon! I did just that I got around
but boy did it feel hard today!! The course suited the
sprinters today as the climbs where not too hard with 2 3rd
category climbs and 1 2nd category climb. I was
suffering pretty much from the beginning I did not feel myself
today so I dropped into a group and finished with some other
girls who were also on a bad day! T-Mobile kept kept the race in
order for their sprinter Ina to take a classy win today! Monia
finished in the top 20 today. Edita is still in the Pink.
Me
109th 13’ down
Stage 5 - July 11: Cittiglio - Cittiglio, 103.4
Winner: Nicole Brandli. Today's stage had 3 main climbs and
the rest of the stage was rolling. The good news was I felt more
like Me today and my head was not spinning so much so this
filled me with confidence. Today We wanted to keep Monia fresh
for the finish as we really wanted to get a win. We worked well
to keep things in order for her. The race split on the last
climb of the day and Monia was up front with Vos and overall
race winner Edita Pucinskaita so she was in position. Nicole
Brandli attacked and got away with 3 other girls who she also
dropped on the last climb of the day. She finished 46 seconds
ahead of Marta Bastianella who rode very strongly today. Monia
won the bunch sprint that she was in but was disappointed not to
win today. I felt a lot better today and my legs felt good
climbing. I was with Tina Pick of Colavita today and she was
making me laugh on the tough 1st cat climb as she
asked the locals how much more of the climb we had to go and
they kept saying 500 metres when in fact there was about
another 2k to go!
Me: 85th. 14’ down
Stage 6 - July 12: Cornaredo - Cornaredo, 128.7 km
Winner: Judith Arndt. We had the go ahead to get into a break
today or at least try to any way! The race started fast from the
gun with Menikini trying their luck at a break but I was hot on
her wheels as I to wanted to get away! Myself and D’Ettore tried
on several occasion to get away today but T- Mobile where not
having any of it neither where DSB bank who rode hard today to
bring back any breaks that they where not in! The pace was fast
for the whole race today; non stop attacking and team work. In
the final lap Oenone Wood attacked and I went with her and some
other girls we got a small gap but then came the counter attack
by Teutenberg. I Tried to get on her wheel but she was crazy
fast around the corners and I could not get up to her although I
tried hard without needing another pair of legs and was left in
no mans land! She was upfront with DSB bank and it looked as if
they would stay away but in the closing kilometres Nurnberger
chased hard and caught them. That kind of ride is unheard of on
the mens scene. She’s probably the worlds best female sprinter
and yet she’s always attacking and getting away. The final few
kilometres where tricky as everyone was pushing for position to
get around the corners first!! Monia within the top 15 a bit
started to bring her up to the front when the Belgium national
champion crashed in front on D'Ettore she came down to and I
just managed to miss the crash luckily! I’ve had my fair share
of crashes this season thank you! Judith Arndt did a Cancallara
today and attacked of the front of the bunch to win the race!! a
stylish win and not easy to pull but she did it in style! Monia
finished 10th today. Thankfully D’Ettore was not too
badly hurt just badly scraped and bruised. Edita still in the
pink today.
Me: 32nd Same time as winner.
Stage 7 - July 13: Misinto/Lazzate - Ceriano Laghetto/Cogliate,
120.8
Winner:Ina Teutenberg. Another flattish race today. 6 circuits
around a town with 2 cobbled sections. I was given the go ahead
to try and get a break away today as I had a feeling today I
would have good legs and thankfully I was right! I felt very
good today and really wanted to get in a break, so try I did!
I counter attacked on the 2nd lap on the cobbled section I just
kept my head down until I got a gap and looked back to see
Mirjam Melchers chasing me which was good company! We worked
together to get a gap but after about 5k the bunch pulled us
in. We needed more people to keep a break away so I attacked
again, near the end of lap 3 and got away with an American
Colavita girl and worked to get a good gap on the bunch. We
were then joined by Linda Villumsen and Kimberley Anderson of
T-Mobile, Naomi Cantelle and an FRW chick. I thought we would
stay away as we were riding strongly and stayed away for a while
but we where pulled back in by DSB and Nurnberger as they had no
one in the break! I was disappointed not to stay away but I was
happy to be feeling good and at least having a good try!! The
final few kilometers where really hard and my legs felt the
pace!! I tried hard to stay up front and did my best to protect
Monia for the finish but my legs could not get go any faster!!!
Monia finished 8th today in the sprint. A good
ride today and a good try!! Edita Puscinskiata still in Pink!
Me: 49th. 8 secs down.
Stage 8 - July 14: Seregno - Seregno, 106.4 km
Winner: Svetlana Bubnenkova. Boy did I feel it in my legs
this morning!! They felt like they had a battering yesterday!
Today's stage looked okay for the first 70k then it was going to
be hard till the finish as we had 2 hard climbs to do. Giovanne
Troldi got in an early break with some other girls so the bunch
was not very active until about 50k or so when Nurnberger sat on
the front and chased down the escapees!!! My legs felt bad in
the first hour or so but then got better towards the end
thankfully for the climbs! We caught the escapees on the final
climb which was tough! There where a lot of tired legs in the
peloton today! Thankfully not only me! I started the climb too
fast as I wanted to get in the first group as was mid way
through the bunch. I was going well and Monia was kept up
front but she to was suffering today. I grouped with Zabriova
and Wood and a few other girls. We had a tough 1st cat climb to
do but then it was pretty flat for a few kilometers to the
finish. We were happy to finish today and happy to finish the
tour as it was a great experience and one I would like to do
improve even further on next year. Overall winner Edita
Puscinskaita, 2nd Nicole Brandli, 3rd
Maribel Morino. Monia 30th ,
Me
: 72nd 15’ down
Leda
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