Ina Teutenberg (HTC-Columbia) won the Liberty Classic for the fourth time in her career in a bunch sprint at the end of the 92.7km race. The German champion beat Shelley Evans (Peanut Butter & Co-Twenty12) and Theresa Cliff-Ryan (Colavita-Baci) into second and third respectively.
"It was really hot today but other than that it was very similar to last year really," said Teutenberg after the race. "There were a lot of attacks but my teammates did a great job to control the race and keep it together for a sprint.”
As a sprinter who often wins from breakaways Teutenberg can win on almost any terrain, she was relying on her team here though to make sure that no one else was able to stay away. "Evie [Stevens] was always there on the Manyunk Wall to cover the attacks and Kim [Anderson], Linda [Villumsen] and Emilia [Fahlin] did a great job covering everything else.
“People attacked constantly and on the last lap,” Teutenberg continued, “I was expecting them to really hammer up the climb but I think by that stage they were all a bit tired because of the heat. I started to feel sorry for the guys [in the later Philadelphia International] having to race for another four hours or so.”
Into the fourth and final lap Canadian Erinne Willock (Webcor) was away in a lone attack; she was reeled back in by the sprinters’ teams though and the peloton approached the finish all together. Evans put in a powerful surge for the line, but Teutenberg just managed to overhaul her before the line and take her fourth Liberty Classic and deny the United States its first win in the event.
"In the end I only just won the sprint as Shelley [Evans] made a very well timed attack on the finishing straight and it took me until 15 metres to go to catch her.
"I'm really happy to win here again. It's one of my favourite races and I look forward to coming her every year."
Result Liberty Classic
1. Ina Teutenberg (Ger) HTC-Columbia
2. Shelley Evans (USA) Peanut Butter & Co-Twenty12)
3. Theresa Cliff-Ryan (USA) Colavita-Baci p/b Cooking Light
4. Brooke Miller (USA) Team Tibco-To The Top
5. Trixi Worrack (Ger) Noris Cycling Team
6. Joelle Numainville (Can) Webcor Builders
7. Ruth Corset (Aus) Team Tibco-To The Top
8. Carla Swart (RSA) Team Vera Bradley Foundation
9. Joanne Kiesanowski (NZl) Team Tibco-To The Top
10. Anna McLoon (USA) Team Kenda