Ina Teutenberg (HTC-Highroad) won the third stage of the Tour of New Zealand on a circuit starting and finishing in Palmerston North, taking her first win of the 2011 campaign and extending the American team’s domination of the race. The German über-sprinter beat lat year’s race winner Shelley Olds (Diadora-Pasta Zara) with Catherine Cheatley (New Zealand) taking her third successive third place behind her.
It feels good to win my first race," said Teutenberg. "It's always tricky to know if you're fast enough at the beginning of the season."
"There weren't any big climbs," she explained, "Mostly rolling hills, ups and downs, but the wind came right at the end and made it a bit tricky."
"The girls kept it under control again. There was a small break for about half the race but they were able to keep it all together. Then Judith [Arndt] and Chloe [Hosking] did a great job of the leadout, especially into the strong headwind."
The race, based on a circuit around Ashurst, was kept under control by the HTC-Highroad team of race leader Judith Arndt, the winner of the first two stages. The team allowed a break to get away but the American trio of Ally Stacher, Amanda Miller and former World time trial champion Amber Neben kept it under control.
The peloton was all together into the finishing straight and Teutenberg won the first round, in what will hopefully be a season-long contest, with Olds.
With Arndt working for Teutenberg in the closing stages she did not contest the sprint; Catherine Cheatley (New Zealand) managed to take third place and, with it, the 4 bonus seconds. The New Zealander halves her deficit to Arndt in the overall classification and now trails the German by just 4 seconds.
Result stage 3
1. Ina Teutenberg (Ger) HTC-Highroad
2. Shelley Olds (USA) Diadora-Pasta Zara
3. Catherine Cheatley (NZl) New Zealand
4. Alona Andruk (Ukr) Diadora-Pasta Zara
5. Emily Collins (NZl) Cyclosport NZ
6. Ruth Corset (Aus) Team Jayco-AIS
7. Meng Lang (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling Team-China
8. Vicki Whitelaw (Aus) Team Jayco-VIS
9. Shi Li Na (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling Team-China
10. Joanne Hogan (Aus) Team Jayco-VIS
Standings after stage 3
1. Judith Arndt (Ger) HTC-Highroad
2. Catherine Cheatley (NZl) New Zealand @ 4s
3. Ruth Corset (Aus) Team Jayco-AIS @ 12s
4. Joanne Hogan (Aus) Team Jayco-VIS @ 1’33”
5. Vicki Whitelaw (Aus) Team Jayco-VIS @ 1’33”