Lithuanian outsprints breakaway companion to take victory as race leader taken out by railway tracks
Edita Pucinskaite (Gauss-RDZ-Ormu) won the second stage of the Thüringen Rundfahrt, the Rund um Gera, after outsprinting Olga Zabelinskaya (Safi-Pasta Zara). The pair escaped from a seven-woman breakaway group in the last 10km of the 132km stage. Charlotte Becker (Cervélo TestTeam) came in alone 1’03” behind Pucinskaite, with 2007 World champion Marta Bastianelli (Fenixs-Petrogadgets) leading the rest home a few seconds later.
The seven women escaped on the race’s second climb, after 60km. The group was made up of Pucinskaite, Zabelinskaya, Becker, Bastianelli, Elena Kuchinskaya (Gauss-RDZ-Omu), Irene Van Den Broek (Netherlands National Team) and Noemi Cantele (HTC-Columbia).
Like the break on stage 1, most of the race’s strong teams were represented and so the breakaway was allowed to build a huge lead, which reached 7’36” by the finish. Pucinskaite attacked as the group crossed the finish line to start the final 9.5km finishing circuit and only Zabelinskaya could go with her.
On the line the 1999 World champion easily outsprinted the Russian and finished 2 seconds clear.
Stage 1 winner, and race leader, Emma Johansson (RedSun Cycling) suffered with illness vn the extreme heat of the stage and was forced to abandon; Zabelinskaya takes over the race lead.
Result stage 2
1. Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Gauss-RDZ-Ormu
2. Olga Zabelinskaya (Rus) Safi-Pasta Zara @ 2s
3. Charlotte Becker (Ger) Cervélo TestTeam @ 1’03”
4. Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Fenixs-Petrogadgets @ 1’21”
5. Elena Kuchinskaya (Rus) Gauss-RDZ-Ormu @ 1’22”
6. Irene Van Den Broek (Ned) Netherlands National Team
7. Noemi Cantele (Ita) HTC-Columbia
8. Adrie Visser (Ned) HTC-Columbia @ 7’36”
9. Julia Martisova (Rus) Gauss-RDZ-Ormu
10. Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) German National Team
Standings after stage 2
1. Olga Zabelinskaya (Rus) Safi-Pasta Zara
2. Elena Kuchinskaya (Rus) Gauss-RDZ-Ormu @ 1’18”
3. Noemi Cantele (Ita) HTC-Columbia @ 1’25”
4. Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Gauss-RDZ-Ormu @ 1’32”
5. Charlotte Becker (Ger) Cervélo TestTeam @ 2’32”