HTC-Columbia's Ina-Yoko Teutenberg won the Chongming Island World Cup, prevailing in the bunch sprint. It was Teutenberg's fourth win in five days, besting Dutchwoman Kirsten Wild and Australian Rochelle Gilmore.
Teutenberg continued her good run in China, after taking two stages and the overall in the Tour of Chongming Island stage race. Her win also gave HTC-Columbia the first World Cup race win of the season. "We badly wanted to get a win in the World Cup series, but overall the important thing was the way our team raced, we were really on top of things," said HTC-Columbia team manager Ronny Lauke.
"I had checked out the course beforehand and it was clear there were going to be crosswinds and splits in the bunch, and our team was really attentive. After about 60 kilometers, when the first big break of about 20 went, we had six riders in it."
One particular rider was going extremely well. "Judith [Arndt] was really strong, too. She went solo for us on the return section of the race, which forced other teams to chase, and even when the next group got away she still had enough strength to get into that move, along with two more of our riders, [Ellen] Van Dijk and Adrie Visser."
Arndt still had enough energy to escape once more late in the race, forcing other teams to work yet again. "Finally Judith was caught and with about two kilometers to go we started the lead-out for Ina," Lauke said. "The lead-out was so fast that Ina let a gap open with a kilometer to go, allowing her three teammates to go for the victory ahead of the field."
This forced the Cervélo TestTeam to chase again and they caught the trio with 150 meters to go. Teutenberg was able to come around at the last minute to take the sprint from Wild. "They needed a photo-finish to decide if Ina had won, but actually it was pretty clear she had got it," added Lauke.
Teutenberg moved up from 43rd to sixth in the UCI ranking. Marianne Vos, who was not racing in China, still leads the ranking with 155 points, ahead of Grace Verbeke (114) and Emma Johansson (101). Teutenberg has 78 points. The HTC Columbia team leads the team ranking with 299 points, ahead of the Cervélo TestTeam (270) and Nederland Bloeit (225).
The Tour de L'Aude in France is next on the women's racing calendar.
Results:
1. Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (Ger) HTC-Columbia
2. Kirsten Wild (Ned) Cervélo TestTeam
3. Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Australian National Team
4. Angela Hennig (Ger) Noris Cycling Team
5. Marta Tagliaferro (Ita) Top Girls-Fassa Bortolo-Ghezzi
6. Eleonora Van Dijk (Ned) HTC-Columbia
7. Aurore Verhoeven (Fra) ESGL 93-GSD Gestion
8. Emma Petersen (NZl) New Zealand National Team
9. Melissa Holt (NZl) New Zealand National Team
10. Liu Xin (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling
UCI World Cup individual ranking
1 Marianne Vos 155 points
2 Grace Verbeke 114
3 Emma Johansson 101
4 Kirsten Wild 92
5 Emma Pooley 82
6 Ina Teutenberg 78
7 Nicole Cooke 78
8 Loes Gunnewijk 75
9 Annemiek Van Vleuten 70
10 Noemi Cantele 62